Written by Amy Schuett.
It was getting late. The two friends had just spent the last few hours talking. Jan* was enjoying getting to know Ana and had been sharing the gospel with her over the past 6 months. As of yet, Ana had not seemed particularly receptive. Suddenly, Ana’s face lit up.
“Oh! I want to tell you about the people who have moved in upstairs!” Ana said, as she jumped off the couch. Dragging Jan upstairs, Ana rushed to find the new family in the apartment complex.
“They have been asking questions about God and I told them I had a friend...” Ana continued, as she knocked on the door. The new renters were a husband and a wife with two children. The door opened and the family welcomed the two women into their cramped quarters. Moving unpacked boxes aside, Jan and Ana found a spot on the couch as the wife began making coffee.
Soon the husband and wife began asking questions about Jesus, what the mission workers believe, the Trinity, and questions about the Bible. Jan sensed that the man was eagerly seeking God, and they kept talking. The kids, sitting around the couch, began to doze as the time crept closer to midnight.
The conversation wrapped up but the Lord continued to work in the heart of this family. The wife began to come to Bible studies with the church. Soon after, the whole family started to attend. They gave their lives to Jesus Christ and the husband is now an elder for a church in North Macedonia.
This all began from a willing mission worker following the direction of the Spirit and taking advantage of opportunities to share Christ.
This is not the only growth in North Macedonia. SEND’s work continues to advance. There are now four church fellowships in and around the capital, each at a different stage in growth. The SEND team’s goal is to lean on the Lord and to grow and disciple believers. The hope is that these new leaders will become disciple-making disciples themselves.
The SEND team is helping each place to grow into a healthy, flourishing church. “We regularly evaluate the church plants and ask God to show us the next stage for each one. We want to see disciples multiplied, society transformed, and Macedonia reached with the gospel,” Jan says.
It is exciting to see what God is doing in Macedonia. Many people are interested in learning how they can participate! There are a few different ways to get involved in the work that’s happening in Macedonia.
For instance, the ENGAGE Macedonia internship program brings young people from all over to work alongside mission workers for a number of months. Recent interns have come from Canada, the US, Germany and Hong Kong. We are also eager for more long-term mission workers to come join the team and work together to reach the new generation.
Being a missionary requires patience, perseverance, and reliance on the Holy Spirit, but small moments can have an eternal impact. Total strangers meeting at midnight to discuss the Bible turned into an entire household being adopted into the family of God. Now this family is leading in a local church. The Spirit is at work! Macedonia is a land open and welcome to strangers, and ready for the harvest!
*Names have been changes for security reasons.
Learn More About SEND's work in Macedonia
Learn About the "Engage Macedonia" Internship Program
Read Another Story from Macedonia: "The Culture of Coffee"
Discover Ministry Opportunities
