Summer Camp Internship

Esther, Mariana, Yanislava and Ruby

My summer began with a retreat in a small mountain town.

This was a nice introduction to the ministry and the people I would be working with this summer. We returned to Sofia, which would be my home for the summer, and began working. While there were tasks to be done to prepare for the camps, Bob and Becky wanted us to treat this summer, in part, as a vision trip. They repeatedly encouraged my roommate, Esther, who was from the UK, and me throughout the summer to think about coming back next summer and possibly more long-term. Esther and I spent time exploring the city, learning how to navigate public transportation, practicing our Bulgarian, and seeing what it would be like to live in Sofia. Through these experiences, I grew to love the city. We worked to create crafts for VBS, attend planning meetings and a day of training, and make sure we had everything we would need for camp. I was also able to visit Greece for a few days. We “endured the hardship” of hiking, exploring ancient sites, and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.

Back in Sofia, we finished preparing for the camps and headed off. The first camp was the smallest. We had VBS in the mornings at a local Eastern Orthodox church. The priest came and would tell the day’s story about the summer’s theme of Moses. The VBS program itself was Protestant, but I enjoyed seeing the respect between what our team was doing and the church that hosted us. My main takeaway from that week was how different denominations can work together and appreciate the beauty in each other. It was also evidence of the deep relationships Salt Ventures has made over the years that have created trust in the communities that they serve. For our second week of camps, both VBS and the sports camp were held at a local elementary school in a different small town. The kids were the most enthusiastic this week, and it made it so much fun. I was able to see how much the relationships that Salt Ventures has built impacted our ministry there. One of my favorite memories from the summer was the last day at this camp. The kids were so excited to show us around their town. They taught us new Bulgarian words, picked us flowers, and gave us fruit to try. It was so sweet and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

The last few days were spent recapping my summer with my team and helping them prepare for the last camp. Becky led me through some questions that helped me take what I had seen and experienced and think through how that can impact how I do ministry and live the rest of my life. I am glad to be back in the States, but I will never forget my time there, and I hope to go back. Although it was not quite what I expected, I learned through my experiences about the many approaches that Salt Ventures has found to make inroads for the gospel in Bulgaria.