Center Prayer Walk

Dying without Jesus

As we walk through beautiful Prilep, we often see posters advertising plays or concerts coming up posted on telephone poles or windows of shops. Many times there are political banners and signs also, promoting a political figure or party. However, we continued to see a certain sign around town and couldn't figure out what it was for. These signs were posted on the front of peoples' houses and gates, on apartment buildings and on telephone poles. Many of them were posted outside the hospitals. Each one had a different person's picture on it, often with a cross, and then some writing in Cyrillic that I couldn't read. So, finally, we asked our language tutor, and she informed us that it is a notice of death. Everywhere one is posted, someone has died close by. Now I don't understand why this is done, but I can tell you that it is a sure reminder of how many people are dying without Jesus.
So many of these people were religious people; I'm sure each one claimed to be Orthodox. However, the problem therein lies that Orthodoxy isn't the ticket to heaven. Neither is being a Baptist. One of my favorite sayings is: "Going to church makes you just as much of a Christian as sitting in your garage makes you a car. But at least in going to church you may learn how to be a Christian; whereas in sitting in your garage it's impossible to become a car."
The true salvation message is what is lacking here; it is what we bring. It is not tradition, a ritual, or a repeated prayer. It doesn't come from nationalistic pride or from genetics or from being associated with a church. It is a personal decision out of recognizing a need for a Savior. But how can they believe whom they haven't heard?

Market Prayer Walk

Please pray as you feel led...

Dumpsters

Our City: Prilep

There is a grocery store really close to our house. We actually live kind of behind it so when going to the store, we walk the full length behind and then to the side to get to the front doors. We also pass the store's dumpsters, which often harbor several stray cats and a skinny dog. One day, as I was walking past the dumpsters, a cat jumped out and scared the living daylights out of me!!! I had to laugh, thinking I will walk a further circumvent around next time!

Just a few days ago I was making the familiar journey to the store to buy oatmeal for some cookies. In taking my usual notice of the dumpsters, I saw no cats, no dog. But this time I saw two older Gypsy women. One had a bag full of tomatoes (it was market day) and the other woman was searching through the garbage. I was immediately struck to the core. I was making cookies-I went to the store to find the ingredients I needed. These women were also hungry. The dumpster was their store.

I was reminded of what Jesus said to His disciples in John 6:35: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." My Jesus is my daily bread. He is the One who gives life. It it God who satisfies man's ever aching desire for something more.

Please remember the Gypsy people of Prilep. They are the poor, outcast, and beggars. And they are looking for Bread.

Going for "Coffee" With Friends

Last week I was asked to go for some "coffee" with some friends. Now, when you say "coffee," what is meant is that you go sit in a restaurant or sidewalk cafe, and order any drink, not just coffee and talk for a few hours. So, Spencer offered to watch Kate while I went out for a while. We went to a restaurant in the city centre and I ordered a Pepsi, and then later an Iced Coffee. I laughed as we spoke in Spanish for a bit and then Macedonian and then French. Spanish soap operas are broadcasted in Prilep, so Spanish is learned through the TV! I didn't understand the French, or most of the Macedonian, but we enjoyed eachother's company and laughed hard! I look forward to more "Coffee" invites and hosting my own, and anticipate opportunities to share my testimony and hear others' testimonies. We are to host a team worship at our house tomorrow, and hopefully soon a Bible study.

"i" before "e" except after "c"

Our Macedonian language learning continues with our brave teacher Irena. She teaches us for three hours each day and then Spencer and I have the opportunity to go practice. Yesterday I practiced buying sunscreen, but was unsuccessful in finding some, even after going to three pharmacies. It is sold here, its just not the season for it yet. Monday night, Spencer kept Kate while I went out with Irena for some coffee. In Macedonia, you say you are going out for coffee, but you don't necessarily drink coffee. So, Irena had a Pepsi and I had an orange juice. It was a very nice break to have fun English conversation with a friend!

Sick, Sick, Sick!!!

Spencer and I were officially initiated to Team Macedonia: we caught the same virus everyone else on our team had before we arrived. Kate got it first, then me, and then Spencer who got it the worst. We had a few late nights with a crying baby, which if her stomach hurt as much as ours, I don't blame her. She cried through the night so much that our landlord "baba" came down to see if she could help, which was interesting since she speaks no English and we speak little Macedonian. We went to only liquids, and Kate was going to be on American Tylenol, but all three bottles and the one bottle of Motrin I had were all on the recall list. So, off to the hospital to see the Pediatrician. Amy, or team leader's wife went with us to translate, and boy am I ever glad, because there is no way I would have been able to manage alone. The hospital was interesting, very institutional-like, white walls, benches in the halls, people waiting, going in doors and coming out of doors. All the writing and posters was in Macedonian. It was like walking into a very old school, the classrooms being different doctor's offices. We waited for the doctor, a very nice woman, who then sent us to get blood work done. Amy then went to the first floor to pay for the blood work and brought the receipt back to the second floor so we could get the results of the blood work to then take back to the pediatrician. We waited again, and then the doctor gave us three prescriptions: one antibiotic for Kate's ear, nose drops and ear drops. She recommended some Macedonian type tylenol also. Amy helped us get the prescriptions filled, and then helped us get a taxi too. Back to our house we go. The "tylenol" helped Kate sleep, just in time for me to get sick. Then, both Kate and I slept while Spencer went to help with the Samaritan's Purse wheelchair distribution. But, an hour later, in comes Spencer, sick as a dog too. We all stayed pretty close to the bathroom, needless to say. I finally felt good enough to go to the store to get some Sprite and chicken noodle soup in a packet. I made some soup, but I was the only one able to eat it. Later, after Kate went to sleep, our team leaders called and offered to bring us some American Jello from their stash of "things you can only get from the States"--which is HUGE! How selfless of them! So, we took them up on the offer and happily ate some orange Jello, which satisfied our hunger for a bit. We rested most of today, but made a trip to the store to buy some diapers. Baba brought Kate some orange juice and cookies, which Kate ate happily!
We are continuing our language training; our first week was cut from 5 days to 2 due to sickness. Hopefully it will be a better week next week! But, on a brighter note, Spencer was invited to a "Name Day" party. Name day in Orthodoxy is when you celebrate the specific day for your saint that you are named after. It is celebrated like the opposite of a birthday party, instead of the birthday person being served first, the name day person serves everyone else. It is customary for each guest to bring something like candy or chocolate, so Spencer bought some to take. He said it was all very neat and he met a lot of new people!