THE HOW AND WHY OF BEING IN MACEDONIA
This is the story from the proverbial horse's mouth!!
On Friday 2nd April 1999, my friends and I were discussing the Balkan conflict. In the midst of the conversation my friend Peter said: ''when people cry for help, we should help''. That night I went to bed as usual, but at 2 am I woke up, and because I was really wide awake, I thought that I would read my Bible from where I left off.. That was when I read Acts Ch16 - The vision Paul had in the night - A man of Macedonia calling and saying: 'Come over into Macedonia and help us!' And immediately they set to go concluding that the Lord had called them to preach the Gospel to them. Well I do not need to tell you that I was even more awake now!! And I knew beyond any shadow of doubt that God had called me to go. However on the Sunday morning I asked God to confirm that this was really the case and I did it in an unorthodox way. I said to the Lord: 'I'm going to open the Bible up and if it says 'Macedonia' on the page then I conclude that you have definitely called me to go and, therefore, I will go.' I didn't know whether Macedonia gets mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. No doubt you have guessed by now - I opened the Bible up at Philippians Ch4 and the ONLY word I saw was Macedonia.!!
The following Sunday my Church, Rowlands Castle Church On The Green, England sent me out knowing anyone in Macedonia!! On Wednesday 14th April I arrived - 11 days after I first had inkling that Macedonia is where God wants me to be.
THE FIRST WEEK IN MACEDONIA
I arrived at the airport and there was no one to meet me - out went my first expectation!! The second thing that happened was being conned by the taxi driver but at least he found the way to the campsite in Skopje, the Capital! I spent the next few days praying and walking along side the river in Skopje and going to and fro from the Tourist Information Center. The Center was supposed to be open from 8am until 10pm but it never seemed to be open. It was a frustrating time, as God didn't appear to make things clear. I then read about Paul going into the Synagogue on the Sabbath but didn't read about what had happened to him in the previous week!! I took encouragement from this concluding that at the weekend some things will become clear. So on the Saturday I thought that I would walk again to Tourist Information Center - and that's right - this time it was open!! They sent me to the Methodist. Church. I went to the service in the morning and was invited back for a meal by one of the members. In the course of conversation they asked me where I was staying - and they invited me to come and stay with them. The temperature for the week was not above 0 C at night and was therefore very relieved when offered a room for less than I was paying for the tent, for warmth and hot showers!!
AGAPE
The day after I moved into the house (Wednesday 21 April) the family that I am staying with gave the phone numbers of different Churches and missionaries in Macedonia. The first number I called didn't answer - the second was the Evangelical Church. I asked if I could meet with them to discover if there was any way in which I could help. The very next day I was working in the warehouse that they had just rented!! The Evangelical Church run a charity called AGAPE. The purpose of this organization is to provide help on a permanent basis for over 1000 refugee families (10,000+ people), who are registered with the government in Macedonia, to visit them in their homes in due course and make friendships. The ultimate purpose for doing all this is to preach the Gospel so that they may receive eternal help. In the short time I have been here I have been made chief in the clothes warehouse. We are taking on new warehouses at the rate of 1 every fortnight. The purpose of the one I manage is to sort clothes into their appropriate section for easy access when the clothes are taken to the distribution warehouse and given to the refugees. At the time of writing we are giving a food parcel to each refugee family -two if over 10 in family- every fortnight -bear in mind that there are often over 30 in a family living in 2 rooms. NOTE: For anyone wishing to contribute to this ministry either monetary or in other aid, details will be sent at the inquirer's request
THE FUTURE
It is important for me to stress that I am not here to supply help just at AGAPE but I have a growing vision in what God wants me to do here. I believe that I have been called as a Stephen (Acts 7) who was filled with the Holy Spirit - yet served tables. He still had time to preach the Gospel with power , signs and wonders. God has promised me an Aaron who will assist me in the work here, possibly translating. I am trying to learn Macedonian and then I will, God willing, try to learn Albanian.
I have been given the use of a house to use for God's glory and I need to know what God would have me to do in this. The first I believe is to disciple believers and then to send them out into the towns and villages of Macedonia, preaching the Word with power, healing the sick, casting out demons and letting God be God among the people whom Jesus came to save. As I have said this is only part of the puzzle - and all I have are small pieces - the actual picture in fullness has not yet been revealed. I would also like to use the football stadium here as an outreach to the people of Macedonia. God is able to do all and more. See PRAYER REQUESTS on how to pray!!
HEALTH
Health wise I am well but go through phases with low blood sugar which seems to take a long time to get back to normal. I pulled a muscle in my shoulder about 5 days ago - making things a little awkward moving boxes, etc in the warehouse but it is healing quickly. And now for the surprise!! I am eating eggs here!! For those who know me know that I am allergic to them. I was given eggs to eat and it not being polite to refuse I ate saying to God: ''if I'm well, I'm well. If sick, sick. But I will not refuse what is put in front of me!!'' He has protected me thus far. I have eaten in the region of 30 eggs!!
PRAYER REQUESTS
1) My main concern is that I only do what God wants me to do. I want to fulfill all that God wants me to do here. Also I don't want to waste time on things that are not going to bring eternal benefits. There is no doubt that God sent me here!!
2) I have been warned by God that tiredness will be a hindrance to me if I don't get the rest I need. In that I mean, I will get irritable and will become susceptible to the devil's attacks. Work here starts at 8am and can go on to 10pm if trucks arrive at the warehouse!! It is the enemy's tactic to wear out the saints.
3) Pray concerning the house that has been given to me - for wisdom and knowledge.
4) Pray concerning the language study - which in learning people will be saved.
5) Pray that I will get time to spend with God in His Word and in prayer. The most important thing is that I cultivate an intimacy with Jesus and do as He would do in every situation.
6) Pray concerning my health that I will remain well.
7) Pray for Mirche that he will have wisdom in running the day to day affairs of AGAPE and the Church along with the whole team - where brothers live together in unity - there God commands the blessing. Also for a spirit of servanthood and sacrifice.
8) Pray for those receiving aid through AGAPE that they will receive the gospel. That the Scriptures and books given to them will open hearts.
9) Please pray that God will reveal the more pieces of the puzzle in the picture to me concerning His will. Pray in line with the Words I have received. Any other words would be appreciated and are much needed to confirm the things the Lord is speaking to me.
10) Pray for Aaron!!
11) Pray that I am given boldness through the Holy Spirit.
12) Pray too for vision as without vision we perish!!
13) Pray for peace in the Balkans.
Praying according to Colossians 1:9-11 would be very appropriate: "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God: strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.''
NOTE: These requests are not in order of importance. And there are many more I could add.
DETAILS FOR GIVING
The following details are included as this is a faith ministry and because I have been asked to furnish the details. This is, then, not a request for money or begging letter but a source of information to those whose heart is at one with mine in this service and who want to support me here with money. More importantly prayer is of more value than money.
Money Transfer Procedure
When transferring money to me you will need the following information:
Banks Facilitating the Transfer in the USA:
AMERICAN EXPRESS BANK LTD New York - Acct. No. 709022
CITYBANK of NEW YORK - Acct. No. 36013858
Macedonian Address and Telephone Information:
THOMAS IAN MICHAEL
UL. LOVCENSKA BR. 15 B
91000 SKOPJE, MACEDONIA
+389 (91) 362-129
Bank and Account Number in Macedonia:
Komercijalna Banka A.D., Skopje
Account No. 70808613-1184-03
SWIFT CODE (Very Important):
SWIFT: KOBS MK 2X
POLITICAL
Please note that for those who wish to be updated on the crisis here on a political front I will send a report periodically for those who are interested as American/British news do not cover things from a Balkan perspective. I will send to all who are interested but please note that it is disturbing and not quite as it all seems.
PS
There are bound to be questions that you want to ask - I will answer any that you have. It would also be useful to me if questions were posed that could be answered in the next newsletter. In this way I will know what you want to know!!
My address for correspondence follows:
Ian Thomas
Aleksandar Makedonski 3a
Gjoche Petrov, Skopje 91000
MAKEDONIJA
GOOD NEWS MACEDONIA DOBRA VEST MAKEDONIJA
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