Young Adults Serve and Uplift at Bulgarian School for Disadvantaged Children

From July 26 to August 2, 2025, fifty young adults from across Europe gathered near Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, to serve at a school for socially disadvantaged children. The weeklong event, organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, marked the beginning of a four-phase renovation and landscaping project at the “Dimitar Ekimov School of Arts and Crafts” in the nearby village of Rusalya.

Participants traveled from countries including Austria, Romania, Czechia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Romania, England, and France.

The formal conference kicked off on Sunday, July 27, with a worship service, a presentation by the school, and an evening designed to help participants connect. The event was led by Elder and Sister Bailey, full-time senior missionaries for the Church, supported by young adult leaders and other missionary couples. Three local young adults from Sofia also joined, helping bridge local connections.

Each weekday, participants worked from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to clear weeds, brush, tangled trees, and rocks—transforming the overgrown grounds into future play areas for the school’s children. Lunch breaks and interactions with the children offered joyful pauses.

Friday’s half day of work concluded with a vibrant cultural celebration. Volunteers and students danced to music from around the world, culminating in unifying and joyful a performance of traditional Bulgarian folk songs. The atmosphere was one of unity and joy.

Beyond physical improvements, many participants found the experience deeply meaningful. Aleksandar Stoyanov from Sofia shared, “I’ve never felt that satisfied in my work, as I did in serving these people.” Kenya, a young adult from Spain originally from Peru, expressed her happiness simply: “Very good,” she said with a bright smile. Eimer Allott from England reflected, “We had a few talks at devotionals… about how the first thing Jesus did was serve. The Spirit of God we feel here means people are kinder to each other.”

Animari Dimitrova, the school's owner, thanked the group warmly, “Thank you from our hearts. We are very, very good friends of yours and we love you.” Her words reflected the deep bonds formed during the week.

Children and volunteers laughed, danced, and hugged during their final afternoon together—an emotional parting that showed the mutual love and respect built through service.

Deputy Mayor Georgi Nedev, who supported the project from the start, visited multiple times. After attending a Thursday evening presentation featuring talks and testimonies, he remarked that he felt, “warm feelings and the sharing of love.”

The leader of the Church in Bulgaria, District President Nikolai Danev, spoke during the event about the importance of service, quoting Christ’s commandment to “Love God and thy neighbor.” Theon Grigorov, the local project manager, admitted he was initially daunted by the scale of the work, but said, “It was made easier with the people [at the conference] being so willing to help.”

Christian Ottiker, manager of the Welfare and Self-Reliance Services Department in the Europe Central Area, emphasized the Church’s vision about building communities by focusing on the one.

Sister Sharon Eubank, the Humanitarian Manager of the Church, often reminds members to “connect in goodness with the people around you.” This conference embodied that ideal, proving that when people of faith come together to serve, lives and communities are changed.