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Exactly one week before leaving for Bulgaria, Yvonne’s mother called to say she felt this would be the best trip ever (in God’s eyes), and there would possibly be a change in direction and helpers. Some months earlier, I had felt led to ship extra tracts in the Turkish language. A friend provided the money to buy 60 videos of the world-famous “Jesus” film (some in Bulgarian and some in Turkish), which had been seen by 4 billion people in more than 800 languages.
This summer, 95% of our work was in Turkish Muslim and Pomak Muslim villages. Pomaks are Bulgarians who were forced (or chose) to switch to Islam from Orthodox Christianity 600 years ago under the terrible bondage of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The Koran talks about the 3 prophets of Islam: Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed. In past years, the Lord gave me some wisdom on how to minister to them .... such as:
“Mohammed is in the ground (and I pointed down), but Jesus is the Son of God and is now with God in heaven (and I pointed up).” ... and ... “In the Koran, Jesus says: 'Do as I say!' Well, Jesus tells us what to do in the Injil (New Testament).” This was accepted by almost everyone!
This summer, the Lord gave me more wisdom on how to respond to Muslims who objected strongly to our evangelising in their Islamic area:
“We believe in the same Father God.”
(This opened the door nicely, but is a debatable statement.)
“God sent me to give you free information.”
“God wants you to have a choice between Islam and Christianity.”
And this also really seemed to satisfy almost everybody!
Years later, I came to realize that most of these Muslims don’t have a Koran and all they know is what their priest tells them. Here is a part of the testimony of an ex-Muslim:
“The Quran is only convincing for those whose knowledge in Arabic is nonexistent or poor, which is the case in the vast majority of Muslims including the Arabs. It is especially true for those who are conditioned to read it year after year with only one thing in their minds -- to earn hasanat that helps them to avoid hell fire.” read Mumin Salih's testimony
In the 1990's, Arab money had built 800 mosques in the mountains of south-western Bulgaria (an area only 1/6 the size of Ohio), and Ivan and I started in this region. The Lord showed us some favor with the Army base, and they gave us a pass to go to Beslin, which is very close to the Greek border. The people were quite shy, but all took our tracts. I told the Muslim priest that I was from God, and while I was evangelising he stared at me with eyes as big as saucers, with his mouth open, and a BIG smile on his face. Also, in the city where we were staying, the Lord ministered to 3 gypsy believers: Ilia was delivered from spirits of depres-sion and suicide, his sister (who was close to death in the hospital) was healed, and another young man in the hospital also was healed.
Back in Kardjali, Petia and Lisa told us how God saved them in a Turkish Muslim village; the people were about to throw stones at them when God told Petia what to say: “God will throw stones down on you!”
Toni and I felt led to go to the south-western region, and I really felt that we should re-do 6 Pomak villages which were on one road going to the Greek border. Ivan and I had gone to these villages, but we had given out few New Testaments and no “Jesus” videos. This was one of the best days ever for Toni and I. We gave out a lot of materials to some very open Pomak Muslims, and “Jesus” videos were given to 5 of the villages (2 of them are wired for cable-tv).
Next, Toni and I went with Taki and Mladen to show the “Jesus” film in the culture houses of 4 Turkish Muslim villages. One day, Toni and I skipped the viewing and went to 3 super-open Pomac villages way down on the Greek border. Then we gave “Jesus” videos to the mayors of 4 Turkish Muslim villages who were open to show them in their local cafes. A few days later, we came upon the third village this year where men in the Muslim mosques wanted more of our materials that what we had already given to them ... amazing! Almost all Muslms in southern Bulgaria have a great interest in Christianity, and this proves to me that they are not satisfied with Islam.
One day while going to Pomak villages, we kept arriving just when the school children were out for recess; many very open kids were given materials (they were out in groups at just the right time). Toni was a school-teacher for 8 years, so she really knew how to handle them!
In our next area, Toni and I came upon a Pomak Muslim village of only 8 families (20 years ago, the population was 800). The ex-mayor wept when the Lord touched his wife’s eyes after prayer, and they were rejoicing with joy. The next Pomak village was much larger, and we gave out many materials to the mayor and school director.
The whole 8 weeks (during August and September) were bathed in almost constant Praise and Thanks to Jesus, especially as we were driving to the villages through many different hindrances. It is His ministry, and He certainly gets all of the glory because I know it is Him who does it all through the precious Holy Spirit and His mighty angels.
Weeks: 8 Villages: 147 Bibles: 8 NT&Psalms: 845 Tracts: 7,400 Videos: 47
to other evangelists ---> Tracts: 2,650
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The gospel tracts we used were the #1 source of truth that God wanted
the villages to have! CLICK HERE for information on these excellent tracts.
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