June 25, 2006
Dear Family and Friends,
I‘m home safe and sound from a wonderful trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina! The trip exceeded every expectation I had. We were able to build great relationships with the students and continue relationships with the church. Thank you so much for making it possible! I want to take a moment to share a few stories with you and show you how your financial support and prayers are making a real difference in Bosnia.
Our team of three went to teach English at the Evangelical Church in Capljina. The church is the only one of its kind in the area. It’s tiny by our standards, with the typical attendance only around 35. People in the city think it’s a cult because it’s not Catholic or Muslim, the two predominant religions in the region. The pastor wasn't even sure anyone would attend the classes. We were very excited to have ten students, five of whom didn’t attend the church.
We quickly realized the students were too advanced for our lesson plans. Fortunately, they wanted to practice conversational English, so we shifted out attention to question and answer sessions. We’d ask them about life in their country and help them work through the answers in English. They were delighted to share both the positives and negatives of their lives. We were amazed at their openness. It was the perfect way to build relationships, much more effect than a traditional class would have been. God knew just what he was doing!
Now for a couple of stories…our driver for the week, Skippy, became a believer just ten months ago. He had been a soldier in the war and experienced the atrocities of the genocide firsthand. After the war, he used heroine to cope but still felt empty. He turned to a traditional church for help. He said he only found the same politics that had fueled ethnic hatred, prejudice and ultimately war. He was eventually introduced to the Evangelical Church and risked his reputation to attend. For the first time, he heard that Jesus loved him and could give him power to live in freedom through the Holy Spirit. He became a believer and was instantly freed from his heroine addiction! Skippy is a great testimony for the church.
One of the young students from outside the church, Ahmed, made a point to identify himself as a "European Muslim" and assured us he would not explode in our presence (a sad commentary on religious differences). He is unable to find work because of soaring unemployment and discrimination. After the third day of classes, he opened up and told us how he had been insulted and even spit on because of his Muslim identity. He said he found the Evangelical Church to be different from anything he had experienced, that there was something hopeful and ‘right’ about it. We pray for a future of hope for him.
Marta, another one of our students, had also become disillusioned with the church. At the end of the week, she told her friends that she saw something different in the Christians at the Evangelical Church, that there was a joy and a peace there that she wanted to be a part of. Wow!
Another student, Predrog, called the day before classes started and identified himself as a Serb. He wanted to know if he would be allowed to attend the classes, being a Serb. Predrog was very quiet and studious but began asking questions about the church and what we believed. The pastor gave him a sermon to listen to. The next day, Predrog said he had listened to it and was amazed to hear that God loved everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity. He said he had never heard anything like it. He surprised us all when he came to church Sunday!
As you can tell, I’m excited about what’s happening in these precious lives. The people of Bosnia have captured my heart. I thank each of you for your support. I hope you realize the significance of the investment you have made. Please pray for each of these students, that they will take the next step. Pray also for Bosnia, that the country will experience the love, forgiveness and life that Jesus offers.
Gratefully,
Gina
(Return to www.atlantaclimber.com)