My Sundays in Sofia usually begin with a walk of a couple of miles to the place of worship. The quiet streets help me focus on the opportunities to come. The morning air felt brisk, though my flat not having heat may have have skewed my perception. The meeting place is located within a very attractive small commercial building in the city center. Arriving a bit earlier than usual gave me an opportunity to visit with the members. Their reception is so warm it touched me deeply. With Biss arriving a little later, an 89 year old man took the opportunity to come and talk for a while. His simple yet articulate thoughts about how God touches his life each day brought a tear to my eyes.Several people were traveling, but we still had in the 20’s for worship. Another younger family has joined them. This gives them a couple of teenagers and several younger children. The worship was uplifting, and my lesson was very well received. I could tell several people were having hard time figuring out where it was going until they had the hoped for “aha” moment.
After the assembly, I was able to talk to a young first time visitor who came as the result of being invited by a Nigerian named Samuel. The African brethren are huge assets to the work here in every way.
Hristo, the Bulgarian preacher, insisted on taking me to lunch. Despite some differences, our bond has grown quite strong. During lunch he asked me about how I would deal with a doctrinal issue in an upcoming lecture and to suggest some material to be translated into Bulgarian. A publisher in Vienna has offered to do the work gratis, and he wants to make the best use of the opportunity.
The day ended with Biss and I walking around the city, hitting our favorite cake place, and trying to fit days of talking into a few hours. There is never enough time, but it was a great day.
