Media That Matters

In March of this year members of the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) regional media team took a group of 4 volunteers to a remote, mountainous region of Bulgaria to find and record the Pomak people group.

Who are the Pomak? This same question was asked by each of the American students as well as their professor who served as team leader. Bobby, a sophomore at Campbellsville University found the trip an eye-opening experience. “I couldn’t have told you where Bulgaria was before finding it on the map. Since it is in Europe, I kind of expected a certain type of people. But as we went out into remote areas I definitely saw some things I wasn’t expecting. I had no idea a Muslim culture would be there.”

The Pomaks often defy expectations of those around them. They are a sort of enigma. They live in the mountains of Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey, sharing a common language and culture. Each country claims them as their own, but they are in fact a people without a nation. They speak a Slavic language that resembles Bulgarian, but with a Turkish accent. They live in countries that hold to Orthodoxy but they worship in Mosques and not churches. Some of their mosques and religious schools are funded by the wealthy country of Saudi Arabia, but they live in villages of extreme poverty, with mule carts as their primary source of transportation. They are Slavs but are a remnant of the Ottoman occupiers of old. They are mostly considered Slavic speaking Muslims, but their origins and ethnicity are mere speculation.

It is exactly because of their obscurity that the team made the trip to South Europe. Through production of videos and other media, the CEE media team wants to make the Pomak people group, as well as many others, household names to Southern Baptists in order to reach them with the gospel. They are passing this vision on to media-savvy men and women who want to use their gifts to reach the lost for Christ.

Volunteer team leader Jason Garret is the professor of Cinema Television at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. His desire is to use his gifts, talents, and relationships with students for God’s glory. He saw this volunteer trip as the perfect opportunity to do just that.

“I would say it’s a perfect opportunity to do what it is you love to do and not really have to worry about money or worry about the business side of things–just go and do your craft and do what you love to do, and do it to the glory of God and let it kinda become this worship you have to offer.”

That worship is a tremendous blessing to the Pomak people, though most don’t know it yet. Through the videos and media produced that result from this trip, the Pomaks will, hopefully, be adopted by a church or ministry that is committed to doing whatever it takes to reach them with the gospel.  The possibilities include becoming a virtual strategy coordinator, becoming or sending out a missionary to serve among the Pomaks, sending volunteer groups to minister, committing to be prayer intercessors for this group, or giving money to fund evangelical projects.

According to Scott Wood, CEE Regional Media Team member, it’s going to take a long-term commitment. “The work there is very slow. Long-term relationships are required with the people and covering them with prayer is the first priority, ” he said.

The work may be slow but it has now begun thanks to this first volunteer trip. If you or your church is interested in taking the next step to reach the Pomak people group, contact us at hope4cee@pobox.com.

There are so many more groups that need to have work begun in their midst! If you would like to be a part of a media ministry trip for one of CEE’s 234 targeted people groups visit the media website at hopecommunications.org. Come and worship with us!

Posted May 5, 2006

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