Brother Bogdan, knows of this regulation and is careful as he shares the Gospel with people. He is neither a pastor nor a church worker but a local school teacher whose life has been transformed by the love of Christ. Now, he wants to share the Good News of Jesus with others.
When Brother Bogdan heard of EHC’s approach to bring a gospel message to people home by home he was inspired and volunteered to participate. He was equipped by the EHC team in Bulgaria, commissioned by a local church and given the proper papers of authorization. As he went home to home he made sure never to leave gospel literature without delivering it in person. Leaving unwanted literature behind would make the police more likely to question him.
Despite Bogdan’s meticulous efforts to stay within regulations, some locals didn’t like what he was doing. They mocked him and insisted they didn’t want his message in their neighbourhood.
“I won’t bother anyone,” he respectfully explained to the agitated locals, “but I’ve already found that some of your neighbours are very interested in my message.”
This explanation didn’t satisfy his critics who began spreading lies about him and also told those lies to
the police.
“People from the village called the police and said a lot of bad things about Bogdan,” says Pavel Valkov, EHC National Director for Bulgaria. “In Bulgaria, if a group wants to accuse you of a crime, they will find a way
to do it and the police will usually listen.”
The police responded to the accusations and arrested Bogdan. He knew immediately what could happen.
He could be fined a significant amount of money, or even worse, he could lose his job.
“When Bogdan meets an aggressive situation, he immediately starts to pray in his spirit,” Valkov says. As Bogdan prayed, he was reminded of this training. He knew the risks of sharing the Gospel in this area. “All our team is trained and instructed about working with local authorities and the police,” Valkov explains.
Bogdan used his training. He confidently presented his authorization papers and humbly explained how everything he was doing was legal. After making his case, he returned to prayer.
“We believe in the power of prayer,” says Valkov. “Bogdan loves to pray and was drawn to Every Home for Christ because a prayer ministry is at the core of the work.”
Bogdan’s explanations and prayer led to his release.
No one would blame Bogdan if, after what happened, he decided to stop going home to home. Insults, lies, false accusations and being unjustly arrested might deter many believers. But Bogdan finds joy in sharing the Gospel with others, and nothing dampens that.
“For Bogdan nothing is more important in life than the spread of the Gospel,” says Valkov. “He lives for it. Nothing can stop him from doing that.”
Bogdan’s courage to persevere is making it possible for many to hear and respond to the Gospel. Many will enter eternity with Christ because of him.
Valkov has equipped people all over his country to go home to home and has seen incredible fruit, but Bogdan’s story particularly resonates with him and gives him strength in his own mission. Now, when Valkov teaches and trains future workers, he tells
them of Brother Bogdan and how he perseveres through the trials he faces.
“The courage of Brother Bogdan, for me, gives hope that the goal of reaching every Bulgarian home will be fulfilled,” says Valkov. Reaching every home in Bulgaria is an audacious goal, but with courageous and selfless people like Bogdan, it becomes a little more possible every day.
May the Lord bless the Church in Bulgaria and the EHC workers who risk so much to bring the Gospel to lost people.
Please join us in prayer for our EHC workers in Bulgaria, if you would like to help sow the seed of the Gospel in nations around the world please visit: https://ehc.ca/gifts
Your gifts and prayers are deeply appreciated!
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