Today was one of the stranger days I remember in my life. It was so filled with wonderful things. When I woke up in my very comfortable flat, I could tell from the sunshine it was a lovely day.  It was a “no coat required sort of day,” after day of cold, dark and rainy.  I had work and studies scheduled that had me excited.  I enjoyed the weather.  I sneaked in a workout at my “local” gym.  I shopped, and by bunkhouse standards cooked a really nice main meal for myself.  I had multiple studies that encouraged me a lot, and I hope did the folks I studied with.

However, there was another subtext to the day.  It was also a day of calls, emails, and texts about something very different.  It was about the Corona virus and how it is impacting the world, the Czech Republic, the brethren here, and my trip.  Throughout the day ambiguous and conflicting reports came from governments- ours and others about what would be happening.  The information about public meetings, travel, and a host of other things changed hourly.  MY schedule was already a bit up in the air, but a flurry of news flew it into chaos.  Our governments still to be defined policy on travel from the EU meant that my travel home was almost surely changed.  The likelihood of me being able to fight and pay for the tickets back to the states available before midnight Friday (regardless of which unspecified time zone was in mind) were miniscule.

I fought the mental battle for what to do, and decided it made no sense to not try to complete the work I had come to do. In the process of this, information spread that the Czech government was considering a ban on all meeting of over 10 people.  This would have essentially outlawed a couple of the basic things I had planned to do here.  Shortly after I decided to stay, the government announced a series of incredibly austere measures, but the allowable meeting size had been shifted to 30. We went from messed up to golden just like that.  (Yes, I’ve said a few prayers of thanks since then.).  Additionally, evolving circumstances in Bulgaria have put that sub-trip up in the air, though I still think it works, and a couple of other issues I’ll leave for another day.

Through all of this stuff to process, I’ve been awed by the love and concern shown by the folks over here, brethren in the States, the amazing opportunities that have been afforded me wherever I am, and the assurance of our Father’s continuing love. It was a strange but very blessed day.