April 17, 2020 – It has been over a month since the governments of Bulgaria, Serbia and North Macedonia have put their countries on a stay at home lockdown. For our work that meant we could not do our normal training with the church planters and leaders, groups schedule to come were canceled livelihood production suspended with stores closed.
We continued to cover the stipends that we provide our church planters to attend the training as they are needing it now more than ever.
A couple of weeks ago, we received some donations that we were not expecting for church planting and general ministry. Through phone calls and Internet conversations, Team Balkans has kept in communication with our team of leaders in the region and found out that many of our leaders were using their support to help feed and get medicine for folks in their neighborhoods who needed it. But what little they had was gone and folks were still hungry. So, our governing board met and because God provided ahead of time with the extra gifts we have been able to assist 20+ churches in the 3 countries we serve, meet real needs, in real-time.
Our agriculture program has progressed and the team working on it has been able to travel just outside the city (with special work papers) to get seeds planted and the crops in the greenhouse managed. This will also help with feeding needs in the future. Additionally, during this time we are in negotiations to be given additional property to add to the agricultural program that would help us increase our work and production.
We (Team Balkans) are in awe of what God is doing through the team of national leaders He has raised up. As they are discipled they make disciples who respond to the needs that they see. We don’t have to tell them to – they come to us and ask for help but they are going to do what they can with what they have because they love Jesus.
This week thanks God for the leaders He has put in place and pray that the work they are doing among the poor and needy will go far and wide.
Pray too for the Missionary Team here – many groups and plan that were on the schedule were canceled and being on lockdown in our homes in another culture can be hard
Pray also for our supporters who have lost their jobs and have no funds to support and keep the mission going. Pray that God will provide in new and creative ways.
If you would like to give to our feeding programs you can donate directly here.