Story number 1 for 10 Jul 2001

(Macedonia)–Topping the news, international envoys say there has been some progress in efforts to get Macedonia’s peace plan on track. An ethnic Albanian insurgency threatens to spark a civil war. In the midst of this, Southern Baptist missionaries based in Macedonia have appealed for prayer support. The International Mission Board’s Mike Creswell says the violence has not directly affected their ministry, however: “Macedonia has been on edge there-it’s been very unsettled, with a lot of anxiety for years now. But, it’s not come to this outright battle. So, now that the fighting is actually coming to their own area, they’re, of course, very concerned because they’ve seen what’s happened in other areas.” Creswell adds that he sees this period with mixed feelings. “Sometimes this makes people more responsive to the Gospel, because they’re looking for solutions to their problems. On the other hand, nobody wants to see people suffering; so, we’re praying that as peace comes to the region, that things can come back to normal and people can go back to their lives.”