A Testimony of How God's Working In Shutka

Brian Thomas and I co-wrote the following as a testimony report to send to Samaritan's Purse for some money that they donated to help pay for drinks for the soup kitchen during the summer. I think it puts some good perspective on what we do, why we do it, and some of the results we're seeing already. I hope you enjoy!

"Shutka is a suburb of Skopje, Macedonia, and is reported to comprise the largest “settled Gypsy” population in Europe. Part of our evangelical church outreach in this community is a children’s feeding program. We are currently averaging around 70 kids a day, five days a week. The purpose of the feeding program is to fill hearts with the love of God and stomachs with a meal where they may have gone hungry otherwise. The program functions as a draw to the church, and nearly 80% of the children come from Muslim families. They come, they sing Christian songs, they pray, and they eat, but in the process they get to know some Christians who want nothing more than to share God’s love with them. As a result of our seeing the children on a daily basis at the Kitchen, and the on going to a weekly Children’s ministry, kids have committed to following Christ and some of the parents are attending our Sunday services.

One such family includes 5 siblings. They have been coming to the feeding program from the beginning. They range in age from 14 down to 4. Their names are Erstref (14), Ramiya (13), Bajram (11), Jujemon (8), Zunka (6), and Adlan (4). They live with their Muslim parents and grandfather, as well as two younger siblings. Ten people living together in a house smaller than most American’s garages. The running water is outside, and so is the outhouse. The kids are bright but school is not priority one with so many mouths to feed.

Let me tell you what our programs have meant to these children’s lives. Erstref has begun to help with the feeding program. He used to be just another rebellious teen that gave the leaders nothing but trouble. Now he is setting an example in serving other kids and helping to set up and clean up. Ramiya, the oldest girl of the family, has changed drastically over the last year. For a time, she was rebellious as well, but then her parents sent her to live across town with other relatives. When that happened, she seemed to become angry and depressed, but she knew that she had a safe place to come to at the church and soon returned. Her attitude has since changed. Teenagers are still teenagers, and the same is true with Ramiya, but most of the time, she is joyful and longing for some way she can help. Bajram was awarded with the children church’s Student of the Year award last year. He is our most attentive listener when it comes to the Bible lesson, and he puts a lot of work in at home to memorize verses he learns at children’s church. Jujemon is still quite young, but he used to be quite a bit angrier towards others, but you can see God is softening his heart. Zunka, the younger sister has always been very timid. She would keep adults at a distance, hide behind her siblings, and would rarely speak. Now, God has given her a peace and joy where she will approach any adult at the church and walk hand in hand with them. She has one of the best smiles imaginable. Adlan is young and doesn’t talk much but has started showing some of the same signs of changes that Zunka has.

God is at work in their lives. And our expressions of love are making a difference. Each of these children stays as long as possible at the church each day, they know there’s something they get from the church that they don’t get often, if at all, from their home lives, and that is love. It’s not uncommon to see this group of kids waiting at the gate to the church before the workers even get there, and they are always the last kids to leave. They are being changed by God’s love, through the feeding program and through the love the workers pour out on them. It’s exciting to watch them grow up, physically due to better nutrition, but also spiritually due to the love of God. And their family is just one of many. Thank you for being a part of changing lives."