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SOFIA CHAPTER 2 MISSION REPORT 2016

We started this year with God’s word from Hebrew 12:2 and have prayed that we may fix on Jesus so that we may run the race faithfully with perseverance. Despite our weaknesses and shortcomings, despite many problems and difficulties God helped us to keep our faith and focus on Christ through the studying of God's word – 1 Corinthians, the Gospel of Mark.

The University of National and World Economy (UNWE, 경제대학, http://www.unwe.bg) is established in 1920. In 2011 it took the 1st place in Bulgaria, 13th place in Europe. There are 8 faculties at the UNWE: General Economics Faculty, Faculty of Finance, Business Faculty, Faculty of Economics of Infrastructure, Faculty of International Economics and Politics, Management and Administration Faculty, Faculty of Applied Informatics and Statistics and Law Faculty. More than 20 thousand students are educated at the UNWE in regular.

Our main prayer topic was each of us to have one new bible student. Even though we tried to meet and invite new people we still do not have new bible students. So this will be our prayer topic for 2017 as well. Shepherdess Veska steadily visited UNWE campus to invite students and received many rejections. Georgi and Heather befriended several students from the campus area, by playing table tennis, inviting them home and to cafes, or to english lessons. But except for a couple of bible studies with Boby (4th year student in the Technical University) in the spring we had no other result. This month Heather started bible study with the babysitter for Iliya and Daniela, who is a Sofia University masters student in English Studies. Her name is Yordanka and we pray that she may continue to study the bible for 2017.

Msn John was the only one who had regular bible studies throughout the year with Brother Dimitar and Maxim. They have a steady interest in the bible but have not yet committed to coming to Sunday worship services. This autumn Maxim moved to Austria to live with his girlfriend and we pray that he may continue bible study there with our missionary in Vienna UBF so that he may be born again. Msn John also served 1:1 to Adrian (a UNWE masters student) who has been our friend since 2012. For most of 2016 Adrian had to fight his drug and alcohol addiction which affected his studies. We have been praying continually for him to have a new life in Jesus and from this autumn he came back to Sofia to finish his studies. Since then he is attending more regularly our SWS and has 1:1. We pray that he may come to know personally the grace of our Lord through repentance and faith in God's word throughout 2017.

Msn Maria and Georgi served bible study to sister Boryana, she is the mom of Georgi's first bible student -Bobi. She has been faithful attendant to our SWS and supportive of our mission. But she has just recently moved to Germany to live there. We pray that she may have practical faith based on the word of God she has studied with us. 

Msn John Jung and shepherd Georgi served faithfully Sunday worship service messages. Shepherdess Veska also delivered several messages throughout the year and the Christmas message was delivered by msn. Maria. Georgi was so tired with many jobs in the company and in the family but he struggled to serve faithfully Sunday messages. Also Missionary Heather was tired as she is taking care of the children but she also struggled to serve God’s sheep with sowing and Bible study.

Shepherdess Veska was again the most active in visiting the campus and inviting new students among us. Also she has kept faithfully the Early morning prayer and writing testimonies before God. God opened her heart to the word of God to recognize inner sins and weaknesses. May God bless her and use her life preciously to be a mother of prayer and good Bible teacher. May God raise her house church in 2017 for God‘s glory.

Msn. John Jung served steadily some brothers Dimitar and Maxim with 1:1 Bible study more than three years but they didn’t want to SWS. May God work strongly in their hearts to accept Jesus as Christ and commit to our SWS in 2017. Nowadays God started to open brother Adrian’s heart to come SWS more often. May God change his prejudices to accept God’s words step by step in 2017. 

Iliya and Daniela have been growing well in 2016. They like to play, sing and pray. God is sending a new baby boy to Georgi and Heather who is due in April 2017. We pray for safe delivery and Heather’s health.

2nd gens Jin and Chan also grew a lot in 2016, both physically and mentally. They are diligent in their studies and have excellent grades. Jin and Chan started 1:1 with Msn John throughout the year on every Sunday morning. We pray they will grow  as good coworkers in Bulgarian ministry.

We praise God who sustains us with his word and calls us to serve his ministry despite our weaknesses. May God use us in 2017 to serve new students with the word of God for his glory. We will study the Genesis in 2017.

Key verses for 2017:

2 Peter 3:11b-12a “what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Prayer topics for 2017:

1. To learn deeply the Genesis in 2017 so that we could be good Bible teacher and good coworker.

2. May God raise up 1 Abraham and 12 disciples in UNWE and grow SWS’ attendants by 20 persons.

3. Msn. John Jung and shep. Georgi to serve SWS message gracefully, focusing the Jesus’ cross.  

4. To keep steadily as top priority the Early morning prayer and writing testimony. 

5. May God raise house church of sh. Veska.

6. Msn. Heather’s safe delivery and good health.

7. 2nd gens Jin & Chan Jung and Iliya & Daniela to grow faith and wisdom in Jesus.