September 2, 2013 Dear Friends and Family, Today more than 200,000 children in Macedonia returned to primary school and high school. The number of first graders decreased, as has been the trend for a number of years. Many young people leave the country in search of jobs. Others defer marriage and babies because they are unemployed. Please pray for the more than 50 percent of young Macedonians who are seeking work. Summer was hot and dry, and busy with lots of activities. Some highlights: The children and youth gave a dramatic reading for Pentecost (June 23). Four youth completed their religion classes and were confirmed in the congregation in Strumica. Eight volunteers, United Methodist Women from the California Nevada Conference of the UMC, presented a five-day Vacation Bible School in late June at the UMC in the village of Raklish. “I Want to Follow Jesus” was the theme. Our Sunday school children enjoyed a weekend “Children’s Meeting” with Bible lessons, singing, crafts, games and sports, at the Ponikva mountain retreat. It was refreshingly cool in the mountains! Summer always includes baptisms, often for the children of families who are now living elsewhere in Europe and who come in summer to visit grandparents and other family members. Youth from Strumica UMC spent six days at the beach in Greece where they had Bible lessons, sang, swam, sunbathed and fellowshipped. My Saturday classes with children ages 5 - 12 included: - making cookies and cards for the Meals on Wheels recipients - lots of crafts: banners, plaster garden stones, painting, coloring, rainbow cupcakes - Bible lessons about Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the ark, Jonah and the big fish You can see photos of the above activities here: list.gbgm-umc.org/t/4341001/689219/1905/0/ Lee and I will be at the In Mission Together ROUNDTABLE in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 8 & 9, 2013. We hope to see some of you there. For more information: list.gbgm-umc.org/t/4341001/689219/1919/0/ My sincere thanks to you for your support of me and my work, for your interest, prayers and financial gifts. “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you ...” Romans 1:8 Blessings, Carol Carol Partridge GBGM Missionary United Methodist Church Strumica, R Macedonia
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 20:57:35 +0000
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