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(narrator) There were no kids
in the Sofia West church in Bulgaria.
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Fast forward five years
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and children enter a whole new world
with arts and crafts.
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Sofia is Bulgaria’s capital
and largest city.
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It’s a modern and dynamic place
with more than a million people.
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Here you find relaxing parks,
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convenient trams,
and exquisite architecture.
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Unlike most of the buildings in Sofia,
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this structure looks plain
on the outside.
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But in a small rented place inside,
it looks completely different.
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Lyubka, a member of Sofia West church,
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has dedicated her time
to reaching out to these kids.
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Together with volunteers
from the church,
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she meets the children
at least twice a month.
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Aside from the crafts,
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they also teach the children
about life, family, education and health.
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(Lyubka Dimitrova)
We teach them good values,
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and they enjoy a lot in our activities.
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I think that in order to introduce Jesus,
we should also have hearts like children.
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(Georgi Angelov)
The main idea is to be able
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to reach people,
especially through their social needs.
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Not directly in terms of faith
and religious ideas,
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but rather interacting with children,
solving family problems,
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teaching them
about the importance of health,
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building connections
and establishing relationships.
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(narrator) The project
was aptly named Create Future.
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A place where the church
can foster children and young adults
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to be future leaders,
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but that doesn’t mean that the activities
are only for young boys and girls.
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(Georgi Angelov) Create Future
aims to attract kids
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and form a Bible group.
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But the kids are so happy
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that they get their parents interested
in what we are doing.
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We can’t turn the parents away
and say that this is just for kids,
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so we work with the parents as well.
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(narrator) Everyone works together
to do something meaningful
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and the masterpieces are sold
to raise funds to help those in need.
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Create Future is
teaching people to be selfless
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and to serve their neighbours.
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(Georgi Angelov) Through Create Future,
we can show the society,
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our neighbours, the people around us,
that we care for them,
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that our faith in Jesus
is inspiring us to love everyone.
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Through actions, rather than empty words,
we can bring people to Jesus.
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(narrator) Through the activities,
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Create Future participants
grow closer to each other.
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Lyubka feels like a mother
to the children,
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they are like her family.
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I sincerely ask God to be with us,
because I am convinced
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that what God can do is a lot more
than what merely humans can do.
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(narrator) The church
that started without kids
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now has 20 attending regularly.
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And through them more people,
both young and old are invited.
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Your 13th Sabbath offering
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will help build a children’s center
and worship hall in Sofia.
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The new facility will allow this church
to reach out to more people.
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Let’s pray for our friends in Sofia,
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as they establish meaningful
relationships with their community.
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And thanks for your support
of the 13th Sabbath Offering.