You get word that your country is on the cusp of crisis. Perhaps a thousand migrants will cross your border by morning. Are you prepared to respond?

In 2015, we found ourselves in this very situation. As workers in North Macedonia, our mandate was to work with the national church to plant more churches. That year, migrants from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iran crossed into Macedonia, traveling poorly highways and carrying all that remained of their worldly belongings. Our focus had to change. We teamed up with the national church to provide food, clothes, water, and spiritual guidance. A response team was formed, though they struggled to stay on top of the situation. The number of migrants and the sheer volume of needs were overwhelming. For a year, we were all overworked and under-managed and were not as effective as we might have been. It was necessary to be constantly available for problem-solving, ministry, and crisis intervention. We did our best while ministering in a chaotic situation.

Crises often occur with little or no warning, and the result is chaos on every level. But this should not keep us from responding. We learn things that will help us in the future when something on this scale reoccurs. We want to be able to tap into all available resources, assets, and possible sources of leadership with expertise in crisis management.

Now we are working to improve the system by intentionally building solid relationships with the pastors and national church leaders. Because we have taken the initiative to build deep relationships with the pastors and leaders of the national church, they now see us as trustworthy and capable. This relationship has given us a seat at the table in planning for the next crisis. As we express concerns about possible scenarios that might develop, our insights are values and acted upon. We have been invited to join the national response team to plan and prepare together. This cooperative relationship allows each group to bring their greatest strength to the planning process. We are working together to be ready for the unexpected and to prepare a basic response plan that can be acted on whenever the need arises.

Tim Bentley first came to North Macedonia as a short termer. He and his wife, Elle, returned as a career missionaries and were there in 2015 when over one million refugees passed through.