CEE Story From The Mission Field
Each Day Is Crucial
November 26, 2003
"But what does that mean?” she asked expectantly. “You’ve said that all I have to do is follow Jesus, but how do I do that? Does that mean I should dress like he dressed? He didn’t have a car; does that mean I shouldn’t drive mine?”
Two years earlier Gordana had been forced from her home in volatile western Macedonia to the capital city of Skopje where she, her husband, and 13-year-old son now lived in a hotel room provided by the government. She knew about helplessness. She was living a hopeless life, but finally the Holy Spirit seemed to be penetrating her heart.
When a local believer and an IMB missionary left Gordana that day, the air was electric with excitement. She was asking so many questions -- she seemed to be understanding that she needed to be saved and that Jesus is the only one who can save her. She promised to join them for Bible study on Sunday. Everyone was confident that very soon the 36-year-old woman would commit her life to Jesus Christ. She would be reborn and her new life would be one of hope and victory regardless of the tragedies that might continue to befall her.
Two days later, on Friday, Gordana died of a heart attack.
Velika lived next door to the missionaries, with her husband, two grown sons, and until the day before, her father-in-law, Stojan. The day before, Stojan had slipped and fallen headfirst into a canal, breaking his neck. He died in the hospital four hours later. Velika shifted her weight to rest on her forearms as she leaned on the balcony railing and in somber tones described his last moments.
"He was clutching Boro’s hand tightly and then asked Zoki to hold his other hand. His grip was so tight, as if he was clinging to them, afraid to let go. He knew he was about to die but he wasn’t ready. It seemed like he was hoping that somehow they’d be able to keep him here with us . . . and then he died,” she said with resigned acceptance.
The funeral was the next day. Family and friends solemnly greeted one another in funeral tradition: “May God forgive him,” and lit candles in his honor. We all ate a candy called lokum to ensure his spirit’s “sweet” entry into eternity. Forty days later a meal was served at the grave, and a little was left behind for Stojan’s spirit. Velika has continued to faithfully observe every church holiday and follow all traditions regarding the death of Stojan, in hopes of helping him find his way to heaven.
Gordana and Stojan were just two, in a city of six hundred thousand, in a country of over two million, in a world of 6.3 billion. God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son. And Jesus so loved the world that He died for each one of these 6.3 billion. He died for each of the two million living in Macedonia, and for each of the six hundred thousand in Skopje, and Jesus died for these two. He died for Gordana and He died for Stojan. It is out of our hands now – now we must do our best in His strength and in His power to reach the others.
A huge 200-foot cross stands on a ridge above Skopje proclaiming to all that this city is Christian. Most Macedonians profess undeterred allegiance to the Macedonian Orthodox Church, however many will also add that they do not believe in God. Priests are the only mediators to God yet corruption within the church is a common, and even accepted, problem. Superstition and other practices such as astrology, tarot cards, reading palms and tealeaves are widespread, showing that Macedonians want to cover all the bases in their journey through this life. They search for hope in everything but find it in nothing.
Pray for the Macedonian people – they are so warm and caring but spiritually their hearts are so hard. Only one person in a thousand has a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Pray for Macedonian evangelical believers to encourage one another in love. Pray that the Holy Spirit will empower believers to share boldly and will soften the hearts of the lost, preparing them to receive Him. Pray that every believer will share the gospel, that every disciple will make disciples and that every church will start new churches, so that every lost person will have the chance to hear the Truth and make a heartfelt decision to follow Jesus. Each day is crucial.