The Balkans: One of the safest places

As the Balkans heat up in the temperature sense they've cooled down in the violence sense. Yesterday was record high of 38C/100F for May here... yet it was also the same day the UN reported the Balkan cool-down and that it's one of the safest places in Europe.

No surprise here. I've long felt safer here than I ever did in the US, though my friends have had a hard time believing me because, you know, it IS the Balkans after all.

Well, here's some of my personal examples of why I feel safer here than in the US:

• Here I can walk home from a friend's place after midnight in the city without any fear, perfectly safe...
• Here you'll find families walking in the city square well after midnight in the summer, sharing conversation and ice-cream, enjoying the brevity of the coolest part of the day.
• Here I could walk the river trail or through the city park alone without fear of what may be lurking behind bushes.
• Here I can stand on a downtown city street at 4am with my luggage waiting for my ride to the airport and be perfectly safe
• Here when you turn on the news you'll find lots of politics, weather and international news... but rarely any local street crimes.
• Here you don't hear of car-jackings, muggings, rapes, murders or other violent crimes (the ones you do hear of are few and far between)
• Here you're more likely to get attacked by a stray dog than another person (and believe it or not it's rare... the dogs here are mostly sweet... simply give a kind word or slight attention and even the oldest crustiest stray turns into a puppy with demuring demeanor and wagging tail.)

Yes, we do have our share of protests and such here which can result in isolated incidents of violence... but common sense (and the embassy) says simply to take appropriate precautions to avoid such crowds. Then there are the politically motivated incidents... still, those tend to be targeted towards institutions and not the everyday individual. Even with these things I feel safer than I do in my US hometown. There I simply turn on the news and get a full-serving and then some of tragedy and violence...

So, all that to say that it doesn't surprise me that the Balkans is now considered one of the safest places in Europe according to the UN. Thank you for your continued prayers for this special area of the world.

Pray for Sunday Elections

Kaboom boom boom they go, rattling my building for the last three nights in a row, with more expected tonight. You see, elections are on Sunday and so each of the party candidates have their rally attended by thousands and then close with celebratory fireworks.

I must say, it's nice to have an apartment in the city with a view of this. ;) Besides the fireworks, there is one thing that I love about elections here: they start and finish in about a month! How nice!

A local blogger for Balkan Insight posted a fun article describing the festivities and carnival atmosphere of elections here in Macedonia (and I highly recommend it simply to get a sampling of Balkan insight and humor).

With all the festivities, there is also a certain level of tension. There have been incidents of violence in other towns and villages all related to the lead up to the elections. Another article noted that a record number of police will be deployed on Sunday (though visibility has already increased this week). Several diplomatic representatives from other countries will be monitoring the process as well.

Of the many billboards posted all over town about knowing the best choice etc. there is one that says "We can and we must" and it has a picture of a puppet cutting the strings that bind it. I'm not sure what party it's for or what it's referring to, but it does give you a picture of the passion that is involved in this particular parliamentary vote which has the issues of joining the EU and NATO, the economy and the name dispute with Greece holding vigil.

It will be interesting to see the result of the elections especially as it relates to the future of the country, stability and its' relations with others.

We'd appreciate your prayer. Thanks!

Gas - Wish it was as cheap as in the US

I hear that gas is topping $4 a gallon now in the US. If only we had it so good here. Yesterday a colleague spent $121 to fill up at the pump... translation: $7.20 a gallon!!

And we don't have the worst of it. It's all over CNN right now how bad prices are here in Europe, so much so that people are beginning to strike in various countries. These prices are also hitting us at the local markets where several months of record inflation is now being compounded by exponentially rising shipping costs.

All this makes me almost nostalgic now for that day in '04 in Southern California where stared in stunned silence and shock in a gas station parking lot when faced with having to pay $2.82 price per gallon (see pic). Heck, even the "2" on the price was quaking in it's space! In Northern California we were still paying around $2.12 a gallon. Sigh... I still remember the days before the Gulf War when we were paying less than $1 a gallon... or even further back in the 70's when even with the long lines at the pump and only being able to get gas on certain days (according to your license plate number) the price was only about $0.30 a gallon. All that seems like a dream now.

For those who are in the US now paying only $4 a gallon, please count your blessings. And also remember that GCF dollars are affected as well.... factor in the falling dollar ($1=€0.64), rising inflation and shipping costs, our budgets and personal funds do not go as far as they once did. (And that's not even mentioning that our budget is potentially being cut by 40% for next year... but that's another story.)

Yet I can't help to put all of this into further perspective... into that of the local. We foreigners do feel the pinch, but the local population feels this even more keenly. Of the 60-70% of the population that actually have a job, the average salary is about $300 a month. Many locals are lamenting how much less what little they make buys...

Examples: A small bottle of water that used to cost $0.50 now costs $0.60... milk that used to cost $1 now costs $1.07... bread that used to cost $0.64 now costs $0.77... even utilities have increased an average of $10 a month...

Most items across the board have gone up between 1-5 denars (or 2 to 13 cents) which may not seem like much but when added together makes a bigger hole in an already ripped pocket.

You know, I want to end by saying something clever and insightful, but there is truly nothing to say. It's a very stark reality that we're all facing... yet we can pray and rest in the One who can provide for all our needs.

Eurosong... Like a beauty pageant but for music

This past Saturday several local friends and I got together for a BBQ "EuroVision" party, complete with voting for a winner amongst ourselves. What? Not heard of EuroVision? Have you heard of ABBA and Celine Dion? Well, winning this contest is what sent their careers skyrocketing.

For the uninitiated, EuroVision is like a beauty pageant for a song and has been a European tradition since 1956. As mentioned, this contest has boosted the careers for winners ABBA ("Waterloo" 1974) and Celine Dion ("Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi" 1988). There are now 43 participating countries with only 25 making it to the final. All 43 participants get to vote, though none can vote for their own country. Each country gives sets of points to their 10 favorites, from 12, 10, 8 and on down. The song with the most points after all the voting is the winner.

At our party we also gave out points from 1-5 to our favorites on a tally sheet so wonderfully prepared by our Swedish friend (who was incidentally ecstatic that she could vote for her country this year as she was in Macedonia). The result of our vote was SO DIFFERENT from the results on the show and likely represents that 80% of the people at the party were from the US and have much different tastes than Europeans. Just for fun, here's our top 10 as compared to the actual show.

1. Denmark "All Night Long" vs. Russia "Believe"
2. Iceland "This is My Life" vs. Ukraine "Shady Lady"
3. Sweden "Hero" vs. Greece "Secret Combination"
4. Latvia "Wolves of the Sea" vs. Armenia "Qele, Qele"
5. Croatia "Romanca" vs. Norway "Hold on be Strong"
6. Russia "Believe" vs. Serbia "Oro"
7. Norway "Hold on be Strong" vs. Turkey "Deli"
8. Turkey "Deli" vs. Azerbaijan "Day After Day"
9. Portugal "Senhora Do Mar" vs. Israel "The Fire in Your Eyes"
10. Ukraine "Shady Lady" vs. Bosnia-Hercegovina "Pokusaj"

Here's the clip of our favorite (which, incidentally, we thought would be great for sports games in the US).

Here's a clip of the song that actually won (notice the gold-medalist skater and famous violinist).

Here's the link to the contest website where you can listen and vote for yourself. Simply click on the country and then play the video:
http://www.eurovision.tv/page/participants-2008

And, just for fun, here's a clip of the song that we'd love to see in a Pirates of the Carribean movie (or at least on the ride at Disneyland):

As the show tallied votes, it was fascinating how each country tended to give the most points to their allies or neighbors (or the most outlandish song/performance) rather than the best song. It got downright predictable after a while. And this is the point that has disappointed me in the past few years. It's so political, and because of this some truly great songs and singers get overlooked. Oh, what would Simon say? (Funny side note, we had a guy at our party who could imitate Simon quite well and kept us entertained by giving his "critique" after each song.)

Anyways, I thought it would be fun to share with my friends back in the US this little piece of European culture. :) Here's a couple YouTube links that show clips of the winners since 1956... years of note 1974 ABBA and 1988 Celine Dion.

Link to the first video (video embedding was disabled at YouTube).

So here's ABBA's performace of "Waterloo"...

OK. Part two embedding was also disabled on YouTube (here's the link), so here's Celine's reprise performance after winning by 1 point in the very dramatic voting of 1988:

The amazing complexity of God's Creation

After posting my last blog it struck me how much it contrasts with the previous one: God's awesome power hinted at in the storm yet His handiwork in the delicacy of the silky poppy pedal.

The picture left shows just a bit of the contrasts...

Again and again I'm amazed at the complexity of God. He raised the mountains, holds the source of the snow in His hands and paints a new picture each sunrise and sunset with colors He designed. He makes the seed to sprout, grow and bear fruit, providing. He created many cute and very unique living creatures on the Earth and under the sea. The same God created you and me. This same God, this amazing and wondrous Creator, holy and feared.... yet gracious, compassionate and loving... He loves us and wants to know us, personally. So much so that He sent His Son to provide the way.

Wow.

Stormy Weather

When I was a little girl my best friend and I would huddle by the window and scream with gusto and sheer delight when lightening would light up the sky. Then we'd tremble as the thunder rattled the windows, the house foundations and our very hearts soon after. Years later (not telling) I still get a thrill from the awesome display of God's power in these storms.

In Skopje, as you can see, we get quite the display at times.

It's always fascinated me how I can thrill at the storms around me. Yes, there is proper respect, yet they still get my blood pumping with excitement and I want to stand on the balcony with the wind whipping around me. What a thrill!! There's only been one or two storms here in Skopje that have had me shutting up the windows, dropping the storm shutters and hiding inside. The storm was right on top of me and its' power quite frightening. (Before I'd shut the windows I actually saw a bolt go between my building and the one next door!!) In general, though, I enjoy storms immensely (perhaps in part because it reminds me of the amazing storms in my hometown Sacramento).

Considering this then, I sometimes wonder why when facing the storms of life at times my first instinct is to want to run for cover, hiding from even Him? I do eventually rest in His sheltering embrace and then thrill in excitement at what God is doing in me through it. Yet why isn't that my first reaction? How about you? How do you respond when storms blow in? Do you run out into it unprotected? Do you run away and hide? Or do you thrill while in the protecting embrace of the Father? Just some thoughts I'm pondering between storms.

Fields of Poppies

Being a California native, I've always loved the poppy and its' golden blossoms covering the rolling hills and fields of my home county.

Here in the Balkans I have a new love: the red poppy. Each May they begin dotting the landscape in ones and twos. By the middle of the month the firey red covers fields, is mixed in with the wheat and joined by several other wild flowers.

There's just something so striking about the vibrant red contrasted with the deep green of the surrounding grasses and the light blue of the sky that I so enjoy. God's handiwork in full splendor.

Stopped by the police... a fun experience. Really.

Driving back to Skopje from Kosovo on Friday with CQ and two potential workers in the car I got pulled over by a popcicle. (The police don't tail you here with lights and sirens, they simply hold up a red and yellow popcicle-looking thing and you're expected to immediately pull over.)

I greeted the officer with one of the five Albanian words I know, "Mirdeeta," and then proceeded to look completely lost as he started asking me all sorts of questions in Albanian. At that point I nervously (not scared nervous but "I don't know what you're saying" nervous) said, "Um... I'm sorry, I don't understand" then smiled helplessly.

"Oh!" he said with an equally lost look of "how am I going to get across what I need" before his look changed to quizical and he asked, "Ameriski??"

"Yes, I'm American," I said as I began digging for my papers.

Wide went his smile as he leaned in and pronounced with gusto, "Documents?? No Problem!" and waved for me to be on my way. "Sank you Amerika!" he said. I responded with my best attempt at saying "Guzuar Pavarsine" aka "Happy Independence." My pronunciation was totally pathetic, but he gave a gracious smile and another, "Bush Amerika sank you" and sent me on my way.

As we drove away Rob commented, "Wow, it's one thing to hear about it, but another all together to see it." (Referencing the love for Americans in Kosovo right now.) It's true. I'd heard about it, but this was my first experience with it... and it made getting stopped by the police a fun experience.

Pic from: www.veplast.com.ba/Products.htm

Just a "little" pepper...

Another local specialy to be savored here in the Balkans is the doner (think gyro in a bun or wrap).

While showing a potential worker couple around old town on Friday we decided to indulge in a doner for a light lunch since we were having a larger BBQ with the team later that evening.

When the doners arrived they looked wonderful (see pic). Being a good Balkaness, though, I decided to add some of the local flavor, aka red pepper.

As I began to shake lightly I commented to Lisa, "I really like this stuff." No sooner were the words out of my mouth and hanging ominously in the air did the cap fly off and the entire contents of HOT red pepper covered my doner in a blanket of red.

Oh the irony!!

Lisa and I bust out laughing and couldn't stop. However, Rob hadn't heard my comment and so was completely lost as to why Lisa and I were busting a gut to the point of crying over red pepper spilling everywhere.

Between continued giggles I shook off as much as I could and then enjoyed a VERY SPICY doner (and a BIG glasss of water to follow). Good thing I like spice... and I love moments like this (even when embarrassing) because they season life with laugher. :) Thanks to Lisa for the pic below that captured this very funny moment.

Footnote language blooper: While ordering I quickly discovered that my Macedonian wasn't working too well... when the owner said he was Albanian I excitedly said one of the five words I know, "Ditineemir"... as soon as it was out of my mouth I realized my mistake. Instead of "hello" ("mirdeeta") I'd said "Goodbye!" Twas OK, though, they appreciated the effort and there were hearty laughs all around. :)

Just a taste of what it may be like....

I cannot begin to describe what a blessing this years Field Forum was, but this blog is just a start. It's a video, but meant more for just the audio. It's just a moment, a sweet moment of time, when different people from different places and backgrounds and even languages lift up a song of praise with one voice for the Audience of One.

There were many many moments like this during Forum this year. Moments where it seemed just a taste of heaven being granted to us here on earth. There were times personally when it was as if I were alone in the room with my King. The message of the song "Better is One Day" truly came alive for me in a deeper way and my heart is filled with longing for that day, the one we all look forward to. Thank you so much for your prayers for us.

Better is One Day
by Charlie Hall

How lovely is Your dwelling place
Oh Lord almighty
My soul longs and even faints for You
For here my heart is satisfied
Within Your Presence
I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings

Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere

One thing I ask and I would seek
To see Your beauty
To find You in the place Your glory dwells

Better is one day in Your courts than thousands elsewhere.

Are you smarter than an MK

As promised, here's some of the questions from our opening game night at Field Forum. Our guests from the US fared quite well. How about you? Are you smarter than an MK?

Macedonian Currency
With 10 denar you can buy: (A) A shirt, (B) A Coke, (C) A piece of candy

Bosnian Current Events
The Bosnian popstar who sings "At the Disco" is named: (A) Deen, (B) Hajde, (C) Prince

Kosovo Imports
Kosovo's favorite cultural "import" is: (A) French Fries, (B) Russian Tea, (C) Turkish toilet

Country Flags
A yellow sun on a red background is the flag of which country: (A) Bosnia-Hercegovina, (B) Kosovo, (C) Macedonia

Bosnian Child-Rearing
When correcting her child a Bosnian mother will often say: (A) Do you want a time out?, (B) Do you want a spank?, (C) Do you want the police to take you?

Kosovo Social Studies
The proper way to express that you need to use the bathroom (aka "I have a need") is: (A) Duhet te pij, (B) Kam nevoj, (C) Jam badihava

Macedonian Commerce
The largest grocery store in Skopje is called: (A) Oaza, (B) Nero, (C) Vero

The Power to Stop Traffic

I want it. Bruce Almighty had it. They certainly have it in Switzerland, Germany and France. Just hint at crossing the street and cars will come to an immediate (sometimes screeching) halt. Oh the pure rush of power!! Power that I DON'T have here in Skopje. A fact I was so rudely reminded of this morning.

Walking to work on this warm spring day a car had just pulled out of a parking lot and it was clearly my right of way to go. When from 6 feet back a car sped forward and cut me off!! He missed driving over my feet by literally inches! Seriously. In my shocked desbelief I looked directly into the drivers eyes as he bullied his car past me and exclaimed "Zosho???" (Local slang for "Why???") As he waved me off with a "well you should know better" look reality hit hard and I remembered where I was. The home of organized chaos.

I must have been away from Skopje too long because I forgot that pedestrians have absolutely no right of way.... even at crosswalks. Like the "Pirates code" they're "more like guidelines anyway." Yes, I'm back to the land where I need to remember how to dodge traffic if I'm ever to cross it (think "Frogger"). Oh, how I long for the power to stop traffic... to be like Bruce Almighty and have the "I've got the power!" song belt out for me as traffic comes to a screeching halt and I effortlessly cross the street... with spring in my step. Oh, what a dream. It's almost a cruel joke to have tasted it once, only to lose it. ;)

Balkan Field Forum - Day 1: Getting There

Thanks to the wonders of technology and now having wireless capability at our Field Forum destination, I thought it would be fun to bring you along for the ride. :)

Every year my colleages from Kosovo, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Macedonia get together for fun, fellowship and, yes, business. This is the 9th annual Field Forum and I believe it's the 8th year that we've come to the same place: Bashka Voda, Croatia. The short teams who come from the US to minister joke with us that they can't share thier photos back in the States because it's just too beautiful here. But for us on the field it's a very welcomed retreat, and personally, something I look forward to each year as the time spent on this small patch of land on the Dalmation coast and with colleagues is so special.

From Skopje it's a very Loooooonnnnnnggggg drive to Bashka Voda, but it's through some amazingly diverse and gorgeous landscape (truely, I have yet to go to a place in the Balkans that didn't take my breath away in one way or another). The trip this year began at O-dark-thirty (aka 5am) for my colleagues who two hours later picked me up in Skopje. From there we headed to Prishtina, Kosovo and the Route 66 Diner to meet up with the second car in our caravan (it's always more fun to travel together). This year we also had walkie-talkies, so that made it even more fun.

On every trip there are moments and images that stand out. The first one for us was this group of goats, seemingly without a shepherd (is that was goat-herders are called too???). We'd just rounded a bend in the twisty-windy-hair-pinned road heading up the mountain above Pec/Peja towards Montenegro and saw this group. They saw us (a big Kia aka really big goat) and stopped dead in their tracks, looking hopelessly confused! Finally, after my colleague honked a few times they got it in gear and moved past us. We were laughing so hard... you can't see it in the picture, but the looks on their faces were hysterical.

The bulk of yesterday's driving was through the windy mountains of Montenegro.... some of the most beautiful mountians I've ever seen (and I'm from Northern California, so that's saying a lot). What's amazing to me are the homes and farms on seemingly uninhabitable land high up on the sides of those mountians. "Wild Beauty" is the tourism tagline for Montenegro and I think it truly fits. There are some years where we've seen this "wild beauty" up close and personal as landslides have at times covered the road, resulting in either hours waiting in long lines to be guided through in a narrow-harrowing one-lane... or other times where we had the detour of all detours: a police guided 4-hour 15MPH detour on a harrowing narrow windy pot-holed road through some very old villages.

Once out of the mountains we come to Podgoritsa fairly quickly and if we're too tired to continue we find a place to stay the night. This trip we arrived into Podgoritsa around 4pm and were still up for traveling more. So on we pressed, boarding ferry (pictured), crossing into Croatia, then Bosnia, and then back to Croatia (look at a map, it's confusing) and continuing further until about 8:30pm and just south of Dubrovnik. We found this amazing little place run by the sweetest couple ever and it only cost us 15Euro a person, had a view of the Adriatic and included breakfast.

This morning began a bit leisurely as we chatted with the couple and our colleagues over breakfast, then come 10am we were on the road again. There was a detour not too far past Dubrovnik that took us close to the Bosnian border (again) before heading back north. One of the highlights here were the fresh produce stands. After passing several we couldn't resist stopping. 4 hours later we pulled into our destination at Baska Voda. ahh.

One of the things I enjoy most about these annual road trips to Field Forum is the extended time of fellowship with colleagues. We discuss many things, laugh a lot, and encourage one another. It's really neat to see how in the five and a half years that I've been on the field how relationships have grown, strengthened and deepened. My colleagues have become like family to me. On this trip we talked about so many things, some funny, but others deeply serious. Because of the relationship of trust, built over time with lots of grace, we talked with much candor from topics of field business and the major transition ahead of us to the importance of spiritual/emotional/mental and physical health for life but also for longevity on the field. We fleshed out some application to our lives of spiritual truths or things that God was teaching us.

The time in the car was not only quantity time, but so much quality. I'm so grateful to the Lord for this group of men and women that I have the priviledge to labor with. I look forward to the days ahead where we will continue to solidify our relationships as a team as well as with our Lord. Please do be in prayer for us in these coming days especially as we will be having some serious business discussions that will affect our future. Thank you.

Last note: Todays opening was just a fun night welcoming everyone and then playing "Are you as smart as an MK" covering topics like "Kosovo Imports", "Country Flags" and "Bosnian Child-rearing." I'll try to get some of the questions and include them in a later blog as they were all pretty funny.

Orthodox Easter - Macedonia-style

Happy Easter! Now, were you thinking that Easter already happened a month ago?? Well, you'd be right! But then so am I. :) You see, just like Christmas in Macedonia, Easter is celebrated according to the Julian calendar (along with some very complicated calculations having to do with the moons cycle and Passover). Some years it's only 1 week apart or even happens on the same day, but this year there was a one month difference between "Catholic" Easter and "Praveno Slavena" or Orthodox Easter. This blog is simply to share with you the traditions associated with celebrating Orthodox Easter here in Macedonia.

Easter is a really big can't-miss holiday here. The bigger services start on Good Friday. There's a huge ornamental table set up in the center of the large church. It's considered Jesus' grave. There's even a full-length icon of Jesus. Worshippers come and place their offerings of money, eggs and other items on the table and then kiss the icon. Then they crawl under the "grave" and out the other side as a symbol of coming under or being one with Jesus in His death and resurrection. Over the two days of Friday and Saturday a large amount of money and eggs are collected. The stewards gather the offerings for the church and my old language teacher says that the eggs are then distributed not just to the priests but to the poor and orphanages as well.

Just before midnight on Saturday the priests move the icon from the "grave" to the front of the church to the holy place. Then the lights are turned off and the main candle lit by the Arch Bishop who then passes on that flame to all those around. It's really a very striking ceremony. The priestly procession then moves outside the church to begin the walk around the church (three times, I believe) while singing, the church bells ringing and the sent of myrrh filling the night air. Then they gather at the far end of the courtyard for the midnight service, which begins with a reading out of the Gospel of Mark telling the story of the women coming to the tomb and finding it empty. Then at the stroke of midnight the priest calls out "Christ is risen!" three times. The worshippers then respond with "He's risen indeed." The bishop then expounded on what Easter means to the Christian, the foundation for all other religious holidays.

That call from the priest is also the peoples cue to crack their eggs against each other... representing Jesus rising from the grave. As you can see from the photo the eggs are very brightly colored and ornately decorated. Although I miss the pastels from the US, I do enjoy the brightness of the colors here. Oh, did you know that you boil the color with the eggs?? Next year when I'm on HA over Easter I'll have to show you. :) The most popular color here is red, however. This comes from the idea of the eggs, representing new life, that were believed to have been placed at the foot of the cross and Jesus' blood covered them red.

At the end of the night, my language teacher told me that single women will try to keep their candles lit until they got home. If successful they would blow it out and then place it under their pillow. It's believed that they will dream of who will be their husband that night.

What's interesting about all this is the vivid imagery that's built into all aspects of this celebration: from faith to fancy. Yet just as striking are the shattered eggs, beer cans and wine bottles littering the streets afterwards. Just 100 yards from the church, across the street, hundreds of young people gather, holding their candles, and partying. Of the thousands who attend this ceremony, some are deeply devoted to the faith, some are there for tradition, some are there to hang with friends, family and neighbors, some are there to party, some are foreigners like me just taking it all in and some are a combination or so of all of the above. In the thousands gathered, I noticed that there was a sense of organization, or community, small groupings within the larger group. Groupings of families, neighbors and friends. What's clear is that like the Kolede bonfires, this is a deeply social time for the community to gather together and to fellowship with one another.