Back in the US

A blessed Easter to you!  We celebrated with a 3am service for IBC Sofia and a potential pastoral candidate preaching.  Yea!  Time has flown by since we left for Bulgaria in late January.  We jumped right back into life there with wonderful opportunities to interact with friends from church and in the neighborhood.  We experienced a wide variety of weather - from snow, air pollution, rain and sunny, warm days.  While restaurants were closed until our last full day in Sofia, we had a number of opportunities for the long walks that we enjoyed so much in our years living there.

Although the church is still meeting virtually, we did have a times to meet with some families and individuals in person, which was a real joy.  Paul continued with his men's meetings and I started a new women's Bible study, which is continuing virtually now that I'm back.  Along with other regular church services, we were able to lead and participate in a baby dedication for a sweet little girl named Sofia, who was born on Christmas Day (and whose parents are Bulgarian and Italian).

While the search for a new pastor continues, we were able to complete the process for renewing our resident permits, bookending our travels with trips to immigration and completing it just before leaving.  In the middle of our time there, I came down with what I thought was a cold - until I lost my sense of taste and smell.  That Covid test came back negative, as did the ones within 72 hours of our departure and the 3am Rapid Antigen Test at the airport before our 7am departure flight.  Flying is definitely different since Covid!  And, although our flight to Amsterdam was fairly full, our flight to Minneapolis had 24 passengers total with 6 flight attendants.  I doubt we'll ever have a repeat of that!

Covid numbers had been down while we were in Bulgaria, which is why schools and restaurants had opened back up.  However, schools only met in person for 4 days before closing again and restaurants went only a few days more.  Friends tell us that hospitals are full and vaccines are not readily available.  Please continue to hold Bulgaria in your prayers!

We are truly blessed to be able to continue to contribute to the life of the community of international believers in Sofia.  We don't know when we'll be back, but want to be available for however God wants to use us in our relationships there.

Blessings, Kathy