Prayers of the People

Every week, CBF's Prayers of the People includes a personal experience with prayer, a practical suggestion on prayer, and a list of birthdays that week for even more practical praying. (Birthdays include CBF staff, field personnel (and their children), engagement partners, chaplains, and pastoral counselors. This was our recent contribution.

During testimony time at church on Sunday in Poprad, Slovakia, one woman stood and asked that we not forget about the war in Ukraine, the internally displaced people in Ukraine, and the Ukrainian refugees--including the family in their regular pew, one row and a little to the left of our regular spot. We have not forgotten.

In November, Ukrainian Baptists sent a request to Slovak Baptist churches requesting electric generators. Because of increased Russian bombing of infrastructure facilities, including public utilities, many of the churches and related ministry centers reached out in order to provide their own electricity. Not only would the generators be used when electricity was cut, they also allow churches to disconnect from central utilities to help relieve the pressure on already over-burdened systems. 
We reached out to two of the churches we regularly partner with to offer our support for their initiatives. As a result, we were able to provide two generators plus food aid which arrived in Ukraine in December and in January. 

"Your generator in orphanage in Rivne, Ukraine," is the message I received along with the photo above. There was an explanation that there are more children at the orphanage who were not in the photo because they were at a retreat. 

Thanks be to God that you have not forgotten refugees and internally displaced people fleeing the war in Ukraine. 

Shane & Dianne McNary

Family and Friends

Recently we visited friends who are like family to us. Earl & Jane Martin inspired the start of CBF's work with Romany in Europe back, nearly 30 years ago.

Once the Romany Team started, they served as Prayer Coordinators for many years. It was a delight to get to know Earl and Jane better. They had a wealth of experience to share from their time serving in East Africa and then with the International Baptist Theological Seminary's extension work in Central and Eastern Europe.

It was a blessing to spend time with them again. And it was also a blessing for them to receive this watercolor painting donated by another friend, Arie Pothoven, from the church we attend in the Netherlands. Thank you for enriching our lives!
 

Along the Way

Keith and I have been roaming around America from Louisiana to Iowa since early September. Several things have struck us, especially after living in Europe for so many years.

Water. American restaurants give customers huge glasses of water—totally free.
These glasses are also refilled—totally free. Drinking fountains are available all over the place, even in out-of-the-way state parks, also totally free. Water from the tap is safe to drink virtually everywhere. If you are thirsty, come and drink water! Isaiah 55:1

Noise. Air conditioners, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, traffic . . . America can be a noisy place. In Western Europe, sound barriers that along major high ways and freeways in cities and by  residential areas are standard parts of road construction. He leads me beside still waters. Ps 23: 2.

Wildlife. Squirrels scampering across lawns. Deer slipping through wooded backyards. Scarlet cardinals and blue, blue jays flying jauntily from bush to tree. I did not know I missed their calls until I heard them again.

What have you seen along your way?

(Photo taken along Otter Creek, Spring Valley community, Illinois, where I grew up.)

 

AUTHORITIES ORDERED TO PROVIDE WATER FOR ROMANI COMMUNITIES IN PRILEP, NORTH MACEDONIA Brussels, Skopje 25 August 2022: Authorities in the Municipality of Prilep have been ordered to provide access to clean water for the Romani neighbourhoods of "Debarca" and "Tri Bagremi" in Prilep, North Macedonia. On 23rd August 2022, the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination communicated a decision which found that the Municipality of Prilep and PUC Water and Sewerage Prilep had directly discriminated against Roma in the city by not ensuring equal access to water. The finding came after a complaint by the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) on behalf of Romani people from these communities. The public institutions have six months to implement the decision. “It is not an accident that Roma remain unconnected to the public water supply, often for decades” said ERRC President Đorđe Jovanović. “Institutional racism means these communities get neglected and denied basic infrastructure by public authorities. Water is so essential, without it these Roma cannot fully enjoy equal access to education, to good health and hygiene, to employment as well as to all kinds of other areas of life which are affected by a lack of clean water in the home.” Despite living there for many years, the Romani communities in the “Debarca” and “Tri Bagremi” neighbourhoods have never been connected to mains-supplied running water. Part of the reason is that many of the homes in these neighbourhoods have never been legalised by the municipality. The Commission’s decision mentions this issue and states that if there are legal obstacles regarding the legalisation of the neighbourhood, then the authorities must provide temporary solutions that will provide access to clean water for all Romani families living in the area. The decision issued by the Commission found direct discrimination on the basis of race, skin colour, ethnicity, social origin and property status in the area of access to goods and services. The ERRC also have a case currently pending before the National Court in Prilep concerning this issue. This press release is also available in Macedonian. For more information, or to arrange an interview contact: Jonathan Lee (in English)  Advocacy & Communications Director European Roma Rights Centre jonathan.lee@errc.org  +32 492 88 7679 Senada Sali (in Macedonian) Legal Director  European Roma Rights Centre senada.sali@errc.org  +389 74 240 274 © ERRC 2022. All rights reserved.

Jesus Speaks My Language

The Jesus films Keith helped dub into Flemish are ready for their final review. Praise God! 

Flemish is the version of Dutch spoken in Belgium. They dubbed three films:  the Jesus video based on Luke's Gospel, a shorter children's version, and the Magdalena Project, a shorter version narrated by Mary Magdalene. 

The first Jesus film Keith worked on was in Sinti Romani. During the final review, Keith noticed that one of the Sinti voice actors had tears streaming down his face. Keith asked if the film was that bad. No, the man replied, I've been a Christian for years. I heard that God speaks all languages, but now, somehow, I know it. Jesus speaks my language. I will pray now in the language my mother used, and God will understand.

Why make the Jesus film in Flemish? Because Flemish mothers do not speak Standard Dutch, Flemish people do not think or dream in Standard Dutch. God speaks to each of us in the language of our hearts. 

What is your heart language?

This past weekend Erika and I visited friends of ours from Moldova. 

My friend Erika has gone to Moldova numerous times and offered to drive the 2 1/2 hours from Arnhem to our Moldovan friends' current home in North Holland. (Erika, far right)

They have come to North Holland to work in the greenhouses that grow tomatoes. 

In high season, they work 10 hours/day, but usually the work day starts at 7 AM and only includes 8 hours of work. 

They made time, on their day off, to prepare a festive meal for us.

Our friend Marlute graciously agreed to join us. She and her infant child are staying in the same area. Marlute translated from Romanian or Ursari Romani into English or Dutch.

Grateful for brothers and sisters in Christ . . . who are also friends!

Mary