An update from Ceitci:
Some of the most meaningful moments in ministry are the ones we could never plan. They happen in a quiet conversation, a simple act of kindness, or an unexpected moment when God reminds us that He is already working in someone’s heart.
This summer, one of those moments came through something as simple as a heart-shaped balloon.
For more than 30 years, God has given us the privilege of walking alongside children in Bulgaria whose lives have often been marked by hardship, loss, and instability. Every year, our team spends months preparing for summer camp. We plan the lessons and activities, prepare our volunteers, and pray over every child who will come. We do everything we can to create a place where children know they are safe, valued, and loved.
But year after year, God reminds us that while we prepare the camp, He prepares the hearts.
This year’s camp focused on the emotions children experience—joy, sadness, fear, anger, hope, and ultimately, love. Through Bible lessons, worship, games, and conversations, we wanted these children to understand that their emotions matter, but they do not have to face them alone. God sees them, knows them, and is present in every part of their story.
During camp, one of our leaders spent time talking with a ten-year-old boy who is being raised in an institution for children without parental care. He shared that his father had died two years earlier and that he was still carrying deep sadness from that loss. He comes from a Muslim background and even struggles to speak Bulgarian, yet through a series of moments throughout the day, God began opening his heart.
That young boy decided he wanted to pray and invite our Heavenly Father to become his personal Father.
After they prayed together, he asked if he could keep the small heart-shaped balloon our leader had used during the lesson. He carried it with him for the rest of the day. When it was time to leave camp, she hugged him and reminded him that she would continue praying for him and that she was so glad he had invited God to be his Dad.
His face lit up.
That little balloon wouldn’t last forever. Neither would the candy, the meals, or many of the things the children enjoyed at camp. But an encounter with the love of God can change the direction of a life forever.
Stories like his remind me why we continue saying yes—to camps, schools, playgrounds, community outreach, and every opportunity God places before us. We may never know the full impact of one conversation, one prayer, or one simple act of love, but God does.
And there are still thousands of children across Bulgaria who have never had the opportunity to hear the greatest story ever told.
That is why we are preparing for another exciting opportunity: bringing The King of Kings to children and families across Bulgaria through translation and distribution this Christmas. We believe this project has the potential to introduce thousands of children and families to the story of Jesus, and we are praying for God to provide the resources, wisdom, and opportunities needed to make it possible.
Our work throughout Bulgaria also continues as we serve schools and communities. We are preparing to install and dedicate our 21st playground, distribute school supplies to more than 500 children, provide teacher training, encourage schools as they begin a new academic year, and serve alongside ministry teams through construction projects and community outreach.
Would you continue praying with us? Pray for protection, health, wisdom, and favor for our team; for the children, teachers, schools, and communities we serve; and for God’s provision as we prepare to bring The King of Kings to Bulgaria this Christmas.
None of this happens alone. Every meal served, every child transported to camp, every playground built, and every opportunity to share the hope of Jesus is possible because people choose to pray, give, and partner with us.
Thank you for helping us change a generation—one life at a time.
With gratitude,Ceitci Demirkova
Founder & CEO,
Changing a Generation
Bulgaria