I wanted to express how I'm feeling and what I prayed about it the best word to descibe it is "Eager."
1) Conversations with Feđa
2) The boys
3) The girls
4) More on poverty
1) I have had some great conversations with Feđa, Goran, Donata and Merlina. One day Chad, Melody and I were having coffee with Feđa when he said, "what are you doing Sunday, we could have a BBQ?" I told him that we were going to church at 6pm and he wanted to know why church was so late. I let him know there are 2 churches that we are going to while we're here, the Baptist one and the Evanglical one (the only Protestant Christian churches in town) He was confused and had many good questions. Through his questions and our explainations he found out we were protestant, went off on why in soap operas, Catholics pray to Mary and Jesus (everyone here watches a LOT of soap operas because there really isn't anything to do during the day if you aren't blessed enough to have a job, that's how they learn spanish and english so quickly), what is the difference between Catholic and Christian, and Muslim (he has a lot to say about that and gave his opinions througout our conversation), How could Jesus be God's son and God, and lastly, if Jesus were real like the Bible said why doesn't God send another person or something to tell us he's really there and what we should do. I know that was a long sentence but it was a great conversation. I offered my opinion and biblical answers to most of the questions and prayed and listened while he talked. When he said, "If all you said is true, and God is all powerful, why wont he just send another?" I paused and thought of an answer but for some reason (the Holy Spirit) I didn't say anything and looked at Chad, he was just waiting to share. He told Feđa Jesus answered that question with a story written in the Bible, and shared of the master leaving people in charge of his land and he sent messangers and servants to check on it but the people killed them so he sent his only son and they killed him so why should the master think the people would listen to anything else. WOW! Praise Jesus for team work and how the Holy Spirit works! And that Feđa has good questions, I feel like the Spirit is at work in him.
Then yesterday Chad and I had coffee with Feđa and his friend and Elvis (a Christian and Mario's brother) came with us. Somehow (by God's power) Jesus came up again and Feđa was surprised to hear Elvis was a Christian so Elvis shared his testimony! Elvis also told him about all the other Christians in town. I'm praying that God lets his word go deeper than intellectually with Feđa, that he will come to camp with us next week and ultimately give his life to Jesus!
2) The boys, Senad and Goran, have been hanging out a lot with Chad and Jimmy. I would say almost every day! It's been great to see those relationships form. Pray they would take things deeper and especially with Goran as I've had a conversation with him about God and he seems open.
3) The girls, Donata and Merlina, have been spending a lot of time with me and i love them! Merlina is so into Jesus but can't connect with the community here, pray that she would and that our friendship would be an encouragement to her. For Donata keep praying that she will really allow Jesus to transform her life and give her the love and acceptance she's looking for. Melody and Mandy have been spending time with some girls, pray they will go deeper and come to camp with us next week. The girls are, Maja, Ermina, Amna, Alexandra, Dina, Leijla, Maja and her boyfriend Alan.
4) I went to an old refugee camp that is run down from 10 years of use, it is horrible! There are many families living there and it made us all very sad. I just don't know what to do. Jesus really is the only possible answer. Please pray for the families that live there and have no opportunity. The would work if they could find a job.
Thank you for your prayers. Next week we'll be at the evangelistic camp so no internet but please be praying, it is a time we want clothed with God' presence!
Thank you for all your support.
Melissa
Monday, July 16, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
God is doing something!
I forgot to tell you that last Saturday's trip to a fortress and park was great. 10 of our students came with us and it was a great time to bond with them!
Classes this week were so fun and depressing! The students at my table are mostly English majors so our conversations are always good. Sladan, one of the Christian students here, told me that we need to have games every day, not every other day because Zenica students think that Americans are fun so we need more fun. So I added a game for every day and the students really loved it!
It was also depressing because the discussion topics were work, success and dreams. There is so much unemployment here, there is no real industry that can provide jobs for people so they just survive. My students who are in college dont have dreams and their only goals are to pass the next test, pass the next test and when they finish they'll start hoping to find a job, they aren't guaranteed one even with a college degree. This also means people who have been dating 7 years can't get married because their sister is already living with her husband in the house (or similar). There is an air of frustration and hopelessness. It's really depressing and calls me to my knees more than anything else ever has. Jesus is the only answer because I can't find one and obviously the government hasn't either.
Melissa
Classes this week were so fun and depressing! The students at my table are mostly English majors so our conversations are always good. Sladan, one of the Christian students here, told me that we need to have games every day, not every other day because Zenica students think that Americans are fun so we need more fun. So I added a game for every day and the students really loved it!
It was also depressing because the discussion topics were work, success and dreams. There is so much unemployment here, there is no real industry that can provide jobs for people so they just survive. My students who are in college dont have dreams and their only goals are to pass the next test, pass the next test and when they finish they'll start hoping to find a job, they aren't guaranteed one even with a college degree. This also means people who have been dating 7 years can't get married because their sister is already living with her husband in the house (or similar). There is an air of frustration and hopelessness. It's really depressing and calls me to my knees more than anything else ever has. Jesus is the only answer because I can't find one and obviously the government hasn't either.
Melissa
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Poverty like we never thought
1) Why the burning cigarettes
2) Team updates
3) Poverty
4) Prayer updates and new requests
( all in 11 minuites before my time runs out on the interenet)
1) As far as i know they are just ridiculously addicted to them but love talking to friends and forget that it is lit. Ill see if I can find out more. Glad you read the last blog :)
2) Jimmy has been a little sick and yesterday was the first day he felt well. pray that our crazy eating schedule would not hurt his system.
Our team is really learning a lot. We have all been spending a lot of time building friendships and so we have needed a lot of sleep but its great. Chad and I went with Feđa, senad and goran to Sarajevo and had a great time. I think that was a great start to deeper relationships. Pray for those 3 guys and that Chad and I can talk about Jesus with them and that God would be working in their hearts!
Funny story of the week We have a cook named Dželjka and she is like our Bosnian mom. she taught us girls how to make pita yesterday and it was so good. she said every girl need to know how to make pita and coffee before they can get married so we are half way there ! It was a great experience.
3) Yesterday we went to our friend's home and his parents hosted us. His mom said I spoke good Bosnian though I only told her how many siblings i had and how old they were. It was great trying to communicate with her! Melody spoke with his father in French! And they were great hosts! Today I asked the team what they noticed and one student asked, where were the bedrooms? We were sitting in them.... That hit them hard that the parents slept in the living room and our friend in the kitchen. We still have a lot to process from that.
4) Friendships are happening fast! it is great! Pray for me as i will meet with Merlina today. Also pray for her sister Donata who knows Jesus but doesnt want to accept him becasue her heart is hard. Pray for Adis and that he would open his heart to God while we are here.
thanks so much for your prayers!
blessings
melissa
2) Team updates
3) Poverty
4) Prayer updates and new requests
( all in 11 minuites before my time runs out on the interenet)
1) As far as i know they are just ridiculously addicted to them but love talking to friends and forget that it is lit. Ill see if I can find out more. Glad you read the last blog :)
2) Jimmy has been a little sick and yesterday was the first day he felt well. pray that our crazy eating schedule would not hurt his system.
Our team is really learning a lot. We have all been spending a lot of time building friendships and so we have needed a lot of sleep but its great. Chad and I went with Feđa, senad and goran to Sarajevo and had a great time. I think that was a great start to deeper relationships. Pray for those 3 guys and that Chad and I can talk about Jesus with them and that God would be working in their hearts!
Funny story of the week We have a cook named Dželjka and she is like our Bosnian mom. she taught us girls how to make pita yesterday and it was so good. she said every girl need to know how to make pita and coffee before they can get married so we are half way there ! It was a great experience.
3) Yesterday we went to our friend's home and his parents hosted us. His mom said I spoke good Bosnian though I only told her how many siblings i had and how old they were. It was great trying to communicate with her! Melody spoke with his father in French! And they were great hosts! Today I asked the team what they noticed and one student asked, where were the bedrooms? We were sitting in them.... That hit them hard that the parents slept in the living room and our friend in the kitchen. We still have a lot to process from that.
4) Friendships are happening fast! it is great! Pray for me as i will meet with Merlina today. Also pray for her sister Donata who knows Jesus but doesnt want to accept him becasue her heart is hard. Pray for Adis and that he would open his heart to God while we are here.
thanks so much for your prayers!
blessings
melissa
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
What could be better than this?
I have so much to say!
(this will be long so here's a guide)
1) luggage
2) what we've been doing
3) How our 4 students have been doing
4) What I'm enjoying/funny things
5) English class
6) prayers
1) I know you are all dying to know what happened with my luggage. I was on my way to the internet cafe just today to ask you to pray for my luggage again (7 days with only one out fit?) Layla and I are blessed to fit into Melody and Mandys clothes and to have a washing machine to wash all our clothes every other day because we told them to only bring 5 outfits...between us thats 3 outfits each and when you sweat as much as we have been, from walking 30 to 40 minutes into the city each day and then 40 minutes back, or climbing a mountain thats supposedly a pyramid (in flip flops mind you because my shoes are in my luggage) you just really shouldnt rewear clothing, its not advantageous to out reach. No one wants to be around a smelly person. Praise God for our washing machine and hotwater heater at all times of the day. Well yesterday i resigned that God wanted me to be like the disciples when he sent them out he said, "Take nothing with you... not even and extra tunic" So i decided fine no extra tunic, and praised him that all us girls could share but on my way here Jan (the staff worker here) pulled into the driveway and said, GUESS WHAT I HAVE! It was my luggage!!!!! Layla is still missing her luggage but our collective clothing increased 50% this morning! Thanks for your prayers!
2) More importantly: what have we been doing this whole time?
*Getting aquainted with the city and how to order food, use a taxi, walk from here to there and drink coffee.
*Fellowshiping with the college students (Mario and Slađan) here, learning from them and encouraging them (it is such a blessing to have students here with which we can partner)
*We met Adis, Mario's non Christian friend. He gave us a tour of the city and came with us to Visoko (the "pyrimid" of Bosnia)
*Learning some Bosnian. Jan gave us our first language lesson and it was very useful!
*Eating local foods like ćevapi and pita, burek and pizza (if you've been here i know you're jealous)
*Walking a lot! The city is set up like a "C" around a river so there's a lot of walking to be done!
3) Melody, Mandy, Chad and Jimmy have been doing great! It has been great to see Jimmy try to eat tomatoes, jogurt and mineral water, Mandy try to say tri instead of tree, Chad try to say every thing in Bosnian and say "You Are" instead of "yes" and Melody to befriend and love everyone she meets in her quiet yet genuine way and say Ausgang a few times a day. But really, they have all been taking great risks and trying new things to learn about Bosnian culture. We had a great conflict/cultural check in meeting this morning and everyone was really honest and open. We have a great team.
4) I have loved having Jan and Mario and Slađan show us the culture. I really enjoy working with the students and challenging them. I also have really enjoyed everynight debriefing with Layla before we go to sleep. She is a great leader and I am learning a lot from her as we work together. This city is beautiful and food is great, walking will become fun and the people are amazing! FUNNY Story: too many to tell right now but one...Not so much a story but everything in Zenica is the best, biggest and newest in all of Bosnia, no all of the Balkans! ask anyone and they'll tell you. My friends last night Fuđa and Menica would light a cigarett and then put it in the ashtray until it burned out then light another one... why? i dont know.
5)English class started last night and it was great! I dont know how i did it so it must have been God but it went so smoothly. I have 3 women and 3 men at my table group, melody has 3 women and Chad has 4 women 2 men ( this is for the advanced class) We went to coffee afterward and it was so so so so so good!
6) please pray for Fuđa, Goran, Senad, Donata, Merlina and Jasmenka ( my table group) and also Adis, Mario's friend. Pray for deep relationships, that God would guide me to who he's already been working in, for All 6 Americans to be bold in the friendships we create. Praise God no one has gotten sick. Pray for this weekend's BBQ that students would come. That we would all be good witnesses to Christ.
Thanks so much Love ya!
Thanks for your comments I appreciate them!
(this will be long so here's a guide)
1) luggage
2) what we've been doing
3) How our 4 students have been doing
4) What I'm enjoying/funny things
5) English class
6) prayers
1) I know you are all dying to know what happened with my luggage. I was on my way to the internet cafe just today to ask you to pray for my luggage again (7 days with only one out fit?) Layla and I are blessed to fit into Melody and Mandys clothes and to have a washing machine to wash all our clothes every other day because we told them to only bring 5 outfits...between us thats 3 outfits each and when you sweat as much as we have been, from walking 30 to 40 minutes into the city each day and then 40 minutes back, or climbing a mountain thats supposedly a pyramid (in flip flops mind you because my shoes are in my luggage) you just really shouldnt rewear clothing, its not advantageous to out reach. No one wants to be around a smelly person. Praise God for our washing machine and hotwater heater at all times of the day. Well yesterday i resigned that God wanted me to be like the disciples when he sent them out he said, "Take nothing with you... not even and extra tunic" So i decided fine no extra tunic, and praised him that all us girls could share but on my way here Jan (the staff worker here) pulled into the driveway and said, GUESS WHAT I HAVE! It was my luggage!!!!! Layla is still missing her luggage but our collective clothing increased 50% this morning! Thanks for your prayers!
2) More importantly: what have we been doing this whole time?
*Getting aquainted with the city and how to order food, use a taxi, walk from here to there and drink coffee.
*Fellowshiping with the college students (Mario and Slađan) here, learning from them and encouraging them (it is such a blessing to have students here with which we can partner)
*We met Adis, Mario's non Christian friend. He gave us a tour of the city and came with us to Visoko (the "pyrimid" of Bosnia)
*Learning some Bosnian. Jan gave us our first language lesson and it was very useful!
*Eating local foods like ćevapi and pita, burek and pizza (if you've been here i know you're jealous)
*Walking a lot! The city is set up like a "C" around a river so there's a lot of walking to be done!
3) Melody, Mandy, Chad and Jimmy have been doing great! It has been great to see Jimmy try to eat tomatoes, jogurt and mineral water, Mandy try to say tri instead of tree, Chad try to say every thing in Bosnian and say "You Are" instead of "yes" and Melody to befriend and love everyone she meets in her quiet yet genuine way and say Ausgang a few times a day. But really, they have all been taking great risks and trying new things to learn about Bosnian culture. We had a great conflict/cultural check in meeting this morning and everyone was really honest and open. We have a great team.
4) I have loved having Jan and Mario and Slađan show us the culture. I really enjoy working with the students and challenging them. I also have really enjoyed everynight debriefing with Layla before we go to sleep. She is a great leader and I am learning a lot from her as we work together. This city is beautiful and food is great, walking will become fun and the people are amazing! FUNNY Story: too many to tell right now but one...Not so much a story but everything in Zenica is the best, biggest and newest in all of Bosnia, no all of the Balkans! ask anyone and they'll tell you. My friends last night Fuđa and Menica would light a cigarett and then put it in the ashtray until it burned out then light another one... why? i dont know.
5)English class started last night and it was great! I dont know how i did it so it must have been God but it went so smoothly. I have 3 women and 3 men at my table group, melody has 3 women and Chad has 4 women 2 men ( this is for the advanced class) We went to coffee afterward and it was so so so so so good!
6) please pray for Fuđa, Goran, Senad, Donata, Merlina and Jasmenka ( my table group) and also Adis, Mario's friend. Pray for deep relationships, that God would guide me to who he's already been working in, for All 6 Americans to be bold in the friendships we create. Praise God no one has gotten sick. Pray for this weekend's BBQ that students would come. That we would all be good witnesses to Christ.
Thanks so much Love ya!
Thanks for your comments I appreciate them!
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