In December 2026, those of us who work strategically with the European ministry within Livets Ord gathered to pray about what we sensed God wanted us to focus on during the coming year. We prayed for the churches we partner with, the people we have sent out and support, and for what we see happening across Europe today. As we concluded our time of prayer, two specific areas stood out as priorities for the coming year: prayer and our ongoing church-planting efforts. We have written about our church plants in Romania and Portugal in previous articles, but here I would like to highlight the second area that we felt God was calling us to focus on: prayer.
Taking a year to focus on prayer is also something that Livets Ord as a church has emphasized throughout this year. Because of this, I have joined many of the prayer gatherings that the church regularly organizes. Yet the desire to actually travel to one of the countries where we are currently investing significantly—North Macedonia—and pray for God’s will to be done in various places and churches, has been on my heart for some time. And now we were finally there for exactly that purpose.
North Macedonia is a country that, like all the nations of the Balkans, has a somewhat complicated history, with different ethnic groups spread across several countries and relationships that have not always been easy. The majority of the population are Macedonians, many of whom are secularized Orthodox Christians. One striking feature is the large crosses that can be seen on mountaintops around the capital and throughout the country. In addition, there is a significant Albanian minority, most of whom are Muslims.
On our first day, we remained in the capital, visiting and walking through Albanian neighborhoods, the country’s political center, and the city’s university. Our missionaries shared the history of the city and the nation, explained the significance of the places we visited, and we stopped regularly to pray. We also learned about an outreach initiative that one of the churches was preparing: providing backpacks filled with basic everyday necessities to newly arrived Macedonian and Turkish students at the university in the coming autumn.
The following day, we traveled south to two cities where we joined local congregations in praying for their cities and for the nation. I was deeply moved by the heart that the church in Rahovec had for reaching young people in their community. It was so evident that God had called them to be a light in that specific place, and that prayer will remain in my heart. Again and again, the prayer that surfaced was: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
We also spent a day crossing the border into Kosovo, a country that declared independence from Serbia only eighteen years ago. The population is predominantly Albanian, and approximately 95% of the people are Muslim, although the state itself is secular. The pastor we visited in a town north of the capital shared that there are Muslim movements seeking to introduce Sharia law into the country. Yet in this Muslim-majority nation there is a faith-filled church that continues to follow God wherever He leads. It is a miracle that they were able to purchase part of a building and renovate it into a church. They have built strong relationships and partnerships with influential leaders in society and politics, which gives them opportunities to share the Gospel. God has also placed a vision on their hearts to plant churches in ten additional cities throughout the country.
After hearing about all of this, we spent an extended time in prayer together with the pastor and several members of the congregation. During that time, I saw a picture of this church: though small, it was like a tree with deep roots and branches stretching across the entire nation. When we finished praying, they told us that earlier in the year, during a visit from one of our Bible school teams, a team member had received that exact word. The team had even painted a picture of it, which they showed us. It became a clear confirmation for them to continue reaching the whole nation, just as God had placed on their hearts. There is no limit to what God can do when His people trust Him. As Psalm 2:8 says, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”
When our short trip came to an end, we returned home fully aware that what we had done during those days would have an impact on both countries we visited. We may not know exactly how it will affect them, but the Bible tells us that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” That means your prayers make a difference.
The Balkan nations lie between East and West and have the potential to serve as a bridge for the Gospel to reach both Central Asia and the Middle East. Therefore, I would like to encourage you, as you read this, to stand with us in prayer for these countries and for the spread of God’s Kingdom throughout the Balkans.
