Mission to Montenegro newsletter
Blog entry for 15 March 2012
Mission to Montenegro March 2012 Newsletter:
Recent
Church/Ministry Highlights:
**Extreme Weather:
Because of the heavy snowfall in February, we canceled meetings for two
weeks. However, we are happily back in
action after a week of springlike weather—only vestiges of snow remain.
**Arrival of the McLaughlin Family: We joyfully welcomed the McLaughlin family on
March 8 who arrived tired but in one piece after many hours of travel. Since they are posting their perceptions and
experiences on a family blog: http://familyblog.bldrmcl.com/ , we
won’t duplicate their efforts. They are
updating their blog several times a week, so we suggest you bookmark it and
check in often! (And if you do head over
there, compare the picture against the fence with the one from the Big Snow!)
**Postponed Get-togethers:
--This past week, Danica gathered her unbelieving friends
for bible study. Please pray for wisdom
as Danica seeks to share the good news with her classmates: some are searching, others are avowed
atheists.
--We enjoyed our first Ladies Coffee Fellowship of the new
year, which is currently scheduled for every Wednesday afternoon. Julie and I met with Rada (a believer) and M.
(an unbeliever). The purpose is to foster
relationships and encourage one another as well as to model Christian living,
thinking, and joyfulness for M Although
we rejoice that M now comes fairly regularly to our Sunday services and
participates in special events, we long for her to know sweet communion with
Christ as her Lord and Savior.
**College Ministry:
After a month of holidays and inactivity due to the weather, this past
month has seen a flurry of activity with the coming of a small team from Norway and a large group from Denmark. The Norwegians came expressly for the purpose
of producing a video to show Christian students in Norway
the state of the Christian student ministry here in Montenegro. The desired outcome is to encourage Norwegian students and recent
graduates to pray for the young people here and to consider coming themselves
for short/long term ministry amongst them
We hosted 12 Danish Bible school students and their teachers
for 10 days this last month. Their
efforts focused on activities such as a Danish Cultural Night and Acoustic Café
night to bring non-Christian students into contact with believing students,
providing an opportunity to build relationships and witness about Christ. We now have 8 new names to follow-up on. Please pray for Danijel and Peter as well as
all the believers to keep on reaching out to these eight people.
**Saved from Death:
We all are thanking the Lord that the father (N.) of one of our members
not only survived a severe heart attack (and follow-up bypass surgery, neither
of which the doctors thought he would live through), but he (N.) has since
indicated that he knows he has Jesus to thank and honor for his new life. N. has heard the gospel many times—both from
his daughter and son-in-law and from visiting the church several times. Please pray that his love for Christ will
grow and that his new life (physically speaking) will be blessed with new
spiritual life as well. We all have
great hope in what the Lord is doing and can accomplish!
Family News:
Soon after saying good-bye to Rebekka and her family, we
welcomed and hosted the Danish team.
With 18-19 people in the house, things were hopping on the home
front. Now that the McLaughlins are
here, we are still hopping! We have
already been blessed both practically (Richard and Julie are gifted artists and
craftsmen) as well as spiritually in everyday discussions around the table and
at family devotions.
We are expecting Nemanja, a young Christian man engaged to
one of the young ladies in our fellowship, this weekend. He will be staying with us for the next few
months, becoming Richard’s right hand man with the construction projects and
enjoying time with his fiancee.
Josiah should finish hearing from the schools that he applied to this month. Please
pray that he (and we) would prayerfully consider his options and sense the Lord’s direction and peace.
With great love and appreciation for your ongoing support in
this great work of God,
Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro
Prayer Bullet Points:
Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro
Prayer Bullet Points:
1. For the many unbelievers who have been ministered to this past month: the students, friends, family members, especially M. (of the Coffee time) and N. (saved from death).
2. For the Ladies’ Coffee time and the Girls’ Bible study
targeted for unbelieving high school students.
3. For the construction projects spearheaded by
Richard. That wise decisions would be
made and that everyone would keep safe and whole.
4. For an improved
financial situation for Mission to Montenegro.
And many thanks to you who have already responded; it is a great encouragement
to us.