I ventured out on the wet leaves - but they have largely been cleared up - to go to the monthly lunch at the church, which was very nice. I think it is having been a hospital chaplain, and seen the effects of falls on the elderly, that I am so paranoiac of slipping and falling myself, and am careful. Although I have liked kicking my way through the dry leaves, I am glad they are nearly gone.
The speaker at the lunch was a representative from Scripture Union who has written a book - Beyond the Curtain by David Blair - on his experiences working in Bulgaria, following the fall of the Berlin Wall and dismantling of the Iron Curtain.
He was very interesting and reminded me of a little adventure I had myself when I drove across Romania to visit a pen friend, who lived in Buzau near the Black Sea. I filled the boot of my car with New Testaments for children in the Romanian language (written in illustrated comic form). I had always wanted to be a missionary, which my parents thought was utterly ridiculous and I didn't have the backbone to stick out for it, so this was my one, last attempt at being a 'missionary'.
I had also made friends - I think through the church I belonged to at the time - with a lovely couple who lived in Timisoara, just over the Hungarian/Romanian border and I stayed with them for a couple of days before driving across Romania, because I wanted to do the journey more or less, non stop to Buzau.
The only untoward event that occurred was when I encountered two guys on foot. I can't remember now why I stopped to talk to them, but we were talking through the open window of the passenger seat, they wanted cigarettes but obviously realised I didn't have any, then one of them started fiddling with the CD player on the front seat. That was when I realised the precariousness of my position, and told myself not to exhibit any fear, so exuding warmth and graciousness I smiled and waved and sped off. All the time I was doing this journey I never got into the car without praying for protection, and I certainly believe God was with me then.
I had a little news of Bubbles from Mark and Mary. They put the house up for sale where I was living, and although I know Bubbles would have always been cared for, she obviously decided she wasn't going to leave her fate in the hands of these humans she'd only known a few months, so she finds herself a new owner three doors up the road. I thought that was a rather extraordinary insight into cat behaviour. All the time she was with me she never ventured beyond the front porch, never explored the neighbourhood, and here she is taking the initiative in deciding that she was not going anywhere with these humans and finds herself a new home.
The speaker at the lunch was a representative from Scripture Union who has written a book - Beyond the Curtain by David Blair - on his experiences working in Bulgaria, following the fall of the Berlin Wall and dismantling of the Iron Curtain.
He was very interesting and reminded me of a little adventure I had myself when I drove across Romania to visit a pen friend, who lived in Buzau near the Black Sea. I filled the boot of my car with New Testaments for children in the Romanian language (written in illustrated comic form). I had always wanted to be a missionary, which my parents thought was utterly ridiculous and I didn't have the backbone to stick out for it, so this was my one, last attempt at being a 'missionary'.
I had also made friends - I think through the church I belonged to at the time - with a lovely couple who lived in Timisoara, just over the Hungarian/Romanian border and I stayed with them for a couple of days before driving across Romania, because I wanted to do the journey more or less, non stop to Buzau.
The only untoward event that occurred was when I encountered two guys on foot. I can't remember now why I stopped to talk to them, but we were talking through the open window of the passenger seat, they wanted cigarettes but obviously realised I didn't have any, then one of them started fiddling with the CD player on the front seat. That was when I realised the precariousness of my position, and told myself not to exhibit any fear, so exuding warmth and graciousness I smiled and waved and sped off. All the time I was doing this journey I never got into the car without praying for protection, and I certainly believe God was with me then.
I had a little news of Bubbles from Mark and Mary. They put the house up for sale where I was living, and although I know Bubbles would have always been cared for, she obviously decided she wasn't going to leave her fate in the hands of these humans she'd only known a few months, so she finds herself a new owner three doors up the road. I thought that was a rather extraordinary insight into cat behaviour. All the time she was with me she never ventured beyond the front porch, never explored the neighbourhood, and here she is taking the initiative in deciding that she was not going anywhere with these humans and finds herself a new home.
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