Faith that goes beyond the surface

Sergey and Silvia live in Bulgaria. Now 48 years old, Sergey can confidently say the words, “God never left me”. But the path wasn’t always simple.

Sergey and Silvia first decided to seek God when they witnessed a visible change in Silvia’s father after he became a believer.

Later, Sergey left Bulgaria for work. Although this helped their financial situation, Sergey’s life was now taken up by alcohol and gambling, and filled with a constant pursuit of a better income. His faith in God became a distant memory.

“The money corrupted me. It took me away from God,” Sergey said.

Hidden in Sergey and Silvia’s hearts during this time was also deep sorrow: they had waited nine years to become parents. After many years of hoping, it was when they chose to return to Bulgaria that Sergey decided to put God first again. Soon after that, their prayers were answered with the birth of their first son, Avram.

But with this, new trials entered their view. Avram was diagnosed with autism, as well as hearing and vision impairments. This meant that Sergey had to return to work abroad to help cover the costs of treatments. However, when his health suddenly declined, doctors discovered that he had a serious heart condition, and he was forced to return home permanently.

After the birth of their second son, Silvia’s time was taken up with caring for both of her children’s needs, and Sergey couldn’t take on enough work due to his health. They were now buried deeper in hardship, and their financial struggles piled up. They had chosen God, but in a season of uncertainty and fear, their faith would need support, and hope would need to be brought back into view.

Sergey, Silvia and their two sons

One day, Sergey reached out to Mission Without Borders – not for his own family, but to seek help for two children he knew were in need. But behind the surface, God saw his family’s struggles, too. After learning about their situation, the Mission’s local coordinator brought their family into the Family Sponsorship program. Because this opportunity was made possible, support has now become visible in many forms, like practical help arriving with regular visits, bringing parcels and firewood. But beyond this is the emotional support that now surrounds them, and Sergey counts it as the greatest blessing to know they are not alone.

When he looks back on a winter when they had almost run out of firewood, it’s not the cold, harsh weather that Sergey remembers most, but his hope in Christ that was fulfilled through the support of others.

“We had little firewood left. We didn’t know how we were going to keep the house warm. Silvia and I prayed together, and shortly afterwards the phone rang.

“A truck with firewood will arrive at your home in half an hour,” said Spaska, an MWB coordinator.

“Silvia and I looked at each other, and we both burst into tears. We fell to our knees and thanked God. Once again, He showed us that He’s not forgotten us.”

Today, Sergey is convinced that God works through people.

“I don’t know how people live without God. If it weren’t for Him, I would never have made it through all of this,” he said.

God saw them. God heard them. And when Sergey and Silvia needed it most, it was through the support of others that this truth came back into view.

Your help plays an important role in not only bringing practical support to a family’s home, like food for the table, a warm fire, and support for children, but also in filling their lives with consistent encouragement and prayer. When a family is sponsored, it means that they receive regular visits from someone who will speak hope into their life, bring a loving physical presence into their home, and invite them to experience the wider net of care through church communities and support groups. For Sergey and Silvia, being surrounded by MWB’s support has kept their faith active, and you can help surround more families with people and programs that will speak God’s truth into their struggles.

Sergey and Silvia have been a part of the Family Sponsorship program for 6 months, and are now working hard to build a better future for their family as they continue to experience this support. In this, they know that as deep as their needs are, their hope reaches deeper. When they finally had people in their corner to walk the path with them, it showed them that hope can exist in every season.

Will you help make God visible to those who can’t see Him?