By Rona Potgieter on Tuesday, 06 September 2011
Category: Rona Potgieter

Bosnia i Herzegovina - life as a highway!

I knew there was something about this country that drew me to it the moment we received our itineraries in the beginning of the year. 

Three days later than intended but still with all odds against us we managed to secure our visas for Bosnia I Herzegovina in Zagreb, Croatia. We took the bus to Mostar. where we spent time with Ivan, a former (GCEX team member) and left for camp the next day.

The first camp was a kids camp with “Missions Without Borders”, all coming out of either abusive, war-stricken or very poor families. 

Despite language barriers I again saw the universal language of compassion and love and that this could bridge all communication gaps.


 


The second week at camp was held for “young adults” all between ages 18-45... Young in spirit! We counted 17 nationalities in total. An amazing experience to be part of! The theme for the camp was “Life is a highway” with daily topics like “roadworks” or how God constantly allows work in our lives, “caution on the road”, “u-turn” and “rest-stop”.


Looking back it was surely the most significant week of my year thus far. Despite cold showers, damp tents, ant invasions and language barriers it was a time where I could share and learn from a diverse group of peoples' life experiences... Former drug-addicts, muslim extremist, fighter pilot, orphan, gangster, but also just regular people from all over the word. The message was the same... “True love saved me when I was lost...”.


He stressed that sometimes being busy with the important things keep me away from the important One and that the question isn't what about next year or what if... the question I should be asking is am I getting to know His heart for my today. RELATIONSHIP is what He desires above else. There must be some truth in it if 17 different nationalities can agree on this in a country known for its disunity.


After helping with camp “brake-down” we were blessed by Brooks (US) & Juliana (Bosnia), a missionary couple, with accommodation in Mostar and a lift to Dubrovnik the next day.

After our time spent separately in both Bosnia and Croatia our whole Northbound team regrouped in Dubrovnik and headed towards Madrid, Spain.


For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity,

but of power, love, and self-discipline”. (2 Tim 1:7)

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