Today's Macedonian call is for prayer as threat of civil war looms

July 30, 2001

Today's Macedonian call is for
prayer as threat of civil war looms
___SKOPJE, Macedonia--As Macedonia teeters on the precipice of civil war, Baptist missionaries have requested prayer for the Balkan nation.
___Macedonia, which was part of Yugoslavia before the collapse of the Soviet Union, has been ripped by sporadic violence since February, as ethnic Albanian rebels have sought to establish their own country. About two-thirds of Macedonia's 2 million people are Slavs, while most of the others are ethnic Albanians.
___Baptists are urged to pray for both ethnic groups.
___"God loves both of these groups here," said a Baptist worker there who thought it would be prudent to remain anonymous for security reasons. "We do ask you to pray for our ministry here. During this time of turmoil, many people are without hope."
___The economy, which always was bad, is now near collapse.
___"Pray that the church in Macedonia would not give in to the general mood of fear and hopelessness, but that she would demonstrate the love and hope that comes from knowing Jesus Christ," he said.
___Violence intensified in Skopje the last week of June, when 5,000 ethnic Slavs launched a protest against the nation's parliament building.
___"The U.S. embassy is recommending that (Americans) not venture out as usual because of the protests going on in Skopje, so that will put their normal activities on hold until they hear otherwise," he reported July 25.
___Missionaries are praying that a solution to the current crisis can be found soon, he added. "It's a tense time. As it goes on, people are getting more nervous that it will become more widespread."
___Compiled from news service and staff reports

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