NMSI Triennial Retreat: Bulgaria

Friends Derek and Ashley from COAT---We're excited to begin our travels overseas!

I spent the last two weeks at NMSI's Triennial Retreat. The first week was in Bulgaria and was filled with workshops led by various members of NMSI and incuded corporate devos, worship, and main session teaching times, etc. It was an incredible opportunity for all the NMSI missionaries all over the world to come together to learn, grow, praise God for all He's doing, connect with others on the field, encourage those that are support raising, and get some much needed refreshment and rejuvination!

At night in Bulgaria and on the free day we had the opportunity to walk through the town nearby our hotel or dine in cafes along the streets. Here are a few ruins that were near our hotel. I enjoyed reconnecting with people who work at the CGO (Center for Global Outreach) in Florida---which made me even more excited to move there!---as well as people who went through the COAT program with me this summer!

This is Rene (Publications at the CGO) and I.

Joyce (Prayer at the CGO, friend from COAT), me, Carol (Working in Zambia, friend from COAT)

While it was nice to reconnect with old friends, I was also intimdated and lonely at times during the conference, seeing as there were 250 NMSI affiliates there, many of whom I did not know. Thankfully, God reaffirmed my calling to this mission throughout the conference through various friends and gave me the boldness to introduce myself to many others.

One of my favorite "new people" was my roomate during my time in Bulgaria, Amy. She will be going through the COAT program this fall and is working with Short Term Projects at the CGO. One of my favorite times of the whole conference was biking through Hissar (the town we were staying in) with her! There were some pretty sizable hills at times---we joked that it was like mountain biking!---and we even wandered through the surrounding countryside a bit. It was beautiful, adventurous, freeing, and fun!

This is a cute cafe that we stopped at for lunch.

Here are some leva (Bulgarian currency) that we used to pay for lunch. We learned that Bulgarians love tomatoes and cucumbers (at least the ones running the hotel we stayed at did!) ---every meal there was preceded by chopped up cucumbers and chopped up tomatoes topped with white, shredded cheese.

Amy enjoying some tasty Bulgarian eats!

Another town that we discovered on our bike ride!

God was so good to give me some quality one-on-one time with friends amidst many large group activities during the conference!