letter from Bulgaria

Prompted by a colleague’s post, I’ve discovered how to post my latest newsletter here on my blog. Take a look (if you’re interested) in the ‘newsletter’ section.

God at work

Yesterday we spent some time with a Turkish couple and I got to hear Sara’s story of the miracles God’s performed in her life. It seemed that three years ago she was in a terrible car accident that probably should have claimed her life. Her leg was almost severed, but while still in the mangled wreck of the car, God told her clearly that she would not only live, but walk and praise His name. It took more than a year, and many many miracles (the story took more than an hour through translation) but she is indeed walking, and running, and jumping … and praising God! And many, many people in Turkey (where she spent the first 2 months in hospital) as well as Bulgaria know that it is God who works the miracles.

On Thursday evening (EARLY hours of Fri morning in Oz) Sara has asked me to share with a Bulgarian church group, particularly on the need for mission. Would appreciate your prayers.

it had to happen!

After walking gingerly all week, with the (more than) occasional slide, it FINALLY happened this afternoon …. I landed on my backside on the sidewalk! Fortunately it wasn’t in the centre of town, and I don’t know if the family even saw. And the only thing hurt was my pride. Most importantly of all, there was NO photographic evidence of the incident.

That was the only blemish in an otherwise very pleasant day … we did school, bought apples from the ‘apple abla’ around the corner (which we used to make applesauce ready for an applesauce cake), went to the PO, bought a cool kids office chair for Aydin, and spent up at the souvenir shop I found the other day. We ladies didn’t fit any visiting in, but David’s still out. Hopefully tomorrow?

I slipped up … but not on the ice, yet!

I realised the other day that I’d fallen into a trap that we warn trekkers about …. and been slack in spending quality time with God. 

Sure, I can make all sorts of excuses, like I’m sleeping on the lounge room floor, have limited time and space to myself, life is a bit ‘tumultous’, I’m never good in the morning, I’m not sleeping particularly well … but the truth is, I could have made the time, but I slipped up! 

These past two days with the apartment to myself (D & K went to Greece for visa stuff) have been God’s timing; time to read the Word, and listen. I need to consciously STOP all noise and activity and hear what the Father has to tell me. It’s been good, and I’ll have to try harder for the rest of my time here.

exploring

I have a couple of days to myself while the family have gone to Greece to work on their visas. It’s nice to have a bit of time and space to reflect on stuff etc, but I’ll be glad when they get back. 

This afternoon I went for a walk to explore things at my own pace (which was actually pretty slow because I’m nervous of slipping on the icy roads and paths). Here’s a couple of photos that show the orthodox Christian heritage of the majority Bulgarian population. 

I kept wandering this way and that, in no particular pattern and was really starting to think that I was lost, because the roads are pretty random. I have no idea what street I live on, so was thinking I’d have to hop in a taxi and try to say the word for either the bus station, or Kaufland, a big supermarket we went to the other day. I decided to follow my instincts just a little longer and managed to find some familiar shops, and so got home under my own steam. 

Two worthwhile discoveries, a big fruit and veg market (pazaar) but I think it’s probably a bit far from home to be convenient, especially when walking. The other was a little art and souvenir place, which I want to go back to with Kathryn, to see how authentic the stuff is. I think I’ll be able to find it again. 

Midway through the afternoon I suddenly realised the absence of any of those BIG international takeaways we all love and/or loath. Most interesting. I wonder why they have neglected the Bulgarian market?

She’s MY teacher, and she only speaks English!

Late morning yesterday,  after we’d done some school, Aydin and I went outside for a bit of ‘fresh’ air and exercise … throwing a frisbee on the nearby playground that’s covered with snow and ice!! Aydin did more running than me :0 Before we headed back inside, I thought we’d head round the corner to where we’d seen apples for sale (cheap) from an apartment window. A neighbour told David that these people had their own orchard.

I pushed the buzzer and a lovely older ‘aunty’ came to serve me, meanwhile Aydin was amusing himself, sitting in a snowbank and throwing snowballs against a wall. When he heard aunty’s monologue in Bulgarian – I was trying to make myself understood with gestures and doing okay – Aydin’s response, in nice clear ENGLISH was ’she’s my teacher and she only speaks English!’

teaching MK’s

The main reason I’ve come to Bulgaria for these 7 weeks is to help David and Kathryn by home-schooling 5 year old Aydin.

This is a (brief) return to the ministry that took me to Asia some years ago and it’s interesting walking that path again. I’d forgotten how intense it can be, spending time one on one with a child, and many might wonder at the value of working with just ONE child, but let me tell you …. MK’s are a really special group of kids, growing up with all sorts of wonderful experiences (maybe not ‘normal’ but extra-ordinary) not to mention the lives that are touched for the kingdom because their mums and dads are released for ministry! 

Did you know … the education of MK’s is the main reason that people return home early from ministry overseas? So the need for MK teachers, whether in schools or home-schooling, is enormous. It’s not always easy, but the blessings are great, so pray about whether God might want you involved.

January snow

talking …. is good!

Even as I was preparing to come here to Bulgaria, I was thinking about how vital it is to have at least a bit of language, but even more so now that I’m here and have only bumped into a couple of people with the tiniest amount of English. It’s hard for an extrovert not to be able to talk! At the same time though I’ve been blessed to sit back and listen to David and Kathryn communicate fluently over and over again. I don’t think I ever was THAT fluent in my other language! An incident last Sunday really highlighted the value of good language acquisition.

We went out to visit an American family, and it wasn’t long before their Turkish neighbour was knocking on the door. Of course she was invited in, and chatted, and chatted and chatted. All sorts of topics; about me, Australia, her sons …. until at one stage poor Kathryn (who isn’t an extrovert) was obviously out of ideas of what to say. Thankfully at that point David came back into the room and took over – he IS an extrovert and never short of something to say. I made an exit to toast marshallows and chat in the next room with our host. We could overhear the conversation turning to spiritual things, we could hear them singing and praying and reading from the Bible, but it wasn’t until we were in the car going home that David said the last hour of conversation was the best … they discovered that this lady has recently become a believer, and Turkish believers are rather rare! If they hadn’t had the language to persist in conversation for the four hours or so, David and Kathryn wouldn’t have found out the extent of her new faith and be able to encourage her in it.

Christmas Day

It’s been a nice, crisp, but not white Christmas day. I headed up here to David and Kathryn’s place at about 10am and have been hanging out here since. Of course, as soon as I walked in the door Aydin wanted to know what presents I had for him we haven’t started colouring the giant car murals yet. I did enjoy helping him to build an Indiana Jones lego jeep 

After a wonderful baked dinner of trout and vegetables, we headed up the hill behind their apartment building to build a fire and toast marshmallows, yum! 

One of the things we saw as we continued walking, was this Lada in the village. Some colleagues back in Sydney have a real passion for Lada’s so this is for you, D & A.