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The believers in Gabrovo, Bulgaria, are grateful to have this building for services and missionary activities.
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Chapel in Gabrovo, Bulgaria
The church of Gabrovo has a long history. Before the takeover of communism, it was a center for the Reform Movement and had a large membership. But during the time of communism, the church property was confiscated, and the people were scattered and persecuted. Nevertheless some of them continued to assemble and hold worship services underground.
After communism fell in Bulgaria in 1989, a hall was rented to hold services, and public evangelistic campaigns were also conducted. At the beginning of 1990, there were only three members left in Gabrovo; but with the help of God and the active efforts of the two workers there–a minister, Brother Stefan Angelov, and a Bible worker, Brother Kuncho Guedov–the church began to grow and progress. Many new souls started to come to the services and take an active part in the missionary work.
In the spring of 1997, we were privileged to have a seminar showing the connection between health and spiritual matters, which was attended by many people. In the fall, with the help of a brother from Europe, a house was purchased and remodeled so services could be held.
Now with God’s help and the efforts of the two workers, the church is making progress. Despite the economic crisis in Bulgaria and many difficulties and problems, the church of Gabrovo is like a light in this dark world. With active missionary work, canvassing, and God’s help and leadership, we are able to help spread God’s word to all people as our planet’s time of grace is ending.
There are some very serious friends of the truth who attend our services regularly and are very active. Every week 15-20 people assemble. As Jesus, we need to work “while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” And we know that our “labour is not in vain in the Lord.” John 9:4; 1 Corinthians 15:58.
Now is the time for work, and we should use every opportunity for missionary effort, canvassing, and searching for new souls for Christ, because this is the meaning and only true goal in this life.
–Michael Mitov, student at Bethel Theological Institute, Hungary
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Brother and Sister Larry and Barbara Watts, left, accompanied the students to Kurhaus Elim for the medical missionary training course. In the center is Dr. Hugo López. To his right is Sister Svetlana Ovedenko, from Ukraine; to his left are Sisters Nadejda Kazatchenko, from Russia, and Olga Zubenko, from Ukraine, as well as Karola Kraenzmer, who served as Spanish-English and German-English translator for the duration of the course. Not shown is Sister Geanina Bistriceanu, from Rumania.
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Medical training course at Kurhaus Elim
During the first six months of 1999, six graduates from Bethel Theological Institute spent time in Germany doing missionary work as practice. Their home countries are Ukraine, Russia, Moldavia, Rumania, and Kenya. The canvassing work in Germany, as in many western countries, is difficult; nevertheless these students put forth their best efforts and distributed books and tracts in the southern and western parts of the country.
In addition, four of them participated in a medical missionary training course from the middle of May through June at Kurhaus Elim in Nonnweiler under the instruction of Doctors Hugo López and Ferdinand Drofenik. The course included theoretical and practical medical missionary training This was a pilot project combining class time and hands-on practice helping with therapies and patient care. In addition, it provided an opportunity to see how the staff and patients at Elim would adapt to having students integrated into the Kurhaus program.
At the end of the training, both students and Elim staff agreed that they had learned much from each other and been greatly blessed. Additional medical missionary training is planned in conjunction with the Foreign Missions Program, either at Elim or at other locations around the world. Participants are being actively sought to train for such missions.
Hunger family in Austria
Brother Pablo Hunger, son of General Conference Evangelism Department Leader Brother Gerhard Hunger, along with his wife Lisbeth and little daughter Damaris, have settled into their work in Klagenfurt, Austria. They are working actively to develop a missionary spirit in the local church as well as in the field. Brother Pablo has also participated in youth activities in nearby countries, including Rumania, southern Germany, and Switzerland, and is an active participant in the General Conference Youth Department.
