Just a little over a month ago, one of Paul's best friends here died in his sleep. He was 41 and his death was unexpected. He left behind a wife and an eight-year-old daughter, who are also dear friends. Stillian was on the leadership team at our church and he and his wife had planned to attend an International Baptist conference with us in Cyprus two weeks after he died.
After much prayer and discussion, we decided to have Zornitsa and her daughter still join us. We truly feel that God blessed that decision. People at the conference were so encouraging and supportive of both Zornitsa and Gergana, and we had many chances to talk, pray and get to know each other even better. And God used both of them to share their faith and hope in Christ with a woman who worked at the hotel, because she heard them speaking Bulgarian together and she wondered what the group was about.
We pray that these interactions will bear fruit, as she has already attended church and other friends are taking her a Bulgarian Bible this week. In talking together, we realized that God knew all along Stillian wouldn't be at that conference, but that he could use Zornitsa and Gergana to share the hope of a relationship with Christ even after the loss of one so close to them.
In addition to being a great friend, Stillian had been a great help to Paul over the last 4 1/2 months when our admin assistant, Virginia, was sick and out of the office. We wondered what we would do without him, but God has provided people to step into the gap and we are very excited to have Virginia back this week.
Our congregation of about 100 adults has experienced a lot of loss this year - about 10 families have lost someone in their family. We feel privileged to walk with people as they share their love for those who are gone, but also the hope that they will see them again. As we approach Easter, we are reminded anew of God's great sacrifice in sending His Son, and the HOPE that is ours because of His amazing gift!
A song to encourage you: What a Beautiful Name
And from N.T. Wright: "Jesus's resurrection is the beginning of God's new project, not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That after all, is what the Lord's Prayer is about."
If you are interested in giving to our work in Bulgaria, and Paul's consulting in Africa and beyond, gifts can given online at Global Horizons/Emmaus Assoc or mailed to Global Horizons, PO Box 856678, Minneapolis, MN 55485-6678. Please attach a note indicating Emmaus. Thank you!
