Our First Term
We have spent our first term in Croatia doing what most new missionaries do. We are learning the language, becoming acclimated with the culture, meeting new people,learning the language, handing out tracts, preaching with a translator….did I mention learning the language??
I have been busy helping in 2 works here in the Northern part of Croatia. The first church Stablo Zivota, was started by missionary Johnny Leslie and is now in the hands of a National Pastor. Here I helped in whatever capacity was needed. I taught a Sunday School class to the teenagers, I have led singing, driven church vans, filled the pulpit and tried to be an encouragement to Bro. Ric ( the Pastor). We have a kids meeting every Sunday afternoon and we bus in children from the Gypsy Village. Here they play games, sing songs, learn verses and hear the Word of God every single week. We have different special events through the year to keep them excited and bringing friends. This past June we had a VBS and it averaged around 60 children everyday!
The second work Bro. Johnny started was fairly new when our family arrived on the field. I jumped right into responsibilities in this church. I have been preaching every other week , leading the singing, soul-winning, passing out tracts..etc. During this time we moved to a bigger building and did a lot of work to get it ready for our first service, I was responsible for leading the church while Bro. Johnny was on furlough for a year. In this time we had different outreaches to the community trying to get them into church. We started our Christmas in Croatia project which the Lord has blessed tremendously for the last 2 years, in which we collected money to supply food baskets (and gifts) for the needy at Christmas time. (You can read more about that here, if you'd like www.christmasincroatia.org ).
The Lord has blessed abundantly during this first term. It has been a privilege to work with and learn from Bro. Leslie for this time.
Future plans
Upon returning to Croatia at the end of 2013 we will be moving to the Capital city, Zagreb, and beginning a brand new work there. Zagreb is the largest city in Croatia. The population for the entire Zagreb metropolitan area is over 1 million souls. There is no Independent Baptist Church here, obviously, and is in desperate need of the Savior! We have sown the seed numerous times in this thriving city and praying the Lord of the harvest would begin, even now, softening the hearts of these precious people.
We are praying the Lord would have us a house in close walking distance to the city center, which on any given day, resembles New York City. Multitudes and multitudes of people, running to and fro, lost and on their way to hell, is all I see.
Please take a minute to view our "Highlights" video and prayerfully consider allowing us to present our field.
We are praying the Lord would have us a house in close walking distance to the city center, which on any given day, resembles New York City. Multitudes and multitudes of people, running to and fro, lost and on their way to hell, is all I see.
Please take a minute to view our "Highlights" video and prayerfully consider allowing us to present our field.