Our DTS Outreach in Albania and Bulgaria
Everyone faces challenges when it comes to walking in faith. That is an inevitable truth. Another inevitability, however, is that we serve a great God who wants to guide us through these challenges. Our team is no exception. We all faced many challenges during our mission in Albania and Bulgaria. For some, it was the fear of man; for others on our introverted team, it was about finding their voice through God’s strength.
We had our first experience in Albania during street evangelism on the beach in Durrës. Although we’d practiced this during lecture phase, this was different: a new country, a new language, people we barely knew. The fear of people was alive in all of us. The first evangelism night was difficult: we let fear get the better of us and didn’t dare to approach others. However, fear does not have the final say—only God does. Through conversations with our team members and prayer, each of us found our own style of evangelism. Instead of trying to fit a mold, we figured out how to become who God wants us to be for his kingdom. This enabled us to approach people filled with the Holy Spirit.
One evening, for example, a colleague found the courage to approach a teenager sitting alone, and this led to one of the most beautiful conversations. She shared about her faith and prayed for the girl. From that moment on, we were fully committed with all our hearts! Every time we went to evangelize, we called out to God, and He met us right where we were. We met some amazing people, bore witness to God’s goodness, and prayed for others—a huge joy for all of us.
So how did we find our voice through God’s strength? It took time and commitment to allowing God to change us. This was apparent throughout our time in Bulgaria: God helped us realize that our voices have power. Our testimonies bring light to His character and show just how good He truly is. Our hearts were set ablaze, and we seized every opportunity to preach in churches and share our testimonies in youth groups, on the streets, or in Roma settlements.
This outreach truly changed us: It revealed our identity in Christ more, freed us from the fear of man, and allowed us to see God’s good works in two nations. Although outreach has concluded, the mission continues. Jesus called all of us to go to the ends of the earth and bring the word to everyone—at work, on outreach, or in our everyday lives. We will seek first God’s kingdom and give all glory back to the Father.
Article by Ian & Tsergee (DTS Students)
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