Yesterday, one of the young boys that I’ve invested into while here on this trip, his name is Andre’, ran past the church gate, and was yelling, “Stephen! Stephen!” as I walked towards the church.
Andre at his home in Lebane, Serbia
*Embrace* and then he ran back to the church and showed me his pile of walnuts that he collected on the steps to the austere building. Affection like that is enough to melt anyone’s heart, and sometimes you just sit and thank God for the blessed interaction.
Shortly afterward, a kind woman from the church approaches me humming “Here Comes the Bride”, pointing to her ring finger, and then pointing at her daughter, and this is the 3rd time she’s tried to convince me to marry her daughter. Insert her daughter’s giggle, bashful turning away from view, quickly followed by my nervous laugh and awkward, “I speak very little Serbian” speech.
Keeping those two stories in mind, Serbia is much different than I imagined it would be. Before arriving in the country I imagined a hard people, angry, bitter, or perhaps worse, apathetic and stony-faced. Instead of receiving contemptuous glares and persecution we have been welcomed into the land with the phrase, “Be free, like your home!”
Serbian Mechanics on a Break in Lebane
Old men and women have grabbed my arm to engage in conversation, and it has been a rare thing to meet a Serbian who is unkind or even unhelpful. Serbians are incredibly respectful and hospitable, and many times they will go out of their way to help a foreigner. Simply put, it’s easy to find yourself falling in love with them, because they are hardworking, approachable, and strong people of character.
Pedestrians in Lebane, Serbia
However, this is not to say that Serbia is bereft of its own difficulties.
It is common knowledge that the economy is struggling in Serbia to the point that finding a job and leaving the country almost seem synonymous. Much of the Serbian population is educated, college level and up, but finding a job in a field is difficult. What Americans would consider minimum wage jobs are often held by people trained in excess of the skills required to perform such simple work, and the tension brought on by such a reality creates a good amount of frustration. People are upset with the government, with the Roma (Gypsy) population, and with foreign nations who all seem to be stifling Serbia’s economic opportunity and growth.
Early morning street vendor selling produce in Lebane, Serbia
Bearing all this in mind, our team was surprised to realize that Americans have a good amount of influence and respect in Serbia.
America’s prosperity has given my team and I a platform for speaking to the different churches across Serbia. American culture with its songs, shows, and style have invaded the hearts of the Serbian youth, as they desire to grasp America’s power and financial success. Regularly, people will state that they wish to visit the US, or are surprised that we are in Serbia at all. An essential part of our ministry has been communicating to the Serbians that the US still needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that having more money doesn’t fix problems that only God can.
Slavejub and his “better half” Snezana in Lebane, Serbia
Our host for this month, Slavejub, had us interact with his church in Lebane, a church north of Lebane in Bojnik, a church in Leskovac, and a church run by his sister and brother in law in Nis. Throughout these churches and this month we have gotten the chance to work with children, youth, and general congregations, by playing games, preaching messages that were translated, sharing our testimonies, and leading worship.
Me leading worship the church in Lebane, Serbia
Fully functional in their own right, these churches do a great amount on their own, but the pastors are stretched in their resources, especially time. Our first week in southern Serbia there was not a day that our team did not travel to some church somewhere in Serbia and present a testimony or message, but our team was just plugging into the systems and structures that were already crafted by the local pastors. Daniel, a Roma pastor from Lebane, has three different churches and a small group that he tends to across four different cities, towns, and villages, which means that he is responsible for multiple services, multiple nights, in multiple different locations every week. He and his wife, both seminary graduates work together to reach congregations and raise their two boys, while also implementing themselves as foster parents.
Pastor Daniel at a church event in Lebane, Serbia
Ministry for these leaders in the community is two full time jobs, and the scripture that comes to mind is Matthew 9:37-38
“Then he (Jesus) said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'”
Pastor Daniel preparing for a service with communion while Ilija prepares for to lead worship in Bojnik, Serbia
Throughout our time here, we have been able to join with hardworking pastors and leaders in their mission grow the kingdom of God here on earth, but much still remains to be done in Lebane, Bojnik, Leskovac, and Nis. Please pray for the churches and congregations. Pray against persecution, pray for growth in their churches, pray for more workers to enter the harvest, and pray for help in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.
Lebane, Serbia
Thank You for reading this far along, and if you have been blessed by this post please consider supporting me financially as I set out to share the Gospel with nations all around the world. It is a costly endeavor and I will need all the help I can get. A monthly gift of $50 or $100 dollars would go far, but any amount helps. Currently, I only need about $3,000 to complete my fundraising.
My final deadline for support is on December 31st, and I need to have $16,256 raised by then to continue with this ministry. If I do not raise full support I will have to go home on December 31st. Please prayerfully consider joining me on my journey.
I am close to my final goal of $16,256.
God Bless.
How to make a donation:
ONLINE GIVING:
•I will continue to blog from now until the end of the trip here:stephenzenner.theworldrace.org
-click “support me” underneath My Fundraising Status to make a donation
-Choose to donate a one time gift, a weekly gift or a monthly gift.
CHECK DONATIONS:
•Mail in a check with the Fundraising Card. Fill in your name and attach a check.
-CHECK PAYABLE TO: ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS
-Memo: Stephen Zenner
-Send to: P.O. Box 742570 Atlanta, GA 30374-2570
