☩ Walking in Light with Christ – Faith, Computing, Diary

Thanks to Ceco (a young orthodox friend of mine, a really cool guy), we made a nice quick organized journey to Obrotishte. The main purpose of the trip was to go to a liturgy to the Church there in Obrotishte and also to visit the Hieromonk Philip (Filip) who is at the present moment priest in the Church there. Father Philip is a really interesting monk, he is currently 28. As most people could understand it’s really unusual this days for someone to become a monk, it’s even more unusual for somebody to become a monk in such a young age. Father Philip has been a monk in Troyan Monastery which presently is among the largest operating monasteries at the moment in Bulgaria. Father Filips is a wonderful person, the church service started a bit later than usual in around 09:20 in the morning, what struck me was that the whole service was held in plain understandable modern Bulgarian language, that shined some light (understanding) on the liturgy and was possibly better than in Church Slavonic language, which is hardly understandable for us Bulgarians in the present age. Another good thing I loved about the service, that Father Filip led the liturgy and accomplised all the priest prayers and entreats in a slow understandable way. Seems like the young monk and a father is a real church father, because he was absolutely kind and loving to me Ceco and Rumiana (a christian girl we picked up from another village before we went to the service in Batovo). Another kind thing from Father Filip was that he refused to get any money for writting some names which are usually mentioned on the next liturgy in front of God on the Holy Altar, for the living (that God forgives their sins, and grants them good health, and success in their works) and for the dead (For God to forgive their sins and remember them in it’s kingdom). After the wonderful Church service we get into Ceco’s car with Father Filip and went and had a nice evening and had a nice lunch in a small restaurant in one of the nearby villages to Obrochishte. We also had a nice talk with the father and with Ceco about different things concerning our christian orthodox faith and other spiritual talks. I’m thankful to God for granting me such a wonderful day. After the nice lunch time, we went to Batovo (A village situated North-East in Dobrudja’s region). Batovo is famous with Batovo’s river which flows directly through the village, another thing to see in the village is a holy spring, some nice woods. The village itself is also a nice place to be. They have two springing water fountains one of which seems to be built up from communists during the communist atheist regime in Bulgaria. It’s a real miracle evidencing God’s disapproval for the communists because soon after the springing fountain has been built by the communists it run dry. Hieromonk Philip has prayed near the dried up fountain to God, that God gives his blessing from heaven and allows this dried up water spring to become a springing one that would be a springing place from now on unto the ages of ages. After that we moved on to the center of Batovo’s village where we met a nice gypsy family (romi as we call them in Bulgaria), it was an interesting thing that this people were deeply religious. They had a deep hunger for God they shared that they do attend both evangelical and orthodox church to light up candles or pray and they don’t understand the difference. Father Philip has briefly explained the difference and explained the importance to attend the true church of our Lord Jesus Christ which is the orthodox church and told them if the guys have more questions they could go anytime to the Church in Obrochishte and he would answer them as many questions relating faith as he could. The discussions between the monk me, Ceco, Rumiana and the father was a real blessings, Praise the Lord! However all isn’t perfect and life is far away from bed of roses. On our way back while we were traveling with Ceco and Rumiana my aunt called to inform me my grandma is having difficulties with her speaking (which as she said could be caused by a heart strike… That struck me light a lightining from a blue sky… I got desperated, thanksfully Rumiana and Ceco probably prayed for me and my grandma because presently she is a bit better. Still we have to see how my beloved grandma would be tomorrow after she has a sleep. I’m really concerned for her because she is one of the people that cares for me the most in this life. She loves we like she loves her soul, the same strange love that Jonahattan and David shared in the story told in our Old Testament. I and guess we the christians should learn from my grandmother’s godliness and christian life. She is one of the few that possesses God this days, as she is saying often she is ready to give her soul for me just like our Lord Jesus Christ has loved us so much that he gave his life for us the sinners … I just hope and pray that God hears my and my christian fellow mate prayers and grant my grandma good health! Thanks to God for everything! Just to clause the post I have to mention my big thanks to Lily and Plamen a friends of mine who sustained me this two days with care, talks and prayers. I just pray God helps them the same as they had helped me!