Friday Festivities

The weather permitted us to be outside, so we started the day by painting the slacks of wood for the benches. We laid down the tarp and wood on the basketball court. This instantly caught the attention of the children who were eager to participate. Once we started painting, the children followed us around and insisted on helping us paint. Our reluctance was short lived as we surrendered our brushes and watched as the kids painted the slacks with diligence. They were excited to be part of a project that they were proud of.

We were also able to set up the volleyball court for the teachers and staff. Before long we were engaged in a highly competitive game of volleyball. The children joined in as we laughed and struggled to get the hang of the game. It was a funny, especially as the kids tried to kick or head-butt the ball; Elizabeth appropriately reminded the children this was not football. I'm still not sure if it stuck or not.

The staff hosted lunch for us which included meat a patty, chicken, a delicious spread, potatoes, bread and Coca Cola (befitting for us Atlantans) as an expression of gratitude for the team. It was a copious amount of food, making it very hard to finish. Our favorite part was being able to eat with the children-this was our first time sharing a meal together. It felt like a family gathering filled with laughter and joy.

Then the men got back to work and some of the boys helped put the wood slacks on the metal stands. I could hear their laughter from across the field as our men taught the boys how to hammer the nails. I think the kids may have enjoyed the projects more than we did. I think to them it didn't matter what they were doing as long as they were engaging with us.

Lake Ohrid Adventures

Hopefully we figure out how to upload the pictures soon! It was a bumpy and windy 3 hour drive through rural Macedonia, but so worth it when we reached our destination. We were dropped off at a castle on top of the hill, some of us (Steve, MaryStu, Zoe, and Grace) had to walk a mile to find a toilet. We finally found one at a restaurant along with the cutest little baby named Anna. We pretty much had to drag Steve from the baby to keep moving forward.  Even in such a stimulating environment, it was hard not to think about the children and how much we missed them. We all had a deep yearning to be with them again.

While exploring the lake we found a hip lounge with a patio right on the lake so we gathered there until the rain disrupted our patio lunch. Afterward Lupche guided us to the historical St. John Church  on top of the hill. It was a perilous journey through the rain. We passed stray cats, rocky cliffs, and fisherman on pebbly shores. The stormy weather did not phase the transparency of the water, you could still see the school of fish swimming around.

Once we reached the church, it was quite the sight! The church was perched on top of rocky cliffs with the lake as the backdrop. The church was tiny but you could tell it had been through alot and had a story to tell.

The van ride back to Skopje was tranquil, we were exhausted from the long day. Steve introduced us to Mr. Green who has now become the talk of the team. I recommend you ask one of us about him, he's quite the character!

Day 2, Day 3, and Mr. Green

Yesterday was our second day at the 25 of May. Most of the day was spent inside the orphanage due to rainy weather, doing arts and crafts with the children. It was nice to be able to bond with them inside their home and to really play and interact where they spend most of their time. The smiles from the children are getting bigger and the hugs are getting sweeter and sweeter with time. I know our time here is limited but I pray that every ounce of love we give them stays as an imprint on their heart for a lifetime. Since the moment we met they've welcomed us with warm smiles and open arms and for that I am grateful.

The men set up the new benches our team has provided outside in between the soccer field and the basketball court to serve as a place where the children can sit, rest and watch each other play. Our guys stood in the pouring rain for a couple of hours working on the benches and were a wonderful demonstration of selflessly serving the Lord. I'm so thankful God has given us all an opportunity to experience this time with the children together as a team and I'm hopeful for our days to come.

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Today we spent the day at Lake Ohrid and it was truly beautiful. There are no words to describe God's beautiful creation. It was another rainy day but the laugher among the group was greater than any other time we've spent together. Everyone's spirits were high and the joy we all had exploring was so evident. Tomorrow we go back to the 25 of May for a cookout and more time with the children. We're all so excited and ready to see their bright shining faces.

For His Kingdom,
Zoe

P.S. Ask your respective loved one/friend on the trip who Mr. Green is...

First day at the orphanage

Today was our first day at the orphanage after a long journey from Atlanta to Frankfurt to Zagreb and finally to our destination- Skopje. We were all filled with excitement and joy as we drove into the 25th of May orphanage. To our delight, we were greeted by smiling faces of little ones who were curious to meet their anticipated guests. One of the very first kids we met was Ramche who had the most contagious smile I had ever seen. He was so warm and affectionate, it was impossible not to like him.

We quickly walked over to the field behind the orphanage where the kids were already outside and in a matter of minutes what seemed like a natural chemistry developed between the team and the children. It was an emotional sight to see as the children lit up with ecstacy when they welcomed Stephanie and Sheyna with long embraces I later had the privilege of experiencing. As the day progressed, we all did what children do best- play. The children welcomed us with open hearts and hands allowing us to enter their lives. Despite the language barrier, the children interacted with us not like the strangers we were, but like brothers and sisters who had returned to them.

It was by God's grace we were able to bond with these children who have experienced so much rejection and pain. Leaving was one of the hardest things we had to do with pressed palms on windows, watching the children chase after the van as though they would never see us again. My heart ached.

Tomorrow is another day, another chance to love on these children just as God intended. Stay tuned!

GlobalX October 2015 Macedonia Team

Hello Everyone! 

It is my pleasure to be the first to blog on behalf of the October 2015 Macedonia team. This year we have 12 amazing people all journeying to Macedonia together, with one common purpose of serving our Lord and Savior. This past Monday (August 10) marked the day we needed half of our funds raised in order to book our flights, but guess what.... we've raised 72%!!!!! Truly amazing. Where God leads, He certainly provides. 

Our team retreat is our next meeting- August 28-30. I can't wait to see how the Lord will work and the bonding that will happen during our time together. 

I thank Jesus for this opportunity, for calling us all to serve together, and for loving us with an unfailing love.

For His Kingdom, 

Zoe Torres 

It's Craft Time!

We always love doing different crafts and activities with the children at the orphanage. The kids have had a blast with sidewalk chalk and that fun beach catching game with the Velcro mitts and ball. (Please let us know if this game has a name!) In fact, they were having so much fun that we are already completely out of chalk and the plastic mitts are broken in several pieces! After a quick trip to the local hardware store one of our teammates found a piece of rope to be used as a jump rope! The joy on these children's faces as they participate in these activities is priceless! Now we know what to bring more of next trip!!

One of our crafts this year was a puzzle. We had the children decorate a piece and we are putting it up as a piece of art in the counselor's office we are renovating! We cannot wait to see it on the wall! 

We have also decorated leather bracelets, made paracord bracelets, clay necklaces and spray painted shirts! The kids will have so many fun gifts by the time we leave thanks to all of your generous donations!

Pictures to come soon!

Arrival

Dateline: May 10, 2015 Hartsfield International 

Photo courtesy: Amy "Any" Gill

Just a quick check in. We all arrived safe and with all of our luggage. The exact whereabouts at any stop was interesting. While not well-rested we are nonetheless ready to go!

We're looking forward to all that God has in store for us.

In 6 Days...

The Millenium Cross - Skopje, Macedonia

Since I set up the blog I always get the chance to post the first post. As I left our last team meeting before we depart yesterday, I was filled with a swirl of emotions as well as a mind full of checklists and to-do lists.
My mind has settled into getting through a busy work week yet a few things have bubbled to the surface as we are about to embark. Thanks for letting me share them today.

May 10th has been marked on 13 calendars for a while now.
It's the day we, the 2015 GlobalX May Macedonia team leaves for Skopje. For several of us it's a familiar trip, for 3 on our team it is their first journey. Now they get to experience all that we have told them about for these last 3 months. I know our descriptions, our stories and our memories will not do it justice. I do know that as they work through each day starting Sunday, they will understand the ups and downs, the work, the kids, and that the total experience will engulf them. They will have a life-changing experience. I can't wait to see it.
That's a tall order you're thinking, right? Well, a friend told me that before I ever went on a trip like this. Now as I am ready for trip number 5, I know that each year it absolutely does change my life. Sometimes it's not obvious at first. It comes in a different way each year. Each is profound. Each time though it is in a way that has me wanting to go back. This year is not unique other than I think it's started even before we leave. I'll get to that shortly.

I also can't wait to be back in what is now a familiar city to me. I can't wait to see my friends: Nikola (Gale as he's known to me now), Anet, Matt & Sara, Goce, Denis, Alex and more, plus all the new faces that will become friends. I'm really excited to see my friend and "sister" who I met on my first trip (second too!) who now lives and works there, Elizabeth, or as she is now known: Elizabet (some things translate easily!). She is doing great work and is our direct connection to life there as well as the people of SoulCraft Church and the 25th Of May Institution, the orphanage we help support.

It was Elizabet who just a couple days ago shared some tragic news about one of the kids who we met back in 2011. In fact he likely was one of the first teens we met when we arrived.
A short time ago he "aged out" of the orphanage. The kids have to leave at age 18. 
For many of these kids it becomes an even tougher road, if they can't make it into University their prospects are few. Their options are limited. In this case the road was incredibly short.
Almir died of a drug overdose.
The news really hit me hard. We knew he was a kid who probably wasn't following all the rules and probably was even breaking some laws. Despite what we thought might be true, he was still friendly. I think enjoyed hanging around the group. He helped us with our work. He played basketball and soccer and ate with us. He's in photos with many of us from each year. This photo from 2011 is me and Almir. 

I don't know if the things we build or repair, paint or replace make a really big difference sometimes. I know it helps. It serves a purpose. Maybe through his loss we are already being prepared to devote our energy more to the word of Jesus and the hope that it brings than to focus too much on work. The work will get done, it always does. What I really pray for this year is that what we do, how we act or how we speak, that maybe collectively these things will spark a belief or plant a seed in the kids like Almir. A spark of hope. A seed that something better is possible.
For all my team both "old" and new, I look forward to seeing what impacts them, hearing their stories and sharing all the ups and downs in an experience like this. I hope to return having found some way to see that we made an impact with the kids, our fellow Christians in Macedonia and amongst our team as well.
I ask you to pray for us so that we might recognize not just how we can have an impact but that we find the peace in knowing we made a difference. A difference in a life.

For me I am already thankful that it is the opportunity to witness one life that will certainly change...my own.