Mission Quarterlies

The Little Preacher

Bulgaria

In Sofia, Bulgaria, a two‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old boy named Teo learned about Jesus at the Colorful Hope Adventist kindergarten—and became “The Preacher” in his own home. His nightly worships, Bible stories, and Christian songs led his non‑religious parents to read the Bible, listen to sermons, and begin their own spiritual journey.

Teo is a little boy who lives in Bulgaria.

He had never heard about Jesus until his parents sent him to a Seventh-day Adventist kindergarten. Then, things began to change at home. Things changed a lot.

Teo, who was two and a half years old, loved hearing Bible stories at the kindergarten. He loved learning Christian songs there as well.  So, when he went home, he told Father and Mother what he had heard and learned. His parents were very kind and gentle, but they knew nothing about God.

Every evening, Teo called his parents for family worship. He told them the Bible stories he had heard that day and sang the Christian songs he had sung. Father and Mother were so surprised! They nicknamed the boy “The Preacher” because he wouldn’t stop talking about Jesus.

Then, Teo asked his parents to play Christian music in the car. He insisted on listening to Christian songs—and only Christian songs.

Father and Mother didn’t know where to find Christian songs, so they asked other parents at the kindergarten for help. Those parents showed them an internet site where they could download Christian songs for free. The other parents also helped them join an online group of Christian parents.

A year passed. Two years passed. And Teo, the little preacher, kept going to the kindergarten during the day and teaching his parents about God at home in the evening.

One day, Teo was distressed and started crying at home. 

Father was impatient and said, “It isn’t the end of the world. Stop crying.” Then Father asked, “Teo, what are you going to do when the end of the world comes?”

Immediately, Teo replied, “I’ll pray, and I’ll trust God, of course.”

Father was very surprised. Mother also was very surprised when Father told her later. She told Teo’s kindergarten teacher, who also was surprised. No one at the kindergarten had ever talked about the end of the world. Of course, the kindergarten teachers believed that the world would end and that Jesus would come one day soon.

Teo stayed at the kindergarten until he was six years old. Then he left to start first grade in school.

But “The Preacher” and his parents still have worship at home. Father and Mother found a Bible and read it during family worship. They listen to Adventist sermons online and read Adventist books. The kindergarten teachers keep in touch with them and pray that they will give their hearts to God.

Teo’s story is one of many about children who learned about God at the kindergarten in Bulgaria and then shared what they learned with their parents at home. Teo is a little preacher who taught his family about God.

You can help the kindergarten—called Colorful Hope (Tzventna Nadezhda)—teach more children about the God of heaven by giving this quarter to the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, also known as the Quarterly Mission Project Offering. Part of the offering will help the kindergarten move from rented facilities into its own building in Sofia, Bulgaria. Thank you for your generous offering.

Gina Wahlen

is the editor of Adventist Mission’s Sabbath School mission quarterlies and Inside Stories

More Children Mission Stories

Story Tips

Show Bulgaria on a map. Then, show the capital, Sofia, where the Colorful Hope (Tzventna Nadezhda) kindergarten is located.

Pronounce Teo as TEE-o.

Know that the photo is a stock image of a Bulgarian boy similar to Teo.

Know that Teo enjoyed morning worship—called “spiritual breakfast” by the teachers—at the kindergarten and then wanted to have evening worship at home. Watch a YouTube video in which kindergarten teacher Maria talks about the importance of spiritual breakfast at: bit.ly/Maria-C-EUD.

Know that Maria, the kindergarten’s founder, sees all her kindergarten children as little missionaries. She says, “Because all the children learn Bible stories and how to pray, they are all missionaries at home. All the parents tell us—with no exceptions—that they now pray before meals because their children insist on it.” Maria adds, “It’s very important the children spend so much time with us in an atmosphere saturated with the Spirit of God. We believe that the seeds we are planting now will yield a rich harvest in the children’s adult lives.”

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