2022 Summer MLO Blog 7

 

Summer MLO Blog 7 I knew that coming here this year after being away for almost three years was going to be emotional and prayerfully, a time of rebuilding and deepening of relationships we have built through the years. Well, God truly blessed us with doing just that and to a deeper place than I anticipated. With so much that has gone on in the world and the difficulties and struggles that occurred with the pandemic, the isolation that resulted; then the earthquakes that hit this area and the chaos and havoc they created; the people we met with were beat up emotionally and drained spiritually! Coming here allowed us to provide a ray of hope that God used to show them He cared. Listening to their stories and the testimony of what they have gone through these past several years was heart wrenching, but also heart warming as they shared their love for us and the blessing it was for them to see us. On more than one occasion we were asked, "Are we coming back?" and "Are we going to have the Texas Carnival again?" With a smile on my face from ear to ear, I am able to tell them that we are ready and willing to return next year.   One of our visits was with our dearly beloved Maya, who we have walked beside for many years and have helped start an Awana program here in Petrinja, Croatia. She has been so strong and resilient in her quest to serve young children. Maya has led camps and served at VBA for many years and recently started an Awana club at her home church. Since no Awana materials were in Croatian, she spent the better part of a year translating and putting together the "Cubbie" (young children manual and materials) in Croatian. She also put together 20 teacher and leader kits to hand out to any churches interested. That is a huge feat from a remarkable young women with a heart to serve the Lord. Visiting with Maya in her home and hearing her story of the earthquake was heart wrenching.  The difficulty she has had since the earthquake is slowly being removed and allowing her to move forward with what God has in store for her. She is still not sure what that is, but she knows it in the service of the Lord in working with children and young adults.

Dinner at Maya’s, the Croatian Awana leader in Petrinja

Maya with the Cubbie Awana book that she translated into Croatian so it could be used throughout Croatia.

One night we had the blessing of going out to dinner with Stefan, Arie and his family. It was so good to see our former In Country Disciplers again. We miss them here at HiS House, since they have moved to Split to work with an International School. Having them here this week was an absolute blessing, but we can see that God has called them to Split and is opening doors for them to share Christ in so many ways. To see his parents and sister, brought me back to 2006 and the first time I met them. We sat and shared our stories of the many years we have been coming to Croatia. Then later in the week, they invited us to their summer house to have a BBQ and just sit back and relax. What a blessed time with friends who feel as close as family.

Dinner with Stefan, Arie and his family. Friends for life!

BBQ at summer house outside Sisak! Friends that are like family!

You may remember Branca and our visit to her home in an earlier blog, but we had the opportunity to return and bless her even deeper. It is hard to explain the deep affection we have for Branca and the deeper affection she has for us every time we come to visit, but her love for my niece, Brenda, is unmatched. Brenda and her family have been a part of the HiS Print family for the past 6 years and have joined us since 2017. This year, there was no plan for her or any of her children to come with me, but instead planned to wait 'till next year when we return as a team. However, when I showed Brenda the pictures and video message from Branca to her, Brenda's plans changed! She and her youngest daughter, Emma, hopped on a plane in Chicago on Thursday and were with us here on Friday early afternoon.  By Friday evening at 5:00, Brenda and Branca were in each other's arms. I will let the video speak for itself, but needless to say, it was an absolute blessing for both and especially for Branca!  So many people are hurting from these past two years of difficulty, first from the pandemic and then the earthquakes. They need to see hope. On this day, Branca saw and felt hope!

Brenda and Emma coming to Croatia

Brenda getting hugs from Branca, her Croatian Mama

Brenda’s surprise visit to Branca

One night Robert and I came back from a dinner in Sisak and when we drove into HiS House, sitting there on Welcome Porch was Vukasin, my dear friend and brother from Serbia! He drove the 5 hours from his home town in Novi Sad, Serbia to come and see me. I would say that I was surprised, but Vukasin is always doing things that are a blessing to me and the ministry. I will say I was blessed beyond measure when we drove up and I saw him sitting there! Vuk was here with a couple of other guys and it was a blessing to have them here. We worked at the warehouse and got a lot of things done, and had a wonderful opportunity to sit and talk and catch up.

Vuk and me outside of car on his way to back to Serbia and his car advertisement for HiS Print

I have known Vukasin since 2014 and what a friend he has become. When I first met him he introduced himself as a Jewish atheist. He told me that he didn’t believe what I did, but that I had said some things about God and Jesus, that made him think and eventually got him curious enough to do some investigating on his own. He soon became our biggest fan and advocate in bringing football camps in Serbia and down into Bosnia. It has been a blessing watching him search and look into this love that we share and the way we share it. He has since started to turn more of his life, thoughts and ways toward God and I pray that the day will come when he says yes, totally to Jesus. On his car he has two magnets that state HiS Print. The large one is in the picture and shows the hood of his car with and without the magnet. As you look closely you can see that the color of his car has changed under the magnet and at one particular place it has rusted.   The other smaller magnet is on the side of his car on the driver side door. It is for the Extra Point Football Coaches Clinic that we host here in Sisak every spring for the American Football Coaches across the region. When I asked Vuk what the Extra Point meant, he raised his hand out the window with his index finger extended, pointing upward, as he drove off. That’s our Jewish atheist for you! Turning his life over to Jesus! When he is ready, which I pray is sooner rather than later.  This has been a blessed trip with relationships being deepened and the opportunity to love on those we have missed the past 3 years. I'm looking forward to seeing what God has planned for the final 5 days. Just hanging onto His robe as He leads on!  HE DID IT!  David