I’m in a place where the cross is a symbol of hatred, where a river divides the city, where a bridge that was destroyed in a war of hated fell to the ground, and now where it stands again, a symbol of hope. Hope is something that everybody on the streets of Mostar Bosnia need. They need the hope that comes from Jesus, the hope that life can continue to get better, and the hope that their lives are worth something no matter their background, religion, or ethnicity. That’s what we hope to accomplish here, we hope to hope.
We arrived in Bosnia this week and quickly moved in to a Bible College on the Muslim side of town. How that happened in this town, a town seriously divided, is a miracle of God. You won’t here any world racers complaining about their accomdation here, it’s quite comfortable. My team will be here for about two weeks before we move off to minister at a summer camp off the coast of Croatia for two weeks. But while we are here, there is much work to be done. Serval ministries, churches, and aid organizations need help and Team Doulos hopes to serve them.
On Sunday we got to visit one of the churches in town, on the West side, the Croatian side. The service was powerful and the people here who do have the love of Jesus in their hearts shared it with us through their service and kindness. These are the people in town shouldering the weight of responsibility for uniting the town. Who knows, they might be the only ones. There is hope in Christ, and that is what they preach to the people of Mostar. Their determination and hardwork and prayers for their neighbors would inspire anyone.
Clara, one of the South Africans we travel with, has been here several times. She took us around Mostar and gave us a little tour. Some people came in and talked to us about the city and what it’s like to be a Christian here, a place torn apart by the war in the nineties. As we walked around town, we saw the effects, still present on the sides of buildings and in the dented sidewalks.
The walls were riveted with the bullets and shells that flew from side of the river to the other. Cracks and holes in the sidewalk gave evidence of badly aimed mortar shells and the like. Some buildings shown the light of the sun through gaping holes in the roof. It’s quite a site. Amidst it all though, the people are back to normal lives. The real evidence of the war lies on their hearts. Some are still bitter and full of hate. The Muslims on the east side, the Croats on the west side. The goal for unity is tough. Hope remains though. Hope in Jesus to come and heal the broken hearts on either side of the river and unite them with something bigger than bridges of stone or metal.
Pray for our ministry, pray for the people, and pray for unity. This will be an unforgettable month of the World Race.
