October 12, 2025, 3:00 PM MDT
Fifty young adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from across Europe spent a week in Bulgaria helping renovate the grounds of a school for underprivileged children.
From July 27 to August 2, volunteers representing different countries, including Austria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and France, gathered at the Dimitar Ekimov School of Arts and Crafts in the village of Rusalja to carry out service activities, the church’s European newsroom reported.
A week of work and worship
The meeting began on July 27th with a Sunday service, presentations about the school, and evening activities designed to foster friendships among participants. Elder Steve Bailey and Sister Tatiana Bailey, senior missionaries, led the service project with support from young adult leaders and other missionary couples. Three young people from Sofia, Bulgaria also participated, allowing the group to connect more easily with the local population.
The participants worked every weekday from morning until evening, including weeding, cutting bushes, pulling roots, and carrying stones. Through their efforts, an overgrown and neglected piece of land was transformed into a play area for school children.
“We are here to help them build a strong foundation,” Antonella Yescas, one of the volunteers, said in a video on the Church of Jesus Christ Europe’s YouTube channel.
Local project leader Theon Grigorov admitted that at first the scope of work seemed enormous. “The first and most important goal was to clean up the area so that we could really see and visualize future building and growth ideas in the right way, because before it was just a jungle,” he said, adding, “Doing the work that they are doing now and having so many passionate volunteers helping out is a benefit for us because we can get more work done.”
Connections built through service
Throughout the week, volunteers stopped for meals, spent time with children, and made lasting friendships.
On the last day of the conference, the young people left work early to hold a cultural celebration with children, including traditional Bulgarian dances.
“I have never felt more satisfied with my work than when I serve these people,” said Alexander Stoyanov of Sofia.
Reflecting on the spiritual atmosphere, Aymar Allot from the UK said, “We talked several times in the devotional about how the first thing Jesus did was to serve. The Spirit of God that we feel here means people will be kind to each other.”
Local leaders express their gratitude
The school’s principal, Animali Dimitrova, expressed her gratitude to the group. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. We are your very, very good friends and we love you.”
Another school leader, Zlatko Zlatkov, explained in a video how the school has long relied on support from outside donors. “We are happy to have people like this who help us, because since we established the school, we have mainly relied on the help of good people who open their hearts to us,” he said. “And I believe that, as if by a miracle from heaven, we survive because of those who know us, recognize our cause, and give of themselves.”
Local civic leaders also expressed support. Deputy Mayor Georgi Nedev visits the site several times a week and attended Thursday night’s service. He said he noticed a “warm feeling and sharing of love” among the participants.
Sofia Bulgaria District President Nikolai Danev also addressed the group, quoting Christ’s commandment to “love God and your neighbor” and reminding them that service is at the heart of discipleship.
