Trip to Bulgaria

I spent this past weekend with the 12 American students with the Romanian Studies Program and their 3 professors (Dorothy, Roberta, and Lana) to Bulgaria. On Saturday we visited the palace in Balcic, Bulgaria, which was built by Queen Marie of Romania (1875-1938). Marie enjoyed the tranquility of the Black Sea in Balcic, which was then the southern part of Romania.

On Sunday we visited the Razgrad, Bulgaria, Church of the Nazarene, one of the largest Churches of the Nazarene on the Southeastern Europe field. After worshiping at the Razgrad church in the morning, our group of 16 split into 2 smaller groups for the afternoon, visiting 2 nearby villages where there are church plants. In both of those villages, there are people who speak Romanian, mostly Roma (Gypsy) peoples who have come from Romania. They were very pleased to be able to speak Romanian with outsiders.

On Sunday evening, the church planned Thanksgiving festivities, in our honor, in anticipation of American Thanksgiving in just over a week. After a short service, they served a meal and showed a slide show of the people in the church, which was then followed by a talent show that included everything from instrumental solos to children reciting the Lord’s Prayer, to traditional folk dancing. It was a very joyful time, giving honor and thanks to God for his many blessings.

We arrived back in Sighișoara late Monday evening.

Photos: Roberta, Lana, & Dorothy; the palace in Balcic (by the Black Sea); morning worship service at the Razgrad Church of the Nazarene.