New Update:
We visited that sister, and she had prepared us a great meal for our coming. Then we visited her mother-in-law (both are widows) and uncovered a bit of bitterness in her heart. The daughter-in-law is a believer only 4 weeks old, and the mother-in-law a believer of more years than the church in the city. I heard bits of the story as Daniella (Pr. Goran’s wife), explained it to me. I prayed before we ended, and then we headed back to the church for the prayer meeting. We began with a few announcements, and then we sang a couple of songs before I gave the message on the widow’s persistence. I forgot to mention that while doing the woodwork the first day, an older man was chopping wood and hurt his wrist. I went over and offered to pray for him and then later, he asked me to pray again, specifically for his addition to tobacco. He was ashamed of it and trying to hide it from Pr. Goran while we worked, and didn’t want to smoke anymore. I told him I would and we did right there, and Timothy translated my prayer for him. He then told us that was his last cigarette. Then at the prayer meeting he said he had read the parable of the widow’s persistence earlier that day, and he also said a lot more I didn’t have translated. The brothers prayed over him specifically at the end of the meeting and he invited Goran and I to his house tomorrow to meet his son and relax. After the meeting, I went upstairs and was going to rest until the boys got me for some time to talk with the family later. I guess it could wait, because my door was open and I was asleep on my bed until the next morning.
Partial update:
It’s Wednesday. Today I wokeup, read, prayed, and then went with Pr. Goran’s eldest son, Timothy (12) to a local shop to buy a few items and then to a local bakery for burek (like layers of dough and filling like meat and spices – I had it at Marjan’s place). We went back, ate our breakfast, and then we met downstairs to resume the work of hauling and chopping wood. That lasted until about 1:00pm, and then we headed in. I showered and then came down for some lunch. After lunch we took a couple hour break during which I wrote the past few days’ updates and did a couple of other things. I finished my message for tonight – I’ll speak on the parable of the persistent widow for the prayer meeting. After the break we went downstairs to the sanctuary where there are a lot of humanitarian aid packages. We had to put some more of them together and then move them across the room, out of the way for the week’s services. Then I returned to my room to work on this update before we head to a new sister’s house, and then come back for the prayer meeting. I’ll update you again if there is much more to say. Please keep praying for my effectiveness in preaching by the power of the Spirit and for the openness of the men and women with whom I stay. Different people feel me out differently, and so it takes a little while before I know they’re comfortable having me around. Also, I’ve received some news today from some of the brothers I’ll be staying with in the next few weeks. Please pray for our communication as it’s somewhat hard for me to decipher. I think some people have been a little put out that I’m coming, and given that I don’t want to be a burden, this can be understandable but hard to deal with emotionally/spiritually. Also, pray that as I have time to spend with the youth in these churches and with the children of the church-planters that I can be a godly influence on them, encouraging them in respecting, honoring, and looking up to their parents. I have seen this as a great ministry opportunity, to speak into their lives and give them as much friendship as I can. Until later, God bless.
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