Worldwide Family Activity Report - Special Issue on Former Yugoslavia
FAR002c - GP
August 1994 by The Family, Zurich, Switzerland
The Family
Making a Difference!
HEALING HEARTS IN THE WAR-TORN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
Part 2a
"Where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:20,21.) Excerpts from Joseph Eastman's personal log of The Family's witnessing experiences in Croatia continue here:
The refugees
Our primary concern, of course, is to reach the Bosnians with the Gospel. There are a number of humanitarian aid organisations here which conduct conventional relief projects, and we sometimes feel very small by comparison. On the other hand, none of these big organisations are ministering to the refugees spiritually. If we can show these poor people the love of God and give them a message of hope, that will ultimately mean more to them and do them more lasting good than any material help we or others may try to offer.
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Apart from helping the refugees come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, perhaps the most important counsel we can offer them is how to overcome their bitterness. They have all suffered so much! Some have lost husband or wife, children or other loved ones. Some have had all they ever worked for swept away overnight. Some have been maimed for life.--And some have suffered all these things! Forgiveness, of course, is an important step towards overcoming bitterness, but if we come right out and tell that to these people they say, "You're crazy! How can I forgive?"
But we have found another approach which reaches them: "Jesus knows how you feel," we tell them. "I don't understand completely, but Jesus knows." This nearly always hits home. Knowing that Someone knows and cares, brings them the peace of mind that they so desperately yearn for, and begins the healing process. Only God's love is love enough to forgive, and only God can put that love in their hearts. This change doesn't happen instantly, but we believe that if we will be faithful to plant the seeds of God's Word, He will help it to bring about the desired results in His time. We plant and we water, but only God can give the increase. (See 1 Corinthians 3:6.)
The soldiers
The soldiers often talk about the deep affect that our songs and music has had on their lives. "When on night guard duty," one peacekeeper told us, "as I sit in total silence and darkness, surveying the landscape through infra-red glasses, the one thing that keeps ringing in my head is the songs you've sung to us. Those songs really give me something to think about, and I get overwhelmed with feelings of peace and well-being. No matter what, I know God loves me."
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Last night we met with a group of Croat Bosnian soldiers from the rehabilitation centre who are returning "home." Their homes are in a war-racked region where there is still fighting, and they have to pass through hostile areas to get there. They asked us to pray for their safety, and we spent a few hours singing songs of faith and reading from the Bible with them. As is so often the case, what seemed to mean the most to them was the time we took with each one individually. Even when in a group of their peers, these soldiers are very subdued and respectful of prayer and the passages we show them from the Bible. One veteran, Pero, said, "You know, I'm usually joking and outwardly happy when I'm with everyone, but it's only a phoney front. Inside I'm empty and sad and don't know what to do." It's wonderful to give Jesus to someone as spiritually hungry as Pero. We exchanged addresses, and will send these soldiers more of our literature in Croatian.
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Omar, a Canadian U.N. soldier, is in his early 20s. He drives an armoured car and does eight-hour observation post duties in the 300-meter zone between the Croatian and Serb front lines. When we first met him, half of his vocabulary was curse words.
His work is extremely stressful, and at first he said he was just "hanging around us for the peaceful atmosphere." Mike spent a long time with him, mostly listening, but also giving Omar the Lord's answers to his questions. Gradually Omar has become very respectful.
He is especially drawn to our music. Each day of his leave, he comes by for fellowship. He finally prayed to receive Jesus last night! Praise the Lord!
Like so many of these soldiers, he just needed someone to pour out his problems to. And like many others, he was amazed to find people who really care about him.
Miracles of protection
Last night we saw two French Canadian U.N. soldiers, Eric and Richard, whom we had met when they were here on their last leave.
"Remember when you guys blessed us before we left for the front-lines," Eric asked. "We had a good time, playing the guitar and talking. That really meant something to me. We only knew you for two days. We didn't know much about you, but you were there for us, blessed us, prayed for us and we felt loved. The next day when we were leaving at five in the morning, you were there to say goodbye. It really touched me to see you there. That was really something!"
"When you showed up that morning and asked to take a picture with us, that meant a lot," Richard added. "You told us the night before that you would be there, but I really didn't expect it. That brought up my morale more than anything else anyone could have said or done!"
Then they told us of their experiences since we last saw them. Eric began: "Two weeks ago we were working together in the mine fields, and we lifted five anti-tank mines and lined them up on the side of the road while we scanned the area for anti-personnel mines. We knew there were some there, but we couldn't find them. When we finally did, one was buried in the ground only two inches from where someone had placed an anti-tank mine they had cleared from the road. If they had dropped the anti-tank mine on top of the anti-personnel mine, it would have set them both off!--That's over 10 pounds of TNT! It wasn't anyone's fault, really, because we had no idea the anti-personnel mine was there. Nevertheless, if it had gone off that would have been the end of us all! I said to Richard `Hey, The Family must be praying for us right now!' and he said, `I believe it!'
"We knew that God was there!" Richard added. "And although we made a near-fatal mistake, it was like He was saying, `Hey, wake up, boys! There's the anti-personnel mine!' If it wasn't for Him we wouldn't be here talking to you!"
"Like we told you," Mike explained, "God has His Angels around His children, protecting them. When you received Jesus, you became extra special to Him. Yes, God was watching over and protecting you!"
On another occasion, some peacekeepers were escorting a group of farmers home after a day's work in the fields, when they realised they'd left one man behind. They returned to the field to find him, but their U.N. armoured vehicle was soon surrounded by about 30 Serbs with automatic weapons drawn and trained on them. They accused the local farmer of being a spy and the U.N. of taking sides in the war. Why else would they return for one man, they asked. Surrounded and held at gunpoint, the peacekeepers watched helplessly as Serbian soldiers laid land mines both in front of and behind their vehicle, making it impossible for them to move without blowing themselves up!
Eric and another soldier were called in to try to rescue them. As they approached, Eric and the other fellow deliberated with the Serbs. At length they reached a compromise: The Serbs allowed Eric to remove the land mines so that the escort and farmers could continue on their way. "This time I said prayers of my own," Eric said, "but I also reminded the Lord about your prayers! Sometimes I'm not so sure about mine, but I know yours always get through!"
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Eric and Richard also told us that a friend of theirs who received the Lord with us had another near brush with death. He was walking alongside a U.N. convoy when he stepped off the edge of the road to bypass a tank. His foot brushed against a twig, and a land mine exploded. When a mine goes off, even the special protective combat boots that the peacekeepers wear are useless. The minimum loss is usually one leg, up to the knee. Miraculously, this young man suffered only five broken toes, and should have no permanent handicap! He was relieved of the rest of his stint in Bosnia and sent back to Canada.
This experience is changing us all
We have gotten in the habit of reminding one another that we are always "on stage." The people to whom we minister are constantly watching to see if our Christian example matches up to our Christian message, so we dare not let our "Christian graces" sag, no matter how long the day has been or how tired we are.
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Today I got the following note from dear Sara. (She is Slovenian, only 18 years old and joined our work just eight months ago.)
"I'm learning so much and feel like I have `grown up' a lot during my few months here in Croatia. I've learned to have a broken heart for other people, to put myself in their position and understand their heartaches. I've learned to not be ashamed to cry openly with them, as sometimes that's the only way they can understand that the love we share--God's love--is genuine. Sometimes that helps them to cry too, and release their pent-up hurts and frustrations. I'm learning to work together as part of a team.--Thank you for being there to help and encourage me when I'm tired and worn. I'm learning to look at each new day as an opportunity to be a blessing to others. I'm learning to have faith in God and His Word.--And best of all, I think, I'm learning that `all things truly work together for good to those that love the Lord' as I see Him work in these people's lives." (See Romans 8:28.)
Please continue to pray for our work here and those to whom we are ministering. Please also pray for our safety, health and very needed financial support. Thank you!
(To be continued.)
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family