On Saturday morning we drove to Strumica, about 150 klms from Skopje. Strumica is a town of about 50,000 people surround by villages and farms, and behind them (as everywhere in Macedonia) mountains.
On Saturday I spoke at the Evangelical church in Strumica on 'The Christian Life'. There were 30 or so present including a group that had driven an hour from the town of Stip.
In the evening, I gave my 'Martyrdom and Identity' lecture to an audience of about 60 in a local hotel. There was an interview organised beforehand with the local TV station. I was simply asked 'why are you here and what are you talking about about' - to which I said some things about the death of Christ and its implications for life today!
We stayed overnight in Kosta's family's home in a local village and woke up to fields of poppies, free range chickens and the clip-clopping of horse and carts.
I first went to preach at the church in the village of Monospitivo - which is actually the parent church to the one in the much larger town of Strumica. We sang Amazing Grace and Great is thy Faithfulness in Macedonian. The number gathered was larger than I expected - and the welcome was warm. The pastor suggested that Sydney and Monospitivo might be made sister cities...!
It was then off to Strumica for the 11am service, where I preached once more - the last of my speaking engagements in Macedonia.
The afternoon afforded time for a quick look at some natural wonders, before we journeyed back to Skopje. There had been a small earthquake while we were away!
Tomorrow morning I begin my trip home to Sydney. Almost home!
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