2019 Summer MLO Blog 9

Hello folks,

Sorry it’s been several days since I last reported back to you, but I have been rather sick since returning from Macedonia and Serbia. It was a crazy seven-day trip with four stops and several different camps that we took part in. My companions on this mission were a Jeff Sutherland, a dear friend of mine from FCA, and two friends of his. Jeff “SoCal” and I have become dear friends over the past three years and have planned this trip for the past two. Nathan Blank, a friend of Jeff’s and on his ministry board, and Kane Ulrich, a young FCA leader from Washington State, joined us on this trek into The Balkans.

Macedonia MLO Team

Our first stop was in Belgrade because we wanted to break up the trip and drive half way to Macedonia so we didn’t have to do the 8 and half hour trip in one day! As many of you know from reading my last blog, this was a blessing because one of the football players heard I was coming to Belgrade and asked if I would baptize him. 

After getting up early and getting on the road we made our way across Serbia and into Macedonia down to the capital of Skopje. This was where we were going to work out with Joel Toonstra’s team, the Skopje Sluggers. Joel and his family have been missionaries in Macedonia for the past 6 years but are heading back home to Michigan to start a new path God has them put in front of them. I met Joel 3 years ago when he came to HiS HOUSE and participated in our first ever Intentional Walk Baseball Coaches Clinic, and I wanted to come and help celebrate his last week of the season and be a part of the send-off celebration. So, on Friday night we split the group up by age groups and Kane took the older guys and I took the youngsters. We had a blast and Kane was a natural leader with those kids. This was actually the first time Kane had ever led a practice and hit it out of the park.

Skopje Sluggers Practice

On Saturday they had a celebration and BBQ to commemorate Joel’s dedication and leadership of the team. It was a blessing to take part in that. We ran a baseball Olympics competition, and everyone had a ball! In fact, the team that won the entire overall competition of running relays, fielding, throwing and hitting games was the team who called themselves “HE DID IT!” Can’t go wrong with that, every time I said their name everyone would say “Let’s Do IT!” We had a great time at the BBQ visiting with folks and talking with the players and that evening we went down town and had dinner down on the city square. 

Kane sharing his testimony

The next morning, we got up and went to church with Joel and his family and participated in praying for them and the rest of their congregation. It was a blessed time together.  

Church in Skopje

After church we jumped back in the car and drove the 6 hours to Novi Sad Serbia on our way to our final stop in Sombor, Serbia. In Novi Sad, we spent time with Vukasin again and he showed us around old town and then finished the night off eating dinner in the castle overlooking Novi Sad across the Danube River. Great food, precious company and a beautiful view. Hard to beat nights like that. 

View from restaurant in Novi Sad

The next morning we were treated to an authentic Serbian breakfast of Burak and yogurt. Great taste but a bit hard on an old man’s stomach. After breakfast we said our goodbyes to Vuk and headed 1-1/2 hours north to Sombor. There we met up with Djordje who I had met several years earlier at our warehouse in Croatia. He had always asked me to come and do baseball camps for his team the Alligators. We set it up months ago and we were all set, but on Sunday he informs us that we would be having a street hockey camp on Monday evening and a softball camp on Tuesday morning and afternoon. Now to some that seems like a failure, but to God there are no surprises. It so happens that Kane played competitive hockey until he was 16 and he was stoked about the opportunity to handle a stick again. And man did he handle it! The kids loved him and Djordje offered him a key to the city.

City Center, Sombor

Sombor Alligators

Sombor street hockey practice

The next day we practiced softball with his co-ed team, and I ran the practice in the morning, going over defensive drills in both the outfield and infield.  In the afternoon I threw the reins over to Kane and took Jeff and Nathan with me to meet a local pastor, Voltan. What a special blessing and experience that was for all of us. Voltan and I immediately hit it off and we were such an encouragement to him. We only spent a couple of hours together but really ignited a deep appreciation for one another! I look forward to the next time God has our paths cross! Keep Voltan and his ministry in your prayers. He is alone and often feels defeated, but our visit gave him new energy!  

Me at softball practice

Sombor softball team

Voltan, local pastor

Take care and thanks for all your support. We couldn’t be out here on the front lines of ministry without you all backing us with prayer and financial support. Remember Jesus loves you and so do I! 

HE DID IT! 

Mossman