The sun is setting on our last day here in Bulgaria. We spent our last day in the park meeting a few new people and saying goodbye to the friends we made while we were here. We were only there a short while before Dani, Ana, and several others we had met came to our gathering place to visit and play volleyball, football or other games we had either invented on the spot or learned from our new friends. It is incredible to me how many people’s lives we touched while we were here. Each one, Christians and non-Christians, have been introduced to a view of church they had never experienced before. And while every day was not filled with preaching, it was filled with exposure of the love that Christ has for each and every one of us through the loving, gentle spirits of our teens. And each day we were there, they came back for more. I have been so honored to have experienced firsthand this amazing group of young people who have the ability to radiate the love of Christ through their words and actions.
It is always hard to say goodbye. Today was our last day to see Vania, Christo’s wife and Vania the translator. (We will see Christo and Raicho tomorrow when we leave for the airport). I have grown to love each one of these women. Vania, Christo’s wife, was so gracious to us during our visit. She has such love for the church. She is very strong support for Christo and his efforts to grow his congregation. Vania, the translator, is a member of Christo’s congregation and her desire to help the church grow and reach others is evident. I hope and pray that someday we will be able to return to Sofia to help them reach out to other women. This mission field is so fertile. While the urgent physical needs of food, water or healthcare is not as evident here in Sofia and in the surrounding countryside, the need to reach out to non-Christians is great. This is a country 20 years post communism still struggling. Vania commented to me that while the rest of the world is just now experiencing economic collapse, Bulgaria has been experiencing it for 20 years. They are so open for something to hang on to. They are hungry for something to believe it. It really concerns me that so few people we met and talked to had any clue about the strength and peace that comes from being a Christian. I hope and pray that Christos, Vania X 2 and the other churches of Christ can grow and spread the Word.
I honestly cannot remember a time in any of my travels that I was not ready to go home the day before it was time to leave. It doesn’t matter if it is a 3 day trip or a 10 day trip, pretty consistently, I’m really to be packed and on my way by day 2 or 9 whatever the case may be. Not so this time. Even with all my traveling, there have been very, very few times when I have been away from home for 2 weeks. I have to say that I was really concerned about the length of the trip and how I would handle it. While I am so ready to get home to Jerry, Jay, my parents etc., there is this part of me that is not quite ready to leave. So, I guess, I’ll just have to leave that little part of me behind. Bulgaria will always and forever have a piece of my heart.
It is always hard to say goodbye. Today was our last day to see Vania, Christo’s wife and Vania the translator. (We will see Christo and Raicho tomorrow when we leave for the airport). I have grown to love each one of these women. Vania, Christo’s wife, was so gracious to us during our visit. She has such love for the church. She is very strong support for Christo and his efforts to grow his congregation. Vania, the translator, is a member of Christo’s congregation and her desire to help the church grow and reach others is evident. I hope and pray that someday we will be able to return to Sofia to help them reach out to other women. This mission field is so fertile. While the urgent physical needs of food, water or healthcare is not as evident here in Sofia and in the surrounding countryside, the need to reach out to non-Christians is great. This is a country 20 years post communism still struggling. Vania commented to me that while the rest of the world is just now experiencing economic collapse, Bulgaria has been experiencing it for 20 years. They are so open for something to hang on to. They are hungry for something to believe it. It really concerns me that so few people we met and talked to had any clue about the strength and peace that comes from being a Christian. I hope and pray that Christos, Vania X 2 and the other churches of Christ can grow and spread the Word.
I honestly cannot remember a time in any of my travels that I was not ready to go home the day before it was time to leave. It doesn’t matter if it is a 3 day trip or a 10 day trip, pretty consistently, I’m really to be packed and on my way by day 2 or 9 whatever the case may be. Not so this time. Even with all my traveling, there have been very, very few times when I have been away from home for 2 weeks. I have to say that I was really concerned about the length of the trip and how I would handle it. While I am so ready to get home to Jerry, Jay, my parents etc., there is this part of me that is not quite ready to leave. So, I guess, I’ll just have to leave that little part of me behind. Bulgaria will always and forever have a piece of my heart.
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