Macedonia in Crisis
What kind of impact does physical distancing have on cultures who love to be close? Many of the areas of the world hardest hit by COVID-19 are places where the culture is defined by social gatherings and friendliness. SEND missionary Sherri Ens
gives a firsthand look at how this global crisis has impacted Macedonia and affected her life and ministry.
The Initial Shock
“The first week was panic,” Sherri said. Macedonians had little to no chance to prepare for the strict lockdown that was coming. Many who live in Macedonia work in Italy most of the year. However, once Italy was hard hit and people began returning home, cases soon began popping up in Macedonia. Things began to shut down one by one. Everything was cancelled and people had to stay in their homes.
The curfews are very intense. People can only be out until 4 pm on weekdays, and no one is allowed outside their homes on the weekends. The curfews have hit the elderly and children especially hard, with only a two-hour window to be outside on weekdays. Many are struggling because there is an extreme lack of interaction with friends and family. It is a loss for this culture, and they are grieving the changes.
Ministry Calling
Because of all these restrictions, ministry has changed quite drastically. People are experiencing worry, stress, and fear from the uncertainty of the times. Many older people in Macedonia are not comfortable with accessing friends and family on technology. This adds a layer of difficulty for the SEND team in ministering to others like these because connections can only happen through phone calls right now. This culture is used to hours of conversation over coffee
, and there is not enough time on the phone for people to open up and feel comfortable talking about faith.
Church life has also changed, though perhaps in some ways for the better. Sherri tells that, “more are meeting for prayer and Bible studies online because people are home.” Since all church content is now online, many Macedonians can get sermons and messages from multiple churches across the country rather than just their own. This crisis has actually caused a greater growth and depth of faith in believers.
Crisis Moments
The team in Macedonia is responding and operating the best that they can during a global crisis. From helping short-term mission worker Josie travel home to Canada in early April, to helping families who are experiencing an economic fallout, team members have a lot on their plates.
Through all things, Sherri remains hopeful for the future. The people of Macedonia are grieving losses caused by distance and separation, and many have come to the realization that they cannot find security in this world. Sherri hopes the desire for security will turn people towards God.
Let’s pray with Sherri that in the midst of this crisis Macedonians will discover the sure hope of new life in Christ.
Written by Amy Magwood.
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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