No Small Things
January 18, 2010
Here is the most recent from Christina Melton –
Before I left the USA and after I arrived here, I asked several people who have lived overseas what the milestones are in foreigner’s life. All of them said that 3 months was the first, and this week I hit the 3 month mark (January 21).
The biggest change I can feel is that I am excited about learning the language now. To be honest, I have been pretty stressed out about it, but for some reason things have shifted in this last week.
Violeta has been forcing me to speak Serbian more, and I am so thankful for that. I can call a taxi now and tell the driver where to go, order a meal, and even joke with people occasionally.
Of course, 3 months means that I have to cross the border so I can renew my tourist visa, start working on my papers, have a more solid plan for this semester.
Also, the reality of cold weather and no car has set in.
But I can honestly say that I am still incredible thankful to be here.
This last month has been about vision for teenage ministry. It is easy to just “fly by the seat of one’s pants” when working with teenagers, but without vision, we can easily begin to turn one way or another and not arrive where we originally hoped.
My prayer and goal now is to have a solid vision statement on which we can stand when making decisions about activities, etc.
So, just a quick bit about our teenagers. Where did they come from, if only one has parents who are believers (he is not even from Montenegro)?
A missionary from Serbia arrived around 9 years ago (I think 9) and began children’s programs here. Though she began with only 2 children, she and others were faithful were those 2, and the number grew.
Because of her ministry, we now have teenagers who, for the last few years, have been coming to church and learning about Jesus.
“Who has despised the day of small things?” (Zech 4:10)
“Whoever can be trusted with little can be trusted with much…” (Luke 16:10)
Please continue to pray that we here in PG will be faithful with the few we have, so that no matter how many are to come, we will have the humility and discipline to be faithful with the many.
Right now, our teenage group consists of around 10 teenagers, mostly girls. Pray for wisdom, that we would know how to minister to these faithfully, and that they would come to truly know God.
Related posts:
- Montenegro — Deepening Relationships
- Update from Christina Melton
- Language, Kids and Worship
- Is that the Bible???
- From Head to Toe
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