Mission to Montenegro newsletter

Grace and Peace to you in the name of God our Father!

February may be a short month, but it is still a packed month.  Here are a few highlights since last month's newsletter.

• With the start of the new series in Exodus, Stan presented an overview of the book, with a special look at the parallels between God’s people being delivered from Egyptian slavery by Moses and God’s ultimate delivery of His people from sin’s enslavement by our Lord Jesus Christ.  In our evening service going through James 1, we've looked at how and why we must count it all joy when we fall into various trials along with the helps and cautions to endure that we might receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

• We've welcomed some new people to Nikšić, all here for short-term missions work.  The Ukrainian YWAM group of six people (and a baby!) are here for one month as part of their Practical Outreach of Discipleship training.  They've jumped right in with the church life, participating in all our regular events as well as "Cafe Connecting", going out to meet people on their own, and Mercy Ministries, helping older folks with their firewood needs and the Petkovski family who are moving into their own home.  We are also blessed to have Peter T (yes, another Peter!) from Denmark for the next four months.  Peter T was here last year, with the Danish Bible School, and proved eager to come back and be a part of the official EUS work reaching university students.

• On a more somber note, we witnessed the passing of two people, not members but with whom many of us had close connections.  In both cases, it was a surprisingly short time between "something is not right" and being gone.  We can only hope that the many seeds of truth heard took root.  And may it spur us to keep sowing, knowing the reality that it is appointed for men once to die, and after this the judgment. (Heb. 9:27)

Upcoming Ministry and Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for both the YWAM team and Peter T--to know the presence of the Lord, to continue to use their time and talents wisely, to trust the Lord that He will work all things to good at just the right time. 

• We've been meeting and getting to know new people!  The past month has brought several new people, both men and women, into our personal sphere as well as the wider church.  In a setting where personal relationships provide the best context for spiritual discourse, we rejoice in this! Rejoice with us! Please pray for the Holy Spirit to transform lives as only He can.

• In God's providence, the group from Georgia has decided to take more time in planning a ministry outreach here in Montenegro.  Meanwhile, we have plans to visit the church this summer in order to foster our relationship and make plans together.  Please pray for this team and others that have expressed a desire to come.  We love having church groups, Bible schools,  and individuals who come and see what the Lord is doing here in Nikšić, and participate in it, but we need to wisely pace ourselves.  Pray that we all might have eyes and ears to see and hear the Lord's leading.

• At his most recent eye exam, the optometrist said the time has come for Stan to have cataract surgery.   We are fortunate that he should be able to have it done at a private clinic with good reputation in Podgorica.  Even so, there are a number of bureaucratic hoops to jump through (referrals for referrals, all needing to be done in person), so please pray for Stan as he perseveres (James 1 in action!) and that all would be accomplished in a timely manner.