Last week my team and I arrived in Tetovo, Macedonia and instantly became a majority in a minority. Tetovo is a city in Macedonia in which the majority of the people are Albanian Muslims. There are no local believers, no church, and only a handful of missionaries. To say the least this past week has turn my world upside down and put a heavy burden on my heart. These are the stories we hear about, the stories that stir us up as Christians. The stories that I was longing to partner with God in, but to be honest facing this darkness everyday was not something I was prepared for.
The first time this reality set in was on my first 6am run up to a near by mountain. As I neared the top I stopped and looked down onto the city to pray over it, and suddenly it hit me, there were so many houses, so many people yet they were all living in darkness they were all being held captive by the pressures of the enemy. The thought discouraged me and made me realize that I could not even try to fight this battle on my own. That I was not enough and that nothing was going to change with our team being here. At the same time it gave me joy and strength because the reality was that the God that we serve is enough and He has a heart for this city. With no local believers, no church, and only a handful of missionaries He will still show up and this is still His city. On our own we may not be enough but He has called us and He will work through us!
One of the hardest parts has been that it is illegal to convert people here, the term missionaries is a definite no-no and in a way it leaves me feeling helpless. Helplessness brings me to the end of myself and leads me to prayer, pleading to our Lord and Savior for the hearts of the people here. The best I can do for them is love on them and pray for them
This city puts a burden in my heart but I will not fear or be disheartened because “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth” Philippians 2:10
Please consider joining me in prayer for the lost city of Tetovo and consider partnering with me financially. I still have $5,700 dollars left to fundraise and together we can reach the Nations and the unreached people groups.
