I am so very thankful that Stoneworks exists to help missionaries fulfill God’s call. Our recent mission trip was a great example of how SII serves missionaries and local churches.
Yesterday, after two very good and full weeks, we said our goodbyes to a team from Athens, GA. Most of the team members were from the Wesley Foundation at the University of Georgia. Jane Kilgo, from St. James UMC in Athens, also joined the team. The team is pictured above with the Kid’s Club at church.
It’s impossible to say how loving, encouraging and gracious the team was. Many people were very blessed by their time here, including the team members!
The team was involved in many different aspects of ministry, all with the focus of serving the Brethren Assembly in Podgorica. The pastor, Vladimir Cizmansky, is pictured at right performing a baptism which we were honored to attend.
Vladimir and his wife Marijana are both great examples of disciples of Jesus who pour out their lives in service to Christ and others.
Stoneworks was also helped in many ways by Violeta Pavetic. This was her first time working as a team administrator, and she did a great job doing all the things necessary to help the team — scheduling, meals, transportation, housing, etc. Violeta is picture at left with some of the kids from the church. Violeta is jewel of a person and a great friend and co-worker.
In addition to running the Kid’s Club, the team ministered in many other ways. They taught an English class at church; ministered at a small fellowship in Kotor, a city with about seven known Christians; and helped local missionaries in Bar, a city with about five Christians.
We also held prayer walks in two mountain cities that have no church and one known Christian; we were interceding for the people and praying that God will send workers there to bring His gospel. Vladimir is very keen to see churches begun in those cities. Here, my wife Olga is praying for the town of Zabljak — there are no known Christians in this town.
Jane Kilgo gave much of her time to teaching and ministering healing prayer. She and Marijana visited many people to pray for them; there were several instances of people being set free from burdens they carried for many years. They also taught a seminar on healing prayer in Podgorica.
The team also ministered to the youth as they shared God’s word and encouraged believers and non-Christians to learn more of God’s love and grace. Pictured at right is ministry time in the forest near Lake Skadar.
This past Sunday, the team brought words of encouragement and comfort, in the New Testament this is called prophesy, to the church. The Lord gave us scriptures from the book of Colossians for the church; I shared those scriptures during the sermon, then after the service we had a time of ministry to individuals.
The church felt the life of God flowing. Many people were blessed and encouraged — there were many radiant faces and hearts full of love. Clearly, God was leading us by His Spirit.
It was very clear that the Lord set us together as living stones in order to know Him better and do the work He had prepared for us. We are all very thankful for His goodness to us.
