Guest House is Open!

Guest House 

in 

Mala Gorica, Croatia

TAKE TIME TODAY

Is it time to slow down and take a break from your current pace of life? If so, then consider the Guest House in Mala Gorica; a place where you can unplug and unwind for a bit. 

Mala Gorica is a quiet village located just 20 minutes west of Zagreb center, and just 10 minutes from the Slovenian border.  It is the kind of place where you can RETREAT, RELAX and REFRESH. 

Take time to walk/bike ride the village streets or along hillside forests, orchards and vineyards of the Zagreb Green Belt area.  

Discover historic Samobor with its rich art culture and farmer’s markets.  Samobor is also listed on ‘Europes Best Destinations’ for its well-preserved natural beauty and bio-diversity.

THE DETAILS

INCLUDED

Three story single-family detached house

3 bedrooms, 2 full baths

Sleeps 8, plus floor space!

Roomy, bright loft for groups/meetings

Large ground floor kitchen/dining/living

Abundant natural light

WiFi

TV with DVD player

A/C in select areas

Wood stoves on ground floor and in loft

Radiator heating

Ample parking in front

Spacious yard for rest or play 

Grill

Patio dining

Fenced yard

Trained dogs welcome!

Nearby forest trails for hiking/biking 

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

For individuals or groups: 

Christ-centered Reflective Study

Guided Retreat

Listening-Prayer

Meals

Washer-dryer access 

PERFECT GET-AWAY

The Guest House is ideal for:

Individual/group retreats or sabbaticals

Couples get-away

Team building

Temporary housing for those undergoing medical/dental procedures in Zagreb

Family vacations

Zagreb is centrally located to MANY beautiful sites, parks and historic cities

The Guest House features:

Full-sized, well equipped kitchen. The dining table seats up to 12, with an additional 5 seats at the kitchen bar. 

Large fridge and freezer, plus dishwasher.  

Master bedroom with King bed and balcony. Bdr #2 with queen bed, and Bdr. #3 with double bed. Extra queen bed in the Loft.

2 FULL baths.

 .          

Quiet Village Near Zagreb

Close access to Freeways!

Driving Distance to:

Zagreb West - 10 min, 

Zagreb Center - 20 min, 

Zagreb East - 25 min (IKEA)

International Airport, Zagreb - 25 min

Sveta Nedelja / Samobor - 10 min

Contact us for availability, further details and info on suggested donations. 

email:  jaygeorgeff1@gmail.com

We are fluent in ENG, D, DK and learning HR

Follow us on Facebook at 

Georgeff Balkan Life

for updates and more photos!  

Jan. 2019

We are one month into life in Croatia, and what a great month it has been! 

  
Our first 'guests' to the Guest House were friends from Sarajevo, whom we've known for a few years now. The 'D' family were taking a winter break for a long weekend here, and RH wanted to bless us with good conversations and laughs!  It was a meaningful time with these compadres for Christ!  We are always 'better together'!

       

VILLAGE LIFE IS GOOD!
We have enjoyed getting to know some of our neighbors and surroundings. Though only a 10 minute drive away from the bustling city of Zagreb, Mala Gorica is a quaint village and almost exclusively made up of Croats.  Funny thing, nearly all the folks on our street are somehow family-related and have the same last name!  I wonder if we will need to change our name... Nonetheless, Jay has discovered where to buy baby chicks for when the time comes!

The slower 'village life' is a welcomed invitation to explore new rhythms and routines.  This past year has been challenging, and though we are still transitioning we are thankful to have a place to call home. It feels so good! Our desire is for many people to be blessed and refreshed here.

Jesus has been very present here lately as we spend time with our new friends who come from different churches, ministries and nationalities. We have been invited to churches, small groups, meals, and received great help with navigating various Government offices, understanding the infrastructure, and where to shop, to name a few. We have been cared for wonderfully! 

LANGUAGE LEARNING
We are highly motivated to master this beautiful language and are grateful for the kindness and patience our new friends. We found a FREE online language course through the University of Zagreb that is very good and should keep us quite busy these next few months. The course states functional language proficiency in most settings upon course completion. That is our goal but it won’t come easy, so we are asking our Heavenly Father to super charge our natural abilities through the power of his spirit.

VISA APPLICATION PROCESS
Big relief: we have successfully applied for our residency permits for Croatia, and anticipate the arrival of our cards by the end of the month! Phew. That was a big deal though the process has been mostly smooth and for sure seasoned with God’s favor. We are thankful. 

FINANCIAL UPDATE
Currently, we are 30% of our monthly support needs. Our 2 year goal continues to be that our 'income' would be partially funded by our support partners and part time employment we look to do.  We are needing partners like you  to help give us a 'kick start' for these first two years. The concept with the ministry house is that is would help finance the church-planting activities and take care of the property expenses.  We desire to work part time in the community so as to build trust in our relationships and to provide for our personal needs. This 'concept' will be reevaluated at the end of Q3 of 2020.  Pipe dream? Could be. For sure the vision is bigger than us! But, as one of our friends recently exclaimed, 'God gave you Mala Gorica because He knows you will be good stewards of this place!'  If this sounds confusing, if not a bit long-winded, please know that the ultimate reason we are here is to gather a team from Croatia and abroad TO PLANT A CHURCH.

Our next and most urgent hurdle lies in obtaining Croatian health insurance. This week we learned that it is going to be quite costly and we are trusting Jesus to provide the needed funds. We need to pay $1.600 up front, followed by a monthly fee of $150.00. We have our monthly health insurance expense in our monthly budget, but the $1600 was a surprise. If you can help us meet this need we would love to hear from you  Living in dependency on God continues to be one of the greatest challenges and blessings! We are so glad we get to walk this faith journey with you - thank you for your prayers, your friendship, and your support.  Email me for more partnership information.  We welcome the chance to share our vision with new partners!  Email me at:  jaygeorgeff1@gmail.com

We are thrilled to represent Jesus with His Church in this part of the world. Thank you, as always, for praying and for your support. Much love, Natascha and Jay

Follow us NOW on INSTAGRAM at 'georgeff_balkan_life' and on FACEBOOK at 'Georgeff Balkan Life'.

Our household items arrived in mid January. The rooftop terrace is ready for a fiesta!

So It Begins!!

After years of praying, waiting on God and stepping forward in faith, we stand at the threshold of moving to Zagreb, Croatia.  Click on the 'Balkan Crossroads Blog' button at the end of this email for the chronicled journey thus far.

The ministry house, temporarily dubbed 'Mala Gorica', has been used by God to share the love and power of Christ with many people over the past two decades. The stories of restored and equipped lives that have come out from this place continue to have a kingdom impact in the region. Our prayer is to continue in that blessing, and to see how God will use us to be Jesus to our new neighbors, our city, and beyond. 

                                         “For we are God’s masterpiece.

He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,

so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Eph. 2:10

RIGHT PLACE / RIGHT TIME

• Zagreb is very accessible from the rest of Europe and the States, and is strategically positioned within the greater Balkan region. 
• We envision Mala Gorica to function as a base for Vineyard church planting activity throughout the Balkans. 
• There is a solid Christian community for us (and teams) to join for mutual encouragement and outreach (i.e. refugee work, assisting the poor, leadership training, and discipleship.
• Mala Gorica has hosted Sustainable Faith cohorts, with potential for more.
• Opportunity to host leaders from around the Region in the growing DMM (Disciple Making Movement) for training and encouragement.

Pray with Us

1. For God to put together a church planting team to join us for this area.
2. For a committed prayer team of 20+ persons who will pray for us regularly, and 'check in' on us monthly.
3. For language learning and cultural integration.
4. For spiritual and physical provision and protection.
5. For protection for our family as we throw the other leg over the side of the boat!

For more information on this Balkan ministry, or the different ways you can join us, please send me an email at:  jaygeorgeff1@gmail.com

May the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts!

Jay and Natascha

Update: October 2018

Hello Friends!

Much has happened these last weeks and we have exciting news we can FINALLY announce!  We are so thankful as we look back on our summer vision-trip through the Balkans (Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia) and to see how God has been leading us! Though we went into the trip with plans and ideas, we tried to hold them loosely, opening our hands, ears and hearts to all the different impressions and nudges the Holy Spirit was giving us.

TRUE STORY
Through 'unlikely' conversations and connections the Lord orchestrated for us, we found ourselves in Mala Gorica - a small village just outside of Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia. (MUCH more can be said about these God-connections!!). There we met with a wonderful missionary couple in their home, who have lived and served in Croatia for the past 25 years. After talking about our vision and dreams for the Balkans, they shared with us their plans to move back to the States in December, and that the property they were renting would become available!!  Wow. Could this be our new home? We left later that day awestruck and speechless.

Sensing that this might be God's provision for us, we knew we needed to take some time to 'sit with it' in prayer and conversation with each other, our pastors Mike and Sherri Harder and other close friends.  Sensing God's confirmation throughout the discernment process, and having been approved by the property owner, we said YES to God's invitation to begin a new chapter in Croatia!

We stand amazed at the faithfulness of our great Father, who knows us so well.  It has felt as though God has been two steps ahead of us the whole time, gently holding our hands while leading.  Eph. 2:10 has been so alive to us lately!

MALA GORICA (little hill)
In many ways the property matches perfectly with what we had originally envisioned for a 'ministry house'.
The main house is a three story home: the ground floor has an open kitchen, living, dining and bath. The 2nd floor has three bedrooms and bath, and the 3rd floor attic is an open room that comfortably seats groups of 12-15 people. The house can sleep 11 people or more.  In addition, there is a separate 'wing' on the property that provides a cozy little apartment for us. A large, inviting outdoor terrace connects some of the spaces and allows for even more gathering places. Finally, the property stretches out into a nice long yard and garden space.  How awesome is our God!

Realistic goals for the first year:

• Continued language learning and cultural assimilation
• Connecting with and serving local leaders, churches and ministries 
• Gathering people for meetings / small groups in our home
• Begin hosting and facilitating both international and local teams for prayer, training and outreach with the purpose of planting churches; not only in Croatia, but throughout the Balkans. 
• Host individuals for R&R

FAITHFUL vs. FOOLISH??
You may already be thinking: 'that's a pretty big space for them to handle alone'.  Ha, and you are right!  God has us exactly where He wants us...dependent.  This 'Balkan Vision' thing doesn't seem to be getting smaller either. It's MAYBE even 'out of control'.  Natascha and I were recently wrestling with the FAITHFUL vs. FOOLISH dichotomy that we often live with, whereby we resist the appearance of being foolish, but would rather think that we exhibit heroic faith.  Yup, sometimes it's hard to distinguish the two, and I have no easy answers, but I am starting to understand that faith is indeed spelled R-I-S-K.   

SEEKING more PARTNERS 
Many of you have expressed interest in partnering and/or giving. We are so excited that the vision is materializing into something concrete and tangible and we need your help.  Would you please join us?  We believe these are very important days for the region, and together we have a great opportunity to bless many!

Please consider one or more of these commitments:

• pray for God's blessing over us and the Balkans
• bring a team to Zagreb for training, prayer and outreach / service
• financially support the work with $30 / month; churches $200 / month 
• one-time gifts for furnishing the 'ministry house'  (need $5000 for furniture, linens, kitchen items)

PARTNER BRIEF

We are creating a 'Balkan Brief' for those who sense God's nudging to join us. This Brief will include important news from the Balkan region, stories of God's transformative love and specific needs to maximize the Kingdom work here. We would be thrilled to add you to the list! Just shoot me an email: jaygeorgeff1@gmail.com

Thank you all for following us thus far.  We are very excited to be doing this with you, and look forward to hearing from you!
May the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,


Jay and Natascha
Vineyard Church - Des Moines, Iowa

BALKAN Vineyards are ready for harvest  More workers are needed!!   Just a quick update...we got back to Denmark last week after spending 3 months in the Balkans. (3 weeks in Montenegro, 7 weeks in Sarajevo and 4 weeks in Croatia) It was a great trip of seeing old friends and meeting lots of new ones.  What a joy to see the hand of our Heavenly Father at work in so many people and places!  We have much to be thankful for, and that includes all of you who have prayed for us these last few months. Thank you! We stand amazed at the goodness of God. It's nice though to be able to sit still and rest.  A much needed rest for listening and discerning the Holy Spirits activity.  Please pray for us TODAY as we 'process' what we think to be God's leading into an exciting opportunity!!  We hope to have more details soon. May the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, Jay and Natascha   Vineyard Church - Des Moines, Iowa

Snapshots of Croatia Who knew Pula, Croatia had such a beautiful colosseum? Arguing over the price of grapes!

UPDATE: 3.24.18

Moving day is fast approaching as we make final preparations for leaving the US.
PLEASE pray for travel safety AND for the smooth shipping of personal items.
We ache as we say goodbye to our kids, friends and extended family; though we know our great Father in Heaven has knit our hearts together in His peace and joy.

Below is our 6 month itinerary...please also pray for good meetings and reunions.
Also, if you have not yet decided to commit to praying / supporting us in this first phase, please consider it!  :)  Kindly send us note saying your will be praying regularly...and if possible, the $ amount you will be able to send.  Of course your love, encouragement and prayers are always WANTED and NEEDED!

Our initial 3 months (April / May / June) we will:

• Attend Vineyard DACH missions conference in April.
• Reconnect with friends and Vineyard leaders in Central & Eastern Europe 
• Identify shared vision and continue building partnerships for Balkan church planting.
• Research and apply for visas, work permits and other legalities required for a long-term presence in the Balkans. 
• Spend time with Natascha's parents in Denmark 

For the second 3 months (July / August / September) we plan to:

• Have a clearer picture of where to call home
• Begin intensive language learning 
• Create fund-raising and income-generating activities for the purchase (or lease) of a suitable building (or plot) for a hostel.

Operating a business, like a hostel, would allow us to obtain a resident permit; a goal we hope to accomplish by the end of our 6 months.  The plan is for the hostel to become a self-supporting business that would:

• fully provide for our living expenses,
• support the local community,
• fund the church planting mission.  

This really excites us, as the possibilities with this model are endless!
We invite you to join us in our mission as we look for individuals and churches for mutual encouragement and partnership.

Will you share this vision with others, as we desire to bring increased awareness of God's blessing over the Balkans. Please know that your friendship is highly valued, your prayers needed and your financial support deeply appreciated.  Since we live our best lives in relationship and community, we are truly better together.

PLEASE contact me to learn more.  Emails may be sent to:  jaygeorgeff1@gmail.com

2 Cor. 3:5-6
With gratitude and excitement,

Jay and Natascha
Vineyard Church - Des Moines, Iowa

Balkan Vision

Many years ago, God placed on our hearts the desire to meet and bless people of different cultures and backgrounds.  What better way than through a youth hostel; where people from all over the world would be gathered in our 'home' for new and exciting adventures.  Out of this desire, the dream of blessing our traveling guests as well as the local community was born.

The vision is for the hostel to be a self-supporting and duplicatable business with the purpose of planting churches.

We want the hostel to function as a welcoming and safe harbor for the traveler, and a community outreach center.

FOR EXAMPLE

A gathering place: a point of contact to interact with new people every day.
An opportunity to partner with God's activity in people's lives. 

A temporary residence for team members and partners.

A meeting and training center (discipleship training and church plant)

A hub for community outreach and improvement; to name a few:

     Community clean up projects

     Feeding the hungry

     A meeting place for local friends

A job creating center for the local under-employed population, for example: 

    Food service

    Tourism

    Hostel management

    Community organizer

    Organic farming

A language school....conversational Serbo/Croatian, English and German.

A place for local artists to exhibit their work.

A place where Eco, Adventure, Cultural and Nature Tours will be provided for guests.

A place where organic farming practices will be taught, implemented and utilized.

MAIN GOAL

Create an inviting and safe environment for the Holy Spirit to freely intersect with and transform peoples’ lives; both locally and globally!

UPDATE: Balkan Trip 2014

It’s time to say THANK YOU for all your prayers and support which allowed us to take the 2 week trip to the Balkans this past July.  We are so grateful for all of you and love how we get to be better together. Thanks for partnering with us in prayer and giving. Kingdom living rocks!

Autumn is upon us here in Iowa; with its crisp mornings, earthy scents and breathtaking colors. Preparations for winter will soon be observed everywhere in the Midwest in anticipation of a projected harsh winter. It is good to be prepared. Likewise God calls us to be attentive throughout the seasons of our lives; calling us to lean in to His embrace for shelter, comfort and reassurance of His goodness and love towards us; calling us to trust Him completely because HE is trustworthy. God never changes. His delight in you and I is unwavering - no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in. So we can relax and enjoy all that God wants to be for us right now - in this particular season of our lives. In Christ we are complete, lacking nothing, becoming more than conquerors - ready and fully prepared to be Jesus to a hurting world around us. 

Jay and I have allowed ourselves some time to process the experiences from our trip. We had so many impressions and encounters that continue to pull at our heart strings.  During our two weeks in the Balkan region (Croatia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Montenegro) we were blessed with generous and warm hospitality by dear friends all around. Their love for Jesus and heart for people was evident and a powerful reminder of practical, authentic and unpretentious faith. 

We had an amazingly smooth trip: no sickness, injuries or damage to our rental car. Praise God for protection and favor during the entire stay! Without such distractions we were able to really focus on connecting with people, praying over cities and asking God for direction and confirmation for the vision he has placed on our hearts. The vision is becoming clearer and the call was confirmed during our stay! We continue to experience Gods’ leading and provision for us in our desires to move to the Balkans to do Kingdom work. 

Since last year Jay and I have had this dream of opening a hostel in the Balkans.  The vision/dream kept coming up in times of prayer and in dreams  at night; it simply hasn’t left our hearts and minds.  You may not have had an opportunity to stay in hostels, but be assured they provide a great environment for relationship-building and for serving others. 

Hostels typically appeal to a variety of people: 

1. the young and adventurous lone traveller. 
2. the free spirit looking for purpose; ready to make the world a better place.  
3. the more established tourist who looks for a cheaper accommodation.

Travelers in general, and hostel users in particular, tend to be more open minded and ready to experience something new; possibly even looking for something ‘out of the box’. Many of the younger travelers are often disillusioned with the conventional, stereotypical way of life and are looking for alternatives to fill and mend the rift in their soul.  Jay and I would love the opportunity to provide an inviting environment at our hostel where we would live; gathering people for meals, fellowship and friendship;

but also give our 'guests' an opportunity to join us for community outreaches, prayer, worship, teaching, and so much more - the list goes on as the Lord continues to expand on the vision. And who knows, maybe our 'guests' would chose to join us in this vision!  In other words: the hostel will be a center for missional living, the birthplace to a new Balkan Vineyard Church! Are you excited yet? We sure are.

Many of you have asked about the timeframe of our move, to which our answer has been “when we have reached some of the financial goals necessary, including the sale of our home”. An answer that keeps us trusting and praying for God to increase our income to that extent. Praise God for his faithfulness to us, his goodness and mercy never ends!  Upon the return from our trip, Jay received an offer for a construction management position for a series of projects in Southern California. We really felt peace about it and sensed that Jay should accept the offer. He has now been at his new job for about 6 weeks, and though we are challenged during this time of living so far apart, we experience the unifying power of the Holy Spirit, his comfort in loneliness, and his protection over each of us during this “in-between time”. 

We are so thankful for your friendship, love and support for us.  Please continue to pray for us, specifically for the following areas:

• protection from spiritual, emotional and physical attacks
• strength and endurance for demanding jobs
• continued favor with employers
• releasing of funds (or a property!) needed to open and operate a hostel
• favor with government agencies to grant necessary visas, work permits and licenses
• for God’s kingdom to continue to break into the lives of the people in the Balkans,
• team-building:  would YOU consider coming to the Balkans with us??  

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, 

Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those
who love Him"
But God has revelaed them to us through His Spirit.
1 Cor. 2: 9, 10a

That is an exciting promise to hang on to. Be blessed!
Natascha and Jay

Balkan Flood Update

The report below is from a friend of mine, Malcolm, who is part of the leadership at the Sarajevo Vineyard Church.  I received this information yesterday, June 10th, and wanted to pass it along to you.  Please join us in praying for quick recovery for those that have been affected by this disaster; and that God's peace would be over the Balkan people.  Natascha and I will be in Sarajevo in a few weeks to meet with the Vineyard leaders.  Please pray for safe travels and meaningful meetings.  (by the way, we are still needing some financial assistance for travel expenses….rental car costs have risen more than expected)

Also, please consider a financial gift for the relief efforts.  I will bring your gifts to the Sarajevo Vineyard Church.  (see previous blog on how to send your gifts).


Here is Malcolm's report:

As you may have read in the news, our beautiful host country Bosnia-Hercegovina, as well as the neighboring countries Serbia and Croatia, got hit by a major natural disaster. In Bosnia alone Flooding and landslides left over a million people without access to clean water, over a 100.000 homes have been completely destroyed (some of them had just been rebuild after the war) and landslides are still occurring! Large amounts of livestock are lost, agricultural produce unusable, businesses, hospitals, schools, government buildings out of function landmines from the war have been relocated by the landslides numerous roads and bridges are broken people in the flooded areas now fear outbreak of diseases and epidemics We had flooding in our area but we were not affected by it, our district was unharmed. The economic situation in the country seemed hopeless before the floods as we shared in our last newsletter, and this natural disaster has just amplified that feeling of hopelessness and is paralyzing many people. Needless to say Bosnia needs a lot of prayer and a lot of financial help!  If you want to make a donation for the victims of the flood you can send it to our Globe account, just make sure you let us know the intended purpose of the donation by emailing us. And please pray for this country! We know that Hope is alive, it has a name Jesus Christ! Pray for a spiritual breakthrough for Bosnia!  We went through fire and flood,  but you brought us to a place of great abundance. Psalm 66:12

Debris on the road to Doboj

CONVOY TO DOBOJ Malcolm joined a group of believers from different churches that organized a convoy to Doboj in Northern Bosnia. Here is his report: The convoy that took relief supplies to Doboj went well.  We were really surprised about how much flooding occurred and how many houses are damaged. The main highway was closed about 40 kilometers south of Doboj so we traveled on the old road that is parallel to the river that caused much of the flooding.  So we could see the debris along the banks of the river and wrapped around the bridges.  Most of the flooded houses were under 10-15 feet of water so the entire first floor was under the high water mark.  Some houses had water marks on the second floor. All business in the main city were damaged by the flood as well. So you can imagine the amount of ruined furniture, clothes, and other household items.  The roads were lined with debris that people had put out for dump truck to pick up.   By the time we were bringing the medicine, food aid and some clothing and other items for children, the water had receded and many people were drying and cleaning their houses and appreciated the items.  They were thankful that we had come to help and bring many things that they needed. I was able to speak with some youth and other residents as well as encourage the pastor who we know from the area.

Malcolm wih Roma youth and our pastor Jasmin in Doboj

Lemonade Anyone?

The other day I took a sip of some fresh-squeezed lemon juice; somehow expecting it to taste like lemonade. It was tasty, but rather sour. It needed some sweetness. The phrase "making lemonade out of lemons" is a modern day proverb that encourages us to make the best out of a bad situation; for bringing a little sweetness to an otherwise sour existence.

I was reminded of the Scripture that says, "what was intended for evil, God used for good."  These wise words were spoken by Joseph, who himself endured an enormous amount of slander, torture and suffering. Joseph goes on to say, "He (God) brought me through it all so that I could be in a position to save the lives of many"  Gen. 50: 20.  God does not cause bad things, but rather He is there to bring us through it so that others can be blessed through us!

Throughout history, as recorded in the Bible, we see that God is the ultimate lemonade producer!  Our Heavenly Father continues to be exuberant in making something good out of what was meant for evil.  He is indeed a very present help in times of need. The life and work of Jesus reveals the Father's continued desire to bring rescue and comfort…to turn bondage into freedom; sorrow to gladness.  "For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins" Col. 1:13-14.  See also 1 John 3:8 and Luke 4: 18-19.

Old Town Sarajevo

In a month, Natascha and I fly to the Balkans to meet with other church planters, as well as to work out more details for our move there. We will visit Croatia, Bosnia-Herzogovina and Montenegro. As you've heard and seen the recent TV / Internet reports, a few weeks ago the Balkan region was hit with the worst flooding in over 100 years.  The devastating waters have since subsided, but the cleanup and rebuilding will continue for many years.  The link below describes how the international rescue efforts are unifying the region with a wonderful sweetness not seen for a long time.  http://blog.novakdjokovicfoundation.org/good-news/thank-you-all-the-time-when-the-balkans-got-united/  The Balkan people are coming together like never before in the bond of love and care for one another.  Could it be that the flood waters are acting like a healing balm over the Balkans?  Is God washing away old wounds? I believe that our loving Heavenly Father is making lemonade out of lemons here!  He is bringing a little sweetness to the Balkans.

As we finalize our trip, would you please pray with us and FOR us?

• Pray for continued healing of old wounds.
• Ask that God would continue to bring His sweetness to the Balkans; and that Natascha and I would be 'honey and oil' for all we meet.
• Pray for good meetings; planned and unplanned.
• Pray / give $ for the Balkan flood victims.  (we will bring flood funds to the Vineyard Church in Sarajevo).
• Pray / give $ for travel expenses.  (we still need $1000…airfare has already been taken care of!!)
• Thank our extraordinary God for using ordinary people to bring His sweetness to the Balkans!

GIFTS

Mail or E-transfer tax deductible gifts to:

The Vineyard Church

PO Box 13218

Des Moines, Iowa 50310

OR  

online at:

http://yourvineyardchurch.org/contact-us

Please write: ‘Balkan Missions’ in the memo line with either 'flood relief' or 'travel expenses'.

If you are able to give any $, please let us know as soon as you can, so that we can plan accordingly.

As always, Natascha and I are VERY thankful for you…your friendship, your prayers and your encouragement.  We NEED you….we can not do this alone.
Blessings to you!

Jay

A Little Goes a Long Way

It's true what Scripture tells us, 'what God has begun He will complete'. I am very grateful for this deep truth, as it gives me hope for tomorrow and excitement for today! The passions He deposited on Natascha and me for Eastern Europe continues to burn today…even 30 years later! Maybe you too have felt the nudges of God in your life. Well, I can tell you it is NEVER too late to respond to those nudges.  God is extremely patient! The energizing work of God here on the earth is a marvel to witness; and to think that He includes you and I in it is both humbling as well as invigorating.

Natascha and I are thrilled to visit the Balkans this summer…to see for ourselves how God is energizing the Church. Please pray for the Balkans; the various governments, peoples and the Church. Natascha and I are excited to see old friends and to make new ones. Our goal is the same; to live and work in the Balkans, and to join in what God continues to do there.

Two years ago, the first Balkan Vineyard Leardership Conference was held.  Take a look at the video link to get a great idea of what God has been doing.  http://www.cross.tv/81440  A little goes a long way. Although this conference was small by some standards, it was mighty in its impact. The momentum started two years ago continues today.

Balkan Vineyard Conference: May 2013

The Balkan Vineyard Movement held its second leadership conference in Sarajevo recently.
Leaders from Vineyard DACH (Martin Buehlmann, Boris Eischenberger and Matthias Buehlmann) brought their lives, experience and vision to the leaders of the Balkan Vineyards.  God's blessing was quite evident.

Below are a couple of the sessions.  Enjoy!  And please continue to pray that the transforming favor of our great God would burn hot into the hearts of the wonderful Balkan people!


Martin Bühlmann: Be a gift for the world
http://www.cross.tv/99398

Boris Eichenberger:  The love of the Father gives you identity
http://cross.tv/99411

Matthias Buhlmann:  The Father's love sets you free
http://cross.tv/99745

Balkan Vineyard Movement Conference

Leaders from the Balkan Vineyard Movement and from throughout Europe are meeting in Sarajevo from May 31 - June 2, 2013.  Pray that the Lord of the Harvest would release His freedom over the Balkans.

Balkanization:  a geo-political term, according to Wikipedia, used to describe ‘the process of fragmentation or division of a region or state into smaller regions or states that are often hostile or non-cooperative with each other.’  

The term refers to the division of the Balkan peninsula, formerly ruled almost entirely by the Ottoman Empire, into a number of smaller states between 1817 and 1912.[3] The term however came into common use in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, with reference to the numerous new states that arose from the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire.   This word has been hovering over the peninsula for over a 100 years now.

The term is also used to describe other forms of disintegration, including, for example, the subdivision of the Internet into separate enclaves,[4] the division of subfields and the creation of new fields from sociology, and the breakdown of cooperative arrangements due to the rise of independent competitive entities engaged in trade wars.  

No matter how ‘Balkanization’ is used, it is essentially a negative word that describes the breakdown or disintegration of cooperation; a word that highlights and even promotes the often violent divisions between people.  In my opinion, I would like to see it struck from our vocabulary.

So, how can the Balkans, with its many ethnics and languages, rise above its differences and start to move towards reconciliation and restoration?  Are there new words that will be used in the future to describe the relationships between people and nations?  Will the Balkans become known  for swimming in the transforming favor of God?  I pray so. 

For this reason I bow my knees before my Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God. 

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.  Amen.

Ephesians 3: 14-21