Puppets, Sheep, and Family Portraits...Oh My!

Day 4: Another day of being “up & at ‘em” bright and early. Our World Changers were excited to welcome our Roma friends back for another day of ministry time, games, fellowship, family pictures, and the powerful silent drama, Redeemer! We did hear that rain may be on its way…we prayed that God would let the clouds move so that our ministry would go off as planned.

We welcomed 60 more Roma back to camp. We had some who returned for a second day and some new faces. We began our morning with puppets, Revolution (Whoop Whoop), and we even did the Cupid Shuffle! While ministry was beginning on the play field I had the opportunity to talk to our Roma pastor. He was overwhelmed with gratitude for the ministry that our team’s were presenting. He explained that the majority of the Roma had NEVER been away from their village. Wow. Most of them had never seen the lake or had a vacation. What a privilege to be a place of rest and renewal for them.

Before we broke off from the big group we announced that family portraits would be taken. Several families rushed over to participate. They came over with faces full of pride and ready to showcase their family. Through a translator we explained that they would be getting a copy of their family picture to take home. The look on their faces was priceless. Here are a few of the family portraits that were taken…

Will you take a moment to stop and pray for the people in these photos? Pray that God would continue to send missionaries to spread the gospel. Pray that God would continue to keep their minds and hearts open to His word. Pray that they would become engulfed in the TRUTH of Jesus. Pray that Tefig, the Roma pastor, would be encouraged and strengthened.

After a morning full of ministry, a great lunch, and a little beach time we began our afternoon ministry time. We started by telling the Roma about the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Lost Coin. Two of our crews worked hard to retell the stories and to act them out. Wow. They were SO creative! The Roma watched intently and even laughed (and joined in!) at our precious sheep! J

Next, one of our crews began the silent drama, Redeemer. It was truly powerful. The Roma watched carefully and some other campers stopped what they were doing so that they could watch. Our crew did so well with this! Betty, our field rep, explained to the Roma what the drama was all about. She then asked our team to do it again. I was standing in the middle of the crowd and overheard a Roma couple bickering about who would go and get their crying baby. Neither of them wanted to miss it! We were all in awe of what was happening. Betty asked Tefig if he wanted to add anything…he simply said, “I cannot add anymore to what was just done. It was perfect.” Praise God!

We ended our night with Tefig as our worship speaker. Do you know what he talked about? The Parable of the Lost Sheep AND the Parable of the Lost Coin. Did he know that those were the two parables we had planned for earlier in the day? Nope, but God did. J We all had goose bumps as he talked about those two parables and as he began talking about the Roma. Each one of us left that room feeling inspired, renewed, and with a whole new understanding of why we were called to Macedonia.

He asked us to read two scriptures for homework:

Jeremiah 1:18 Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.

Ezekiel 33:7-9 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.

Please continue to pray for the Roma, the people of Macedonia, our missionaries, and for us as we finish our last few days of ministry. Thursday and Friday are supposed to be VERY hot. We’ll be sending two crews to work at the church and two crews will work on a play field in Bitola. There is little shade. Pray that we’ll wake up energized and focused on the task at hand. Pray that we’ll continue to love these people like Jesus. Thank you! We love all of you and miss you!