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Yulian could barely feed himself
from the money he earned shining shoes.

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He set up every day
along a busy walking street

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in Nicosia, Cyprus.

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Most of his money
went to buy cigarettes and alcohol.

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A decade earlier, Yulian had immigrated
to Cyprus from Bulgaria to look for a job.

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One day, Filip, a Global Mission pioneer,
also from Bulgaria,

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walked by and greeted Yulian,
asking if he needed any help.

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Yulian was surprised.

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No one had asked him
such a question in a long time.

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It was nice to hear someone
taking an interest in him

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and speaking his native language,

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but Yulian didn’t answer the question
and just offered him a shoe shine.

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While Yulian shined his shoes,

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Filip told him
that Jesus loves each one of us

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no matter what situation we’re in.

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The mention of Jesus
grabbed Yulian’s attention.

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The next day,

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Filip returned and asked again
if Yulian needed any help.

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Yulian was surprised the stranger had returned.

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This time Filip didn’t need a shoe shine

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so they just talked for a while

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and looked through
the books that he brought.

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This became a routine.

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Sometimes Filip read the Bible to Yulian,

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and eventually the shoeshiner
eventually opened up

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about how he’d worked in construction
after arriving with his family in Cyprus.

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He lost his job and was kicked out
of his home for drinking.

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His family and friends had rejected him.

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One day, Yulian led his new friend
to the abandoned building where he slept.

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His bed was a hard floor.

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The sight brought tears to Filip’s eyes,
and they prayed together on the street.

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Yulian felt valued and felt God’s love
through the pioneer’s actions.

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It was at that point
that he gave his life to God.

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Although he’d drunk
and smoked heavily for 35 years,

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Yulian decided to give up alcohol
and tobacco that day.

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And although he had
smoked heavily as well,

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he quit a week later.

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His family welcomed him back home

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and now he tells everyone
who will listen about his love for God.

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Filip regularly leads
a Bulgarian-language Bible study.

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Over three years, eight people
had been baptized through Filip’s work,

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a significant number for a country

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where the Adventist Church
has only about 100 members

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in a population of more than one million.

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He often spends his time
mingling with people,

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getting to know them where they are.

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Please pray for pioneers like Filip,

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who are sharing a message of hope
with their communities.

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Thank you for supporting Global Mission.