Covenant News

Puppets Connect Cultures by Sharing Christ's Love

CHICAGO (August 23, 2000) - The cultures may have seemed worlds apart, but puppets provided the link between Christian performers from Bulgaria and Switzerland and congregations in the Central Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC).

Bulgarian Christians Rositza Gumlieva, Milen Gumliev and Todor Gerdzhitov performed for a number of ECC groups in August after attending an international Christian puppetry festival in Kankakee, Illinois. Two Covenanters serving in the International Church of Luzern, Switzerland - Bud and Donna Palmberg - helped the trio known as Theatre Sianie navigate through numerous travel glitches and helped them schedule performances in the Midwest. The three returned to Bulgaria August following a performance at North Park Covenant Church here.

"We have been full of praise to the Lord for the way He has used Theatre Sianie (meaning brightness) in the Central Conference churches, as well as with the handicapped, elderly and refugees," said Donna Palmberg, who helped organize the trip. "What a blessing they have been in America . . . we are so thankful. It was a lot of work planning it all, but I had fun doing it and I feel so blessed knowing so many people received their message of love and hope in Jesus Christ."

"It was a wonderful time for us," said Gerdzhitov, a former club musician whose wife Tatiana recently gave birth to their fourth child. "Even being here is a miracle for us, meeting some very precious souls and (sharing) unforgettable moments with brothers and sisters from different churches. Just sharing our ministry and sharing the love of Christ was most precious for us," he said. "We just knew that people were very open and warm and that was reconfirmed for us. We have been so well received. We are extremely joyful and happy being here and meeting the Americans.

"We have brothers and sisters all over the world," Gerdzhitov noted, "and in America we've seen how the spirit of God is touching people and making disciples for him. They love each other and they're open and encouraging each other. And in the international talent show, everyone was encouraged, even if they didn't have much experience. This was very encouraging to us."

Theatre Sianie is a non-denominational ministry, although the trio became believers through the Pentecostal church. Gerdzhitov made connections with the Palmberg family after spending a month with a Swiss family a year ago. He was hoping to find ways to share his story both in his communist country and outside.

Theatre Sianie began presenting puppet performances of high moral content in churches, state kindergartens and at civic occasions. Rositza Gumlieva had been in the state Puppet Theatre Company, but had been ousted because of her religious beliefs. Her talents in puppetry made her a viable director for Theatre Sianie. Husband Milen (a former dancer) and the Gerdzhitovs had some early success in their new venture.

However, word started spreading that these four puppeteers were "born again" Christians. In post-communist Bulgaria there remains a fear of anything other than Orthodox Christianity, the trio observed. Opportunities to perform dropped to an all-time low after a local government authority instructed all state schools to ban the group because of their alleged "sectarianism."

Donna Palmberg has been working out the details for the Theatre Sianie trip since March, but the trip seemed doomed when the Bulgarians couldn't get travel visas. Bud Palmberg talked to U.S. ambassadors in Bulgaria and Switzerland and convinced authorities that the trio would not defect. Scholarship money was made available to the trio for the puppet festival. Meanwhile, connections were made with local ECC congregations to give the group an opportunity to minister to local churches.

"In our town all the doors (for evangelism) are closed, so we live by faith and rely on God for our work," said Gerdzhitov. "The Christian League, a senior citizens center in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, were so hungry and thirsty for love - they were the warmest audience we had. But, everywhere we were treated so well."

Those desiring additional information about Theatre Sianie can visit the group's web site at www.geocities.com/animal_village/Sianie.html.

Printable version of this page.