I would love to share with all of you a story that filled my heart with so much joy. I hope by now all of you know how much I love the Roma (Gypsy) people. As the Lord would have it, a young woman whom we sponsor for the second year at the Bible School in Athens, has the same love for the Roma like me. A coincidence? I don’t think so! God chose to give me a special gift today. Here is Despina’s story!
-Vula
Dear brothers and sisters of the Macedonian Outreach,
Bible study in Kalamata
Bible lesson with the kids in Kalamata
I am very thankful that you are supporting me in what God is doing in my life.
Last year it was a very blessed year for me, as I had the opportunity to go to the Bible College in Athens. I also met Christos this year, and we got married in September. So now, the two of us, are in our second year of our bible studies.
God has put a great love for the Roma people (Gypsies) in my heart the last few years. I have had the possibility to be part of a team, that has developed a very good relationship with some Roma families in Kalamata. In this second year now, the Team has reached the point of having every second week a bible study in their houses.
There is also a new established community center in Athens, next to a gypsy camp. Its goal is to motivate the community to go to school and give some basic educational help, as most of the people there are illiterate. With two co-students, we are now trying to develop some extra classes to invest in one to one lessons with the children that are going to school and need help to keep up.
I had the chance to meet some Roma believers in Athens and visited a conference of Roma people in the winter, to get to know their culture better. It was great to see them how they worship and pray to God!
God’s spirit is working very much in the Roma community! I believe very strongly in the unity of the body of Christ and my desire is to see more and more cooperation among all the workers involved in this kind of ministry.
Please, pray for:
1. Our studies in the Greek Bible School
2. More workers that are willing to spread the seed, as there are many doors
opening in Roma-families.
3. More cooperation among churches and organizations for a better allover
ministry to this special group people
Me and my husband are very grateful for your support and we appreciate your prayers.
Blessings in Christ,
Despina Matsiou
Join us on Sat. April 6th, 2019 for our TENTH annual BIKE RIDE to benefit the Macedonian Outreach!
We have both an easier 16 mile “Valley Ride” and a 29 mile “Challenge Ride,” which includes challenging hill climbs to and from Lake Del Mar. Maps can be viewed by clicking on the appropriate route above.
After the ride, enjoy a delicious picnic lunch @ McGrail Winery.
Wine will be available to purchase at the McGrail Winery to enjoy during the picnic.
The registration donation to take part in the bike ride, which includes an official Mac-Out T-SHIRT and the picnic lunch, is as follows:
– Individual Adult Rider Registration received by April 1st: $90.
– Individual Adult Rider Registration received after April 1st: $100.
– Group Registration (4 or more) thru date of ride: $90.
– Individual Student Rider Registration (thru college): $50.
– Non-Rider Attendee: $25 – includes lunch only.
Registration should preferably be completed by April 1st for planning purposes, but riders will be accepted up to and including the day of the event.
The Mac-Out Ride is in loving memory of HAIG Rushdoony, who was our beloved co-founder and co-director of Macedonian Outreach with his wife VULA Rushdoony.
Every once in a while we receive a new story that we like to share with you. Over Thanksgiving we received one that warmed our hearts. We would like to give glory to God for Nevena and to tell all of you that support this Ministry with your prayers and finances how much we appreciate you. Please read it and praise God with us.
—-
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Nevena and, after receiving a financial stipend from you every month over a number of years, for which I am eternally grateful, I am now a student at the Medical College of Plovdiv (Bulgaria) after completing my high school education in June this year. I was very excited to be accepted at my university of choice (something for which you have a contribution).
My mother is the only adult in my household and we rely on her one salary, which is relatively small, so we are always on the edge of making ends meet. So the stipend I will continue to receive via the Macedonian Outreach’s Haig Rushdoony Education Fund will be needed and appreciated. Thank you for all that you have done through the years until this point.
After graduating from university I would like to help the sick and suffering. But that is all in the distant future. Now my main task will be to acquire new knowledge and skills.
As I share my gratitude with you, I would also like to express that the funds you sent help me cover expenses in the area of textbooks and equipment, as well as food and clothing. The extension of your stipend for me is an immeasurable assistance to me and my family.
As the holidays are upon us, may all your wishes and hopes be transformed into life-creating joy! With hope for the future, overwhelming gratitude and great respect,
Nevena
November 30, 2016
On behalf of all of us at The Macedonian Outreach, I want to thank you all for your love, your prayers and for standing by us in so many other ways during the past 27 years in Ministry. Because of you The Lord has helped us, among other things to:
Bring the GOSPEL and THE JESUS film to people in the Balkans in more than 12 languages.
– Stand alongside of our indigenous and mainly village pastors, by providing them spiritual materials and conducting encouraging Pastors’ conferences in the past eleven years.
– Be able to give, a very small financial token of appreciation, to all those heading all of our projects in every country that God has allowed us to bring the Ministry. Every one of them is a Godly person who cares and lovingly overseas our work among them.
– Provide education from the very beginning to over 200 children year after year. Dozens of them finished high school and either went on to college or to trade school. We thank God that many of them are serving the Lord today in many capacities in churches, in teaching and generally by being sound and good members of their communities not depending on the mercy of others any longer but by providing for themselves earning little but honest income.
– Be the helping hand by providing medical and pharmaceutical help to so many over the years. In some situations being the angels of mercy to people on their deathbed.
– Feed the hungry in their time of distress and to clothe thousands by sending beautiful clothing, hand-made sweaters, lap blankets, hats, shoes and bedding brought by hundreds of you.
– Be God’s hands and feet to so many refugees whether in the prior Yugoslavian countries or today to the refugees from the Middle East. We visited many refugee camps where thousands and thousands of people have found refuge and shelter away from the eventual loss of their lives. To these people we brought food, drinks and clothing and reading materials with money provided by many of you. We are praising the Lord for so many Christians, especially in my home town of Katerini, Thessaloniki and generally in all of Greece, who took in and to-date are caring for so many refugee families knowing nothing about them. They just followed Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25:35, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU INVITED ME IN, (emphasis mine)…..”
These are just a few areas of service. Of course, we could never have done it without your prayers and support. Because of that I can say with the Apostle of the Nations, Paul:
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”. Philippians 1:3-6
God bless you all during this Thanksgiving season and always.
With gratitude and thanksgiving in our hearts,
Vula Rushdoony on behalf of the Board and all the volunteers of The Macedonian Outreach here in the U.S.A, our Ministry partners abroad, but most importantly and not forgetting, the thankfulness of the thousands that have been helped in the Balkans over the past 27 years.