Alicia and Jeff Lee

Alicia and Jeff Lee are Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel in Skopje, Macedonia, where they seek to be the presence of Christ by engaging in holistic, relational and healing ministries among the ethnic groups of Skopje.

Macedonia is a small land-locked country in the Balkan region of Europe and is a unique blend of religious and ethnic diversity. Many days, this diversity is lived out beautifully, but at times can be a tense and often exploited balance. Approximately 60 percent of the population is ethnic Macedonians that are generally Orthodox Christians or agnostic; 30 percent are ethnic Albanians and are Muslim; and 10 percent are varied minority groups like Roma, Serbs and Turks. Skopje is the capital city of Macedonia, and home to 800,000 people.

In Skopje, the Lees work alongside local, grassroots organizations to address the needs of families living in extreme poverty, people neglected by society and children rescued from or at-risk for human trafficking. They participate in and organize weekly activities at a group home for adult with developmental disabilities. The Lees are also partnering in the development of a faith-based children's home.

In the summer of 2015, as the global refugee crisis was unfolding throughout Europe, Jeff began coordinating a collaborative effort among evangelical churches in Macedonia to serve refugees in transit camps. Through this ongoing collaborative effort, hundreds of thousands of refugees have been served tea and fruit and have been offered a warm smile and a place to sit before journeying on.

Alicia’s educational background has allowed her to provide counseling services for English speakers in Skopje while Jeff’s educational background has opened up opportunities to consult for farmers and local governments to address the environmental issues within Macedonia. Agricultural work includes the development of a cow-bank project that provides livestock to local farmers through a small business development program.

Keep up with the Lees at www.thelittleleefamily.blogspot.com and follow them on social media at www.facebook.com/PartnershipMacedonia. Connect with Alicia and Jeff at ajlee@cbf.net.