The Christmas Season is coming up!

The months have passed and new things are happening all the time in the work here in Niksic. Our weekly activities and personal meeting with people grows and it is exciting to see God`s plans in action and being a tiny part of it. 

Here in the beginning of the blog, we want to bring a reflection in relation to Christmas over a text, we have worked with in the girls’ bible study groups lately. The text is from the Gospel of Luke 1,39-45 (ESV):

"In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry. Blessed are you among women, and my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

Finally, the Christmas decorations have entered the boutiques and homes around Niksic – later than in many other countries because Christmas is celebrated the 7^th of January. We are in the time of waiting for our Lord`s birth into the world. Often this time can be full of practical matters and be a fairly stressful time because of preparations for the Christmas season. However, this text points to some basic truths about this waiting time until the biggest miracle of all times happens: God, himself coming to the world to save us. In this text from the Bible, Mary chose to travel half way through the country, despite her pregnancy, to see her cousin, Elizabeth, who also got pregnant by the Power of God, because she had reach an age, where that should not be possible. The touching part in this story is the reaction Mary gets from her cousin. Try to think about this: Your cousin is pregnant with the savior of the world!?  Even though God has helped you too become pregnant with a significant person in Christianity, John the Baptist, easily jalousie could grow in the relationship between the women.  How significant it is that Elizabeth is filled with joy and blessings for the circumstances of Mary and the calling she got. Though, before the joy enters in Elizabeth heart, the text tells that she was filled with the Holy Spirit – she has a personal meeting with God first. Her joy points towards the focus we may have in this waiting month – the birth of Jesus! It is the most changing event in the history of the world! God himself chose to live as a human being with all the limits it has. Imagine this: God, who has create the universe, needs to learn everything like a child. However, the biggest thing is that he came to save us! To create eternal life with God for whoever believes in him! Therefore, this time is a special time of waiting and longing for God to be born! In this time we should do like Elizabeth, run towards Christmas full of worship and praise for the miracle we celebrate. It is the best Christmas present ever! Like many of us did when we were children and waited for the present  under the Christmas tree. Firstly, we need to start in prayers to invite The Holy Spirit into our hearts, so we can be changed and be full of joy and blessed happiness like Elizabeth experienced in her meeting with Mary! 

The concert from August:

In the last blog we explain about our starting concert of the school year. During the concert we managed to interview a couple of the participants to hear about their impressions of the event and the general work of EUS. Therefore, we now want to share the impressions with you.So, here is four students` impression:

“I love music and I love live playing that is why I came. Also, I wanted to see my friends. I really liked the whole thing tonight because each of the musicians have their own qualities. Also, I would like to hear the opinions of the Christian student organisation and share mine with them. I hope I am able to find time to come this year”. (Svetlana)

”There was a great atmosphere tonight. People from the surrounding buildings, from the cars and even kids at the street were able to hear the music. It reminded me about my childhood because it was very friendly. It felt like all the people from the concert were brothers. I believe the Christian Student organization is a great thing. I believe that EUS is really open and I love conversations with people from all over the world. My first meeting with them was through a group from Denmark. Students don’t always think about the important things in life and therefore they need people who can lead them into that.“ (Marina)

”Our student organization started the corporation with EUS approximately 2 years ago through organizing the English conversation club. Then, it really escalated when they brought Nick Vujicic to our town. We had a really good corporation where they printed posters and we organized to promote them on the university. I think it is great that the Christian student organization exists. They promote a healthy image and promote values that all people should have. In Montenegro religion is private but here EUS comes into the pictures. They need to share with people what they do. They need to enlighten people and share their values; enlighten people so they can really become better men. It is great to again corporate with this great organization and nice to share feelings of enjoyments together". (Strahinja, student representative)               

                                   

”I was playing tonight because my friend, who should have played, couldn’t and instead I was invited to join. I simply loved the thing. I think it is really cool, nice and beautiful that EUS exist. I think it is really good to learn something through them and talk with people about Christianity”.  (Dragana, special guest of the evening)

Conversation Club:

One of our weekly activities are Conversations Club where students get a chance to practise their English conversational skills. Last year we had the Conversation Club at our office, however, this year we chose to move it back to the university area, to the university café. The main idea behind the initiative is that we want to meet students and get new contacts at the university. Being at the university area makes it easy for students to drop by and meet people that not by them self would come to our office building. This year we have already got contact to new people using this offer and every week different people attends.

Students meeting:

Our Wednesday student meetings are still going on and many different things have been on the program. We have had different guest e.g. Heather Nicola Staff, a Christian politician from England, who talked about life in politics and also we had Danish guest. Also our own team members have had talks and bible studies. Jelena had a talk about using your potentials and gifts while Danijel have lead different bible studies. This week Peter will be in charge of an evening regarding `worries`.

Celebration in Belgrade, Serbia:

In the middle of November, more precise the 19^th, our brothers and sisters in the Serbian Evangelical Student movement, EUS, were able to celebrate their 25^th jubilee. Of cause we were there to celebrate the day with them! More than 300 people from all part of society came to be a part of the party – even from the political part of society. Through different speeches from the founders, pastors, students and politicians there were encouraging words for the work done with students on the Balkans! What a joyful thing to be able to celebrate!  

Visit from KFS – The Danish Student Organization:

In the end of November and beginning of December we had a visit from the Danish Evangelical Student Organization, KFS, who we had corporated with for many years! The Danish general secretary Christian Rasmussen and former worker and now volunteer worker for the organization Thomas encourage our work, having different meeting with people in the team, having a pan cake evening and were in charge for one of the Wednesday student meetings talking about the meaning of life. We rejoice over the corporation between our countries. 

This also gives us a chance to introduce the newest member of our team Rebekka Barbara:

Rebekka is 26 years old and originally from Copenhagen, Denmark. She has just finished her studies in Denmark as a Danish and English teacher. Already, she has been in Montenegro nine times before, helping with the summer activities but is now stationed in the city for a whole year starting from august 2016. Rebekka is supported by the Danish student organization, KFS, and her main focus is high schoolers, bible studies, administrative work and hopefully volunteer classes at the university.

Prayer request and thanksgiving:

o   The weekly activities: Girls bible studies, students meeting, Conversation Club and movie night.

o   Different bible study groups both for the girls, bible study groups on Wednesdays and individual bible study groups all of the team members have with different students. Also, please pray for new bible study groups to appear.

o   In the end of December we have an outreach for children in our city and nearby villages. We will give out around 3000 shoe boxes with different gifts for children inside. It is a big project for a small organization. Please, pray for the whole organization regarding it, the people who are a part of it and for family to be reach with the gospel. Also, pray for the follow up on the outreach.

o   Two team member are applying for visas to stay in the moment. Please, do pray for visas to Sasa and Danijel and give thanks that Rebekka finally was granted her visa!

o   Thanks for new people coming to student meeting.

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