Ministry Update - July

Although we primarily use this blog to show pictures and stories of what we do in and around Bulgaria – I thought you may want an update on what I am actually doing here. From just the Blog one might think we only take vacations and trips to the park, however we really are working to get some tasks accomplished.

The biggest project I am working on now is creating an “Alumni Association” for the graduates of UTF. This is a foreign concept for all of Bulgaria as schools typically do not interact with former graduates. We see great benefits for establishing an alumni program. The primary goal is to establish a support network of graduates. The school will also provide a list of services to alumni from research materials to class audits. The key benefit from a successful alumni program is an increase in future students and donors – both producing finical gain for the school. This will all be kicked off this fall with an Alumni Banquette in September of this year that we are currently planning.

The majority of my time now is spent coordinating the banquette / fall alumni event to be held on September 22nd – 23rd. This will be a two day event for all the UTF graduates since the schools existence (15 years). In addition to a social gathering for the alumni, this event will be used to communicate the concept of the Alumni Association and to roll out the benefits and services involved.

I am treating this as a mini-project and using some project management skills/tools from the business world. We have weekly team meetings involving the UTF staff and the UTF SEND missionary team and I maintain a project plan and an “Action Items” log.

Although I don’t have “impressive” pictures to highlight this entry – I thought I would give you a taste of my world by showing you one of our “meeting minutes” from a recent team meeting discussing the UTF Alumni Event. Please let me know if you have any question.

Thanks again for your support of our “unorthodox” missionary work.

(PS - if you dont like business "Stuff" you can stop reading now)
(PS2 - the format of the meeting minutes below is not quite right - but you get an idea of what we are doing)

UTF Alumni Meeting Minutes
July 12, 2006
UTF - Sofia, Bulgaria

Invitees / Attendees:

Marc Sheppard; Cheryl Shipley; Greg Shipley; Lisa Sheppard; Nick Nedelchev

New Items / Issues / Questions

• We Need Addresses!
• Robin Ulrich has agreed to work with current alumni to track down alumni addresses
• We would like to have addresses collected by 7/31 (as many as possible)
• Discuss Invitations – Cheryl
• Cheryl presented a mock-up, but did not have the most recent copy with her
• Cheryl will also create a response form
• Cheryl will send Marc the final copy this week to be reviewed by Tony
• We will start sending out invitations as we acquire addresses
• Cost – 1.25lv per invitation
• Shipping date – as we obtain addresses with a goal of August 1.
• Discuss keynote speaker – Tony
• Frank nor Michael can attend
• Dick Walton has been asked to be our Keynote speaker
• Cost and Fundraising efforts – Marc
• Just received invitation cost
• Need to determine dinner/banquette cost
• We can use X/Ministry accounts for this event – validated by Paul Smith from Liz Webber
• There is a possibility to use the SCE General or Evangelical fund for this event; would need to be approved
• Waiting to better idea of cost before sending an email to Phil Jackson
• BTA accommodations – Marc
• Dessie will work with BTA to answer the questions below
• Need to confirm cost and what that gets us
• Menu options – Dinner and Breakfast – we should select one for all.
• Table arrangements – group seating
• Decorations for restaurant / table center pieces
• Can we use restaurant for meeting after dinner?
• Hall – use and cost
• Foyer for registration
• Finger foods/drinks for registration and late night social time
• Can we use their table clothes for reception and presentation tables?
• Schedule – Discuss as team
• Team agreed to follow this schedule
• Fri 2-6 – Registration / social time
• Fri 6-7:30 – Dinner
• Fri 7:30-8 – Welcome (Nik video / Tony / Gary)
• Fri 8-9 – Keynote speaker
• Fri 9+ - Social time
• Sat 8-10 Breakfast
• Sat 10-12 Info session (Worship / Tony / Gary / Marc)
• Sat 12 - Dismiss
• Invitee list
• All will be invited but if full, those living in Sofia will need to stay the night at their homes
• Graduates
• UTF Staff / Instructors
• Board Members
• UTF SEND Team
• Dress Code – Dinner
• We will not state a dress code and leave it to the discression of our alumni
• Resource assignments
• Plan the Dinner/Banquette – Dessi (Lisa to help with Decorations)
• Oversee overnight accommodations – Karen G. has agreed to do this
• Decorations – Lisa Sheppard
• Need a UTF Staff member to be the point of contact for incoming mail (registration forms) and via email – Open

New Action Items:

• Need to record a Video Welcome from Nick. – Marc
• Contact Pepi to see if his band can play Friday night - Marc
• Have a “Welcome Logos/UTF Alumni” banner made – Cheryl
• Group picture arrangements - ?

Review Project Plan Dates

• The schedule has been adjusted; still complies with end date.

Next steps

• Complete action items
• Next Meeting
• Wednesday July 19 at 2:00 at UTF

Boulder River

Last week Lisa and I had a meeting at a restaurant at the base of the mountain about an event for the Bible School. We had a babysitter for the afternoon so we decided to head up the mountain to check out this place called “Golden Bridges.” Not sure why they call it that as it doesn’t really resemble bridges, but it’s more like a river of giant boulders. So I have renamed it for myself “Boulder River.”

Check out the top picture: can you see Lisa in the very center of the picture. All of these boulders are bigger than her or I, yet they are positioned in a way that you can climb up and over them with a little strategic planning. We loved this place. It is like an adult playground. We spent an hour or so climbing and jumping from rock to rock.

You can actually see and hear the river running under and around the rocks. Local signs say that it was formed over many (thousands) of years as a result of volcanic activity, water and gravity. Not really sure how it happened – Lisa thinks God got board one day and just started bolling boulders down the mountain. It has definitely become one of our favorite places here in Bulgaria. We can get from our place to hear in about 35-40 minutes from our place. Come visit – we’ll take you!

Rila Monastery

Some friends of ours took a trip to the Black Sea and left us their car for two weeks. We thought we would take advantage of the time with a car and headed south to the Rila Mountain to visit the Rila Monastery. The monastery was founded in 1335 by John of Rila (also known as Ivan Rilski), however it burned down in 1833. It has been rebuilt and restored over the years and is still an active monastery with resident monks – however it is also one of Bulgaria’s top tourist attractions.

It was an overcast rainy day but we enjoyed the drive and taking a step back in time. The monastery had a quiet and peaceful presence throughout the place, nestled in a valley within the Rila Mountains. The church was full of Eastern Orthodox icons – they actually have one icon that contains the bones of Bulgarian saints. The church was entrenched with tradition and rituals, yet you could feel the devotion and love for the Lord these monks must have through their discipline, devotion and craftsmanship. The artwork was amazing – you could have spent hours taking it all in – the walls of the church were almost like a living pictorial Bible.

The Rila Monastery has become a bit touristy over the years, but we were very happy to have visited. You could see the Bulgarians have a close connection with the Monastery, but I desperately want to know if they really know Him. This day-trip helped us renew our reasons for serving here in Bulgaria.

See pictures at: http://sheppardbulgaria.shutterfly.com/action/

VIDEO - Drews Birthday Prayer

At our church here in Bulgaria, called Bloga Vest (Good News), they have a tradition of calling everyone who has a birthday or anniversary that week up to the front – where they sing and then pray for them. Last Sunday, on Drew’s birthday, Drew was the only one to go up front. So the whole church sang “Happy Birthday” (Честит Рожден Ден / Chesteet Rozhden Den - in Bulgarian) to Drew and then Pastor Lutmil prayed for him. The prayer is also in Bulgarian, however I tried to place my interpreters headphone up to the mic of the camera, but you really cant hear it that well. We thought you may like to share in some of our cultural experiences surrounding Drew’s birthday.

Drew is 2!

It’s hard to believe that Drew’s 2^nd birthday has come and gone already! Sunday evening, July 2^nd we celebrated with many of the members of our SEND team and my language teacher MiMi. We even got to have the grandparents, my brothers and some cousins “come” via the web cam on the computer- we really love the modern technology! It’s really helped being so far away not feel so far away.

Drew’s recent loves are fish (namely Nemo) and monkey’s (no particular character yet) so his cake this year featured both. Thanks to a family on our team, the Faber’s we inherited two American boxed cake mixes so the cake actually tasted like home. For me it was exciting to watch and compare how Drew has grown since his 1^st birthday. He’s walking and talking quite a bit, both developments since last year. This year, he blew out the candles and opened his presents all by himself; you never think such accomplishments are so amazing until you have a child of your own. He is enjoying his numerous trucks, balls, books and animals this week that he got for his birthday.

Drew is such a joy to us! He loves to giggle and play toys. His favorite game right now is, “get Drew.” It involves him coming up to Marc or I and stating, “get Drew” and us chasing him back and forth till we are worn out, Drew is always up for more. He knows his colors and likes to sing and dance. He loves airplanes, trucks, tractors and things that go. Just today we had to stop and watch men in tractors repair potholes in the road for a half hour because of the tractors.

Thanks for indulging a mother gloating on her son!

Love- Lisa

PS to view the entire colletion of birthday pictures, follow this link and click on Drw's 2nd Birthday: http://sheppardbulgaria.shutterfly.com