Click here to view this newsletter as a PDF.
As North American Baptist missionaries in Central Europe, Ron and Jeannie Seck wear several ministry hats. While they serve as NAB Hungary field leaders, Ron also oversees Community Health Evangelism (CHE) teams in Hungary and Serbia where the NAB and NAB churches have developed partnerships. In addition, Ron is CHE Coordinator for Central Europe and the Balkans and facilitates the expanding network of CHE teams known as the CHE EuroNet.
Church planting meeting in Boldog community center.
While Jeannie and Ron cannot be in Central Europe and the Balkans during this pandemic doing the hands-on work they love to do, they have been very active in the US cranking the administrative nuts and bolts that help keep the work running. But telling you about their administrative work would be rather boring compared to relating the exciting results taking place on the field, much of it being done by leaders that Ron and Jeannie have helped train. Here is their report.
The COVID-19 virus infection rates continue to ebb and flow in each of the countries of Central Europe and the Balkans. Consequently, so do the opportunities to do village work for each of our CHE EuroNet teams in these countries. However, we are experiencing encouraging openings and advancements in a number of regions.
Hungary – The MEK Hungary central team is holding weekly Bible study meetings in Boldog with those interested in planting a church in their community. Please pray for this group to grow spiritually and numerically. The team is also engaged in upgrading the Boldog community center by hooking up plumbing and electricity and putting on a new, rain-proof roof. The MEK team is also starting formal CHE entrance in the village of Apc, where they have done children’s work for two years. MEK Hungary has recruited and trained four new board members, including two from our NAB conference: Randy Schmor of Gateway Teams and Erv VanVeldhuizen from Hillside Baptist in Dickinson, North Dakota.
Klara teaches vegetable canning in Nadalj, Serbia.
Serbia – Klara and Emil Dudas of REZ Serbia recently held a disciple-making retreat with the Roma (Gypsy) family of their “CHE Champion” in the village of Nadalj. This was a new experience for Zoran, Ivana, and their children as they went to a retreat facility, studied the Word, prayed, played, and ate together. They now have a vision for reaching their neighborhood for Christ. Klara and Emil also held a vegetable-canning workshop and Bible study for the community to teach how to prepare food for the long Serbian winter.
Baptisms after crusades in CHE villages in Macedonia.
CHE training in the Roma village of Meksiko, North Macedonia.
North Macedonia – Pastor Jimmy Polikarp and his CHE teams have barely missed a beat during the pandemic. The team of Adams, Marija, and Tevche are holding well-attended CHE community meetings in the villages of Przdevo and C. Bregovi. The people of Przdevo have chosen their Community Leadership Team, and C. Bregovi is not far behind. The next step will be to disciple and train these leaders to guide their community through personal and community transformation in Christ. Stefan and Alit are seeing similar progress with the M*sl*m Roma in Meksiko and Three Bagremi where sixty people recently prayed to receive Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, Stojan and Zorica have begun CHE entry into the village of Trebotiviste. CHE Training modules 1 and 2 (called TOT1 and TOT2) are being held in North Macedonia in November. Please pray that more Roma M*sl*ms will come to Christ and find hope in Him for a new life. Pray for an NAB work team that will go there in May 2021 to build a community center and a water system.
Bulgaria and Slovakia – CHE EuroNet has formed a New Expansion Projects working group to pray for and seek out new regions to begin CHE teams and community outreach and development projects. This is leading us to new connections with people of similar vision in Bulgaria where we have long wanted to begin work and in Slovakia. Pray for a gathering of Slovakian and Bulgarian Christians to attend CHE TOT1 courses in 2021.
Albania and Kosovo – New CHE community programs have reached the Community Leadership Team training stage in Sector Seman and Mbrostar Ura, Albania. A south Serbia CHE team is in the process of forming. In November, Patriot Hoxhaj and Agron Aga, directors of MAI Albania and CHE Albania respectively, are teaching a TOT1 to two Kosovo churches who want to partner to do a community program. Pray as Jeannie and Ron join Agron December 7 to 11 to teach a CHE course at the International School of Theology and Leadership in Tirana, Albania.
Bosnia – EZZ Serbia, under Director Sasha Cipra, has been able to hold community meetings in Kiseljak, outside the city of Tuzla. The Friday night New Life group is growing quite large. The team has also reengaged with the people of Moznik by assisting them in building a soccer field. Sasha asks for your prayer for this village where there is currently stiff resistance from some to their Christian presence there.
We praise God that in the midst of COVID His work is flourishing.
For His Kingdom Come,
Prayer
- Pray for open doors during this pandemic for our Community Health Evangelism (CHE) teams to do their mercy and evangelism ministry in the poor communities of Central Europe and the Balkans.
- Pray for Ron and Jeannie’s return to the field.
- Pray for all the requests in bold in the newsletter below.
Praises
- God has not only kept but increased many of our teams’ ministries during this pandemic.
Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.
Ezekiel 47:12 (NIV)
Ron and Jeannie Seck
3023 N 17th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85015, USA
Ronseck@me.com | Jeanseck@gmail.com