Thassos i sikte: August 2009

Monday, August 31, 2009

Our days in Skopje

We were staying with a lovely family in Tetovo, family Rudd who works with Youth With a Mission. And while we were there they gave birth to their second son. :-) Congratulations!! We also got to know another couple of the staff, Jordan and Vesna, who went with us for a fun day in the capital city and introduced us to some other people. It was good to get to know them and hopefully we'll get to work more with them in the future.

Jordan is modelling at one of many statues in Skopje.

Daniel is talking to mummy who's at the hospital with babybrother.

Mother Theresa is from Skopje.

Flag of F.Y.R.O.M

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Our way to Skopje

After some days in Thassos we continued north west to FYROM.
An Albanian couple, friends of the fellowship, were going to Thessalonica and gave us a ride. It's amazing how God makes us one. We didn't know a common language and yet they are now our brother and sister.

From Thessalonica we took the train to Skopje.

What to say about our ride on the train? Did you travel with train in Sweden in the 1980s? I did quite some and this was like going back in time. Lena likes the older trains when you feel and hear that you are traveling. Kenneth though would rather enjoy the comfort of a car but was happy to be able to speek to our fellow travelers...

After one hour at the border and another three hours on the train we came to Skopje where our Macedoian friends were picking us up.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Our days at Thassos

We have had another week in Macedonia and feel really excited about what God want us to do down there. I more and more understand that most likely nothing will be as I have planed it... First of all I have to adjust to the Greek way of doing things... It's more about relationships and spending time than efficiency and organisation. I have to allow things to take time. We have a thought of a café and I really love to see it come to pass. But sometimes it feels overwhelming, how will we make it happen? But! all things are possible for him who belives. Halleluja! As long as we walk in what we belive God has told us to do, he will also have his hand of protection and guidens for us. "And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." Rom 8:28

In Thassos we were hosted by a Albanian who live with a german on this Greece island. They have a peacefull and beautiful place just few hundred meters from the beach :-) We stayed in Thassos for three days. Spent some time with our friends in the fellowship.

When we in Sweden where getting ready for the trip Lena didn't feel so motivated to go. Would rather stay back. But when Mario came to meet us at the ferry we where home!

Gordon was of great help taking us to some officials and making it possible for us to see a facility that is for rent. This was very encouraging even though we don't think this is our place. Now we at least have something more concrete to think of. There is a nother place, a big abandon house, that we love to have but we don't know how to find the owner or how to assume it. But God willing... everything is possible.

Fresh fruit from the garden. Ah lovely.

Another visit in Macedonia

Yesterday we came home.
Today we done some unpacking and washing.
Tomorrow we will update the blog...

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Harvest time

Look how it's growing in our garden! :-)
Well it's more green then fruits, but still...
We did get some potatos and if we're lucky we'll get a tomato aswell...

Facts on Thassos

Thassos is the most northen island in Greece, in the province of Macedonia. It is a very green island with high hills that makes a beautiful scenery, and there is also some really nice beaches.
There is 16000 inhabitants on the island that count a circumference of 91km. Thassos town is Limenas but there is also several vilages on the island.
To get to the island you need to take the boat from Kavala or Keramoti to either Limenas or Skala Prinou. The seagull will make you company all the way hoping to get something :-)

The vision (english)

1996 Kenneth got the calling through a dream to go to Macedonia. At that time he didn't know that such country existed , more than mentioned in the Bible. But the same morning a Christian magazine, “Light for the peoples”, came with the mail and landed on the floor with an article about a missionary family in Macedonia facing up. The first that caught Kenneth's attention was a quote of Paule “Come and help us” Acts 16:9. Kenneth then felt he would have to wait for at least 10 years before fully stepping into the vision.

During the years he has prepared himself with bible school and work in different congregations to get experience. There has also been lots of trips to the area, among other in 2001 when he was working as a guide on Thassos. Until then he had thought that Macedonia only is the small country in former Yugoslavia. Now he found out that the area in northern Greece also is Macedonia.

During the time in Thassos Kenneth got to know some Christians, Dimitri and Gordon. Together they started to have services for tourists in a pavilion by the sea. These became popular and now they have a small congregation on the island where Dimitri is the pastor. This fellowship is the base for our mission in Macedonia.

On February 7, 2009 Lena became part of the vision as we got married. Lena has been in mission for some years with YWAM, youth with a mission, and love to do more missionary work. After a few visits to Thassos she got a feel for the people in the area. Kenneth think she's an important part of the puzzle and to see the vision come true.

Kenneth is a pioneer with many visions while Lena is of more calm and stable character. We complete each other well.

After one year of marriage we decided to make our way south. For two years we were having the privilige of staying on an island with a small english/greek speeking fellowship as a base for our mission. Our mission was simply to preach the gospel in the area. Our main focus has been on the youth. Now we are back in Sweden but the church on Thassos is still serving the Lord on Thassos. And we hope that we continuously will be able to bring in teams and do other outreaches in the area. And maybe in the future come back on a more long term base.

Visionen (svenska)

1996 fick Kenneth i en dröm Makedonien som en missionskallelse. Han visste då inte att landet existerade, mer än som omtalad i Bibeln. Men den morgonen trillade ett Ljus i Öster-tidning in genom brevinkastet och landade med baksidan upp, där var en artikel om en missionärsfamilj i Makedonien. Det första Kenneths ögon fastnade på var ett citat från Paulus ”Kom över och hjälp oss” apg 16:9. Kenneth upplevde då att han skulle få vänta över 10 år innan han skulle få kliva in i kallelsen på allvar.

Under tiden har han förberett sig med bibelskola och arbete i lite olika församlingar för att få erfarenhet. Det har också blivit många resor dit, bla 2001 då han fick arbete som reseledare på ön Thassos i norra Grekland. Det var tydligt hur Gud hade sin hand med i det. Kenneth trodde innan dess att Makedonien endast var det lilla land som tidigare ingått i fd Jugoslavien. Han upptäckte nu att området i norra Grekland också heter Makedonien. Under tiden i Thassos lärde Kenneth känna några kristna på ön, Dimitri och Gordon. Tillsammans började de anordna gudstjänster för turister i en paviljong vid havet. Dessa blev populära och nu är där en liten församling där Dimitri är pastor. Den församlingen är vår bas i vår Makedoniska mission.

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Den 7 feb 2009 blev Lena del i kallelsen då vi gifte oss. Lena har flera års erfarenhet från mission genom UMU, ungdom med uppgift, och vill gärna fortsätta med mission. Efter att ha vart med på ett par resor ner till Makedonien var det lätt att känna för människorna i området. För Kenneths del är hon givetvis en oerhört viktig pusselbit som fallit på plats för att klara uppdraget. Kenneth är visionären och pionjären medan Lena är den trygga, stabila typen. Vi kompletterar varandra bra.

Efter ett års äktenskap besämde vi oss för att flytta söderut. Under två år har vi haft förmånen att få bo på en ö med en liten engelsk/grekisk gemenskap som bas för arbetet. Vår mission har helt enkelt vart att predika evangelium i området. I huvudsak har vi arbetat med ungdomsarbete. Nu är vi tillbaka i Sverige men församlingen tjänar fortfarande Herren på Thassos. Och vi hoppas att vi även fortsättningsvis ska kunna ta med team ner och ha andra missionssatsningar i området. Och kanske en dag att vi åker tillbaka mer långsiktigt.

Thassos i sikte

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