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Special Prayer Request and News from our Missionaries, the Titus'
From Kosovo

Dear Faithful Prayer Partners:   Sorry it has been so long since I have written. We are generally quite busy, but we know even without specific prayer updates that you are praying for us. It is apparent, as we could not do this without such powerful prayer support.  Today, I am writing about two requests:   1) Kosovo declared its independence today. Serbia is opposed to this and Russia has joined on its side, as well as other countries with separatist groups that want to break away. The US and other European allies are expected to recognize Kosovar independence tomorrow. Tensions within Serbia toward the US are high. Questions about border crossings have already begun to affect us at the seminary as we have a Macedonia-based American missionary expected to arrive next Sunday to teach a class. He is not sure if he will be able to drive across the borders to get to us, and there may not be any flights when he is available.
 
As you know, Kosovo is a hotbed of tension. Serbs see this as their ancient homeland, their sacred beginning point. Though it is mostly ethnically Albanian, secular Muslims, there are still a large number of Serbs living there, and there are a number of important Serbian Orthodox monasteries there. UN and NATO have had 16,000 troops keeping the peace there since the end of the war in 1999.

We would ask you to pray for calm and for wisdom in every area of this, from what happens in Kosovo and Serbia to what happens at the UN, in the emergency meeting of the Security Council which Russia called, to NATO and to ordinary citizens trying to cross borders or conduct business. Also, we ask you for pray for our professor who is supposed to teach a class here next week, that he would be able to travel without incident. We do not expect anything to happen in Croatia in regard to this as far as we know at this time, but you really never know about this important Balkan powderkeg.  2) Our family is sick. Every one of us has the flu. Penny got it first, and has been sick for a full week. She seems to be feeling better and may be able to go back to school on Monday. The rest of us are not so well. I have been down for three and a half days already and don't feel well at all as I write this. Eric and I both have classes to teach tomorrow, and he also has a class on Tuesday as well. Pray that we will recover quickly so that we can attend to our work.

Thank you again for your faithfulness in praying for us. We so appreciate how you carry our burdens before the Lord. This is an important ministry that you do for us. May God bless you richly for your efforts on our behalf!  

Together with Him in service to Croatia,  Rev. Eric and Nancy Titus

Last updated 02/26/2008