This was what the two weeks in the town of Breza in Bosnia i Herzegovina was like to me. On our departure from London to Sarajevo, we knew that we will be hosted by the church in Breza and that we will sleep in the church. Expecting a church hall where we'll probably have to sleep on the floor, we were surprised at the setup. Church consisted out of a 2 story house with the meeting place, office and a kitchen on the first floor and bedrooms and bathrooms on the second floor. We had a home in church!
The team at "home"
Our place next to the small river running by quickly became more than just a physical "home". We had great fellowship with the members of the church, especially the youth. Our main focus was to encourage the church and pray for them. Daily we prayed and received revelation from God on exactly what to pray for and what to address. Our prayers focused on restoration and healing for the congregation and each member. God used the small river next to us as a symbol of the restoration and healing He was busy with. The river was polluted by a lot of trash. In the same way our lives can be flowing with the living water and be polluted by sin. When praying about what we should do for the last youth meeting on Saturday, we all heard that we should clean the river. But when we woke up on Saturday morning, there was no more trash in the river, because the river came down strongly after some rain and all the trash was taken down stream. With this we experienced how God showed us that He will be the One who restores and heals his church.
During the two weeks we made new friends and enjoyed the fellowship in this coffee drinking culture. We also had the privilege of visiting the town of Mostar and hearing more about the history regarding the war that took place since 1993. Even though it's been 15 years since the start of that war, the effects of it is still visible on buildings and in the lives of the people. Speaking to the youth I realized that they are the one's who has to live with the consequences of this war, like growing up without a father or mother or even both. And most of them are facing these consequences without the One who can truly restore and heal them, for most of them do not know Jesus Christ as their Saviour. And it's my prayer that they will come to know him and that God will continue to heal and restore his church in Bosnia i Herzegovina.