Into Bosnia

Well where to start ... We left Hungary on Wednesday morning. Not real early around 8:30. We traveled until about 1:00 and then we stopped in Croatia at a friend of Palma's where we had lunch. A lovely young lady who is working with the Roma's ( gypsies ). There are 6 in the group that work together. Very interesting work. On the road again and crossed the boarder into Bosnia. Palma was full of information as we traveled. We drove through what is known locally as the "War Zone". It was amazing to see. The war has been over for twenty years and it looks like yesterday, housed bombed out or covered with bullet holes. It was like that even in Sarajevo but with the new built around the devastated buildings.

It was a war within the country with three factions involved I guess you would call it a civil war. The city of Sarajevo is in the valley surrounded by mountains. Like a donut with the city in the center. So it was easily devastated. Just a little history for you.

It is mostly Muslim you can see mosques is all directions large ones and small ones. They  sprinkle the countryside as well as the city. The missionary couple we stayed with live just around the corner from a large mosque and you can regularly hear their call to worship. So odd for us we are more used to church bells.

Larry and Jill are church planters along with a team of three other couples. If I remembering right, the idea is to do home church plants because the economy is so poor a new local church could not sustain itself.

The quilt ministry is something the ladies started to reach out to local women and share the gospel. It's quite a task to witness to the Muslim women without offending them so they won't return. This is one of the clubs, so out of respect for their program we did not offer bibles. They are at a tender point and afraid that if they push too hard, too quickly the ladies won't come back. Each week the club is opened with prayer and there is a short testimony or reading or study. Of course this week we gave our testimonies. There are four Muslim women there after it all was said and done. They each came up to us and thanked us for sharing. All I can say is I think seeds were planted, the rest is up to God to send who is needed. The ladies were warm and inviting. We enjoyed our time with them very much.

So many people who do not know, who cannot see their creator. Pray for the people of Bosnia and the missionaries who work so hard to bring the truth of salvation to them.