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Dear Partners with us in the Lord’s service in Central Europe and the Balkans,
We’re exploding with news! November through January has been a productive time for us. In November, Jeannie and I had the privilege of leading vision teams from two NAB churches, one to explore a partnership with a thriving Community Health Evangelism (CHE) ministry in North Macedonia and the other to negotiate a cooperative agreement with a CHE-trained church in Prizren, Kosovo, to do outreach among an unreached people group nearby. The NAB is coming back to the Balkans!
A December relief food delivery near Odesa, Ukraine.
Thanks to financial support from NAB churches, our MEK Hungary worker, Leonard Hanykovics, and his team delivered 18,000 pounds of food and medicine aid into Ukraine in December.
In January, translation of CHE lessons began in Bulgaria for our fledgling network of pastors and churches there. We continued to explore future ministry possibilities in western Ukraine and made new connections in eastern Slovakia as well.
Meanwhile, Jeannie and I returned to Phoenix in late November and have been engaged mainly in administrative work.
I would like to give the rest of the time in this newsletter to share a recent prayer letter from Marijana Čizmanski, our own NAB Serbian national missionary. Marijana directs our NAB-sponsored team called ZZ Serbia in Novi Sad in the north of the country.
Leaders of Serbian CHE teams at November conference. Marijana is front row center; Tamara is to her left.
Dear family, friends, churches, prayer warriors,
Thank you so much for your prayers and support through this 2022. God did many amazing things, and we were blessed to be part of that as a ZZ team and as the Čizmanski family.
Something new that happened in November was a CHE conference that started as my idea, but soon others supported it, and at the end we had a team of probably 20 helpers. We were around 40 people altogether for the conference and were able to spread a vision about Christian community development. Please pray for the next step – holding a training in early 2024 for those who are interested in community development.
We were able to hold the fourth Christmas camp in the Roma community of Donji Petrovci (DP). Children spent four days in a peaceful and joyful environment among people that love them. We were able to celebrate the birthday of Jesus, sing songs, play, hear stories, prepare cookies together, and so much more! At the end of the camp for some children this was a very sad moment. They said: “Can we stay here (instead of going home)?” or “I am really enjoying being here with you.” Some were crying as they had to go home. Please pray for their families to accept different/new/healthy ways of living life and taking care of their families.
Craft time at Christmas Camp in Donji Petrovci, Serbia. Most children here do not read or write . . . yet.
On December 18, Tamara, my sister and coworker, and I picked up some of the youth from DP and visited a Roma church in central Serbia where I went with a group of youth for camp this summer. The kids wanted to visit them and their church. While there, we were also able to visit their Roma kindergarten and talk about that idea. They are very eager to help and support our work in DP with kids and starting kindergarten. On our way back home, we were listening to worship songs, and the youth asked me: “When will we go again?” Please pray for youth from DP to grow in Christ and to see changes in their lives.Soon I will have a first meeting with a team I am forming to do youth ministry in DP. Please pray that everybody comes, for the organization of this team, for their preparation (giving them basic knowledge about CHE), and finally for starting the youth meetings. It is quite amazing how God is working, and the devil is trying to do everything to stop it!
In January, Pastor Peter (who had been holding house meetings before Covid) decided to start church meetings in DP again. I have offered him the Community House so more people can attend. Please pray that people will respond to his coming and to the Word he is sharing.
Recently, I had a profound meeting with Pastor Bera (of Christian Fellowship Church, Novi Sad) about the help and support that is going to come to ZZ from my own church!!! This is so amazing! Basically, they asked me how Christian Fellowship can help and support ZZ. Pastor Bera wants to come and see DP! Pray for this. Women will come and help by doing workshops together with the ZZ team for women’s meetings in DP.
Ratko (male member of my church) has realized that ZZ ministry is something God laid on his heart and wants to support it by visiting DP every Thursday with Tamara. Pray that he stays faithful to the calling God gave him.
Vukica (our DP champion) is very supportive of the idea to have regular/kindergarten work in DP. I am starting leadership training with her. I am also going to see with the law how I can start counseling meetings in the DP community: what is needed and how I can do it. I’m already talking with Steve Liberti and Mercy Street about the summer camp and them coming to Serbia.
Marijana’s husband, Emil, building their future house 20 km outside Novi Sad, Serbia.
Family news: This is it! We are moving in!As most of you know, we are building a home 20 km from Novi Sad. We have decided that in April 2023 we will move in no matter what conditions are going to be in our new home (i.e., no water or electricity). Please pray for the provision of funds, people that will come and help, and that everything goes well.
I wish you Happy Holidays, and may God use you in 2023 like never before. Much love from ZZ team and Čizmanski family.
Marijana
