Thanksgiving Fun

Thursday evening was a a lot of fun. We had 12 people in all. We had a good time. Brian was able to share a little bit about what Thanksgiving is and he also shared some scripture about being thankful to the One who gives us all good gifts. We then went around the room and everyone told something they were thankful for. It was a good time.
Our turkey wasn't as pretty this year, but it tasted good.

Here is the whole crowd.

M and K with their new friend.

Kate's First Birthday Party

Last night we went to a birthday party for Pavlina, one of our first tutors. Her family has been with us since the beginning. Her mom was very excited to meet Kate.

Progress on the Coffee House

The coffee house is shaping up. Brian has put a ton of work into building shelves and a bar. And the journeymen helped him put up some pictures in there to make it look much better.



We have a lot more books and literature in there now, and a few more people have come by and shown interest. Continue to pray that this place will draw people in who will in turn hear the Gospel and come to know the Lord as their Savior.

A Good Month

The last month has been so good. Kate will be one month old tomorrow, and it is hard to remember what life was like without her. Oh yeah, I remember now--a full nights sleep. :0) In spite of the lack of sleep, we are loving being parents. Kate is eating and sleeping well. And she is so much fun to play with. Please continue to pray for her health and growth.

The journeymen, K and M, are doing great! Praise the Lord. They are plugging away at language and scoping out the coffee houses in town to get some ideas for our coffee house that they will be in charge of running at the start of the new year. Please continue to pray for their adjustment to the new culture.


Thank you so much for your intercessions on our behalf. Continue to lift up the people of Macedonia as a whole. Pray that God will move mightily through this land that many will know Him for His glory.

Mashala. Mashala.

When a baby is born here, Macedonians come bearing gifts of chocolate and sometimes even money. Kate received her biggest group of visitors thus far on Sunday afternoon. They each held her, said “Mashala. Mashala,” and spit on her. Only the baba (grandma) really spit on her. The others just pretended to spit. “Why?” you ask. “Mashala” is from the time when Macedonians were under the Turkish rule. It literally means “blessings from Allah.” And they spit to ward off the “evil eye.” The people here are very superstitious, and so they do this to ensure the baby’s good health.


Slavica knitted Kate a little jacket and insisted that we put it on her while she was there. It is a little big, but cute. Slavica promises a hat and boots to match in the future.

It would be good for you to know that everyone we meet in town, people we know and people we don’t know, do this little ritual with her. Kate has been quite helpful in meeting new people. :0)