Thursday, March 17, 2011

Team Meetings

Добре дошли (Dobre doshli... "Welcome")!

Our team has grown again with the addition of Jordan Hunt (who has been to BG several times before) and Chelsea King, one of our high schoolers who will be going for her first time. We are excited to have both of them! Jordan has experience and will be building on existing relationships with our Bulgarian friends. Chelsea has a real heart to serve and and a youthful excitement that will bring energy and joy to the team.

Our team of thirteen is now meeting regularly on Wednesday evenings before church to prepare for our trip. The meetings are every other week for now, but will switch to weekly as we get closer. We take the time to prepare everyone in a number of areas, but also to grow closer to each other so that we are already functioning as a team before we even leave the country. To foster discussions, we will be working through a journal together entitled, "Before You Pack Your Bag, Prepare Your Heart," a tool we have found useful and challenging in years past.

Monday, March 7, 2011

A Successful Yard Sale

We held our first team fundraiser this past weekend with a church yard sale on Friday and Saturday (March 4-5). We want to extend a huge "Thank You" to everyone in the church who donated their stuff for us to sell. We had a huge selection of clothing, furniture, electronics, appliances, housewares and more! We're also grateful to all of you that came out and supported us by buying other people's stuff.

The yard sale was a huge success, making over $1300 for the weekend. Each of the team members that helped run the sale made over $100 each day toward the $2000 they need to raise for our trip to Bulgaria. The weekend was a great start!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

We're Going Back to Bulgaria This Year!

Praise God! The Lord has raised up a team and we are returning to Bulgaria this summer after taking last year off. We have a group of ten that are committed to going as the Lord provides and we have begun to work together as a team to prepare for our trip.

The group this year includes Pastor Chuck and Lynda Kelly, Zach and Linzi Drew, Joey Leslie, myself (Pastor Mike Kern) and my daughter Megan, Roy Garrett, Brijon Ortiz, and Mayla Truncali. Please keep all of us and our families in prayer.