Steps of Paul
Travel with Georgian and Winnie Banov
Two Amazing Trip Options
Option 1
Bulgaria & Greece
May 29 - June 7
$2847
Ground Only
Option 2
Bulgaria, Greece
& Italy
May 29 - June 10
$3947
Ground Only
Flight not included
You are invited to join us on a special and unique Steps of Paul journey of love, with Georgian and Winnie Banov, this summer. Come and be part of our team!
During this once-in-a-lifetime travel adventure, you will:
- Experience the raw power of the Gospel and Christ's love in action as you participate in several outreaches and an open-air evangelistic feeding crusade where we'll serve over 8,000 Gypsy families their favorite meal, "fat sheep stew."
- Pray for the sick, and bring hope to the lost. You will see healings and miracles as we minister to Gypsy communities who are experiencing full-scale revival; their response to the Gospel has been without abandon.
- Watch the pages of your Bible come alive as we dive into rich teachings from the Word as we explore many of the early sites of Christianity: Philippi, Thessaloniki, Athens, Corinth and, if you choose to continue with us, Rome.
- Participate in intimate ministry times and joy-filled fellowship with believers from all around the world as we travel through the nations with opportunities to treasure hunt and bless those we come in contact with through encouraging words, prayers, and joyful hugs.
Get your passport ready, and join us. This is the perfect combination of a radical mission trip, a lavish holiday, and a supernatural road school. You will make friends and memories to last a lifetime, and you will never be the same again.
What are the physical requirements for this trip?
This trip will include lots of walking, including up and down stairs. We do recommend that you be physically prepared and able to walk a minimum of 4-6 miles per day, especially in Greece and Italy.
When are payments due?
An initial $500 non-refundable deposit is required upon acceptance to the trip and you must adhere the following payment schedule:
3rd payment due April 13: $800
3rd payment due April 13: $1100
4th and final payment due April 28th: $1097
If you are accepted after any of these payment dates we will request that you pay the amount owed up to that point.
What is included in the cost?
These are the costs included in your tuition:
- double occupancy hotel
- 2 meals per day - usually breakfast and dinner
- fees and tips and administrative costs
- all interior travel for the duration of our trip, including flights and buses throughout Bulgaria, Greece and Italy
- exclusive teaching from Georgian and Winnie 'Cóco' Banov and and Pastor Maksim Asenov
- daily water supply
- admission to sites
What is not included in the trip cost?
While we have tried to make this trip close to all-inclusive, there are a few expenses not included in the tour cost, including:
- a lunch or dinner most days ($20 suggested per day)
- your personal spending money for shopping and incidentals
- Trip Cancellation/Travel Insurance - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
- Airfare to and from our arrival and departure destinations
What do I need to know about arranging my flights?
- You will be responsible for your own flights to SOF - Sofia International Airport - Sofia, Bulgaria - arriving May 30 and departing from FCO - Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, on June 10. More details will be shared with participants as accepted onto the team.
Do I need to purchase Trip Cancellation/Travel Medical Insurance?
YES! We have found it very important to require everyone to purchase Travel Insurance. It provides you with two primary benefits:
- It will cover you in the event that you must cancel your trip (make sure you review the allowable cancellation reasons of your policy).
- It will provide you with medical and accident coverage while traveling. (Many U.S. health plans do not cover you while traveling overseas. Please check with your health plan before assuming you are covered.)
The policy cost is determined by how much you want to cover. You can cover just the basics and medical insurance or 100% of your trip cost.
You can purchase Travel Insurance online, via AAA or we can connect you with a trusted Travel Agency with help for this.
What is your refund / cancellation policy?
You can view our policy [HERE]
How much money should I bring with me?
Bring money for your personal spending and 1 meal daily. We recommend that you bring $500/person to cover these personal expenses. Many places do accept credit cards and that can be a good option at times. However, we do recommend that even if you plan to use your credit card that you bring some cash as there may be times when you cannot use a credit card.
What are the passport and visa requirements?
You must have a valid passport from your country to enter all of the countries we will visit. It is very important that your passport expire at least 6 months AFTER the date of your departure from each country.
There are no visa requirements at this time.
Are there any vaccines required?
There are no special vaccines required. It is always good to check with your doctor for any recommendations when traveling internationally. Covid vaccines are no longer required for travel to any of the locactions we are visiting.
What about room assignments?
The cost of the trip is based on double occupancy. Husband/wives will obviously share a room. Those traveling solo will be paired with another person of the same sex. If you would like to be paired with someone specific, please let us know. Single occupancy is not available for portions of this trip and are very limited for other portions. Please inquire about that if you are wanting to have your own room.
What kind of clothes should I pack?
The weather will be warm! Dress is casual. There may be a few sites in Rome that require pants and the ladies will need to cover their shoulders. Comfortable walking shoes are a necessity!
In the event that YOU have to cancel your trip:
- $500 deposit is non-refundable should you cancel
- Before April 19th - $500 deposit is non-refundable as well as any payments that have already been made to vendors/airlines that are not refundable as we are required to make non-refundable deposits on your behalf to secure hotels, buses, guides and airfare.
- April 19th and following - all payments will be non-refundable
In the event that GLOBAL CELEBRATION cancels the tour**:
This is very unlikely to happen. However, if the tour must be cancelled because the US Government, and any of the countries we will travel, to issue travel restrictions, below is the cancellation and refund policy:
- Before March 5th - Full Refund (less $100 admin fee)
- Before April 5th - Full Refund of Land Portion (less $250 admin fee) + airline credit for flight portion (if applicable)
- Before April 19th - We will work to get Full Refund of Land Portion (subject to hotel cancellation policies + $250 fee) + airline credit for flight portion (subject to $275 cancellation fee)
- After April 19th and following - We will do our best to get as large a refund as possible, but we cannot guarantee the amount as we must negotiate with hotels and ground providers as their official policies do not allow for refunds Purchasing Trip Cancellation Insurance may help cover you for any loss in this scenario as well, depending on the circumstance.
Have more questions?
Contact us for more information: Call the Global Celebration Missions department directly at 717-395-9710 Ext 5.
Wednesday, May 29
Flight to Europe
Your suitcase is packed and all of your preparations have led up to this day. Many of you will be catching a flight to Europe to join us for this amazing adventure!!
DAY 1
Thursday, May 30
Sofia
Arrive to Sofia International Airport, Bulgaria (SOF) to meet. We will depart the airport and go straight into the heart of beautiful, historic Sofia. Georgian will lead us on a tour of the city, telling us about his life growing up, his escape from communist Bulgaria years ago and the amazing things the Lord did when the walls of evil were broken down and he was able to return. We will then check into our hotel, have dinner together and get a good night's rest.
DAY 2
Friday, May 31
Kazanlak
After breakfast, we will check out and load our Bliss Bus for our 3-4 hr drive to Kazanlak where we will join our gypsy family for an incredible celebration that evening.
DAY 3
Saturday, June 1
Kazanlak
Today, we will serve the Gypsy neighborhood, over 7000 beloved people, fat sheep stew, along with bread and a favorite - watermelon!! We will enjoy another evening with our new friends - expecting miracles, signs and wonders and experiencing the Lord’s love and joy as He abundantly pours out in and through us.
DAY 4
Sunday, June 2
Kazanlak
After Breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and visit our Beloved Gypsy's once more to bless the widows in the neighborhood. After a time of dancing and praying with them, we will jump into our Bliss Bus for a long drive to Kavalah, Greece! Don't be concerned about being bored! Winnie and Georgian will all be teaching and sharing with us on the bus, imparting unique revelation from the Scriptures to us. We will check into our hotel there in the evening, have dinner together and then you will have time to rest or explore Kavalah, finding some treasures along the way.
DAY 5
Monday, June 3
Philippi, Kavala
Breaking our morning fast, we will check out of the hotel and head to nearby Philippi. We will be joined by some friends from Bulgaria for these next few days in Greece. Take the opportunity to get to know these new friends and bless them with the joy and love of Jesus. Phillippi offers a some lovely ruins and Georgian and Pastor Maksim Asenov will share with us some insight to the area. We will have lunch at the Fisherman's Wharf in Kavala, then head to Lydia's Baptism site, where you will have the opportunity to be baptized. Later that afternoon we will drive to Thessaloniki, check into our hotel, have dinner and rest.
DAY 6
Tuesday, June 4
Thessaloniki
Today we will tour the ruins of Thessaloniki and then go to share Jesus with a Gypsy neighborhood. We will have the opportunity to go door to door and then gather with those in the community for a party that evening. Expect the Lord to do incredible things in and through us as we love on these people who are often mistreated and abused.
DAY 7
Wednesday, June 5
Athens
Checking out of our hotel in Thessaloniki, we will head to the airport to catch a short morning flight to Athens! Upon arrival in Athens, we will grab a quick lunch and then visit some amazing sites. Mars Hill and the Acropolis are on our must see list. We'll check into the hotel in Athens, have dinner and then you will have time to explore or rest.
DAY 8
Thursday, June 6
Corinth
We will continue our adventure by heading to Corinth, seeing sites, and receiving biblical insight from Georgian, Winnie and Pastor Maksim Asenov. There will be time today for you to explore in groups, shop for some souvenirs and treasure hunt as you are led by the Holy Spirit. We will have a special dinner this evening to say goodbye to those who will not continue with us to Rome.
DAY 9
Friday, June 7
Rome
Today, we will check out of our hotel in Athens and, depending on which trip option you chose to do, will catch an early flight home or to Rome, Italy! If you are heading home, we hope you will leave with a deep love for our beloved Gypsies and new revelation of your union with Christ, as well as a few new friends. If you are staying with us, you will experience some of the most incredible and iconic sites in Rome, including; the Colosseum, Forum and Mamertine Prison. It will be a fantastic day!
DAY 10
Saturday, June 8
Vatican City
Today, you will visit the smallest country in the world - Vatican City. We will have an early morning as we will get the day started with a tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. After the tour, you will have a little bit of time to grab lunch and wander around St. Peter's Square. We hope to give you some free time today to shop and get any final gifts you may want for family and friends. Our evening will close with a meal at another beautiful restaurant in Rome. If you have not already, you should get some gelato and sit by the Trevi fountain at night!
DAY 11
Sunday, June 9
Rome
Have you ever thought that you would be able to walk a red carpet? During our time in Rome today, you will go to Circus Maximus, the location where more Christians were murdered during the cruel Roman 'games'. Winnie Banov will deliver a life changing message to you on that same field and you will leave with new revelation. We will also visit St. Paul's Basilica and the Abbey of Three Fountains. Your evening will look similar to the night before, but leave some time to pack.
DAY 12
Monday, June 10
Time to say our final goodbye to new and old friends. We will depart for the airport in early morning hours for you to catch your flight home. You will end this adventure with us only to begin living life in new ways - with beautiful revelation and rich refreshing, having touched the lives of many - sharing our Jesus's love and joy all along the way!