Christmas is coming .The reality of winter

Holidays are coming, Holidays are coming 

Holidays are coming, Holidays are coming 

Tease the season 

Watch out 

Look around 

Something's coming 

Coming to town (Coming to your town) 

Dooh dooh dooh... 

I think everyone wherever they are in the world knows that the holiday season has started when they see the coca cola christmas truck advert! And hear the lyrics Holidays are coming, Holidays are coming! 

Well although the snow is here and a people do drink coca cola here, a different lorry came into town this Christmas all the ways from Helping hands in Germany. It was laden with food care packages for families here to eat over christmas, clothing, shoes, toys, school supplies and bedding. There was a lot of box moving and sorting but with everyones help and the added help of my visitor Colin McConkey ( you can see the pattern of what happens when people visit) we moved everything into storage ready for 

distribution.

The reality of winter in this region of Bulgaria is snow that makes the roads dangerous cause there is only one snow plow for the region. Coldness that means you need more logs to put on your fire or more electricity to power your heaters - oh and don't forget the power may cut out so have a thick jumper and blanket handy!

The reality of winter is jobs are scare and so is money, so food care packages are a God sent packed with essentials to feed the family. Earlier in the autumn the Red Cross brought some care packages to the area and helping hands have provided care packages over christmas. In the months after christmas we are hoping to provide some more food care packages and thanks to Bethany Church of the Nazarene we already have enough money for the first 9. Each food package will contain basics for a family to eat. Each food packages which will approximately 50 lev each (£25) they will include: Flour, cheese, sunflower oil, rice, beans, lentils, margarine, sugar, pasta, coffee, wafers for the children. Our aim with this project is to provide 15 a month for the families in the area. If anyone would like to donate to this project please contact me and I will give you details of how you can do this.

The reality of winter is illness and don't I know it! So this is week 3 of being ill thankfully I am starting to feel better. After losing my voice ( you may think this is a blessing!), currently being on my 2nd course of antibiotics and a visit to a sofia hospital for an x-ray and bloods, oh and bruising my leg badly by slipping and falling down a grate! The reality is the whole team has been ill as well as many of the orphans, school children and teachers. Please pray for healing and better health through the rest of the winter.

The reality of winter is also Joy in the children preparing for their christmas plays. Singing, dressing up and being joyful. The next few weeks will see christmas productions at the school, orphanage and at our language school. Thanks to a kind donation from my home church Ashton Church of the Nazarene, riased by teh youth through their cafe melting munch and the NMI, in January the children will begin a cooking class that I hope to help with promoting healthy eating. 

The reality of christmas remains though … 

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, 

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called 

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born and through compassion and our lives we try to show this as we work here. That God loves everyone and it not conditional on what we do or who we are. God is working in the community, please pray for this to continue.

I can't quite believe I have nearly been in Bulgaria 6 months (at the end of January). Due to various factors I have decided I will go back to the UK at the beginning of March to start my job again at the Christie. I have loved and love Bulgaria and the work here and feel God brought me here but I am also aware of listening to him and his call on my life. And as he called me here, he calls me back. I am quite excited to go back to my job at the Christies which I love and to be back in Manchester and find out what is next.

PLEASE PRAY

• The the reality of winter will not be too harsh.
• That the team will all be well and generally for health
• Pray as I go home for Chirstmas and then return to finish before coming back to the Uk to begin again.
• Pray that people may know that Jesus is the reason for the season.

                                          In and around Pravets

                                                   Sofia sights