Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

It is July 2008 already (Special Update Request)

July 6, 2008 - It is hard to believe that it is here. It seems like only last week we began thinking about, talking about and planning the Love Bulgaria Youth Evangelism Conference. What began as an idea is about to take place. We are looking at almost 200 participants from 4 countries coming together to learn how to tell the world about Jesus!

Students and teachers from the US, UK, Greece and Bulgaria are gathering for 3 days of practical teaching on creative ways to share the story o f Jesus. From how to develop and use your testimony to doing street drumming we are going to explore what will connect and reach today’s youth with the Gospel.

I have no idea what God might be wanting to do with this but I am praying that it will rock this part of the world. As young people not only learn how but then practice and apply what they have learn in the marketplace with neighbors, coworkers and friends, it will created a ripple effect as it goes forth changing many lives.

We have got an amazing blend of teachers from 3 different countries – we have a broad topic selection of classes and training. We have kids signed up to come. And now we are preparing the lesions, finishing the presentations and checking that all the details are taken care of.

So please pray –

Pray for the teens coming – pray that they would be open and ready to learn and receive the training.

Pray for the instructors that they would be fully prepared and ready to share the best information possible

Pray for the place we go after learning the skills to apply them to people who are lost and need to know the truth.

Finally, I have one additional request, pray for the last of the funding to come in. The cost for the 200 participants is about $30,000 for the 10 days. We are still in need of around $7,000 to cover all the expenses. I know that God has led us this far and will provide what is needed. But join me in praying for this concern.

If you can help beyond prayer that would be amazing – the easiest and fast way is to go to http://almellinger.typepad.com/youthconference/ and click in the Purple Donation Box. Follow the instructions to give online – it is fast, safe and easy – Plus we have access to the funds right away.

Thanks again for you interest and partnership with us in the work God is doing here in Bulgaria!

Gotse Delchev - Over the Mountains

July 3, 2008 - This past Sunday we went to Gotse Delchev a new village church for us – It was over the mountains to our east about 64 Kilometers (38 Miles) but it took about 90 minutes to get there because of the mountain roads. (Beautiful to see but very curvy)

What was interesting, was that this church although Bulgarian, spoke both Bulgarian and Turkish – they were a group of Turkish decent.

It was a young church – vibrant and full of many young people and something you do not see here in the village churches – lots of men. More often than not when we go to a church it has a few men but mostly women. It was a nice change to see men worshiping and taking a greater roll (It is very uncommon in the evangelical churches here).

Following the service we had a great time of fellowshipping with them and hearing about their passion and mission.

We have also picked up 4 additional staff for the month of July. Which means we are drawing ever closer to the Love Bulgaria Youth Evangelism Conference. This both excites me and scares me a bit as there are still things that need done and funds to come in.

Prayer requests:
1) Pray that God would raise up more men in the churches we work with – especially in out group here in Petrich – I have been praying about that for about a month now – please join me in asking God to raise up Godly men to help lead.
2) Thanks God for the safe arrival of the 4 additional summer staff
3) Pray for the Love Bulgaria Conference. The details, the rest of the funding and the people who will be coming.

For those in the states – Happy 4th of July!

Out of Town Company

June 26, 2008 – This week we had another missionary visiting with us – Marcie Huson, who helps with the development of training among our church leaders in Europe, was here to see what we are doing and to help think through what could happen. (Pictured here holding the 5 month old son of a friend of ours in a near by town)

We picked her up last Friday and she was able to observe and meet some of the folks we are working with at a training I did last Saturday with 114 Pastors and church leaders from around Bulgaria.

It was a great time of helping them work through the process of team leadership and dividing the work so more gets done. I was amazed and very happy to be able see the group track with the teaching and then ask relevant questions to what we were talking about.

Marcie then spent some time with us – which was a good thing. (anybody who wants to come for a visit is welcome – just let us know when you want to come)

You know it is summer here as the temperature has risen – and it is warm – Okay it is HOT but that is what it is suppose to be.

Less than a month now until the Love Bulgaria Conference happens. PLEASE BE IN EANEST PRAYER FOR THIS – ALL THE DETAILS AND THINGS TO FALL INTO PLACE – We are not sure where the group that is coming down to Petrich will be staying – we are trying but no place wants to commit to letting us have the rooms until about a week before – Pray that God shows us the right place to go.

Thanks for your prayers about last Saturday it went GREAT!
Pray about the LV BG Conference stuff & all the travel that is taking place as we pick up and deliver folks to and from the airport all summer.

Facebook is Changing how we Live and Minister.

June 19, 2008 - Some of you might not even know what Facebook is. (“Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you.” - According to their web site)

So how is a website changing how we live - Well we use to send letters (could take months to get where they were intended), Then we sent telegrams (that usually took a day or two to get delivered), then we phoned (and if they were home got through – but then they invented answering machines and we let them talk) then Faxes and then email and Instance Messaging and now Facebook.

Facebook not only lets you connect with anyone you ever knew (as long as they are members), but lets you broadcast your feelings, post your memories and pictures for anybody you know to see and lets you communicate in real time with many folks at the same time.

The chatting feature allows you to send messages to other on line that they can respond to – you can comment of recent posts, or tell about your day or your weekend plans – basiclly what ever you want.

Recently, I have been reconnecting with students from past youth groups that are now married and working. It has been fun to reconnect and to see how God is using and impacting their lives. If it were not for Facebook – I would not have any way or reason to connect with them. I would not know even how to find them as they are living all over the world (I have contacts and friend on every continent but Antarctica).

Now it can be a waste of time with idle or nonsensical communication but it can be an amazing tool to share God and his grace with people. Let me share an example.

This week I received a notice to join a group to remember a person who had died. In fact they had died that day – it was a student from about 12 years ago whom I had lost track of but come to find out went to Moody and was now serving as a missionary in creative access country in Asia (Not FMC either). He died of complications to Dengue Fever. He left a wife and 2 year old daughter. (pray for this family)

What amazed me is that I was the 3rd person to join this group- and as I watch the evening pass the numbers grew steadily – not only that but I was able to chat instantly with over 10 of the other students from the youth group who wanted to talk and wanted to share (over 3 continents). I watched as I saw different ones comment and connect with others - These people were all over the states and in other countries as well. It was amazing to see God’s comfort being displayed from around the world to people in need right away in real time.

Communications mean you no longer have to wait for a newsletter to arrive, or for a phone call to be answered – you are able to connect and see what God will do with in minutes.

I am glad that God can take all technology and use it to administer his grace and His power.

This week:
Beside the Penner Family (who lost a son, brother, husband and father)
Pray for a training I will be doing in Sofia on Saturday or about 70 Pastors and church leaders.
Pray for the funding of the Love Bulgaria Youth Evangelism Conference – we are about 50% there but still need about 12,000 more to come in. Thanks to those who have given – pray that other will give as well (If 120 people of families gave $100 we would have what we need – or 150 people gave $80 each).

Partners for the Kingdom!

June 12, 2008 - The new “Buzz Word in Missions” is Partnering or Partnerships. In the time that we have been here we find that working together is not a luxury but a way of life – In Bulgaria, Evangelical Christianity is only about .05% of the population – there are not many others out there so if another group is doing something you try and support it no matter what the sign says on the front. We want to see people come to know Jesus first and foremost – we focus on what we agree on and leave the rest outside.

We are always looking at ways to partner and connect with other believers and what they do – so for example we work with a Local Government Program call Good Mothers (run by believers to reach people though not specifically a Christian Group)– we take them clothes we get – we lead a bible study once a month for any who want to come and we do a kids Bible Club as well. We are getting to know the leaders and helping them reach their vision of ministry through this program. It is good.

Through that we now have met a Peace Core worker who also is helping with the Good Mothers Program by writing grant proposals to get more funds to do more for the mothers and kids. (And he is a believer too)

What a great partnership – the physical and spiritual needs being addressed as we partner together to each do what we do best!

This summer we are partnering with another church, here in town, to help us house the teens that are coming and we are going to send the teens to work at another village church for a day or two – they can use the excitement a group brings and they are doing good work there – that’s partnership as it should be!

We are finding that here on the missions field the most important questions is “Do you know Jesus?” – not what church do you attend or come from – because if God is your father and Jesus is your savior then you are my brother or sister!

After all, there will not be any Baptist, Free Methodist or Orthodox in heaven – just Christ followers! We are just practicing working together now while still on earth!

Thanks for your prayers, support and PARTNERSHIP!

This week –
Thank God for A Good meeting with the Regional Pastors last week.
Continue to pray for the Love Bulgaria Conference – that the right teens would come from BG and that lives would be changed in the places we go!
All the summer staff coming that there would be safety in travel, and that they all would be healthy! (We have 6 coming and going all summer)

PS our June Newsletter is now online click here to read or print to hand out!