Dear all,
How are you?
It’s been some time since I last wrote. So I thought it’s time for me to give you another update on my life and ministry.
First, thank you to those who responded to my email regarding our IV Link staff, Craig and his fundraising trip to California in January. Thanks for arranging for him to speak at some of your churches and smaller gatherings. We really appreciate that!
As for my family, we are fine. Stefan is having his 4th birthday tomorrow. This morning we went to buy his birthcakes (one for home and one for the kindy) before we took him to the kindergarten. He was very glad. Monica has almost learned the alphabet and numbers from 1 – 10 but still needs our help for doing her homework. Debi is doing great at school and has almost only excellent marks. They study both Russian and English and she has to write many words each day in order to remember them.
After the trainings the students in Shumen and Varna had, Vania is trying to help them put into practice what they learned and share the gospel with their students using the “Probiv” (Breakthrough) gospels of John. This hasn’t been easy as some of the students lack motivation and initiative, and are afraid to do it. Vania went once to Shumen to meet with the group there and talks often via skype with our co-worker and student leader there. Last week they had their first “Probiv” group for non-Christians, praise God! She also spends some time each week with the leaders in Varna. As a result they now plan to start going to the student dorms in Varna and meet with people who are interested in Christianity. This means more nights for me with the kids at home which greatly balances my regular trips to Sofia and other places.
Besides, Vania takes care of 3 other groups in Varna – a high school group, a graduates group and a young families group. These are all supportive of our ministry here. Some of the graduates in Varna are also supporting BCSU financially which is a great example to their colleagues.
As for the other groups, I am encouraged by the fact that after the Probiv trainings in Shumen, Sofia, V. Turnovo and Plovdiv there are students in all these cities who have started using the gospels in conversations with their non-Christian colleagues. Craig and the other staff have done and keep on doing a great job in motivating the students and we are looking forward to seeing the fruits of our labour.
And, last, I was encouraged by two other things lately. First, I was able to share the good news with several people on the way to Sofia and then to Plovdiv (one of them turned out to be a very well-informed and convinced old Eastern-Orthodox believer, a son of refugees from Northern Greece between the WW1 and WW2; his love to people and nature, in spite of personal tragedy he’s passed through in his early childhood were a great inspiration to me). Another thing was me being able to meet my former roommate from my first year at university, Todor. He was the guy that helped me put my trust in the Lord and become a believer. We hadn’t met for 11 years and finally a month ago I met somebody, a Christian from Todor’s town, who happened to know him. So I went to the church in Sofia which I was told my roommate attended. I met him there and it was great to listen to his stories and see how God had worked in his life. But the funny thing was that the guy on the train was thinking of another person with the same name when he sent me to this address. It’s good that my roommate happened to be also in the same church!
Finally, I would like to ask you to pray with me for:
- all student groups to take to heart participating in the Probiv project by sharing the good news with their non-Christian friends and doing the follow-up with them;
- God’s guidance for the Board in taking the decision about my position in BCSU
- Lots of encouragement and help for our new staff, Villie (Administrative director) and Petyo (staff-worker in both Sofia and Plovdiv)
Take care,
Trif
