Bulgaria

General Description

Bulgaria identifies as an Orthodox country, but less than 1% of its people are professing followers of Jesus. Young people are open and even hungry for spiritual conversations despite skepticism towards the protestant church.

Josiah Venture in Bulgaria is in a phase of solidifying partnerships with local churches and expanding ministry highways to reach young people through sports, wilderness, music, and other youth activities. As a team made up mostly of nationals, interns will serve alongside indigenous leaders within the local church. 

JV Bulgaria interns will help to prepare and facilitate camps as well as ongoing local youth ministries. As they are equipped to fulfill Christ’s commission, interns will participate in evangelism and discipleship through relationship building.

A summer internship in Bulgaria is a stretching experience that allows you to take initiative and lead in a variety of situations and therefore requires a pioneering spirit and a willingness to adapt. We are looking for flexible and teachable interns who want to serve in a highly relational ministry that will be both challenging and rewarding. Interns will grow as leaders, gain competency in church-based youth ministry, and develop skills unique to their area of ministry specialty: wilderness, Edge sports, or media. Every intern can expect to participate in 1-3 camps as part of a high-energy and spiritually-impactful summer. Interns will be mentored by JV staff in Bulgaria and gain a greater perspective of God's calling to make disciples who make disciples. 

In our Wilderness Internship, interns will facilitate adventure camps and lead day hikes, overnight camping trips, mountain biking, and rock climbing as team building and evangelistic events to grow local youth ministries. We expect wilderness interns to be physically and mentally prepared for these activities. Experience and technical skills in these areas are not required but beneficial. These activities will be facilitated alongside professionally trained staff members. 

Dates of Service

May 28, 2025- August 10, 2025

Cost

$6,050 (includes training, administration, in-field travel, food, lodging and airfare). 

Please note that cost does not include a mandatory background check.

Support

The support raising deadline is May 1. Once an intern has been accepted, the JV office will open an account and the intern will receive a link to access their account online. The account will be updated once per week. These donations are tax deductible and should be made payable and mailed to the JV office. Donations made payable to Josiah Venture cannot be transferred to the ministry of another organization or used for educational purposes, nor can they be returned to the donor.

Travel

International flights will be arranged through Josiah Venture after the first $500 of support is raised by the intern.  A visa is not required.

Vaccinations and Insurance

Up-to-date tetanus, and COVID vaccinations are recommended, but not required for an internship in this country/program. Basic overseas health insurance coverage will be provided by Josiah Venture for all US interns.

Location

The summer begins with a week of training in the Czech Republic. You will then be located at Josiah Venture camps throughout Eastern and Central Europe.

In-Field Transportation

Cars, trains, trams, buses, walking, etc.

Withdrawal

All donations will remain with Josiah Venture.

Application Deadline is January 31, 2025