At the prayer gatherings of our team, we regularly pray for different needs. During one of those gatherings we felt urged by the Holy Spirit to share and encourage you with the events that took place on May 31^st, 2009, Global Day of Prayer, at Alexander Battenberg Square. Probably most of you, who saw the stage, the cameras, the advertisement, the media, and everything else, ask yourselves the question, “How do you organize such an event and how much does it cost?” To speak the truth, we had only 10 euros to deal with the expenses of the whole event!

THE SQUARE:

At the end of 2008 we researched the prices of all services that we had to use in order for us to organize the Global Day of Prayer 2009 in Bulgaria. So, at the end of 2008 we calculated the budget and it seemed like we would be able to collect the money needed until the end of March next year. However, when the end of March came, we had only 10 euros in the ministry bank account!

The month of May was filled with different public events because of the election campaigns at that time, and we could not find a hall for the Global Day of Prayer. However, we did not cease praying and seeking God. At one of the prayer gatherings, God directed us to the Alexander Battenberg Square. The square where used by the former communist leaders for their speeches. Unfortunately, when we called the City Hall and explained to them why we needed it, the first responses were very negative. We gathered again and devoted time to pray about this problem. We felt the Holy Spirit said to us that this square would be needed not for us, but for the Lord. We went to the City Hall to talk to them again and boldly said the square was needed for God. After looking into some folders, they gave us permission to use the square! And that is not all! It was ordered that all incoming and outgoing streets were to be closed.

SECURITY:

The next step was to provide security. We made an appointment with the main police department where we described the size of the event. According to the inspectors, we needed 50 policemen. But, we didn’t know that they would have to be paid by the hour. When we calculated the sum for all of them, it amounted to 1,500 euros. One of the inspectors asked us if we had included such expenses in our budget. Having in mind our 10 euros in the bank account, to answer with a “Yes” would be a lie. We said we did not have it right now, but believed we would. He warned us that if we did not pay on time, we would be prosecuted. We signed the contract and the policemen were assigned to show up at the square from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the 31^st of May 2009.

STAGE:

Now, we needed a stage for the event. After meeting the owner of a music company, the offer amounted to 5,000 euros for a stage, illumination, and so on. After asking believers in this field of business, they assured us this was a very good offer. However, the amount looked too impossible compared to our 10 euros. We appointed a second meeting with this owner and made it clear why exactly we needed it. The man immediately reduced the amount to 1,500 euros. Of course, we accepted the offer right there. Our agreement was to provide half of the money in 5 days (until Thursday, 5 p.m.) and the other half was due after the event.

It is important to note here that we, the Global Day of Prayer in Bulgaria, or our juridical representative – the Restoration Mission foundation – are not sponsored neither by the main office of the Global Day of Prayer, nor we receive any assured money every month. All local events are paid by the local churches and what we get as a donation from friends of the ministry.

Since we would never expect, such an amount, we brought the case to God in prayer. On the fifth day, Thursday, we still had only those 10 euros and had no idea where we would find the stipulated money before 5 p.m.

Later that day the owner of the company called us to confirm the appointment. Of course, we confirmed. At 12:00 p.m. one Bulgarian church from Spain donated 400 euros without knowing our need, or its amount. At about 4:30 p.m. a friend of ours came to the office and told us God led him to donate 350 euros!  So, the day and the time for paying the stipulated half of the price were kept with our paying the 750 euros.

MEDIA:

In the meantime we made advertising posters and flyers that we handed out and posted all over Sofia. The Christian website, www.bibliata.tv, offered us to broadcast the event live. In order for this to happen, they needed cameras and a fast Internet connection, which we arranged with the Christian “865” Studio in Bulgaria.  After this offer we started thinking about ways to broadcast on the television as well. To broadcast a non-Orthodox event during prime viewing time, Sunday evening, was quite a challenge, even if we had the means to. We were informed that in order for us to do that we needed about 20,000 euros. Standing in faith, that God was leading us to this action, we set up a meeting with the representatives of a TV channel and after long negotiations the price was brought down to 500 euros…

So, on the 31^st of May, 2009, the Global Day of Prayer in Sofia, Alexander Battenberg Square, was broadcasted full-length.

TIME:

Talking about the time I’m not talking about the weather, although several days before the event and several after were very rainy. As a matter of fact the weather broadcast for the 31^st of May, 2009 was also very dark, but we had very sunny day.

Right before the beginning of the event, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., one of the policemen came and informed us we had to finish no later than 7:30 p.m. That, of course, was impossible, having in mind our contract for the square included the whole day until 12:00 a.m. and the negotiated time with the police was until 9 p.m. Again, after negotiating for some time, they agreed to stay until 8 p.m. The presenter and I made a quick decision to shorten the program by 30 minutes. However, shortened as it was, things were going slower than the scheduled time. At 7:50 p.m. I looked at my watch to see how we were doing with time. One of the speakers had to go out and invite the people to take part in the Lord’s Prayer before the final song. The leading man asked me what we should do. I made a sign to continue. The speaker went out on the stage, shared a few words and led those present through the Lord’s Prayer, then left the stage. When he left, I looked at my watch to check the time again. It was 7:50, again! Astonished, I took a look at the leading man and met his bewildered gaze about what time it was. At the same time the worship leader, who had his work scheduled down to every last minute, asked me what time it really was. We definitely understood God had stopped the time, so that everything we had in the program could be fulfilled. After this great moment of realization, the band started singing the song “God Save Bulgaria”. During that song we saw the policemen take off their hats, and one of them even came to me and asked how he could be informed about our events and when the next one would take place.

Two days after the Global Day of Prayer, we received two donations, which completely leveled the negative numbers in our account and we managed to cover all of the expenses on the contracts. To cite a man, who heard this testimony, “The contract is always different when God is on the stage, rather than backstage.”

May the glory be to Him alone. Amen!

Philip Rashey and the BG GDOP team.