Teen Challenge Macedonia - Предизвик за млади на Македонија

Officially founded in 1995 in the Macedonian capital city of Skopje, Teen Challenge has committed itself to providing assistance and information to communities and individuals around the country in its mission to combat drug addiction.

As a Christian, faith based organization, Teen Challenge Macedonia has been successful in overcoming the tremendous odds in a country with a truggling economy in times of political turmoil and a society that has for many years been spiritually oppressed.

We hope you find this site useful.

Teen Challenge is the oldest, largest and most successful program of its’ kind in the world. Established in 1958 by David Wilkerson Teen Challenge has grown to more than 150 centers in the United States and about 300 centers world-wide. Teen Challenge offers many services to its’ surrounding community, the majority of which are free of charge to willing participants. For over 40 years, Teen Challenge has been going into schools around the world working with teens to educate them about the dangers of drugs. These are men and women who once had problems with drugs, so they know what they are talking about when they talk to teens.

Teen Challenge reaches out to people in juvenile halls, jails, and prisons. Our "jail teams" help show inmates that their is hope for them to turn their lives around. And more importantly, we educate them in how to change their lives!

Objectives

Prevention
As with all medical conditions, prevention is the best cure. We aim to educate young people before they become involved in the downward spiral of drug use.

Rehabilitation
For those people that, for whatever reason, became involved in casual drug use, habit forming addictions were developed and help is necessary to break them free from the life controlling substances. The core component of our mission is rehabilitation. We aim to achieve a full physical recovery and mental freedom from all drugs and life-controlling habits, right down to the control of bad language. The standards are very high but the results are second to none.

Re-socialization
Our aim here is to ensure that students are able to cope with their new lives in the uncontrolled environment of every day society. This plays a crucial role in the long term success and gives the graduates the confidence they need to live normal lives whilst temptation surrounds them. Effectively, the program aims to ensure that would be temptations do not overpower the will to succeed in life.

Re-Integration
As with all other aspects of the program, re-integration plays a critical role in the long-term cure for graduates. Our goal is to give graduates the skills and tools they need to begin their new lives in society and equip them with the ethics and self-esteem to find a job or establish their own business. Many former addicts have gone through the program to become leading and respected members of their communities.

Self Sustaining Action
The residential center requires much financial support to continually provide care for those in need. We aim to become self reliant in the coming years so that donors can fund new centers in other areas. A number of business models are in discussion at present. We plan to integrate the development of business planning and implementation into the rehabilitation program so that we can create jobs for graduates.

Residential Program

Phase I Admission
The first phase of rehabilitation is to overcome the initial physical addiction to the substance; normally heroin or methadone in the case of residential students.

The detoxification stage will last for two weeks and is done, in what addicts refer to as, ‘Cold Turkey’. This essentially means that there is no medication administered to the student to ease the horrific symptoms of physical withdrawal.

The two week process is carried out in either the State Psychiatric Clinic or the Residential Center. In both locations, patients/students, receive round the clock supervision, attention and support as necessary. The criticality and difficulty of this two week process cannot beunderestimated, hence, the strong support network surrounding the student.

When it has been determined that the student has successfully completed the physical process of detoxification, he/she begins their first drug free month in the residential center. During this month, the focus of attention is on physical well-being to overcome the severe effects of the detoxification process. When the physical condition of the student is deemed suitable, they will enter the second phase.

Phase II Spiritual Renaissance
This is the crux of rehabilitation and where the redevelopment of a persons’ physical and spiritual character begins.

During the two months of this phase, the student will lay the foundation of his/her life and begin to learn the basics of their role in the center, mutual respect, and will, at the same time, undergo regular personal counseling with staff members to help them to adjust to the new ways of life in the center.

Phase III Development
During this three month phase, students will become more involved in study and will begin to take active roles in day to day activities. Development and rebuilding of family ties and problems will be closely assessed and worked through with an aim to overcome any family problems that have developed as a result of a long-term addiction.

Phase IV Testing
Six months into the program, the students enter the fourth phase. An emphasis is made on independence and the responsibilities associated with it. Self motivation and desire to succeed in living a full life are important factors that begin to develop during this time. Students at this stage should be setting examples for new persons just entering the program and demonstrating the will to be good role models.

Phase V Preparation to Leave
The final three months of residence in the center are focused specifically on strengthening the students’ faith and self confidence so they are able to face the trials and temptations of everyday life. By the time this phase is completed, students are expected to be ‘standing on their own two feet’ and offering themselves as a fine example of a positively changed life.

Christmas in Macedonia

The Christmas celebration begins on January 5th, the evening, known as kolede. Children go from door to door singing Christmas carols and receiving fruits, nuts and sweets from the people. Later in the evening, the elderly gather around a fire outside, and engage in a conversation about the past year, and about the year to come. The following evening is the Christmas Eve, when traditional oak log (badnik) is brought to the family hearth. This log is cut by the male head of the household and the older son, while the table is being set for the Christmas Eve Fast supper (Posna Vechera). The log is cut into three pieces, representing the Holy Trinity, and each piece is brought into the house by the father. A son, or some other member of the Family receives each piece and places it on the fire. As this is done, the son and the father exchange a greeting: "Good evening and happy Christmas Eve" (Dobra Vecher i Vesel badnik). While the log is being placed on the fire, the mother and the grandmother gather the children together and, from the outside, enter into the room where the supper is to be served. Each person carries a bundle of straw and the mother leads the children in spreading around the room the straw on the floor. The house is decorated with oak branches with their leaves on, representing the wish of the family for long and healthy life, "with health strong as oak, and with a life log as that of the oak."

Then the fasting supper is served on the same table that the Christmas candle is burning. The fasting supper is composed of strict vegeterian recipes, such as cooked vegetables, nuts, bread (pogacha) and dried fruits. In the bread, a coin is being put while before it was baked. The traditional belief is that whoever gets the coin in his/her piece, will have a particularly successfull year to look forward to. The Christmas candle is then lit, and everyone sings a Christmas hymn. Very early Christmas day, people attend the first morning church service. After the family returns from church, the first guest arrives. This is usually a man who is a dear friend of the family, and he is especially honored during the celebration. When he first arrives he goes to see the yule log fire. He is then met by the host,who kisses him and gives him this special greeting: "CHRIST IS BORN" (Hristos se rodi). The guest replies: "INDEED, HE IS BORN" (Voistinu Se Rodi). These greetings are exchanged throughout the three days or Christmas. After the exchange or the greetings, the guest shakes the burning oak log and when the sparks fly up, he recites his best wishes for the family. He usually does this in rhyme, mentioning the Special desires of the family.

The Christmas dinner usually consists of roast suckling pig and other festive dishes; the very festive meal begins and the celebration continues for three days.

Merry Christmas! Sretan Božić! Христос се роди!!!

Every year in the month of December millions of homes all around the world are decorated with Christmas trees, lights, and candles. This is Christmas, a time for carols, cakes, gifts and family gatherings. This festival celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Over the years Christmas has become a time of gift giving and rejoicing in peace.

We have taken many customs from different places around the world and mixed them together to form our modern celebration of Christmas.

For example, we have taken the Christmas tree from Germany and gift giving from the Dutch tradition of leaving out wooden shoes for them to be filled with goodies. But one tradition remains universal i.e., sharing and caring.

HISTORY

How the tradition of Christmas celebration evolved?

From the Old English 'Cristes M�sse' ~ meaning the 'mass of Christ' ~ the story of Christmas begins with the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. It is believed that Christ was born on the 25th, although the exact month is unknown. Few orthodox countries nowadays are celebrating Christmas on January 7th according to the old calendar. It was in 350 A.D., that December 25 was declared the official date for celebrating Christmas by Pope Julius I.

Members of the pagan order have always celebrated the Winter Solstice...the season of the year when days are shortest and nights longest. It was generally believed to be a time of drunkenness, revelry and debauchery. The pagan Romans called this celebration Saturnalia, in honor of their god Saturn. The festivities began in the middle of December and continued until January 1st. On December 25th, "The Birth of the Unconquerable Sun" was celebrated, as the days gradually lengthened and the Sun began to regain its dominance. It is a general pagan belief that the Sun dies during the Winter Solstice and then rises from the dead. With cries of "Jo Saturnalia!", the Roman celebration would include masquerades in the streets, magnificent festive banquets, the visiting of friends and the exchange of good-luck gifts known as Strenae...or "lucky fruits." Roman halls would be decked with garlands of laurel and green trees, adorned with lighted candles. Again, as with Sacaea, the masters and slaves would exchange places.

Saturnalia was considered a fun and festive time for the Romans, but Christians believed it an abomination to honor such a pagan god. The early converts wanted to maintain the birthday of their Christ Child as a solemn and religious holiday...not one of cheer and merriment, as was the pagan celebration of Saturnalia.

As Christianity spread, however, the Church became alarmed by the continuing practice among its flock to indulge in pagan customs and celebrate the festival of Saturnalia. At first, the holy men prohibited this type of revelry, but it was to no avail. Eventually, a decision was made to tame such celebrations and make them into a festive occasion better suited to honor Christ.

According to some legends, the celebration of Christmas was invented to compete against the pagan festivals held in December. The 25th was sacred not only to the Romans, but also to the Persians whose religion of Mithraism was one of Christianity's main rivals at that period in time. The Church was, however, finally successful in removing the merriment, lights and gifts from the Saturanilia festival and transferring them to the celebration of a Christian Christmas.

The colors most often associated with Christmas decorating are green, red, white, blue, silver and gold. These colors have been used for centuries and, as with most traditions, the reason may be traced to religious beliefs. In this instance, green represents everlasting life, red represents the bloodline of Jesus Christ, blue represents the sky from which the angels appeared, white represents the purity of the Virgin Birth, and silver and gold represent the richness of God's Blessings.

Santa Claus

Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle or simply Santa) is the source of Christmas presents given to children on Christmas Day. Conventionally Santa Claus is portrayed as a kindly, round-bellied, merry, bespectacled man in a red suit trimmed with white fur, with a long white beard. On Christmas Eve, he rides in his flying sleigh lifted by reindeer from house to house to give presents to children. In most countries, it is said that he lives near the North Pole. He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in socks or bags by their beds or in front of the family Christmas tree.

Who Was He?

The year 1841 was a significant year in the Christmas celebration in England. Prince Albert, the German husband of British Queen Victoria, brought the first Christmas tree in England to the royal castle of Windsor. And just a year later, America too was to discover the Christmas tree. In 1842, Dr. Charles Frederick Minnegerode, professor of Greek at the College of William and Mary, brought the first Christmas tree to Williamsburg, Virginia, America.

Christmas Tree

A beautifully decorated evergreen tree, with colored lights ablaze is the most beloved and well known Christmas symbols.

The tradition of a holiday tree has been around since ancient times and has played an important part in winter celebrations for many centuries. Many pagan festivals used trees when honoring their gods and spirits. In Northern Europe the Vikings considered the evergreen a symbol and reminder that the darkness and cold of winter would end and the green of spring would return. The Druids of ancient England and France decorated oak trees with fruit and candles to honor their gods of harvests. At the festival Saturnalia the Romans decorated trees with trinkets and candles.

In 1841 the English Royalty help popularize the tree in England by decorating the first Christmas tree at Windsor Castle. Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, decorated the first English Christmas Tree with candles, candies, fruits, and gingerbread.

Early Christmas trees were often decorated with apples, nuts, cookies, colored popcorn and candles. The invention of electricity in the early 20th century and use of electrical Christmas lights helped spread the use of the Christmas tree.

Christmas Celebrations

Christians celebrate Christmas all over the world. This is the most important and the gayest festival of the Christians. Other communities also look upon it as a festival of goodwill and greetings.

Shops and homes take on a festive air. Streets and markets go gay with festival wares. Dances, songs, Christmas trees, Santa Claus moving through the streets with his glittering colorful robes, glowing long white beard and shaking hand with children in the streets form the main attraction of this festival. Families get together around sparkling Christmas trees from whose branches hang numerous lovely gifts. Christmas raises everyone's spirit. It is a hue of joy, celebration and festivity.

And the Angel said unto them, Fear not: behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men ... Luke 2: 10 -14