This summer, a team of students adult leaders of the iSalt Bulgaria team will travel to Eastern Europe, to live out their faith by serving people from all walks of life in this ancient and beautiful country. However, their journey will not begin when they get on the plane, nor will it end when they return home. The members of this team have made a committment to live as missionaries at home, in their communities and across the planet.

To even be accepted to this team, students have to show that they are already actively living like missionaries at home and in their communities, and demonstrate that they are leaders who are ready to face challenges and do hard things. They have to commit to a lengthy preparation process which begins in March and includes completing weekly assignments, learning, growing and stretching themselves beyond their normal committments to school, jobs, church and whatever else they do. They also have committed to serving as leaders both at home and on future mission trips, whether through iSalt, their own churches or other organizations. As you can see, the iSalt program is much more than just a trip - it's a leadership development program that includes a trip.

The committment to this team will require a great deal from each person, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and financially - but we believe that the results will far outweigh the investment. We look forward to seeing leaders who will not just go to church, but who will BE the church - in everything they do.

What will we do? One of the verses the iSalt program was developed around is James 1:27:

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

With that in mind, we always look for opportunities to share the gospel with those who have been pushed to the edges of society. In Bulgaria, these people can be found everywhere - in orphanages, selling flowers on the street, in the marketplace, walking in the park or the city center.  Opportunities to let these people know that the Creator of the universe knows them by name and is seeking them out come at all times and all places, so we are always prepared for them.

In addition, we work months in advance to plan our schedule, working hand in hand with both leaders from the Bulgarian Baptist Union and with missionaries living and serving in Bulgaria. Typically, our students will attend the Bulgarian teenage camp for one week, where they will meet and develop friendships with Bulgarian students. After the camp, we split into smaller teams comprised of both American and Bulgarian students and leaders and embark on small mission trips within the country. These smaller trips may include visiting orphanages, street evangelism, construction, painting or anything else the local pastors or missionaries ask for help with. During the course of an iSalt trip, students will be asked to speak during worship services, sing, lead in craft times, teach English, lead small groups and serve in any other way asked of them.

Throughout the trip, we look for not only opportunities to serve others, but to learn and grow in our own faith. Walking through marketplaces that haven’t changed much in the past 2000 years gives a new perspective to reading about Paul talking to people in the marketplaces. Sitting in the ruins of a Roman theatre, it is easy to picture Paul speaking to the men at Mars Hill about the “unknown god.” Throughout the trip, we are in places where people named in the Bible may not have walked, but people who knew them certainly did!

Those who are unable to travel with us, we encourage to still be part of this adventure. Individuals or groups who would like to partner with us can join our Missionary Adoption Program (MAP). Membership in this program requires a commitment to support the traveling team through prayer, telling others and helping with fundraising. Members will receive:

• Regular updates from the team beginning in the Spring and continuing until the trip has ended
• A chance to have one or more members of the team come to share about the trip at your church or group meeting (this could be anything from a small Bible study to a full Sunday morning worship service to a student DNow weekend or retreat. We also have an accomplished student worship band available!).
• A chance to join the group in prayer live via Skype while we are in Bulgaria.

For more information about the Missionary Adoption Program, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call us at 636-422-0225.