The sounds of a rooster wakes me up, the air is crisp- it feels like a perfect fall morning, a rarity in the almost consistent Texas heat. It is a surreal feeling to know I am waking up across the world in another continent. We are living in the village of Mrcajecvi in the southern part of Serbia. Through sleepy, jet lagged eyes, I take my first look around the Camp I will call home for my first month of ministry. This camp hosts many children and youth from all parts of Serbia through the summertime. The week prior to our arrival, Roma Gypsy children visited, and we were greeted by Hungarian youth who traveled from the North Serbian-Hungarian border.
This first week of ministry for us has been filled with many different opportunities to serve the Serbian people. We have been on bathroom duty while the campers are in their sessions. We have helped in the kitchen, with the set up & tear down of each of the meals. We have helped with manual labor cutting down trees and hauling them with our ministryhost. We have spent time with beautiful Baba (Serbian grandma), a widow who lives next door to the camp. Her husband passed 12 years ago and her body wasn’t able to hold a child of her own, so she often gets lonely in her home. She is so precious with her one toothed smile and her braided hair. She doesn’t speak English, but we have a translator, Daniel who guides our conversations.
My team and I have been on the mission field for about a week now, and we all feel peaceful about where God has placed us and who he knew we needed to be with to start this journey. 2 days ago we had the opportunity to affirm each other- to tell each other what wonderful attributes we see in them, how we see God through them, and what we love about them. This all happened over washing dirty dishes together. What a powerful bonding moment with the girls I now call my sisters. Ministry and opportunities to build one another up and encourage are all around us.
One thing I have learned about the Serbian people is they truly respect and encourage quality time. They invite you into their home and offer you Turkish coffee and homemade treats. American’s often live life with a go go go outlook and the idea that the more tasks you can cross off your to do list the better your day was. I love that here, people slow down and enjoy each other’s company. Yesterday I had the opportunity to try out this mindset when we hiked up a mountain to a viewpoint that was simply breathtaking to look at. It felt like we were standing on the edge of the world and that if we raised up our hands we could pluck the clouds from the sky. My immediate reaction was to take as many pictures as possible (which, pictures were taken-it was too beautiful not too!) and to post pictures to snapchat, to take selfies and send to my family and friends back home. To immediately post to instagram. But, instead my team sat in each others presence, prayer together, and allowed the Holy Spirit to remind us what it’s all about and feel just a teeny bit closer to Heaven up on the top of that mountain.
A few nights ago, when it was the final night of the camp, the youth shared their testimonies, which was translated for us. To end the evening, we worshiped together and another reality was opened up to me. God is a God of all people and all flesh. To stand and sing a song in English while the youth sang the same song in Serbian-it was a beautiful reminder that God’s presence is to the ends of the earth. We pray for the people in other nations. But, to live along side them, worship with them, pray with them, and allow them to pray for you. It is something that you feel deep in your soul. And I am so thankful for this opportunity to do just that.
