{extra + ordinary}: katherine

             {extra + ordinary}

~ordinary women being used by an extraordinary God~

   ~doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way~

               ~living extra in the ordinary~

 

 

 

Never underestimate the significance of a hot cup of coffee given with a smile and a conversation.  God uses the ordinary to do extraordinary things.  And He is doing just that in Bulgaria.  Next in the {extra  +  ordinary} series is Katherine.  I pretty much want to be like her when I grow up (ok so she may be younger than me).  I love hearing her stories of how God is at work in such a dark, dark situation.  She is involved in reaching out to ladies in Bulgaria who are being prostituted.  This is a HUGE problem around the world, and especially in her city.  Many were trafficked against their will.  Stripped away from their family and friends and everything familiar to them.  Now slaves to their captors.  Many think they have no other choice...no way to feed their children...no way out.  Katherine has been called to love them and share hope with them.  Here is her story:

 

 

 

 

One dreamer,

 called to join His battle against the Market for Flesh in Sofia, Bulgaria.

 

 

Being a missionary in a foreign country, I am always asked two questions.
"Say something in…whatever language you are learning!!!" and "Sex trafficking is happening all over the world! How in the world did you end up in Bulgaria?"

I never really know how to respond when people ask me to speak in Bulgarian. I kind of freeze up and start to sweat. But when people ask me about how the Lord brought me to Bulgaria…I literally can't stop talking about it.

 

 

 

In college I was studying to be a teacher but I knew that I wanted to go abroad for a while. I lived in Sweden one summer, and I loved it! So I pursued different avenues to get me across the pond. Mission to the World contacted me and told me that their team in Bulgaria was looking for someone to work with disabled children. I had just taken all of my special needs class and thought that this was so exciting! So I interviewed and started the process. Over the course of the year, I switched majors to History and English and wondered if I was still called to Bulgaria. That same semester I went and heard Sara Groves in concert. She talked about sex trafficking and how the world's eyes are closed to this evil…and few are standing up to fight it. I immediately went home and researched and researched. Over the following weeks I felt called to this ministry. So I decided to call my team in Bulgaria and resign. But before that happened, my team leader called me and told me that people on the team began feeling called to minister to prostitutes and to fighting sex trafficking. My mouth fell open. Could God really be doing this? Is this real?

 

 

 

For the last year I have been going to the Highways in Sofia and meeting women who work on the street. We bring them hot drinks, cookies, and talk about their lives! We tell them about the Love of God and ask them how we can be praying for them. We are now able to let them know that we are here to help. We have resources and counselors, etc who want to help them. We have churches who want to embrace them. The Lord is doing amazing things in His churches here in Sofia.

 

 

Well I am three years after the Sara Groves concert. Living in Bulgaria, working with women who are being prostituted, and trying to help them find alternate solutions. It is not an easy job. Yes it can be dangerous…and sad to hear their stories…But to me, the hardest part is how fast they leave us. Sometimes we have a whole year with a girl until she gets trafficked somewhere else. Sometimes we only have one night. We literally have to be bold with our love for them. And bold with the Gospel.
I do not know what the future brings, but I know this...the Lord is doing some amazing work in Europe. And He is on the move to end trafficking and exploitation amongst His Daughters.

 

 

 

The problem is great, but our God is greater!!  Please pray for Katherine and her team as they go out to meet these women each week.  Pray also for the women...that they would be set free, literally and spiritually.  Pray even for those trafficking the women...that God would stop the evil in their hearts and that they would turn to Him.

 

 

 

 

 

Also if you missed the first in this series check out Mallory's {extra  +  ordinary} story