Sowing Seeds of Hope in North Macedonia
In the heart of North Macedonia’s rolling vineyards and resilient villages, God is stirring a quiet revival—through puppet shows, women’s discipleship, and the faithful witness of local believers.
A Land of Beauty and Complexity
North Macedonia is a landlocked Balkan nation known for its dramatic mountain ranges, fertile valleys, and centuries-old traditions. In rural areas like Prždevo and Crveni Bregovi, life moves at the pace of the seasons. Families tend to vineyards and small farms, children walk to school along dusty roads, and the aroma of simmering beans and fresh bread fills the air. While the country boasts a rich cultural tapestry, it also faces challenges such as economic hardship, emigration, and ethnic tensions.
The region is home to diverse ethnic groups, including Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, and Roma. Many communities remain underserved spiritually, with limited access to the gospel and few active churches. The Galilee Foundation, our local partner, is working diligently to bring Christ-centered transformation to these areas.
Teaching Children to Pray, Play, and Praise
During the snowy school holidays in January, ministry teams brought joy to rural communities through puppet shows and storytelling. Children—and often their parents—gathered eagerly to hear stories from the Bible. Puppet dramas like The Lost Sheep became a powerful entry point for gospel conversations and community bonding. Youth camps also continued throughout the winter months, helping teenagers wrestle with questions about Jesus, faith, and their future.
In one joint gathering, children from the neighboring villages of Crveni Bregovi and Prždevo came together for a shared time of worship, play, and friendship. “The older ones helped the younger ones,” one local leader shared. “It became a picture of the Church—serving, growing, and loving like Christ.”
Investing in Women, Transforming Communities
In March, a three-day training brought together 17 women from 23 different communities. This Women’s Cycle of Life training—organized by our local partner CHE Albania in collaboration with Compel International—was part of a broader strategy to equip the Galilee Foundation’s church planters and leaders for long-term community transformation. The training addressed spiritual identity, practical health, family leadership, and the biblical roles of women in the home and society.
At the end of the sessions, the women crafted a shared vision to bring what they learned back to their home villages.
“These women serve on the front lines,” said one trainer. “They are leaders, mothers, disciplers—and now they are catalysts of transformation.”
A Healing, A Testimony, and New Life
In the village of Crveni Bregovi, a young man named Leon had undergone surgery and struggled with fear and discouragement. But after encountering God through the local church’s outreach, he stood before the congregation and shared how God had spoken to him through Isaiah 41:10:
“Do not be afraid, I am with you. I will hold you by your right hand.”
Since then, he and his father have become regular attendees at worship gatherings. In another nearby village, a woman named Gulperin experienced healing from kidney pain during a prayer meeting. “We simply laid hands on her and prayed,” one local believer said. “God moved. She felt the pain leave, and we all praised Him.”
From Puppet Shows to Tree Planting
The team also led a spring community cleanup, planting trees and flowers with children and adults working side by side. That same day, two people committed their lives to Christ.
Twenty new believers have come to faith this quarter alone, and the team has carried out 24 distinct “acts of love” across Prždevo and Red Coast—small, tangible expressions of the gospel lived out.
“For the one who believes—God makes the impossible possible.” (Mark 10:27)
How Compel International Supports the Galilee Foundation
Compel International continues to serve as a training and equipping partner for the Galilee Foundation, providing leadership development and discipleship tools that help local believers multiply impact in hard-to-reach areas. From foundational strategies like IDMM to practical tools like the Women’s Cycle of Life curriculum, we walk alongside our partners to support Christ-centered transformation and sustainable ministry growth.
Pray With Us
As the Galilee Foundation prepares for their New Hope outreach event—expected to draw hundreds from across North Macedonia—they ask for prayer for:
The 17 women trained through CHE Albania and Compel International as they return to disciple others
Growth and guidance for new believers
Financial provision in rural areas facing economic instability
Children who struggle to stay in school due to poverty
God is at work in North Macedonia. And where the name of Jesus is spoken, lives are being transformed.