Melanie in Macedonia

Nationals

2009-07-24T02:33:00.001-07:00

I thought that I would write just to say how encouraged I have been by national believers. Lately, with summer here, we have had national believers from Skopje who have been in town on vacation or passing through. They have been able to come to the coffee house and to our Bible Study. Just to see Macedonians who are active in sharing their faith has been refreshing for me to see. As I heard them sing at our Bible Study and saw their enthusiasm, it gave me a picture of what God can and will do right here in Ohrid. First, we had a concert last week and people had opportunity to share their faith in words and songs. Now there is a group from Campus Crusades here, too. I consider this a blessing, as my time is winding down to less than two weeks. I will be sure to update to show how God continues to work here.

Cloudy with a chance of grilling and mud

2009-07-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

There they are getting everything set up for grilling out. Below is a picture of Charlie and Ljupco firing up the grill. (By this time I'm pretty sure it was after 2:00 pm.)

Here's Charlie and Ljupco getting the grill fired up.

Me and Martin... Doesn't he look absolutely adorable in this picture?

I was almost finished getting ready to leave the house to walk over to the Dovers for a time of worship on Sunday. It was Bilijana and Ljupco, friends of ours who we have gotten to know over the past year after the school supply distribution. "Hey, we want to know if you and Jennifer and Charlie and the boys are free today. We can let the boys play and we can grill out and enjoy a good lunch," Bilijana says over the phone. (Which by the way is MUCH later than our American 11:30 or 12:00 lunch.) I touch base to Charlie and Jennifer and quickly make plans to meet up with the family shortly after we finish church. We follow them in their car and before we know it, we are going up a mountain. And I do mean we go UP the mountain. We kept going and going and going. It was a place called Sveti Ilija (or Saint Elijah) and turned out to be a beautiful spot with a magnificent view of the city. As you can see from the pictures, Charlie and Ljupco get the grill going while the kids enjoy the outdoors. Josiah and Judah have fun playing with their new Macedonian friends who are just about their ages. This also means that they quickly find water and mud. But we had a great time, despite the rain trying to threaten it all. Even though I'm a planner by nature, I was glad for this sudden chance to get together with nationals and enjoy their company. I have learned (and am still learning) that God has all my days planned as I slowly and daily allow Him and His Word to be my Day Planner.

Happy 4th!!

2009-07-04T11:24:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July to everyone! This day of celebrating independence makes me also think about the dependence we have on God. If it weren't for Him, the ministry going on in Macedonia and throughout the world wouldn't exist.
It's amazing to think about the changes that have taken place in the coffeehouse. First, we were waiting for the people to come in. Then, some days it seemed that having a spiritual conversation with someone was a big deal. (And to tell the truth, it is!) The Dovers and I were celebrating the 4th of July together on the beach today. As Jennifer and I were talking, we started talking about noticing God in the small things like a very simple prayer request answered or the slow process of ministry at times. God is still there.
This past week our new help arrived at the coffeehouse! Vlatko is now learning the ropes and will begin teaching an inductive Bible study using the book of Mark with our Sunday night group. He's also the Dover's language tutor.
Thank you again for your prayers!

Update

2009-06-18T03:15:00.001-07:00

Hello! I realize it's been a while since I have posted, but things are going well. Very busy, but well. The Dover family is here, and doing very well. Charlie and Jennifer and their two boys are adjusting and getting settled in. We are all very thankful to have them here and looking forward to see how God will use them in Ohrid. They are a very sweet family and all of us have enjoyed getting to know them. Please pray for them as they begin to learn the language (again) around the first of July. Until then, we are busy preparing for our annual meeting in Greece. And you know what that means.... LOTTIE MOON! IMB Missionaries serving all around Central and Eastern Europe will be getting together for a little "friendly" competition through auctions to raise money for Lottie Moon. So really, this is a wonderful chance for us to give back to Lottie, who helps to keep us on the field. Yes, I know it's not quite Christmas, but please be thinking of how you can sacrificially give to Lottie Moon so that others who are responding to God's call to spread the good news of salvation to the nations. Please pray for all of us as we have a chance to gather together for a time of corporate worship (which many of us do not get), taking care of business, and enjoying encouragement from like-minded believers.
We have finished up the Chronological Bible Study series with the group who met regularly at our apartment on Sunday evenings. There are still two more Bible Studies going on, so please continue to lift these up. Also, please continue to lift up Gordana and Ane. They have been on my mind and heart lately, especially since soon I will begin to say good-bye to them and other people I have grown to love in this country.

The Road I Travel

2009-05-25T05:09:00.001-07:00

I travel many different roads in my daily life here in Macedonia. Usually, with the weather permitting, I like to go for a walk down to what's known as Hotel Park. It's a beautiful path, with trees giving friendly shade in the hot summer days and displaying the grand splendor of the rich autumn colors. I use this time to pray, meditate upon God's word, and worship Him by enjoying His beautiful creation. Sometimes I get slightly embarrassed if I think people might be thinking I'm talking to myself, but really, I'm talking to God. Another path I take is by the lake, another popular destination for trekkers here in Ohrid. Occasionally I'll switch up my 3 kilometer walk to Hotel Park and back for this alternate route. But usually this is the one path I will always have fond memories of with other people: Karen and I walking to the center of town, or to Brian and Mandy's house; walking with Macedonian friends to or from coffee and having sometimes normal, sometimes spiritual conversations. This is the one path you don't want to rush on. Take it slowly, allowing the golden rays of the sun setting over the mountains across the lake to take your breath away. I don't think I could ever weary of walking along this pathway. There have been times on this very street where I could feel God wooing me with His beauty, reminding me of His faithfulness and love. Yet another frequent road I walk is the one to work. It's full of intersections, turns, cars, and when it rains, pond-sized puddles. It takes about 15 minutes either to or from work, and sometimes I can walk this path twice in a day. God often reminds me to turn off the iPod and spend more time in prayer to Him to prepare my heart for the day at work or to lift up other prayer requests.
There is also the spiritual journey, too, and it's one that has led me closer to the Lord. It is a path that has led me in different directions than the one my expectations led me to believe. It has been full of joy, laughter, growth, changes, tears, sometimes pain, days of wondering if I was on the right one or not, but always His faithfulness to lead me as he continues to call me to follow Him daily, no matter where the road may lead. He's a faithful Guide. I have no doubt that if He can lead a bunch of restless Israelites for 40 years on the pathway in the wilderness and sustain them for that long of a time, He can lead this southern girl from Alabama on a two year journey in Macedonia, too. I may not always know the details of the path; I may be fearful of losing my step or not sure what lies ahead; If the path we are taking seems long and steep, full of sharp turns and detours, or maybe at times straight and smooth, His word is full of promises we can trust for each step we take:

"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." -Psalm 16:11

"He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake." -Psalm 23:3

"Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left." - Isaiah 30:21

"If I say, 'My foot slips,' Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up." -Psalm 94:18

JSU to Macedonia!

2009-05-25T04:34:00.000-07:00

Three people from the Baptist Campus Ministries at Jacksonville State University was recently here to serve with us for about a week. We are so thankful for their help! They did lots of prayer walking and distributed tracts to some areas where we haven't been yet. Not only that, but they helped with English classes, shared testimonies, and had an introduction to Macedonian culture. We had a grill-out with the people from our Bible Study group that meets at our place on Sunday. They were able to meet Macedonians through that, and they even had a chance to make a visit to our landlord's house. Thank you for lifting up their time here. Below are some pictures from their mission trip.

Now and Then...

2009-05-13T05:46:00.000-07:00

Recently I returned from a vacation to Greece. It was a wonderful time spent catching up with some friends and being able to relax and enjoy some sun. I came back refreshed physically and spiritually and ready for the busy month ahead. This month from the 15th until the 21st we will have a group coming from the Baptist Campus Ministries at my alma mater, Jacksonville State University. Please lift up their time of prayer-walking, literature distribution, helping with English classes, and the people they will come in contact with. I will be sure to post pictures, so be on the look out for them.

Also, we are still waiting for the Dovers, our new family, to come. We are optimistic that they will be here soon, and looking forward to how God will use them and their two young boys in Ohrid.

Sometimes it seems that reality hasn't set in that I only have about 3 more months here. I can say without doubt that this has been a great experience. Words cannot begin to describe how God has shaped and molded me over this time. I know for a fact that I will not return the same person I was when I left. My team has been like family to me, and I don't know what I will do without them. Please continue to pray that I will continue to work as unto the Lord not unto man, giving myself fully to the work during these next months. I would definitely say the time is winding down, but that doesn't mean the Lord's work slows down. (And three years ago I thought my summer missions in Paris was a long time! I sure did have lots to learn.)

October 2007, after just arriving in Ohrid...

And recently, on my vacation to Greece.

More Manna!

2009-04-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

"For the word of the Lord is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness." - Psalm 33:4

"Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield." - Psalm 33:20

"The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing." - Psalm 34:10

"The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah." Psalm 46:7

Isn't it good to know He's always right and true? Do you take comfort in the fact that he is faithful in all he does? I do. When we remember these things, then we can wait for the Lord, our help and shield. We don't have to worry about anything, because He knows what we need and He is faithful to provide. That's the Lord Almighty that is with us, our mighty fortress.

The Big Question

2009-04-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I can no longer resist writing a blog about this subject. It's the subject of love and marriage in Macedonia, and my far-too-frequent encounter with the big question:
"Are you going to find a Macedonian and get married?"
At least some people ask. Others just tell me that it will happen. Right before I left, my mother made me promise that I wouldn't get married while I was over here. I was very happy to oblige to her wishes, and have been content to do so my whole time here. However, I thought I would share just a few of my conversations with Macedonians about marriage and relationships. Some of these conversations are so much funnier in the Macedonian language.

With Children:

A little girl age 3:
"Do you have any children?"
Me: "No, I don't."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not married."
"Why?"
"Because no one has asked me." (Well, at least not seriously.)
"Why?"
"I don't know. Go ask them!"

Young girl, age 7:
"Do you know how you catch a boyfriend? You walk up to him, you ask him, 'What's your name?' You tell him your name, and immediately, you catch a boyfriend."

Other Macedonians:
"What? You don't have a boyfriend? What are you saying?"
"Well, I am only 24 years old. I'm still young. I have time."
"Oh yeah, you're young. There's time."

On one occasion, I was in the process of walking to a travel agency to see about buying a plane ticket. As I was crossing a street, a lady complimented me on my umbrella. We started chatting along our short walk, and she found out that I was from America. "Oh, I have two sons. In fact, I'm walking to see one of my son at work. Why don't you come with me? It's not bad to make a friend, is it? He speaks English very well." I kindly told her that I was on my way somewhere before work, but if they wanted to stop by the coffee shop sometime, that would be fine. We were closely approaching the travel agency, and I told her, "Well, I have to go in here, but it was nice meeting you." "Oh," she said, "this is where my son works!" This was the same guy whom I had already met from previous visits to the same travel agency! And it's not the first time someone has told me that they have a son or grandson about my age.

It's kind of a comfort that I don't have to worry about relationships and marriage right now, seeing as Macedonians worry about it enough for me. But don't worry fellow blog readers. This girl is still single and will be when she arrives back to the States.

Bearing Fruit

2009-04-13T02:40:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from the pazar, where people in Ohrid go to buy fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the local villages. I love going here! It's always a treat to find out what they have available, and the joy of waiting in anticipation for those fruits and vegetables that have just come into season. Plus, the prices are unbeatable! Imagine getting 2 pounds of cherries (in season) for around $1.00!

Lately in my quiet times, God has been teaching me about bearing fruit. Often, bearing fruit involves some pruning as well. Those seasons of pruning are not fun, and it means that there must be things removed from our lives, things that we have held on to. When we do allow the Gardener to prune us, the result is that we are able to more deeply remain in the True Vine.

"Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit." Matthew 7:17-18

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." John 15:1-8

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." John 15:16

"Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God." Romans 7:4

"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:9-10

Pray that I will be faithful to daily abide in Christ, the True Vine. Throughout my time here in Macedonia, He has shown me more and more how much I am dependent upon Him. And His Word clearly tells us that apart from Him, we cannot bear fruit. But when we do abide in Him, we bear fruit - much fruit to be exact, and in doing so we glorify God. And praise God that the fruit we bear is for His glory! So, what kind of fruit do we want to bear? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

We Will Go

2009-04-03T02:31:00.000-07:00

Far away places, distant lands
We will go to be your hands.
Over mountains and valleys, into the street
We will go to be your feet.
Telling nations the news so they may rejoice
We will go to be your voice.
To those in darkness, without sight
We will go to be your light.
To those seeking water in an empty well
We will go to be your vessel.
With a call so strong, a heart so fervent,
We will go to be your servant.
To call sons and daughters to righteousness
We will go to be your witness.
Yes, we will go.

Volunteer team from William Carey BSU

2009-03-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

We were very blessed these past 9 days to have a team of 5 college students from William Carey University's Baptist Student Union to work with us. These students are from the praise band at William Carey's BSU, and are all extremely talented. They were able to perform a few concerts and do some prayer walking and literature distribution, and they did it with diligence and perseverance. Here are a few pictures.

Some praises that I recall from their time here:

*For good health, even though one girl got sick the first day here

*For God preserving their voices for when they needed to be able to sing

*For stamina for all of us for the amount of walking and late nights that we had

*For the relationships they were able to build with Macedonians during their short time here, and how our relationships with Macedonians were deepened as well

Please continue to pray for the seeds that were sown and the follow up that will take place.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet....

2009-03-04T03:16:00.000-08:00

Yes, indeed, His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. The Word of God is powerful, living, and active. And it's active here in Ohrid. Please pray for the Bible studies that we have. Brian is currently leading an 8 week chronological Bible study, and we hope through the work of the Holy Spirit, to have more started in the near future. Thank you for praying!

coffee and concerts

2009-03-04T02:58:00.001-08:00

This is me with one of my closest Macedonian friends Gordana. She's still trying to finish up with tests to graduate from the university, so we don't have as near as much time together as I would like, but when we do, it's amazing!! This picture was taken when we went to coffee one day.

These two pictures are from a concert we had last weekend. People were coming in and out, and it turned out great. Brian strummed the guitar for a bit, then Karen and some Macedonian friends from English classes (who have been coming to the Bible studies) played and sang. We had a wide range of music - from contemporary English Christian to Macedonian folk music, and more. It was a good night. These are the nights I'm usually trying to keep the coffee going and drinks filled up, as well as sitting and visiting with people.

The Pazar and Scarves

2009-02-19T07:19:00.000-08:00

This is the town pazar - or an open market - where many people sell and buy fruits and vegetables. Vendors from surrounding villages load their trucks with their produce and bring it here to sell. This is what a typical day in the pazar looks like.

A wonderful group of ladies from North Carolina knitted 83 scarves and packed them up and shipped them our way. We as a team have been wanting to be able to get the gospel out to the villages in Macedonia, and what better idea than with the ladies at the pazar!

So Karen and I unpacked the scarves and repacked them with a book from the coffee house called "Jesus Our Destiny" along with some fliers for English classes and some tracts in Macedonian. Below is a picture of just some of the piles we had ready to go for the next day.

The picture above is of Karen handing the vendor a scarf and book. This lady was very thankful for it, and treated us to some apples! Some of the other women were hesitant at first, but after I explained to some of them that we were NOT Jehovah's Witnesses or a Sect, they relaxed and finally accepted our free gift. Below you can see a picture of me in a group of ladies (and a few men) who were eager to get a scarf.

As you can see, this was a wonderful opportunity to have conversations with people. Brian and Mandy were in Prague at a team leader training and weren't able to be with us, but they were behind us 100% backing us up with prayer and encouragement. Thank you to all who helped make the scarves and prayed for this event.

Yet another update

2009-02-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

As I write this, I'm sitting in my parent's house in Alabama. I came home last Friday for my Grandmother's funeral. However, my family and I are doing well, and we know she's with the Lord. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and encouragement during this time.
I am heading back to Macedonia in a few days. Then, I will only have about 6 months left to finish my term. I can't believe how the time has gone so quickly, but I am so thankful for a wonderful year and a half.
Ane and I are still studying the Bible together some. English classes are starting up again. People are still hearing the gospel message. And lately the coffee house has been more crowded! God is at work. I can't wait to see how he will continue to work. Keep praying for the ministry in Ohrid and around the world.

Pictures and update

2009-01-25T10:27:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of some of the snow we got a few weeks ago - I say some because we must have gotten around 10 inches or so! It was more snow than I've seen since the "Blizzard of '93".

More snow... as you can see, not very good driving (or sometimes walking) conditions. It was beautiful while it lasted, but I wasn't too sad to see it go.

This adorable baby named Kate, (my team leaders' daughter) is taking her first walk down what would be the main walking street in Ohrid. She was quite happy to show off her walking skills. And of course, people were cheering her on.

This was on the way back from Jovana's baptism at the Orthodox Church. Ane and Vlado wanted to have Jovana baptized, and we got to go and see what it was like. Well, let's just say that the priest was saying things like, "You have either Orthodoxy or paganism." "Now that Jovana is baptized she is a Christian." Keep in mind that Jovana is only two months older than Kate. However, on a slightly funny note, while the priest was praying, his cell phone rings! Not only that, he answers it - and walks out of the room!

What is this crowd of people doing by the lake? Getting ready to dive in! Every January 19th, an Orthodox priest throws a cross into the lake, to bless the water. Someone catches the cross and has good luck for a year. Supposedly you can swim in the water after that and not be sick all year. Well, the day after that, they have something similar to that for fishermen. They throw a wooden keg of wine in the water and some of the older men swim in to catch it. Luckily it wasn't all that cold.

Here is a picture of Alberta (a national friend), me, and Karen. We were waiting to see the action.

There's the wooden keg at the end of the boat. After the people started diving in, I didn't hang around long enough to see who the winner was. Needless to say, another interesting cultural experience.

Also, this past week some teammates in Prilep, Macedonia, opened up a new center! The place is similar to the idea of our coffee shop. Our team from Ohrid went down and helped out. Karen, and two friends from Skopje came and played the guitar and sang. I was back behind the counter managing drinks and snacks while our teammates were meeting the people who came in. It was a very good opening. The center, called "Sunrise Educational Center" will host English classes. Please be in prayer for this center and the work being done in Prilep.

Those "But God..." conversations

2009-01-10T08:43:00.001-08:00

Have you ever had one of those "But God..." conversations? I'm sure we all have had them, or will at some point. They may go something like this.

"But God... all my well-intended plans that I have made for today have fallen through."
-In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. - Prov. 16:9
*Father, may you continue to remind me that you guide my steps. Help me to be willing to follow those steps faithfully and not rely on my own man-made plans.

"But God... people I know and love have just gone through, or are going through difficult times right now."
-You are good, and what you do is good. Teach me your decrees. - Psalm 119:68
*Lord, whether it's myself or people I love going through situations that are hard to understand, may you remind us that you are good, and your goodness endures forever. Thank you for your faithfulness and compassion towards us.

"But God... it is hard to persevere right now."
- And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. - Romans 5:3-5
*God, please help us to not forget that you have poured out your Holy Spirit in our hearts, especially during times when we must persevere. Thank you that in perseverance there is hope because Christ has already won the victory.

There are many more type of "But God..." conversations, and when they do come, my prayer is that He will turn my heart to His Word, which is the voice of truth for us.

Friendships

2009-01-10T08:31:00.000-08:00

Christmas time has just passed for Macedonians. They celebrate it on January 7th. Then the next two days after that are spent visiting people. On January 7th, Mandy, Karen, and myself went over to Ane's house. We spent the night cooking potato soup (Ane is very interested in learning American recipes), chatting away, playing with little Jovana, and dancing Macedonian Oro (the national dance). It was a lot of fun.
Also, today I got to catch up with a friend from the English classes. She has been working so much lately and we haven't had time to get together in a long time. Her name is Tanja, and her husband's name is Daniel. A lot of our ministry includes building relationships, which is very important here and a big part of culture. Please pray for this particular friendship, and the others that my teammates and myself have built.

More than enough

2009-01-04T08:34:00.000-08:00

God, are you simply enough today,
or must I have it my own way?
Is it enough to trust your plan,
instead of those formed by man?
When the path I travel isn't clear,
is the Shepherd's voice enough to hear?
When I need healing from these infirmities that seem too much
is it enough, in faith, your cloak to touch?
Is joy enough in trying days
to turn a heart of mourning into praise?
If faith in you is what I'm searching for,
Yes, dear Lord, you are enough...
and even more.

More photos - ESL classes and more

2009-01-02T02:24:00.001-08:00

This is Karen teaching English classes with songs. She does a great job and her students, who have quickly become friends, really love her.

Some people hanging out at the coffee house

This is a picture from a party we had at our place to bring people together. One person received a book titled "Jesus Our Destiny" and they got to hear a Bible Story in my not so perfect Macedonian.

This is Jovana with her new dad Vlado! We are so excited she is home with them and doing well. I can already see a difference in her. Thank you for praying!

Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T02:30:00.000-08:00

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

God has indeed given me many reasons to be thankful... Here are just a few of them:

I'm thankful for homesickness, because it reminds me that this world is not my home. It makes me appreciate my family and the sacrifice they made to let go of their daughter, sister, cousin, granddaughter, so that I could serve the Lord to build a bigger spiritual family.
I'm thankful for those days when it takes forever to build a fire, make coffee, or to simply get anything repaired or done. Even the days that the fire ignites quickly and everything is done in a snap or happens to be working properly are made by the same God who cares for us.
I'm thankful for the hard days, the lack of abundant Christian fellowship, and the difficult spiritual lessons learned, knowing that they are for my good to build a deeper dependency upon God and to make me more like Christ. And it makes me good days that much more sweeter.

So it's true... I have many reasons to be thankful!

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." - Psalm 100:4

"Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." - Psalm 95:2

"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" - 2 Corinthians 9:15

"Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name." - 1 Chronicles 29:13

Lottie Moon

2008-11-10T10:13:00.000-08:00

This mouse bank is very special to me. The story behind it goes back to this summer. During our Annual General Meeting, when missionaries all around Southern Europe got together for a time of taking care of business and also some time of encouragement, we had a Lottie Moon Christmas Auction. I was looking at the table for the Silent Auction and found this adorable mouse, with a note that included that it was bought with a Missionary Kid's allowance money. I quickly put down a bid and wound up winning! After some asking, I found out which missionary kid it was... A beautiful young girl named "Debbie" who lives with her sister and parents in Southern Europe. One day I was sitting with "Debbie" at lunch, and she asked me if I liked my mouse bank. I assured her I did, and that I would always think of her when I saw it. So we continued talking, and at one point she stopped me in mid-sentence. "Excuse me, do you love Jesus?" she asked with such boldness and assurance. "Yes, I do," I told her, "but there's people where I live now that don't love Jesus like we do." "Oh, that's terrible," she replied.
And you know what? It is terrible, and the terrible thing about it is that countless people across the world will die without hearing the name of Jesus. That is the reason why Southern Baptists are dedicated to sending out workers around the world to proclaim His great Name. And you know what? You can help. You can help by giving to your church's Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Won't you please consider now, before the holiday rush begins, about your gift to Lottie Moon's Christmas Offering? That way, little girls like "Debbie" can be assured that others have the opportunity to hear the name of Jesus.
We want you to know how grateful we are for your faithful giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Your gifts make our ministry — and the ministries of more than 5,300 IMB missionaries serving around the world — possible. Countless souls will one day worship around His throne because you chose to sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel. May God’s richest blessings be yours as you partner with us to proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all nations.

An Adoption Story

2008-11-03T07:23:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to go with a lady named Ane to an orphanage. Ane and I have built a friendship over English classes, quilting, and studying the Bible. Ane is in the process of adopting this beautiful little girl named Jovana. She's been waiting a long time to adopt, and now she's just waiting for paper work to be finished up so that Jovana can come home with her. The orphanage is in Bitola, Macedonia, near the Greek border. Ane invited me to go with her while she visited Jovana, so we hopped on a bus and rode to Bitola to spend about 2 hours with Jovana in what would be described as a waiting room. It was time well spent.

Adoption has a very special place in my heart, because I plan to adopt one day. Pray for Ane and the adoption process. She's really nervous about it and just wants her baby girl to be able to come home.

You are my frog...

2008-10-19T05:15:00.001-07:00

My roommate and Karen and I were visiting our landlord last night right before Kate's first birthday party. Naum is always telling his daughter, me, and Karen that we should get married. In the mean time, he says he has three frogs. So we were over at Naum's house last night right before Kate's first birthday party, and while we were talking, Naum looked at me and said (in English), " You are my frog." I kind of take it as a compliment.

ribbit...

Photos of the team from NC

2008-10-02T14:42:00.000-07:00

Prayer walking with a purpose

Friday night concert

On top of Fort Samoil - Beautiful view of the city

Face painting and fun with kids!

Mandy and Kate!

Waiting for the kids to come

Taking a break from packing 700 school supply bags

I know it was almost a month ago since they were here, but we are still seeing fruit of their labor! And labor they did! They all worked very hard all week. Thank you guys, again for your hard work!

Back to School...

2008-09-14T10:20:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago, a WONDERFUL team of 8 people came down from North Carolina. They are from several different churches. They helped us with a school supply distribution, which they raised the money to pay for the supplies. We were able to give out 700 bags of school supplies to students in three different schools here in Ohrid. They did a fantastic job and worked really hard all week. Not only that, but we also did a little prayer walking and distributed close to 1000 tracts. What a wonderful week it was! I felt like I was right at home with the southern accents and American goodies they brought for us. I'll post pictures as soon as I am able.

TGIF!!

2008-08-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

On Fridays, we try to have some type of even that will draw people into the coffee shop. We try to do different things, such as concerts, game nights, etc. So one weekend recently, my roommate Karen played the guitar while another one of our believing friends from Skopje played a small drum. But a few nights before that, Karen was practicing with her guitar, so we were both kind of singing along. Then, some of the neighborhood kids started peering in the windows and eventually came in. A few minutes later, a lady that works at a clothing store beside the coffee shop came in and before we know it, she was bellowing out Whitney Houston's "I will always love you." Karen and I looked at each other in amazement, like "Whoa, how did this happen?" Needless to say, it was not a dull night at Ima Vreme! Continue to remember our neighbors and that we would be bold witnesses.
A bit of good news!! Our first team from the U.S. (since I have been here) will be arriving this weekend. Please remember their safety traveling here and for the week that they will spend helping us with a school supply distribution for kids at local schools.

In God we trust

2008-08-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." -Isaiah 26:3-4

These verses have meant a lot to me lately. In fact, I have been meditating on them for quite some time. We serve a God who is trustworthy and faithful, but too often we forget that. So my encouragement to you is to remember how God has been faithful to you. I'm a big believer in keeping a journal, because on those days that you are feeling low, you can take it out, read it, and remember the good things God has done in your life, an ebenezer of His faithfulness. I'll admit, lately I had to remind myself that God is faithful, and His faithfulness has no end. Please pray that I will continue to remember this. Thank you for your prayers.

Urgent Prayer

2008-07-29T02:22:00.000-07:00

Please be in ferverent prayer for our fellow workers on the field in all of the different countries. Recently, we have had one worker in another country pass away from a heart attack and another person also in a different country who was injured in an automobile accident. Times like these can be discouraging on the field, but we trust that God can use these situations for HIS ultimate glory. Please join me in prayer.
Serving and praying with you,
Melanie

This week

2008-07-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

This week we had the privilege of having Campus Crusade working in Ohrid to share the gospel. It was great to see their boldness, despite the fact that the weather wasn’t great. Pray for the people that heard the gospel from Campus Crusade throughout Macedonia. Right now Ohrid is full of tourists from all over. The center of town can get really crowded. (And they tell me that this summer isn’t as full as it could be. Yikes!) But despite the hustle and bustle of trying to maneuver my way through a crowd to get to my destination, pray that I won’t lose sight of the lost. It’s hard to believe that I’m almost a year away from finishing my term in Macedonia.

Things I did not teach the ladies in the English classes

2008-07-16T06:28:00.001-07:00

I couldn't keep these funny English bloopers to myself. During the course of the English classes, here is some of what the ladies learned:

"I am happy fat woman."
(They simply asked me what the word for fat was, and they formed this sentence on their own. I kindly told them that to make it grammatically correct, they should insert the article "a" before happy fat woman. so I was like, "No, no no! It's 'I am A happy fat woman!'")

"I am going to ride a butt."
(We were learning about methods of transportation, but I assure you, this wasn't one of them! The lady was trying to say "boat." Once she said this, I started laughing, and asked them in Macedonian if they knew what "butt" meant. Once I told them, we all started laughing hysterically.)

"My butt hurts."
(This was one of the comments made after a good 5 minute laugh over the previous comment. I was actually kind of proud of her for forming the sentence, because previously to methods of transportation, we were learning about health, such as "My head hurts," or "My stomach hurts.")

I hope you enjoyed the bloopers as much as I have. I should start remembering my own bloopers in Macedonian, such as a few months ago, I said "That piece of paper is grilled meat." The word for "grill" or "grilled meat" is close to the word for "old" in Macedonian. Whoops!

A poem

2008-07-16T01:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not just picking up my cross daily
Because the day is much too tough
Far too often I lay it down
To pick up this world's stuff
So when the road is long and hard
And the path never seemed more rough
I'm not just picking up my cross daily
Because sometimes once is not enough

Lake Ohrid

2008-06-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

Lake Ohrid is an absolutely beautiful place. I love to walk along the quay and view the majestic mountains that seem to envelop it. Many times the lake is serene, and other days the wind gust changes such tranquility to turbulent raging waves resembling that of the ocean. On these days, walking along the quay becomes almost impossible because the force of the waves can send water splashing up several feet high. I actually find the lake at the peak of its uniqueness at this time, even though I’m often guilty of enjoying it more when the water is calm and the walkway is more suitable.
It often makes me recall the stories in the Gospels where Jesus calms the waters. And you know, in those accounts, he was there with the disciples, either making his way towards them or being right there in the boat with them. No, it didn’t mean that Jesus always kept the winds and the waves from coming, but he allowed such opportunities to deepen the faith of the ones who followed him. I wonder if our hearts are ever like Lake Ohrid. I know at times mine is... calm one minute, and thrown into turbulence the next. The winds and waves will come, but we shouldn’t fear. Jesus is right there, ready to speak the words “peace, be still” to our fretting hearts. The disciples thought the storm showed that Jesus wasn’t interested in their safety. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. The presence of storms doesn’t mean his presence isn’t with us. After the winds and waves died down, the disciples were filled with awe and had a deeper sense of who Jesus was. Trust him during these times. He is using those situations to deepen our faith. In the mean time, cling to the Anchor and trust the Master of the Sea.

The new roommate

2008-06-19T01:19:00.000-07:00

Most of you may be aware that Karen and I are getting a new roommate, a girl named Lepa. Today Lepa moved in and will be staying with us through the end of August. Continue to pray for her salvation. Even if she doesn't become a believer while she is under our roof, I pray that God will somehow use this time to point her to Himself and her need for a Savior. We are excited to see how God will work in all of us during this time.

What's in a name?

2008-05-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet."
-Romeo and Juliet (by William Shakespeare)

This is quite a familiar quote. And lately has become personally applicable to my life. Why is that? Well, there's a lady at the fabric store beside the coffee shop who decided my name didn't sound Macedonian. So she changed it for me. (Wasn't that nice of her?) Oh, but I'm fortunate to not be the only one... My roommate and co-worker Karen got a name change, too.
My new name is now Menche.
And Karen is now called Kate.
At first I would remind her of my name, and then assured her that if she went to America, her name would stay the same. Sometimes she would call me by my real name, sometimes the name she gave me. But then I thought about it and realized that other people have had their names changed. Saul became Paul. Amy Carmichael was called Amma. So after the culture shock wore off, it wasn't so bad. It was probably just her way of showing she cared.

Water, water, everywhere!

2008-05-04T09:14:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago, I was washing some dishes and thought that I heard water running from the bathroom. "No big deal," thought I. "Maybe someone is using it right now." So I dismissed it as something minor, and decided to step across the street to talk to the neighbors. Well, about 5 minutes after I was over there, two people came in, a girl and her older brother. (English speakers, too!) They walked back to where the couches were and said, "Uh, should there be water all over the floor?" I looked back there, and water was coming up from where the hose connects to the bathroom drain at racing speed. We quickly ran back to the bathroom, where the teenage boy turned the water off to the bathroom. I called the boss man Brian to come take a look at the situation and see what needed to be done. During that time, those two teenagers were nice enough to stay and help me clean up the water until my roommate Karen came in. So we started mopping up the water, ringing out the mops in about a 5 gallon bucket. After the 10th bucket, (I only wish I were exaggerating) I lost count. But hey, there's always a silver lining to the gray cloud, right? Well, the floors got really clean, and Karen and I got to go home early that evening. We were so thankful to have helpful neighbors and friends during the water crisis. Oh, and a big thanks to Brian for staying with the people who took care of the plumbing problem until after 8:30 that night, and on his day off, too!

Manna

2008-05-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

Psalm 42:8 - "Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life."

2 Corinthians 3:17 - "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Psalm 119:32 - "I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free."

Jeremiah 17:7 - "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is."

Exodus 13:21 - 22 - "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

John 14:26 - "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

Happy Easter!

2008-04-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!! Sunday is the day when Macedonians and many of the other Orthodox churches will celebrate Easter. I had the chance to observe an Easter service, which began before midnight and lasted until around 3 a.m. (That's if you stayed for the communion service.) It had a lot of the Orthodox traditions in them, such as burning incense, the priest changing hats several times, and the removal of the veil at the front of the church. From what I know, this is the only day of the year when the veil is removed. I do not know all the significances to the traditions. The rest of the weekend is spent visiting people. I'm hoping that I can have an opportunity to visit the ladies from the English classes.

“But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” – 2 Corinthians 3: 14-16

Time for coffee

2008-04-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Most people would probably think that I drink the majority of my coffee at the coffee shop while at work. But actually, that's not the case. I drink more coffee across the street or across the hall with neighbors than I do at work. (Plus, I try to limit myself to one cup of coffee a day, anyway. I don't like to have too much caffeine.) Going out for coffee is a big deal in Macedonia. That's how a lot of people spend their free time. And don't expect it to be like Starbucks where you grab your cup of joe and go. I'll give you an example. Last week I met one of the students from the English classes for coffee, and it lasted for about two and a half to three hours. What did we do? Not much, we just sat around and talked. (Yes, I'm still doing way more listening than talking because my language is still limited to simple things.) No, it doesn't seem like hard work, but this is what I call work. You build relationships, gain people's trust, and season every conversation with salt, in order to plant seeds. Relationships are very important to people here. Everywhere you go people always seem to have time to ask you if you want some of that oh-so-lovely Turkish coffee (yuck!). So if you're ever in Macedonia and drink coffee with someone, expect to stay a while. Who knew that coffee could be so embedded in a culture?

A Journey into Macedonia

2008-04-04T00:26:00.000-07:00

Take a journey with me through Macedonia, if you will. We'll start off at my apartment. When you come in the door, be sure to take off your shoes and slip on the house shoes by the door. Come on in, and have a seat! I'll play the hostess and bring out a few snacks to have while we drink coffee, tea, or juice. (Your choice.) Want to go to church with us? No problem! You don't even have to leave the living room. You're already in the sanctuary. The two bedrooms serve as nurseries. Church will last about an hour and a half to two hours.
After that, let's go for a walk to the coffee shop. Take your umbrella, because it's still raining. Let's get ready to do some puddle dodging along the way. It's only about a 10 or 15 minute walk. After we get the coffee shop up and going, let's go across the hall to the fabric shop and visit the ladies that work there. Even though it's early April, keep your jacket on while you're in there. Most of the shop owners can't afford to keep the heat on all the time. But don't worry. They are kind enough to pull out a plastic stool for you to sit by the heater, if it is on. Then, they'll offer you some strong, unfiltered Turkish coffee. (Even after 5 months I still can't get used to it! I don't expect you to like it.)
When our visit is over, we'll go back over to the coffee shop, where it is warmer. Some customers will come in, tell you want they want to drink, and sometimes they will ask you to pour yourself something to drink and sit with them. They will be more than willing to tell you how Macedonia was better off under Socialism, or they'll let you know (again) how bad the economy is. After sharing Matthew 6:25 - 34 with them, where Jesus tells us not to worry about anything, they might be opened to talking about the Bible, or at least the differences between being Orthodox and being a Protestant. This can actually build a bridge to sharing the gospel. When they leave and the place is quiet for a little while, it's a good time to study the language, do a little reading, or spend some time in prayer. The regulars will come in a little later for the Bible discussions or discipleship time with Brian and Mandy. Then when the day is over, we'll clean up the coffee shop and head home. (If it's still raining, I might even call for a taxi.)
I hope you have enjoyed your journey in Macedonia. Come back again someday!

In Pursuit of Holiness

2008-03-19T01:18:00.000-07:00

"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." - Hebrews 12:14 (emphasis added)

Earlier this week I was reading about God's holiness, where it says to worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. It was pretty easy stuff to take in. So I continue to dive in and read more about holiness and I came across these passages, and I was confronted with a spiritual check up.

"Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness." - Hebrews 12:10

"And to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." - Ephesians 4:24

Sometimes it can be easy to put on the appearance of holiness, much like the Pharisees did. Do your quiet time? Check! Spend time in prayer? Check! The "to do" list can go on and on. But put those people in our path who are a little bit harder to love, and it can quickly bring out the flesh, that former way of life in which we used to live. Our flesh will corrupt anything holy if we choose to live by the flesh. Thank God that He demands holiness! And when we fall short, which we all will, we fall into the grace and forgiveness of our Father who has the power to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and make us holy.

"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.' " -1 Peter 1:16 - 17

Living in a city with very few believers has encouraged me to pursue holiness more than I did in the States, where there are twice as many believers in my Sunday School class than there are in this entire city. But no matter where we are, there are people who need to see the Lord, and as Paul told us in Hebrews, "without holiness, no one will see the Lord."

Women's Day

2008-03-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday March 8th was national Women's Day here in Macedonia (and in several other places as well). We decided to have something special for women to bring them into the coffee shop. I know several prayers went up for this day, and God was faithful and answered them. We had quite a busy day that day, too! Several women from the English classes came, as well as a few of the neighbors. I have to admit, Balkan women don't appear to smile that much, but on this day there were smiles all around! It was a blessing to be able to go out on the street and pass out flowers to women. We also visited several women that we already knew. I shared the gospel twice that day while I was at work. Pray that the message of salvation would take root and grow. Thank you for praying for this day.

Some prayer requests

2008-02-24T07:17:00.000-08:00

What a good week it has been! I'll give a couple of praise reports and a few prayer requests:

** English classes went well this week!! On Tuesday I stood outside the coffee shop and handed out fliers to people as they walked by. That night we had 5 students come, 4 of which were new ones. Pray that God will continue to use these English classes for His glory.
** God is really working in the lives of the believers here. We feel that God is leading us to pray for six more small groups to be started by January 2009. It will come sooner than we think. It's a God-size task, and we are grateful for the opportunity to place our faith in His work and to be a part of it.
** Lately there has been a lot of sickness among our team and others in general. Praise God that He is restoring health, and that so far I've been lucky to avoid most of it. Please continue to pray for good health (physically and spiritually) for our team and for others.

Thank you so much for being faithful and willing prayer partners for me, my team, and the city of Ohrid. It's through continued prayers from people like you that we will see God work in a mighty way.
"Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations." -Psalm 98: 1-2

Surprised by Joy

2008-02-16T03:10:00.000-08:00

Not to take away from the title of one of C.S. Lewis's books, but lately I have been surprised by joy. It led me to search the Bible out for sources of surprising joy, and they seemed anything but joyful. The first one that stands out to me is James 1:2 - 4. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." This means that joy may not always come without pain, but it is a result of what that pain can produce... perseverance, growth, a deeper dependency upon God.
The second source (and perhaps our greatest source) is that of Jesus' example. Hebrews 12:2 says that it was "for the joy set before Him" that Christ "endured the cross." This almost brings me to tears knowing that as those nails pierced His flesh, He knew a source of joy awaited Him... that of our salvation. That's why He promised the disciples, "you will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy" (John 16:20).
Don't forget that Satan wants to steal our joy. But God has reminded me of what His Word says: "Be joyful always" (1 Thessalonians 5:16). And why shouldn't we? We have so much to be joyful about. Maybe that's not so surprising after all...

Prayer Needs

2008-02-07T01:55:00.000-08:00

I have a few prayer requests I ask you to lift up this week:

Please pray that more women will be drawn into the coffee shop. There are lots of women who work around the coffee shop, but seldom do they come in, which means making that effort to go to them instead.

Pray for the ESL (English as a Second Language) classes I am teaching. Only one person came this week, despite trying to advertise it. It could be easy to be discouraged about it, but God has given me a strong sense of His peace. We'll see what happens next week. =)

Thank you for your prayers. I praise God in advance for the way He will work.

Funny things about Macedonia

2008-01-27T08:53:00.000-08:00

There are some humorous things with every culture, so I thought I would share some with you.

*Star babies = Macedonians think all babies are always cold... even when the child is sweating. So during the cold months, you can see some babies and young kids wearing so many layers they look like a star because they can't put their arms completely against their side.

*Dragons, Snow White, and Elvis = These are actually names of some people here. One Dragon delivers our mail, and another one drives a taxi. Elvis was one of the Santa Clauses during Christmas.

On a more serious note, it's interesting how being on the mission field can make you feel like you are being refined like gold. I praise God for this opportunity to allow more of myself to decrease so that He may increase.

Here are a couple of prayer requests I ask you to lift up:
*The coffee shop is going fairly well! With more time, we believe that more people (besides our regulars) will come in.
*Pray for us as a team as we are trying to start more small group churches around the city of Ohrid.
*Pray that God will use my daily time with Him to edify, strengthen, and refine me to become more like Christ.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support!

A bit of Macedonian culture...

2008-01-21T06:06:00.000-08:00

This weekend I've had a chance to experience a little more Macedonian culture. January 19th is called "Saint John's Day." In Ohrid, people celebrate this day by throwing a cross in the lake and then the people who want to can jump in the lake and try to catch it. The Orthodox priest is the one who throws the cross in the lake as a symbol of purifying the lake. The person who catches the cross is supposed to have good luck for a year.

Here's a picture to show the crowd, and boy was it crowded! I still couldn't believe people wanted to go for a swim in the middle of January. It was definitely not a warm day for it. Besides throwing the cross in the lake, Macedonians celebrate St. John's day by drinking rakia, a special homemade alcoholic drink. They give it away for free all day long. (No, I didn't drink it and don't plan on it!) So basically a good bit of the people are drunk. Even young kids partake of it.

Ok, I feel like such a tourist! But I couldn't resist taking this picture. I went with my team and a few national friends to an Orthodox church, where they were going to have a discussion with an Orthodox priest about what we believe. While we were waiting, some people who recently bought a new car drove it to the church and paid the Orthodox priest to give the car a blessing. I tried to be discreet, which may explain the bushes at the bottom of the picture. It was actually quite funny to see the priest drive the car around. The priest is the one in the long black robe.

This is just a taste of a little Macedonian culture. Please pray for me as I continue to adjust to this culture. The good this is that language is getting better! I still have a long way to go, but I am so thankful for the progress that I've made so far. Keep praying for continued language success for me and my team.

Opening Day for Ima Vreme

2008-01-13T05:30:00.000-08:00

Friday was the big day for the coffee shop! We had our grand opening, with a grand opening party that evening. A group from a church in the capital, Skopje, came down and played live music for us. Also, they were a big help in ministering to the crowd. Over all, I say it was a success. We had maybe 25 people or so at one time, which meant a full house.

Here is a picture of the group from Skopje playing Christian music in Macedonian. They did a great job.

Here I am with one of my favorite Macedonian women. Her name is Slavica, and she works at a local shop in town. I try to visit her and practice my Macedonian. She once told me that she wanted me to stay in Ohrid and get married and raise my children here. I hope she's not too disappointed when my term is over. Please pray for her salvation.

This is one picture of the crowd. Right now it doesn't always look this full. Pray that God will continue to draw people who are seeking the truth to this place. Also, pray that the people who heard the gospel and several testimonies will make a decision for Christ and that the seeds will take root.

"Imen Den" or "Name Day"

2008-01-07T02:25:00.000-08:00

My roommate Karen and I were invited to our landlord's Imen Den, or Name Day on Saturday. The days of the year are named after saints, and some people who are named after saints celebrate their Name Day. It was a great opportunity to see Macedonian culture, and to build a relationship with our landlord and his family. They are not believers. Please pray for this family. His name is Naum, and his wife is named Nade.
Also, the coffee shop "Ima Vreme" will be opening this Friday! We are very excited and getting busy to prepare everything. We will have a Macedonian group from a church in the capital, Skopje, to come and help us. Thank you for remembering this day in prayer.

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men."
- Titus 2:11

A Clear View

2007-12-30T06:44:00.000-08:00

"Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap." - Ecclesiastes 11:4

The weather in Macedonia varies like it does in Alabama, except it seems like there are more cloudy days than anything else. If you walk along the sidewalk by the lake, you can look across the lake from Ohrid and see the beautiful mountains of the neighboring country Albania, but only if it is clear enough. The view from our living room's balcony also shows lovely snow-capped mountains, but many mornings the fog and clouds cover them up. Sometimes too much cloudy weather can put a damper on my spirits, but I am reminded that other darker clouds loom. The enemy has put a fog over the hearts of the people of Macedonia. Because of this, people are hindered from being able to see the clear truth of the gospel. Some of them honestly believe they are Christians because they are born Orthodox. They need the Son like everyone else.

We can be tempted to stay inside and stare out the window and dwell on the cloudy circumstances that surround us, especially if sunny days are far and few between. For instance, on some days I am tempted to lock myself up in my apartment and not come out until I can speak Macedonian fluently. But gently our Father reminds me that a harvest awaits. As long as I am focused the wind and clouds, the seeds of truth aren't getting planted. No matter where you are, I encourage you to plant and reap. Yes, there will be wind and clouds, but isn't it a joy to work for the Lord of the Harvest?

Pray that the clouds of darkness will be lifted from the hearts of the Macedonians, and that the Light of the Son will shine the truth in darkness.

Zabava = Party

2007-12-22T14:23:00.000-08:00

This last week has been quite a blessing. First of all, our team in Ohrid went to Skopje for a team meeting and to celebrate Christmas together with some of the other workers in Macedonia. We had a great time, and it was refreshing to be with other believers. This is my first Christmas away from family, but I am so thankful for my family in Christ that are here in Macedonia. God has provided much encouragement. This Christmas I won't be going to a candlelight service or hear the Christmas cantata at church like I am accustomed to. Through this, God has made me stop and ask myself how comfortable am I with leaving my Christmas traditions behind. I realize that I have put a lot of emphasis on making it feel like Christmas in order to feel like I can celebrate it. Well, this year will be different. I want to put Jesus as my focus for this holiday.

Also, my roommate Karen and I had a small Christmas party with our language tutor and her two sisters. (More people were invited but they weren't able to come.) We used that time to share with them why we celebrate Christmas. I was able to share the gospel a little, and to give part of my testimony. Please pray for the seeds that were planted to take root and that the Holy Spirit will soften their hearts. They responded positively, but pray that they will begin to show an interest in spiritual matters.

I'd like to close with a verse that has meant something very special to me this year:
"The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." -Luke 2:20
This is my heart's prayer for the people of Macedonia, that they may glorify and praise God for all the things they will hear and see.

God's Sovereignty

2007-12-16T12:41:00.000-08:00

"O Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant." - 2 Samuel 7:28

OK, I am about to be open and honest. God has been teaching me about this at the same time I was reading about it in Karen Pearce's book Becoming the Aroma of Christ. Usually, if God is really showing something to me, I don't feel like I can keep it to myself, because I want everyone else to know it, too. I hope that this is a lesson you have already learned. God is still showing me every day how much I am dependent upon Him. HE is the only thing stable in my life. Nothing else or no one else has proven more stable. It's not my calling to missions I can depend on, but the One who called me. Sometimes this lesson is a step of faith in His sovereignty, especially when I may not see the big picture or understand things. Praise God for being the Sovereign Lord who desires and promises good things for His children!
Here are some other verses that speak to my heart about God's sovereignty:
"Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'"
-Lamentations 3:22 - 24

On another note, the church in this town is growing! I'm really encouraged with new people coming and how the new believers are growing. Please keep them in your prayer as discipleship continues. Also, keep praying for me as I make new contacts and deepen relationships with contacts God has already established. Your prayers and encouragement mean so much to me.

A taste of honey...

2007-12-08T13:44:00.000-08:00

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" -Psalm 119:103

In the middle of a crowded promenade, a tiny little store is situated between two larger ones. It's so small that only the worker fits in there, but it is filled with good things. Someone told me that this was a store where you can buy natural honey, so I decided to go there last month. The lady who worked there was very kind, and she even gave me a small taste of honey before I bought some. I introduced my roommate to her, and again she gave us a sample of honey. Well, a few weeks had passed by and I didn't notice her at work. This week I went by on my way to visit someone and there she was working again! I stopped by for what I thought would be just a few minutes for a chat, but we talked for nearly an hour. I didn't even know I knew enough words in Macedonian to continue talking (or even listening) for that length of time.
Through our conversation, I asked her why Macedonians celebrated Christmas. She said that she really didn't know, because she is originally Turkish (which would make her Muslim) and that I should ask someone else who was Macedonian. From the best of what I could understand, she does believe that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. In my best Macedonian, I tried telling her that I celebrate Jesus' birthday on Christmas. She responded positively, and when I left, she said, "God bless you." I hope to go back again this week to pick up where we left off.
And just think, this conversation developed from a small store and one jar of honey.

Pray that this lady and I will continue to develop a friendship and that I will be able to share the good news to her in Macedonian.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8

Great News!

2007-12-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

I wanted to mention that recently a man named Rumen has accepted Christ! Brian, my team supervisor, has been able to talk with Rumen to confirm his faith. We praise God for answering prayers for his salvation. He has a lot of potential to become a strong leader for a church in Ohrid. Thank you for your prayers!

What's that smell??

2007-12-01T11:07:00.000-08:00

I have recently been reading through the Old Testament about how God gave the Israelites specific instructions for preparing the incense burnt on the altar. As we read about the birth of Christ, we know that the wise men brought Jesus incense. Sometimes my curiosity gets to me, and I wonder what these must have smelled like. However pleasant these fragrances may be, the Word of God reminds us in Isaiah 64:5 that "our righteous acts are as filthy rags." When Isaiah pronounces God's judgement on Jerusalem and Judah, he tells them that "instead of fragrance there will be a stench" because of their wickedness (Isaiah 3:24). Honestly, this doesn't sound appealing to me. I would much rather skip over the fact that the sin in my life is a stench to my Lord. But if I did this, it would just remain there and soon everything about me would smell like it.
Please pray that I will strongly pursue a life of holiness. Often it can be a trying task when sin is so prevalent, but God has given me encouragement through His Word:
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?" 2 Corinthians 2: 14 - 16
Pray that I and the other missionaries in the city of Ohrid will find favor in the eyes of our neighbors and to the community where the coffee shop is. They often accuse us and confuse us with being a sect, or cult. Pray that there will be the fragrance of life. I am reminded that I am not equal to the task, but Christ in me.

Fashion TV

2007-11-25T12:57:00.000-08:00

Fashion Television is very popular in Macedonia. If you visit a coffee shop that has television, most of the time it will show Fashion TV with all the latest styles coming from Paris, Milan, London, and other fashion capitals of the world. And I have been told that the people here will try to mimic what they see on TV. It's no surprise. But lately this has caused me to think about things. No, I'm not running to my closet and updating my wardrobe with Versace's latest line. But it did bring me to my spiritual closet. Romans 13:14 tells us, "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." As Christians, Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:12, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
Sometimes I may pull out a shirt and think, "How long has it been since I have worn that?" This time, standing at the door of my spiritual closet, I am asking myself the same question. How often do I clothe myself with the righteousness of Christ? Is it daily? Like the Macedonians seek to mimic what they see on TV, we should seek to model our lives after Christ After all, if you have put your faith in Christ, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ" (Galatians 3:26 - 27).
The next time you go to your closet and think about what to wear, I hope you will pray for the Macedonians, many of whom seek to model their lives after Fashion TV instead of Christ. Pray that they will seek to clothe themselves with the righteousness of Christ.

"Through it all..."

2007-11-17T08:07:00.000-08:00

"Through it all, Through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God;
Through it all, Through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word."

If anything could sum up what is about to be my first month in Macedonia, these would be the words. It's an old song by Andrae Crouch, but it hits home. I thought I had learned this lesson while in the U.S., and then surely I thought I learned it while at training in Virginia. Wow, was I mistaken. God has been teaching me this lesson since I got here, and is still in the process of teaching me. Praise God for that! And please pray I will continue to learn this lesson.

Also, this week I have had a chance to talk with two girls about God or the Bible. Please pray that these conversations will take root and cause these girls to start thinking more about spiritual things. Pray that there will be more conversations like these. Continue to pray that I will have a complete dependency upon God in all situations.

A Full House!

2007-11-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

Tonight was my first official church service in Ohrid that was completely in Macedonian. I only understood a few words, but what a blessing because we had four visitors! That made a total of 10 people at church! Pray that the three ladies and young girl that came will accept the gospel. We went over the third chapter in John because Brian wanted to use the opportunity he had with our visitors.
Pray for me also as I learn to worship God in a language that's not my own. God is bigger than any language barrier. In fact, His Word confirms it:
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard." Psalm 19:1-3
Pray that God's truth will be shared and made known in Macedonia. I want so badly to be able to speak Macedonian with these people, but I know it will take some time. In the mean time, I'm seeking opportunities to do what I can in English. Thank you for lifting these requests up to the Father.

Life lessons learned

2007-11-04T06:10:00.000-08:00

I’m studying the book of Esther during my quiet time. It’s a study on lessons that we can learn from the life of Esther. I am really enjoying it, and I am learning more everyday in my time alone with the Lord. These past two weeks have showed me how much I have had to rely on God. I would not be here if it was not for Him, and I certainly cannot do it without Him.
"But as for me, it is good to be near God; I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." -Psalm 73:28

I'm here....

2007-10-30T03:07:00.001-07:00

Hello! Sorry it has taken me so long to let you guys know that I'm here. I arrived on the 19th in Skopje and came down to Ohrid on the 21st... So for now we have been getting settled and have just now been able to get internet. Things are going well. Right now I'm concentrating on learning the language until the coffee shop will open full time in early January. Karen and I are still going through our visa process, so please be in prayer about that. We should hopefully know in a few days. I'll start keeping updated more regularly now. Thanks, and I pray that all is going well for you guys.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. - Psalm 27:14

2007-10-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

I have to confess, I've not been living up to this verse. It's all with good intentions, because my heart is ready to go. I have had to learn the hard way to wait, and slowly God is teaching me to wait "patiently." I'm thinking, have I been praying for patience, because it looks like I'm getting the chance to test it out. And probably because God knows I could use a lesson in it right now. Besides, in the light of eternity, what's a day or two??
It's Monday, and I wish I could be on a plane right now like I was originally scheduled to be, but because of some delays, I'm not. Deep down, it's ok with me. I know God's timing is the best, and I respect that. Constantly, I've been having to surrender control over to Him. And that's where it should be. PLEASE don't have to learn this lesson the hard way like I have. It will save you headache, heartache, and probably will lower your blood pressure, too.
Please pray that I will continue to learn from this verse found in the Psalms. I ask forgiveness if I have been impatient with anyone. (I promise, I'm not always like this.)

By the way, I have some WONDERFUL news!! I'm a "missionary aunt"! Brian and Mandy, the missionaries I'm working with, are parents of a beautiful baby named Kate Joy. I am excited to meet her and the rest of the team in a few days. Praise God for a healthy and safe delivery of this precious baby.

One more week to go...

2007-10-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

Everything seems to be coming along for me and Karen being able to leave next Monday. All the necessary paperwork should be in on time. While waiting, I'm spending some time with my family. My sister's wedding was on October 6th, so I got to see some more of my extended family. God has been really amazing during these last two months of preparing me to leave. Through it all, my devotion and prayer life have grown, and He is constantly giving me a new love for His Word. Continue to pray that while I am overseas that I will continue to grow closer to Him and develop a stronger walk. Church will be different in Macedonia from what it is like in the States. It may not even be in English, but I thank God for the opportunity to learn to praise Him in another language again.

Here is a verse that I'd like to leave you with. Lately, God has been reiterating the fact that there is no one like Him.

"O Lord God Almighty, who is like you?
You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you."

Psalm 89:8

Something's steaming at the Daily Grind...

2007-09-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

Here I am ready to serve up a mean latte!! Ok, actually, I only got to make my own... creamy caramel. It turned out well. Sam's a great instructor.

Karen means business when it comes to steaming that milk... but she did a fantastic job.

You can't tell it, but I'm kinda nervous here!! But hey, who can blame me? It's my first attempt. And I did succeed!! Maybe I won't be so bad after all.

Showing up for work

2007-09-27T17:39:00.001-07:00

A week or so ago, Karen and I had the privilege of going to the Daily Grind and actually getting some hands on experience! Sam was nice enough to bring us behind the counter and show us the differences in making a latte and a cappuccino. It was a lot of fun. The equipment there is a little more technologically advance than what we might have at our coffee shop in Macedonia, but nontheless, the experience was great! It didn't feel like I was doing that much, but I consider it a major accomplishment. Later on, Karen got to make a drink for someone in our small group. Please continue to pray for Sam. Also, please pray that God will show His vision for the coffee shop in Macedonia. In the mean time, enjoy the pictures!!

Washington, DC

2007-09-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

Our trip to DC was last Friday, and it was an incredible time. We practiced riding the subway and buses to get used to urban traveling. My two and a half months in Paris proved to be very helpful. In fact, I felt like I was back in Paris and realized how much I missed it. Even the sound of subways and buses were welcoming.
We ate lunch at a cute German restaurant that we would have never found on our own if it hadn't been for Google. While we were there, some of us in our group began talking with a German lady. I got to share a little of my testimony with her. Personally, I think she enjoyed the company. Later on, I met a girl from Ecuador and gave her a tract. She sounded pretty interested and said she would read it. All these encounters with other people made me realize how intentional I need to be. Other groups said that some people had accepted Christ. What a praise! I thank God that our time in DC was beneficial.

Oh, and by the way, I received a phone call from my friend "K" last night and we're meeting again for coffee. Pray that this time goes well and that she will be open.

Still going....

2007-09-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm down to my last three weeks of training. Friday we're taking a trip to DC to do some cultural training. I'm still working on visa stuff, so I don't have any new words on that yet. My friend "K" have talked on the phone once or so since we last met. I'm really hoping we can meet again before I leave. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Well I'm gonna finish up my coffee drink at my favorite coffee shop. I'll let you know how DC goes.
Oh, and by the way, a big thank you to my family and friends who have sent encouraging cards and emails. I appreciate it.

Getting "Connected"

2007-09-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

Last night I went with my teammate Karen and our younger MK sister Sarah Beth to meet my friend "K" for some coffee at Starbucks. At first I was getting concerned that the conversation wasn't leading to the opportunity to share the Gospel or my testimony. However, at just the right time, God opened the door. We started talking to K about standards and purity, which are important to her. Then the conversation flowed to how God gives us grace and forgiveness. In the course of the conversation, K mentioned that she felt "corrupted" by the world. She also mentioned that she tried to "connect" to God but didn't feel like she could. So the conversation ended with her hearing my testimony and hearing the Gospel. We prayed for her there. When she left, she said that she wanted to go back home and pray some more. I just continue to thank God for His faithfulness and opening that door. Thank you for all who prayed for her and for me as I shared with her. God has honored those prayers. Hopefully soon I'll get to see her again.

An internship, and I didn't have to apply!

2007-08-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

Wow! This week flew by much more quickly than I thought. I got in touch with my friend I made at Wal-Mart, and we are meeting together for coffee in a few days... So that's a praise! My teammate Karen and I are practicing Macedonian. It's been pretty fun. My goal is to be pretty fluent by the time I leave Macedonia, but I'll see how realistic that is when I get there and start the language learning process. Oh, and the coolest thing happened! Karen and I have become regulars at a coffee shop in town. We've struck up some conversations with some people that work there. One of the guys, a man from the Middle East, found out that Karen and I were going to be working in a coffee shop. He offered to let us come behind the counter one day so he could show us a few things, like how to make expressos and lattes. (We took him up on the offer, so I'll have to keep you posted and even put up a few pictures if we get to go behind the counter.) The next time we came in, he greeted us by name and called us his interns. We'll have to see how that goes. In the mean time, thanks for your prayers and thoughts. I received some cards in the mail this past week, so that brightened my day. Continue to pray for more encounters with people, and also for Macedonia. Thanks!

A New Friend

2007-08-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

During our training time, we are each required to do several things weekly. Some include exercising three to four times a week, eating our veggies, and even sharing our testimony. Well, I got brave and decided to try sharing my testimony at Wal-Mart here in Richmond. I was walking around, and standing in the produce area was a woman who looked around my age. So I go up to her and ask her where something was, and she could tell I was new in town. We got a good conversation going, and she invited me to have coffee with her. I was more than happy to accept the invitation, so we exchanged numbers and information. Before leaving, I gave her a tract and told her that if she wanted to, she could read it and we could talk about it when we meet for coffee. Please keep this young lady in your prayers. She seems very open to talking. She's not from Virginia, or even the U.S. I'll try to keep you posted on how things turn out.

How long have I been here?

2007-08-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

It's only been a week, but already I feel like I have been in VA for a while. I guess because we are doing so much. The sessions on Spiritual Warfare taught by the president of the IMB, Dr. Jerry Rankins, have been very informative. I can't believe how much I have learned so far since I've arrived. Everyday presents another opportunity for growth and knowledge. Trust me, I'm soaking it all in like a sponge.

On Sundays, everyone meets with his or her designated "House Church." What an incredible experience! If you haven't experienced worship like this, I highly recommend it. There's only about 10 of us (including the 3 MK's), but the people are so encouraging! We are already developing strong bonds. They have a special place in my heart.

The three MK's in my church group are so cute! It's like I'm an aunt to them. In fact, I could tell we would be a tight knit group because the first time we met, one of the MK's proceeded to stick his big toe up his nostril. Believe me, it was almost a perfect fit! Then on Sunday, "Superman" and some cowboys paid a visit to church. It was quite hilarious.

Here in Richmond!!

2007-08-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

I appologize for it being so long since I've posted. I've been in Richmond for a total of about 48 hours, so things are just getting started. Actually, they are rolling along quite quickly. I feel like I've been taught so much already. I'm very excited about it. There is still a lot that needs to be done, and it seems like time is already flying. However, there's still time for me to make friends with the 99 MK's we have here. Next week we will be studying about spiritual warfare, so I ask you to be in prayer about this. Pray we will all be open and that God will teach us what He needs us to learn.

I also want to pass along a personal prayer request... Megan Brittain is the daughter of my Campus Minister at college. She has a tumor on her spine, and they found something on her foot. She's undergoing a lot of medical tests and procedures. She's special to me, and my heart goes out to her because she lost her mom to cancer just months ago. Thanks for lifting up this family.

Journeyman Program

2007-06-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! First of all, I guess I will give a little information about myself. My name is Melanie Van Laningham, and I have just recently graduated college. I am about to start a very exciting time in my life. In about three and a half months from now, I will leave my small town in the south to go to a beautiful city in Macedonia for two years. I will be working in a little cafe / coffee shop while I am there, and building friendships with people. Hopefully, out of this, these friendships can lead to some discussions on the Bible or to having some new brothers and sisters in Christ.

But before this adventure can take place, I will be going to Richmond, VA for some training. Please pray that this time will be a time of intense preparation. I don't know much about what all the training will include, but please pray for strength and endurance during this time.

No, in case you are asking yourself, I won't be going this journey alone. There are some workers already established in the city that I will be at. Also, there is another Journeywoman going with me. She's a great girl, and I am looking forward to getting to know her better during these two years. Please feel free to leave me messages. I will try to post as much as I can. Probably, the next post will be during my training time.