I Cannot Be Silent

Here is another great video as you think not only about giving to LMCO this year but also as you think about God's personal call on your life.  Lottie Moon, who paved the way for us over 140 years ago, still speaks and leads us in the call today.  Please take a few minutes to visit THIS LINK  and watch the video. Pray about how God would have you respond.

"A young man should ask himself not if it is his duty to go to the lost, but if he may dare stay at home....  If the joy of the Lord be their strength, the blessedness of the work will more than compensate for the hardships." Lottie Moon

"The needs of these people press upon my soul, and I cannot be silent." --Lottie Moon She echos my heart's cry? Is it yours???

Bittersweet Closing

It's been a long and wild ride on Dame Gruev 15, but the time has come to get off the ride and look to new things.  By the grace of God and your financial support, we were able to open the coffee house, Ima Vreme, in 2007. We started with just a hot water pot, a few coffee mugs, a fridge, and a few places for people to sit.  This local meeting place evolved into a full-fledge coffee house with couches, pictures on the wall, a bar and even a very complicated cappuccino machine (I never did learn how to work that thing). The people that came through the doors would number around 1000, but the outreach from the coffeehouse would reach several thousand all over town. The conversations that were had no one can place any amount of human value on.  

Our 4 journeymen who have served in Ohrid with us over the last 5 years were vital to the ministry of the coffee house.  Along with us, and many of you who have come as volunteers, they planned events, led English classes, taught guitar lessons, started book clubs, knitting groups, children's story hour, coffee discussions, helped with Bible discussions, women's groups, cooking classes, humanitarian aid projects, school supply distribution, VBS, many seminars and concerts, taught fun American dances, and the list could go on. And all of the hard work paid off.

Ima Vreme was a place where anyone was welcome, no matter their nationality and financial status.  It was a place where warm coffee was served and a listening ear was offered.  It was a place where the gospel was shared basically every single time the doors were opened.  It was a place from which over 600 Bibles, over 200 New Testaments, over 5000 other books centered around the Gospel, and over 7000 tracts were handed out.  It was a place where many opened and read the Bible for the very first time in their whole lives.  It was a place where many began their journey to meeting and following Jesus Christ.

There was a lot of laughter within its walls, a lot of tears, a lot of frustrating conversations, a lot of AMAZing conversations, and a whole lot of fun.  

You may be asking, "Then why, oh why, would we close it?"  I could give you a list of a several reasons, but the main one is that this is without a doubt the way we feel the Lord leading us right now.   So, thank YOU for how you have partnered to make what was a great place of ministry a success. Thank you for how you have prayed for the events that have taken place there. Thank you for how you have financially supported it through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Thank you for how you have come to join us in our work within those walls as we have tried to love and serve the people around us. 

Our closing party was Friday night, and it was great to catch up with some of the old regulars and some that are still regulars.

Brian led one final Bible discussion within these walls before the 'party' began and many heard the gospel one more time.  He talked from the end of Matthew 11 about Jesus' invitation for all to come to him.  Pray that these seeds that we have been sowing for years with take root and bear much fruit.  

Saturday morning, our team arrived to help tear down and pack up the place.  As we packed up all the boxes, moved out the furniture, and scraped the Ima Vreme logo off the windows, I thought, what's next for us in this town??? I don't know, but I know the one who was so faithful to provide every need for Ima Vreme will be faithful to lead us onward in our work here... as there is still MUCH work left to do! 

'A Story Like No Other'

This is so good.  Matt Papa is one of my new favorite artists, and this is one of his finest pieces.  I hope you will take 10 minutes out of your day to listen.

Thank You Camp Mundo Vista

We just got a WONDERFUL package from a group of girls at Camp Mundo Vista in NC.  There were a ton of cards for our family and some just for Kate and Thomas. What a precious gift!  It's things like this that encourage us and show love to us and our babies.  Kate was SO excited! We sat down and read all of them.  Thanks girls for taking time to pray for us and serve us in this way!

The Big Show--Round Two

Kate got to do her little dance one more time. This time it was at one of the preschools and only the parents were invited. So, we were able to get some better pictures.  Sorry if you are bored by our daughter's cuteness. Although, if you are bored, there may be something broken inside of you.  

Just look at that face!!!

Once again, she did great, and we were super proud parents!