November 2020 was the deadliest month in Bulgaria since the COVID pandemic started. Bulgaria was in the first place for COVID deaths in Europe. People were dying on the stairs of hospitals, because there were not enough beds and medical personnel to treat them. The Bulgarian health system, which was in a bad shape even before the pandemic, was on the verge of collapse.

While recovering at home from COVID myself, I (Lydia) decided that I can’t just watch the news about this horror, but I needed to do something about it. So, I began to volunteer in the COVID ward and worked there as a nursing aid from December 4th to January 9th.

I was working hard and doing everything they asked me to do: taking care of the sick, changing diapers, cleaning and sanitizing, delivering documents and helping transport the dead to the morgue. During the Christmas holidays I prayed for opportunity to share the Gospel with more people and God answered.  I asked the head nurse for permission and she agreed to let me give all the staff at the hospital a calendar with Bible verses and an explanation of the plan of salvation. Also, I was able to give out a brochure about the true meaning of Christmas. At the same time, the director of the local nursing home was in the COVID ward for treatment. So, I also asked her for permission to give calendars there too and she agreed!  As a result of these gifts, three hundred people heard the gospel, and I had some very meaningful conversations with a few of the hospital stuff. One of my coworkers started reading the Bible and participating in our church online Bible study.  God is amazing!