After a full week in Prague, we boarded an early flight to Sofia (via Warsaw) on Saturday that saw us arriving at our Airbnb about 7 PM. Sunday morning we took the 40 minute stroll to where the brethren meet. It had been 8 months since I was last there, and much longer for Nancy, so we were excited to be with the church. The assembly was uplifting and my lesson was well received. Hristo, Vanya, and Natalia hosted s for lunch and the opportunity to catch up on things here.
Monday was quiet except for one online study, but on Tuesday we boarded a Bulgarian train (actually a hand-me-down from the Czechs) for the beautiful 4 ½ hour trip through the central valley just south of the Balkans to the city of Sliven to see Biss and Konstantin. The train was I remembered, including the toilet that is a straight pipe to the tracks, except for the fact they have caulked the seats down to the toilet for reasons unknown to me.
It was a great two days with lots of catching up, spiritual discussion, prayer, and laughter. Konstantin, with a little nudging, described the 5 trips he has made into the Ukraine driving relief supplies.
During our stay, in addition to the work, we are trying to sort out issues related to our Czech residency. After many hours, too many phone calls and emails to count, and a little hair pulled out, we accomplished what we can from here. Friday evening provided a wonderful respite as we traveling to the suburbs to visit an American family who works here and is a part of the church.
Sunday was another encouraging day as in addition to our worship, we had gathering to celebrate the wedding of one of the young couples here. The man has been a Christian for several years, and his lovely bride is, based on my conversations with her, very close to the kingdom.
