Grace: Macedonia Part Tre

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance." Song of Songs 2:12-13a

It only took about a day for everything to seem the same as always after having finally arrived Skopje. I'm convinced that time stands still in Macedonia, if not the entire Balkan region of the world. Not to give the impression that it's a perpetual springtime...it just happened to be so when myself, Lindz, and Liz stepped off of our Austrian Air flight and onto Macedonian terrain. I had had a funny feeling when I left Skopje in August, looking down teary-eyed at the red tile roofs and shallow valleys from the plane--the smallest seed of a notion that I'd be back. I didn't want to believe it at the time. In fact, I hardly wanted to believe that I'd been granted the blessing of returning to Macedonia, my home of two years, as I handed the indifferent politzia my passport, as I drove past the green hills and tiny shacks, and into the dusty streets of Skopje. Unreal. Yet...so familiar. I love that about Mk.

Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your Holy Mountain, to the place where you dwell." Psalm 43:3,

How truthful can I be with the Lord? If I were to be totally truthful about my view of self previous to this little journey I would have to say it was horribly warped from believing lies--"pull yourself up by the boot-strap" sort of lies, commonly accepted American ideology. The rawness I'd experienced the previous six months was still evident for a good five or six days into the 14 day trip. Slowly, healing began to take place--by His grace...and through shear simplicity (thank God for simplicity!). Beti's cooking may have had something to do with it too. :)

I don't mean to make this totally about me here. Or Macedonia, per say. Because clearly, the way the Lord works is mysterious and wonderful, and the people and places He chooses to use for the increase of His Glory are fully up to Him, and at His perfect discretion. But seeing my friends run after Him with intensity and thirst; seeing the good fruit of many laborers, well, it wet my parched soul. It's funny too, because the way God views progress is so contrary to how we view it. (Holy Lord am I still learning.) We're comparable to broken pots when His most serious transformation can take place. God is at work in Macedonia, yes. Just as much as He's at work anywhere.
Let the spring come.

Women's event at Melissa's

Skopje from Melissa's 11th floor balcony.

going to the fakulty...



home.