Eventful Weekend

We have had an eventful weekend! 

Friday

Friday morning was not too busy; we went on a walk around the city and walked to a store to look at cell phones. (We will be getting cell phones once we get our monthly money – cell phones will help us keep in touch with others as we are traveling all over for ministry.) We do a lot of walking here. The city is not too big that we can’t get around easily on foot. Walking is good exercise, and it gives us time to enjoy the city and talk as we are walking.

Friday evening we were invited to dinner at the home of Desi, a lady from the village church in Ossenets. (This was a celebration dinner of sorts, for something that had happened a month or so ago.) There were sixteen people there, two of which were kids. We all sat on stools or couches, eating at a few coffee tables placed end – to – end. (Most Bulgarians do not have a separate dining room, but the living room is the bedroom is the dining room. Some houses or apartments are bigger than others, so things are a bit different. I have only been to four Bulgarian homes so far.) We had a wonderful time at Desi’s home. She was a great hostess, and the food was delicious! It was great to have a home cooked Bulgarian meal. We all had a great time talking with each other, sharing stories, and laughing. One of the men there was 80 years old! He knows how to do many sorts of things, and one thing he enjoys doing is cooking. I asked him if he could teach me how to cook some Bulgarian food, and he said yes. At the dinner, I was able to practice some Bulgarian words, as well as learn a few new words. Much of the time Pastor Nikolay translated for us. All in all, it was a great evening, and we were there for several hours. After we left, we were invited to come visit the village again.

Saturday

When Pastor Nikolay picked us up Friday evening, he told us the youth were going to an event in Varna the next day, and asked if we wanted to go. We had expected to help at the church for a cleaning day on Saturday, but we were able to be flexible and change our plans with a moment’s notice. So, Saturday morning we left home at 7 am. We took the train to Varna. The group was me, Joshua, Katie, Galiya, Joanna, Misho, and Andrei. The train ride was 2.5 hours long, and we had lots of time to talk. We spent the whole day with the teens. I enjoyed hanging out with Bulgarians all day and learning from them. I learned more about the culture and the language by asking them questions and by observing them. 

In Varna, we walked to find the place where the youth event was happening. It took us a while to find the right place, but we made it. On the way we stopped by the Black Sea for a few minutes (Joshua and Katie had never been there, and I had only been once for a few minutes), and we looked at the water and found some pretty shells. We also stopped to grab some lunch on the way to the event. The youth event was called New Wave, and it was a gathering of Christian youth from all over Bulgaria. There was a speaker, but we missed most of that. The majority of the time we were at the event, we were singing or praying. It was wonderful to sing in Bulgarian. Some of the songs I knew in English, but I still tried to sing them in Bulgarian. I am getting better at listening and reading Bulgarian as I sing. Galiya was helpful and told me the meaning of what I was singing. How wonderful it is to praise God in a different language!

In between times of singing were prayer times. About twenty different leaders took turns praying for each of the different “states” in Bulgaria. I did not understand all the words of the prayers, but I was able to use that time to pray. I prayed for the youth from Razgrad Church of the Nazarene (RazNaz), I prayed for everyone at the event, I prayed for God to fill everyone with His Spirit. Saturday was a wonderful time of worship. We ended the day with another 2.5-hour train ride back to Razgrad, and got home at about 9pm or so. The train ride was an adventure, to say the least! It was exciting for all of us, Americans and Bulgarians. 

Sunday

Sunday mornings, Sunday School starts at 10am. Last Sunday, Joanna, Pastor Nikolay’s daughter, translated for us, but this Sunday she was on the Worship team and they were practicing during Sunday School. We sat in Sunday School listening to Bulgarian for an hour without a translation at all. I am glad we do not always get translation, because it forces me to listen. I can listen to the Bulgarian and pick out what words I know and try to understand new words. When we read from the Bible, I had my own Bible, so I can follow along in English. I can listen to God speaking to me. It is also teaching me patience. 

I enjoy praising God. It fills me with joy to worship God with other people, no matter what language we are using. God understands every language, and he knows the hearts of the worshippers. Joshua preached (with Pastor Nikolay translating into Bulgarian), and God spoke through him. We heard a sermon about love and being open all the time to loving. God wants us to love all the time, not just when it is convenient for us. After the church service was over, we hung around for an hour or two, talking with people, setting up events for the week, and greeting fellow believers. After church services, it seems that everyone shakes everyone else’s hands as they say, “Slava na Boga,” which means “Praise the Lord.” I like doing this. 

After church we had about 45 minutes to walk and get lunch before we left to go to the village of Kubrant for a church service. There were about six or eight people there for the service. We sang several hymns, and I had a Bulgarian hymnal, so I was able to sing along. One of the songs we sang was “How Great Thou Art,” a favorite hymn of mine. My mother taught me that song in Spanish, so now I always sing the chorus in Spanish (I forget the words to the verses). It was neat to sing in Spanish while others were singing in Bulgarian. Pastor Nikolay asked Joshua, Katie, and I to sing a verse in English, which we did. When we got to the chorus, I mentioned I usually sing it in Spanish. So, Pastor Nikolay had me stand up in front of the room (it is a small room, not a big sanctuary) and sing the chorus in Spanish. It is neat to praise God in multiple languages, knowing that God understands. After we sang, Joshua preached his sermon again, and I listened to God speak to me through him. It is amazing how much God speaks to me when I am listening!

On the way back to Razgrad after the village church service, we stopped in another village where a family from Razgrad Naz lives. We spent an hour or so there, just visiting and talking as we ate some snacks. It was great to visit with people. I enjoyed it. I am starting to understand more Bulgarian, so that is good! I can say a few simple sentences in Bulgarian, and am working to learn more.

This coming week

We have several things scheduled this week! Today we are going to buy groceries and run other errands. Tomorrow and Wednesday we will be at the church from Noon-4pm, just having the church open to spend time with whoever stops by. At some point we will be practicing some songs with a few of the youth. Tuesday evening we have invited some young people to come over to our apartment. There will be at least ten people here. We are excited to have guests come over!

Wednesday morning we are going to help the Red Cross with something.  Wednesday evening we are going to the home of a lady from church and she will teach us a few things. We will learn how to make banitsa, a Bulgarian food, and we will learn how to knit squares that the Red Cross uses for something. (Maybe for sewing together to make blankets?) So including the four or more hours we’ll be at church in the afternoon, Wednesday will be a busy day!

Thursday is Thanksgiving. I think the church is going to celebrate Thanksgiving somehow, because they like the idea of a whole celebration focused on giving thanks to God, but I do not know the plans. Thursday evening is Bible study.

Saturday is a youth conference in Ruse, a city at the border of Bulgaria and Romania. It is a conference for the youth in this region of Bulgaria. We will be going by train. This conference will be smaller than the one we just went to in Varna. We are putting together a few songs to sing, because everyone who comes helps participate in some way. 

Every day is exciting! It is exciting to see how God will use us as we open ourselves to Him. 

Prayer Requests

Please pray for us to continue to be open to God’s leading. Pray for the relationships that we are starting to build. Pray that we rely on God. Pray that our budget gets approved quickly so we can get money (Right now we are running low on funds). Pray that we are able to  balance all our activities with time for rest.

May God bless you!