Never give up!

Now, it has become time for us to share the last weeks progress in our work with students here in Montenegro. Every week, we see how God is working in students hearts in his own timing and speed. It makes us stand in awe for the King of Kings. He truly want people of this country to turn to him.

Do not become weary!

A couple of weeks ago, at our weekly team meeting, we were studying a passage from the bible; Mark. 5,1-20. It became a great encouragement for us:       
                

„They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.  Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis  how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.“

In this blog, we will just point on a couple of points. First of all, it is interesting that the demons inside of the unnamed man, recognised Jesus with the words:  “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” The demons know who Jesus is: The Son of the Most High God! In the same time, they are humbeling themselves for Jesus, even praying for mercy from him. They know that they have no chances against the Creator of the universe, the one where everything comes from. And even more remarkable is, that Jesus – at least for a short moment, show them mercy, letting them go into the two thousand pigs. Jesus, God himself, is mercyful and full of grace, in the same time he is stronger than any power of the world. Secondly, it is interesting to look into the reaction from the people in Gerasenes. When the man was impured with the spirits, they tried to help him the best they could by chaining him and put him into irons, so he would not destroy himself. However, when Jesus has healed him from the demons possessing him, when he sat there, dressed and in his right mind, the population where afraid. Apparently, they were not afraid of him, when he was scary and bearly a human anymore, but now, when they saw the power of God working in him, they got afraid. They even send Jesus away from the region.  The man not only asked, but begged, Jesus for permission to go with him. However, Jesus plans for him were different. He needed to: „Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.“ The man’s heart must have dropped inside of him. He needed to stay in-between people, who really didn’t wanted him to be there, and share the good things that Jesus had done in his life, with people who got afraid of it. What a calling! However, this man follows the calling he got from Jesus and stayed there. It is interesting to think about this; the people of Gerasenes would rather have him among them, when he was living at the tomb and possessed by demons, than as a follower of Christ. And here we come to the third and most encouraging message for us! The man stayed in his calling, even though it became difficult. Sometimes, when we live with him and love him and want to share that with others, it can cause people to both reject us but even stronger reject  Jesus, the Saviour and King of the world. However, if you follow Jesus, you are called to share him, and continue to do so, even when you are facing difficult times of rejection, and here the man in the text shows us a great example to follow. He stayed and preached about the good things God had done for him, and people got amazed! By time and the work of Holy Spirit people will maybe even, like the people in this passaged, get amazed by the love from Jesus.

Everyday life: 

In general, we are living in every day life here; meeting students every day sharing life and faith with them; doing our weekly activities: Football, girl bible study, student meeting, conversation club and game nights. That is often how things are; we are living our everyday life, doing our best to glorify the name of the God, pointing on him.

Student meetings:

Since last time, we have started a series of bible studies known as “Uncover“ at our student meetings. The material is recently translated into Serbian!  It is a Bible study that takes us through themes and the story of Jesus in the gospel of John!  

However, last week we took a break from the bible studies because we got a lovely and encouraging visit from Chad and Lauri Lackey, old friends of our organization. They were here for a short time, but they had time to share what God had put on their heart lately. It was such a good evening, where students were deeply touched over the amazing love from Jesus in their lives. Chad shared a message about., how Jesus became the biggest servant of all by giving us life through his own dead and ressurection. How by seeing this, we desire to follow the same example. The students shared stories from their own lives pointing on this theme. Thanks for a great, but way too short visit, Chad and Laurie.

Chad is leading about Jesus as a servant at our student meeting. 

Visit from Camp Monty:

Earlier this month, we also had a visit from Jimmy Compton, the leader of Camp Monty (the sports camps we are having every summer). He was here to follow up and various contacts and relations and also the plan the camp for next year. Even though, he had a couple of busy days here, we managed to have a social event in the house of Danijel and Martina. Under supervision from Jimmy, we were prepraring different American dished such as pulled pork, pulled beef, mac and cheese and various salads. It gave us a nice chance to invite students and spend time with them. 

Students and other people enjoying American
food and good fellowship!

More than enough for
everyone! 

Girls talk in the couch! 

Brussel:

Danijel was over this weekend,  on a short trip to Belgium, Brussel, where he was meeting with a small group of General Secretaries from other European Countries. It was an encouraging experience to share and hear about the other organisations’ joys and struggles and share personal life with other leaders of the student movements.  

General Secretaries from the following countries:
Bulgaria, Denmark, Latvia, Switzerland,
England, Bosnia-Herzegovina and of
cause Belgium!

Christmas Packages:

In this month of Christmas, we are also preparing our yearly outreach to the children of our town, when we are giving 2-3000 Christmas packages, given to us through the Samaritan Purse. We will visit different schools in the area, telling the good news about the savior of the world being born! It will be a couple of intense days, but remembering the faces of the children, who recent years received a gift, we know it is all worth it!  

Danijel gave a talk at a school last year for the Christmas
packages!

The team helping last year! 

These are the ones
we want to show
the love from Christ! 

Prayer requests: Here in the end of our blog, we want – as always – to ask for prayer requests.

- Please pray for the heart of the students. That they will open and receive Jesus in their lives.

- Please pray for more students to attend our weekly Wednesday meetings.

- Please pray for students to join and connect with us through sport, board games and Conversation Club.

- Please pray for the women bible study group.- Please pray for our one-to-one meeting with students, that Jesus will shine through us.

- Please pray for Martina (Danijel's wife). She has started the children's work in church after more than a year of prayers for that. Pray for her to has wisdom to lead the children and show them the truth of God.

- Please pray for this month’s outreacNow, it has become time for us to share the last weeks progress in our work with students here in Montenegro. Every week, we see how God is working in students hearts in his own timing and speed. It makes us stand in awe for the King of Kings. He truly want people of this country to turn to him.