The UniShow returned to Bulgaria for our third tour. From 1-16 August 2019, our team of 12 (from England, Australia, South Korea and America) traveled Bulgaria, sharing the Gospel among Turks in villages. It was a privilege to perform with an amazing, professional jazz musician, extremely talented drummer and other great artists.
It was an interesting tour with many challenges throughout. Venues were very difficult due to our events being in Turkish areas which are not maintained like the rest of Bulgaria. Children were also plentiful and unrestrained but we know they are precious in His sight and Jesus said to let the little children come to Him.
Turkish Bulgarians are looked down upon in Bulgaria and often feel ostracized in their own country. The program was presented and translated into Turkish and we distributed Turkish literature, hoping to connect better with them in their heart language.
We worked with local believers and churches and many said they were inspired by our bold presentations. Some in the city of Partizanin loved all of the show's exciting elements, as well as how we shared, but asked why we didn't use Christian worship songs in our show. We explained that public worship, although beneficial, can turn away people who are not looking for God. Yet, our goal is to draw these people into an encounter with Him. When we present the Gospel through an entertaining show, we build a rapport with those people and they are more open to listening. After hearing this explanation, the believers were enthusiastic about this method of evangelism and thanked the team for coming.
Several areas we presented in were still healing from painful events where "Christian" leaders broke trust and left the faith. We prayed God would use us as a healing salve and it seems God did encourage and strengthen believers, as a result.
We were able to share the Gospel openly and give invitations during events and saw much openness and interest in the Gospel. After one show, a teen approached Dustin asking what we were doing, since he had just arrived and missed the show. Dustin shared the Gospel with him to which he responded, "That is the smartest thing I have ever heard!"
After the show in Sungulare, David prayed with a man who's family approached as the prayer was ending. David had the opportunity to share more about Jesus with the whole family. After this the daughter approached David separately and said she wanted to know how to have a personal relationship with Jesus. He went through the points of the Gospel and how forgiveness is only available through Jesus when we repent and believe. She prayed along with him to accept Jesus into her life, connected with the local church leader and received a Gospel of John.
In all, we did 13 presentations for 2,750 people. Despite the challenges, we saw God at work in and through us. Thousands of Gospel materials were distributed in addition to the words shared from stage. We pray those seeds will be cultivated into lasting fruit that remains. Thanks for praying with us!
We had our longest European UniShow tour from May 7 - June 10, 2018 across Germany. Our team consisted of:
4 Colombian dancers from Sal y Luz (Salt and Light) Dance Company
1 Ukrainian painter from ArtShow
1 American unicyclist from UniShow
1 American illusionist called Mr. Norm (for first 10 days of tour)
1 Canadian musician called Rob Carter (for last 4 weeks of tour)
1 American sound engineer from Turkey
1 program director from America
1 driver from Germany
3 videographers and photographers from Germany and Brazil
1 American tour leader from Turkey
1 German organizer
Together we stormed the streets of Germany with our MADGiCycle Express (Magic, Music, Art, Dance and Unicycling in Germany) show to creatively share the Gospel. Because there are now so many refugees living in Germany, many of them Muslim, there is a huge opportunity and new accessibility to reach unreached people with the Good News.
We partnered with churches and ministries across Germany these 5 weeks for outreaches, focusing on Muslim refugees. We heard everywhere we went that what we did was groundbreaking work in Germany. There is a spiritual awakening among believers. They are ready to step out of their comfort zones and share Jesus with the mission field at their doorsteps but haven't known how to start. Watching us share creatively, clearly and boldly and being part of these outreaches seemed to really inspire and motivate many church members.
A highlight was presenting a Day of Joy at a mental hospital in Sendeh with Lonea Ministries. Some residents even danced and sang along and smiles transformed disturbed faces as we shared hope and joy in Jesus. We were told that churches do not visit, care or even pray for people at this institution so our presentation was very significant.
In Berlin we partnered with Teen Challenge and performed in a rough part of the city with prostitution, fights, drunks and drug deals surrounding us. We had to do very small scale presentations because permissions had not been granted. Though things were lacking in sound quality, audience numbers and venue location, God showed up and specifically met 3 people who were visibly impacted by the Gospel message and surrendered their lives to Jesus on the spot.
It was great to work with Jesus Freaks Remscheid for our final week. We presented in the city center, at an immigrant youth club at the YMCA, and for the church's Sommer Fest where many from a nearby refugee house attended. Church members were not only extremely hospitable, but told us they were very impacted by how we clearly, simply and powerfully shared the Gospel, making it easy for non-Christians to understand. We learned that many at our shows had never heard the Gospel before.
Over these 5 weeks in Germany we did 39 events for 4,230 people in 17 cities.
Please pray that:
- the many seeds scattered among unbelievers will grow into lasting fruit.
- the Christians we worked with will step out with even greater boldness to reach Muslims and refugees with the Gospel.
- each person interested in knowing more about what we shared will get connected to local believers and fellowships.
- refugees will find hope and healing in Jesus.
- the church in Germany would live and minister from the foundation of God's Word.
Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16
'Aloha' is the Hawaiian word for love, peace, compassion and mercy, commonly used as a simple greeting. Our team of 8 from Australia, Albania, America and Korea, chose the name Team Aloha and had the privilege of extending these virtues across Albania packaged in a performance infused with the Gospel. We surprised ourselves with how much fun the Aloha show was to perform.
Donning Hawaiian shirts, we hit the stage for 65 minutes of non-stop action combining unicycling, drama, dance, music and most importantly, the Gospel message. We partnered with an Albanian church planter who has used these creative performances over the years to start more than 20 churches. In some cities and villages we partnered with young churches and in other cities we joined nationals who are working on starting a church where none exists.
Our organizer worked hard to secure permission from mayors and officials in each city. Police were present at most events, blocking off streets and diverting traffic, clearing parking lots, helping keep the peace among rowdy kids, and generally keeping an eye on things. On this tour we also had the unique experience to record some of our show at TV 7 studio in Tirana, which aired a week later.
We heard very encouraging feedback regarding our presentations. One pastor said he felt our event changed the atmosphere and showed that the church comes out of their walls to share with the community. He noted that people were very affected by the message. Another long-term partner thought our show was the best he's seen from our group over the years. He was very encouraged afterward with the amount of youth who asked him for details about how to connect with the church.
Another pastor said in his 4 years of leading his church he has never seen so many people interested in taking Bibles and literature before. He was amazed to see how the performance drew people in and opened them to the message. Local workers said it was a beautiful performance unlike anything the community has seen before.
In another city, believers are trying to plant the first church. A local Christian lady was so encouraged by our show there and even helped hand out literature at the end. She and her husband were part of the church that fizzled many years ago and their own walk with God went with it. She asked us to pray for the opportunity to fellowship with other believers again. Team members talked to an Imam who started to debate until he was shown verses in the Koran that say Jesus died and rose again. They read to him from John 1 explaining what we believe. The Imam was open to reading the Bible and learning more. And we know of several people who made professions of faith in Jesus during the show! With the great response and so many interested in learning more about Jesus, it looks promising that a new church will begin here soon.
We performed in front of a Mosque in a city which is half Muslim, half Catholic and mostly in need of a relationship with Jesus. During the invitation and prayer of surrender to Jesus, several people indicated they were choosing Jesus for the first time! One of those people was a 21 year old who said, "Today I changed my belief. I was a Muslim but when I heard the Christian message I wanted to follow Jesus."
We performed in another city which is 95% Muslim and has not had a church in 15 years. There is a Christian couple whom our organizer and a business man have been driving 3 hours each Saturday to disciple and mentor. Since unemployment and poverty in Albania is common, and often the reason new churches struggle, they are implementing a new model of simultaneously opening an electronics business in the city along with the church, to help support the pastor and church. This ambitious couple hope to get both the church and the electronics shop up and running as soon as they are grounded and have a solid team prepared to lead.
Our church planting organizer has a wise strategy of not hastily throwing a church together but waiting until the foundation is strong enough to support a lasting fellowship. He wants to plant churches, not play church, and his methods seem to be working. He reminded us that as we do these evangelistic events we are pushing, fighting, attacking the gates of hell. We are not just preaching the Gospel but breaking mentalities. He said people in Albania think church is stale, boring, lifeless tradition. But when they see dancing, lively music, and a world champion performing and sharing about Jesus, they realize people in the church are normal, fun and it shatters misconceptions about who Jesus is.
After each presentation, many surveys were collected from interested people requesting follow-up. Church members will contact each person and begin discipling them. In summary, we presented to 3,150 people during 11 events plus a TV broadcast that will be viewed by many people in Albania, Kosovo and USA.
Please pray for:
-The thousands of people who heard the Gospel and the hundreds who indicated a first time commitment to Jesus, to keep growing in their understanding of who Jesus is.
-Wisdom as church members follow up with those wanting to know more about the Bible and Jesus.
-The churches to grow in depth, numbers and unity.
-More workers and believers in Albania to serve in the church and reach out in evangelism.
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12
