Jeff Adams

The weary pallor of communism hung over Croatia like dust over an unused room when I was last here twenty years ago. Not much had changed since World War II. This was then part of Yugoslavia, a horrible, ill-fitted border conceived by self-serving politicians and fenced around an odd collection of Slavic peoples divided by religion and tradition and at odds with each other for centuries. The air was oppressively pregnant with war.

Hope beamed from a little Baptist church made up of a few good families in the small town of Puscine on the outskirts of Varazdin. At the core of this little group was a young entrepreneur named Batko and his wife Karmen. They had big faith in a big God that they could light an inextinguishable light in the depressing gloom. By God’s providence we had made contact with them and a few from our church had visited personally.

Their immediate vision was to construct an attractive church on a corner as a testimony to God’s power. KCBT gave several thousand dollars to get them over the hump and finish the building. Their gratefulness was genuine and I was invited to speak at the dedication. A group of us had flow into Munich and driven through Austria to get here. I remember the hospitality of Bratko and Karmen along with their families and a wonderful outside meal we shared together with the church.

Not long following our visit, horrible war broke out, many thousands were killed and refugees poured over this area desperate for help. Through the war years we lost most contact with the church. Bratko went on to establish several successful businesses and faithfully plow resources back into ministry and touch the lives of people. Just a few months ago Jeff Cox was accompanying some friends from anther church and they were in this area in a totally unrelated ministry when he providentially stumbled across our old friends. You can imagine my surprise when he texted me a cell phone photo of the plaque we gave them at the dedication that is still on the wall.

It’s one thing to go on a one week mission trip and say that God really blessed. I’m not sure sometimes what that really means. It’s something else to look back over twenty years and see lasting fruit from the investment of time and resource. That’s what we have discovered here. This church has not only grown, they have begun other churches. Not far away is a beautiful facility that houses a Baptist high school that has gained the confidence of both government and community. Most Baptist churches in Croatia are small, and the facility also has a large auditorium where smaller churches can come together for special occasions. Bratko’s influence has grown alongside his business and faith endeavors. Karmen has a flourishing ministry among Roma (Gypsy) children.

Tomorrow morning I will speak again at Puscine Baptist Church in celebration of twenty years of friendship. I’ll give them another plaque from us and pray that God will make the next twenty years even more fruitful than the first. Croatia is different today. We sped down a fabulous autobahn this morning flying past scenery that could pass for the United States with big box stores and gas/convenience stores dotting the way.

Reba by ancestoral house

On a side note, Reba C and Donna B are traveling with me. Reba is a proud Croatian/American whose mother’s family hails from the Strawberry Hill neighborhood in Kansas City. She was so excited to be for the first time in her ancestor’s homeland. She had the name of the village her great,

Reba and Long-lost uncle, cousin, neighbor?

great grandparents were from and their surname. Within minutes after arriving yesterday evening, she and Bratko were on the Internet and located the village only an hour and half from here.

Today, we set out early for the village, finding it on the very top of a high hill outside of Zagreb. Twenty eight families once lived in the village, but only 21 inhabitants remain. Upon hearing the family name, an old lady began an animated account of the family’s history in the village and told us that the first wooden house on the right is where they lived, though it has been empty now for many years. I wished I could have known exactly what she was feeling as we came to the house where her great-great grandparents probably lived.

As you worship today (Sunday) at KCBT, remember that what you are doing has purpose. Our visit here is but one example of making a difference in a mixed up world. Your faithful, giving, service and prayer DO count!

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 12:41 pm and is filed under Jeff's Journeys. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.