We're Home

We arrived home last night after 23 hrs of travel. My little comment about our luggage, well it did not arrive with us in Detroit. There we were watching the carousel go round and round. Wehad to get our bags in Newark to get through customs then recheck them, so they are in Newark. Newark was the original site to lose our bags on the way out. I fly into Newark again on July 12 from Calgary for Connxion (our youth event in NYC) so I hope they have my luggage then. Look forward to seeing all of you and sharing our pictures and stories. Thanks so much for your prayers and support. It was an awesome 9 days, even having to stay in the same clothes for 4 of them.

Last Day

The last two days in Kosovo have blown by. Interviewing muslims who have confessed Christ as Savior is mind blowing because they loose their families. We've interterview Famir today who has led his whole family to the Lord, who's father is a former muslim priest. He is the pastor today in the Evangelical Messiah in Prishtine Kosovo. We head home tomorrow and have soo many stories and look forward to sharing them with all of you. We hope to change your hearts to try a mission trip, because we know it will change your whole view on how God works. Continue to pray for safe travel, but who cares about our luggage this time.

The team from Bitola is back! We spent our time there holding Bible studies, teaching English classes, and spending an enormous amount of time praying. The people of Bitola are awesome people. They are blessed with the presence of God and have blessed us while we were there. It is really too bad that we have to leave because the team feels like there is still much work that needs to be done. The great news is that another team is coming soon. They are a construction team from Georgia. There is so much work that has to be done in Bitola and the church needs your prayers. It is pretty amazing how God works because it involves TIME, TALENTS, and TREASURES. Yes, Stewardship!! Even in Macedonia in the town of Bitola there are needs that can be filled by the people of Westgate Chapel. First, pray that the Lord our God would bring lay people to the church in Bitola. They are in desperate need of people to voluteer and help with the overall needs of the church. God has planted those people, they just need to step-up to the plate. Those people are very talented and can do amazing things. The other is that they utilize their talents and put them to work. Financially, they have many needs that can be addressed from building completion to just regular every day needs. There is so much that we can do as a supporting church in Bitola that will bless the people of Macedonia. It is beyond your or my imagination. So ask God to look into your hearts to find out where you fit into the picture. The most important thing you can do is to pray for Bilijana and Josip. The team was blessed by the hearts of our host. They are very hard workers and their family life revolves around God and His church. They need our prayers! They were wonderful hosts and we are going to miss them very much.

In all, we experienced God in ways that you will have to ask us about. WE cannot wait to tell you. Thank you for being such a wonderful church family. Because of your love for God we were able to share what it means to be in community half way around the world with the people to of Bitola, Macedonia. We cannot wait to see all of you but most of all our loved ones.

Here is our schedule for the remainer of the trip: we are up at 4 am (that is 10 pm tonight for you) and the plane takes off at 6:30 am for Zurich (12:30 am your time). We arrive at 6:30 pm at Dtriot . pray for our travel but we don't care if our bags arrive with us this time.

1 more thing

Hey my family or Brians. We want to hear from you guys. Alex is the only one who has sent a comment to us. we miss you and at least we can have access to possibly hearing from you. So send us a comment PLEASE. See you in 2 days.

Kosovo

Brian and I have spent the day in Kosovo. We got to see some areas that are still bombed out. While we were walking around the bombed out house I said to Brian I hope there aren't any land mines around here. From there we went to a little village called Novosell which means New Village and Interviewed Kadir. He was such a happy man who was a Muslim but embraced Christ a while back. His family has shut him out because of his new faith. He lives in the middle of his family home area and they refuse to help him. His wife is 1 week over due with their second child. CAMA services helped to build or I should say finish the house. They slept in one room where the roof leaked and water seeped in from the floor daily. Now they have a bathroom and a dry living area. Their stove to cook is still outside but the joy in their eyes was amazing. He felt so honored to be interviewed by americans. His family actually flew an American Flag. Being Muslim in this area is more cultural than religious. We spent the rest of the day in Gjilan, Kosovo at the Resurection Center. It is an area that serves the communities needs. They have an Occupational Therapist, book store and more. They share the message of Christ but basically try to meet needs of the area. In doing so they show Christ love. We are spending the night at the Pastors house here in Gjilan and tomorrow head to Pristian(??? spelling till I get there) where we will interview more locals from the Boom Churh then back to Skopje. The UN check point was easy to get through today, Hopefully the same on the way back tomrrow.
News on Brenda. She is back in Skopje after an over night stay in the hospital in Thessaliki, Greece.They had great worries about her condition but it looks as though she has Epilepsy. So they are proceeding with treatments for that. Please keep her in your prays as she is a very active women traveling between Skopje and Bitola every week. Till tomorrow.

Wednesday

Sorry I can't write about the rest of our team since we are apart for now. David and Brenda went down to Greece today as far as I know so they can do an MRI on Brenda. Continue to pray for them because they don't know why she passed out in the first place. That is why they are doing the MRI.
The team in Bitola is being instructed by Josef and Biliyana. Brian and I are mainly with Trent Thornton the Balkan Feild Director. Today we went with a National to the City of Voltavo (??? of Spelling) to film the church plant there. It has about 25 children who attend and 5 adults. They are looking to the future with these children so pray that they would have a desire to follow Christ and then reach back to their people to show His love. The town is mainly made up of Gypsies. They have a different look than the Macedonians. ( Greg and Lisa note I drank STRONG coffee). It is rude to refuse and God actually let me enjoy it. It was actually good, go figure.
We are waiting to see if tonight we wil be filming at a church about 45 min NW of Skopje. At this point it is still up in the air. We are staying at he local Evangelical church in Skopje. They have dorms and HOT water for showers. The water is quite tasty here and hasn't given any of us trouble. Most of us have the other problem. As my husband calls it the 72 hr colon but it is gong on the120 hr colon at this point. Wish it would funtion like it should.
Tomorrow we head off to Kosovo and I am not sure if I can update from there so stay tuned. The Church seesm to be growing more there and they are geared toward serving needs alot. They have a Center there for people tp come to in need. I tell more when I see it.
Again I remind you to pray for Brenda. Since our bags arrived Gleen was able to get her some pain meds which have helped with her rib frature pain but she is still in need for much heling. She was supose to fly to the States Today for a Conference but travel was impossble in her condition. Till Next time may we continue to show Gods uncoditional Love to the peopleof Macedonia.

Back in Skopje

Our luggage arrived at 6:30 pm last night and boy did it feel good to change underwear. Yesterday Brian and I got to go to ancient ruins called Hericlaya from around 200-600 A.D. Built by the Romans and cover be a landslide just recently escavated. Got some great shots. The rest of the team was leading a womens bible study then we taught English after that.
Last night I got to take a shower finally. Vera, my host, had to start a wood fire under the water tank so I could have hot water. Glad we don't have to do that and it never really was warm. So it was a quick shower.
This morning Brian and i took a train back to Skopje which was a long but beautiful trip. Toay we are doing Interviews with the Missionaries here in Skopje and some other stuff. The team in Bitola is going to an orphanage then teaching english tonight. This is a beautiful country but it's people are spiritally dead. They think since they were baptized at birth that is all they need. They don't attend church, pray or read Gods Word. If you are not Orthadox then you are a cult
Pray that they will be receptive to use foriegners as we try to just be Jesus in skin.

In Bitola

Talk about adventure. On the way to Bitola our bus broke down about 5 kilometers outside the city. We did make it after they sent another bus for us. We lead the evening Service in the small church here. Still pray for our luggage it has not come. It is stuck in Zurich and since it wasn't on the plane yesterday the Macedonia say they are done with responclity for it. I am on day 4 in the same clothes and they smell a bit sweaty. When our bags do arrive in Skopje they will be now totally checked by customs. So pray that they hold none back. I really want my toothpaste and clean underwear.
I stayed witha couple who spoke no English which made communication next to impossible and ate food I didn't even know what it was. Other than the tomato which I don't like but ate the rest was a mystery. Only 1 thing made me really wretch. They love to serve you and give you the biggest portion, so it was a lot to eat. Pray that we all loss our taste sensativity so we do not dishonor our host. Pray for our team as we share tonight with the English group.

In Macedonia

We are here in Macedonia. Safe but without luggage. Not one of our bags madeit. So we all stink a bit today after wearing the same clothes 3 days. Our bags should arrive today to Skopje but we are off to Bitola in 1/2 on hour. So pray that those who pick up our bags from the airport in 1 hrcan getthem without incident and then they must drive the 4 hrs to get them to us. It is very hot here and I can't wait to get out of these jeans and long sleeve shirt I have on. we attended church this morning and it was awesome. We are to lead the church service in Bitola tonight so pray that we seek God for the words to speak.
Please pray for David and Brenda. She has many broken ribs and is in great pain. David is need by her so all we are doing is kind of being impovised but God has a plan and we are being flexable.
Brian and I will be traveling all over the area so pray that we get the right shots and not waste the video tape we have. Thanks for your prayers and continued prayers. Forgive my spelling I am at an internet cafe on the clock and can't type well when I'm not rushed. Must go catch the bus to Bitola. More later when I hace access to the internet again.