Monthly Archives: March 2013

Biss and I met on Friday and discussed Draga’s situation. The regional police are finally involved. An officer took statements from everyone involved. The woman who is abusing Draga repeated her absurd charges about an illegal American cult, etc. Thankfully, after insisting on being interviewed without this woman present, Draga mustered the courage to give a fairly full account of the theft and physical abuse she has been subjected to. While no immediate action was taken, at least the wheels are turning.

The trip to Sofia was successful. I was dealing with a mild case of food poisoning, but have recovered. I made a silly mistake that I am thankful wasn’t more costly. Upon arriving in Bulgaria, I spoke with an old acquaintence who has lots of experience with real estate. When I described Draga’s situation, he said she was clearly in the right, but no one would care. Later I met Biss. We spent our time discussing the death of his father and some questions he is grappling with. That was the pressing need of the evening.

For the first time since I arrived, I have a day on which I didn’t schedule anything. It’s giving me some needed hours of study and preparation for the next two weeks. It’s also a good chance to stay in a comfortable place enjoying a good cup of tea on another cold, snowy day. I leave early in the morning for Sofia.

Tuesday was long and challenging. I had about six hours of studies and discussions. It included discussions of how to stay pritiual during difficult times, conflict resolution, making godly decisions, and rearing chidlren. Having known folks for many years helps so much. It all seemed to go well, and I am very thankful to be able to be here for it.

Monday evening I was able to attend a lecture in Prague presented by Frank Walton. Frank is visiting a number of churches the group in Alabama he works with has an interest in. After the lecture, he, Mike, and I were able to visit for a while. It was a pleasant evening.

Sunday in Brno was wonderful. The Fojt’s being back is a huge boost to the group. Mrs. Matousek was there with her wonderful smile. We had a total of six infants present for our assembly. That also brought an encouraging energy and glimpse of the future. In addition to our assembly, we met to discuss the upcoming lecture and also the Brno Study. Afterwards, Jan and I were able to spend some time visiting and catching up.

On Friday I was invited to supper by Honza and Monika. We had a great meal and visit. We talked about rearing kids as they pass through different stages. The love this family has for one another and for the Lord is evident from every expression on their faces and words from their lips. After this, we discussed some other Biblical principles they are working to understand better. I felt I did little more than confirm what they had already figured out.

On Thursday I met with some dear friends from Germany for a great visit and Biblical discussion. I also spent a long evening with the Hodanko family. Their hospitality is always warm and generous. The ensuing spiritual discussion was challenging but good evidence of a genuine love of truth.. Seeing how their kids are growing reminded me of how quickly time is passing.

On Wednesday I had about 5 1/2 hours of intense study and discussion. Much of it dealt with godly attitudes. It was good to hit full stride. I met Honza for lunch.. He showed me his completed building. This includes the area he has made available for the church to use. He also took me to a KGB museum which turned out to be owned by a pro- Stalinist Russian. That made for an interesting tour. It was like stepping back in time and hearing Soviet propaganda.

On Tuesday I had a short visit with Mike before their mid-week study. Attendence at the class was a bit light, but we had a very encouraging visitor. He is perhaps the most knowledgable member of the other group in Prague. I talked about the significance of the resurrection on the third day. After the study, we enjoyed our traditional meal at KFC.