We arrived home late Friday night. Again, during the ride, Marjan and I spoke extensively about following God’s will in your life as well different business ideas for the Balkans. We stopped along the way out of Macedonia to visit the family of his second cousin consisting of two parents and three young adults, a little younger than me. They were working in the field when we arrived, planting and harvesting some crops. They immediately stopped what they were doing and came and joined us. Marjan ended up spending quite a bit of time on the porch with the young man (probably 22) while his sister (21) cleaned up and started showing us hospitality (chairs, coffee, cookies, fresh vegetables. While we waited, Marjan and Zoya’s younger boy, David, took his soccer ball and found some neighboring kids to play with. All of these people, Marjan’s relatives included, are not believers. They are very open, however. The boys, including one not present, had come to Sofia previously and spent time at Marjan and Zoya’s to help work on a church construction project. They are very proud of helping in that, and were pulled over by some Bulgarian police at one point and were let go because the police were stunned that these Macedonians were coming to help Bulgarians work on a church. It probably made them feel purposeful. I find it wonderful to no end that even though I don’t speak more than basic greetings and one or two other phrases that people seem to really enjoy my presence and want me to stay with them. These people don’t ask for money, and they aren’t Christians. Sure, I could say that there are probably ulterior motives, but why? How about I say the Holy Spirit has ulterior motives, which is to save such people? Maybe then I’ll accept such invitations, but not yet. Perhaps when this mission is accomplished and groundwork is laid for other work to be done I will have the privilege of revisiting some of these brothers and sisters who want me back. Before a good long draft of relaxing conversation I had taken some time away from the group to pray. They hadn’t yet congregated on the porch for refreshments, and so I was okay to go a ways away. Many things were running through my head and heart, ideas about Christianity, my own faith, and the mission for which I’m here. I have a greater sense of what I’m going to do now, after spending some time reflecting and having a bit of input from Marjan, as he and Zoya know most of the brothers and sisters who I’ve come to help and the present situation in some of these organizations. Their thoughts have been valuable for helping me frame my situation better and consider what’s possible. I hope you meet them as they are before you meet them as they shall be. After the time spent together talking and hearing about the present affairs of things on their farm and the usual discussion between family members separated by time and distance we took leave and headed back to Bulgaria. It took awhile to reach the border. On the way, while we were talking about the destruction of ministers and ministries, Marjan told me a story about how the communist officials used to discredit and destroy the work of ministers. They would kidnap the pastors, and then they would strip them and tie them to chairs in rooms naked. Then they would hire two or three prostitutes to go into the rooms. While this happened they would be taking pictures which were them disseminated throughout the community and the pastor’s witness was effectively tainted by the “evidence” of his immorality. The lesson here is to no be deceived, for our enemy is a crafty Devil, and he will work woe against you. He is not silent. He is not all-powerful, for to the Lord belongs all power, wisdom, might, authority, and honor. But His foe hates you nonetheless. Make the Lord your Refuge. We passed through the border crossing without incident, though it took a little longer this time around as there were more vehicles passing through. As we were nearing home (maybe 40-50 minutes out), we were stopped by policemen who tried to ticket Marjan for driving too fast near a city. He explained that there wasn’t a sign and that there wasn’t a city. They tried to get him to pay them a bribe but he wouldn’t. After about 15 minutes they let us go with no ticket and no warning. I was praying because this unrighteousness is ridiculous. And, Marjan and Zoya are giving sacrificially to people all around them – me included. It’s not right that they should be harmed in the midst of such honorable living. Thus, I knew God would deliver us out of the hands of such wicked men. He did. Okay, so now for what happened on Saturday. Well, we slept in (we arrived home around 2am). Then, we got up and had breakfast. I read my Bible while some kids played and Marjan and Zoya handled some things. Then Marjan and Zoya and I spent some extended time in prayer. We prayed in particular about the kids in the valley and their provision. They have nothing and they need everything. Well later in the afternoon, we went to one of Marjan’s friend’s houses to have coffee and hangout. He’s a motorcycling friend of Marjan and Zoya, married, and well off financially. At one point I was helping him locate some items to purchase online for better prices than they could find in Bulgaria. Anyway, while we were there, one lady neighbor had heard about their Marjan and Zoya’s visits to the brothers and sisters among Valley, specifically the children, and how Marjan and Zoya clothed, fed, washed, and loved them. Well, this woman had a lot of extra clothes and shoes and things to give away, but she hadn’t known where to give them. When we came she was happy because she remembered hearing about them and was glad to give them to us. Now Marjan and Zoya will be able to clothe nearly all the girls in the valley. We prayed in the morning, and God’s rain of provision came in the afternoon. All praise be to God. We had six bags of clothes and shoes. Marjan and I also had coffee with another friend in the late afternoon, and the evening’s plans were to ride with another friend and that previous man and his wife on motorcycles out to a government-rented lake for a fish fry. It was a great evening, and these friends are all unbelievers. The fish-fry was awesome. The company was friendly. The motorcycles were hardcore. I was on Marjan’s friend’s Harley. Whoa. Without speed-limits you can really learn what these things are capable of. :) At home we rested a little and had coffee and some pop and spent a few hours talking about a lot of things. We shared more personal stories and they shared many testimonies of what God has done in their lives. Recently, God has given them many dreams together. I’m finishing writing this on Sunday morning. I’ll have more updates later.
God bless.
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