Twenty-two days have come and gone here in Serbia, although it feels like we’ve been here longer. And at the same time, I’m dumbfounded at the fact that we are already done with our first month of the World Race. A classic paradox that isn’t unfamiliar. The days are long and exhausting, yet fun and relaxed. Our ministry here was twofold: helping out with practical things at the church building (where we also lived this month), and being relational in the community of Sombor, which is the town we are in. Zoli, our ministry host, is passionate about us meeting people in the town and getting to know them over the course of the month. He provided connections with locals and businesses in town where we can utilize our hobbies and/or skill sets to meet people.
The layout of our days looked like this:
9 – 10 am: Prayer walk
10 – 2 pm: Help with practical things in church building
2 – 6 pm: Free time
6 – 10 ish (sometimes later): Meet up with locals
10 pm: Cook/eat dinner if we haven’t already
It definitely was a fun ministry, but also a difficult ministry for me. Most of you know that I’m an introvert, and hanging out with groups of people doesn’t give me energy. It honestly just drains me. Having plans every night (with the exception of our “adventure day”) is a lot for me, and I sometimes felt like I couldn’t catch up on rest. Back home, I would opt to have a chill night (or two, or three) by myself if I needed to reenergize. I got to a point where I was really good at saying no without making up some excuse or ignoring the invitation. I would just be honest and tell people I wasn’t up for it. However, this is what we were called to this month, so that wasn’t necessarily an option. It stretched and challenged me in ways I haven’t been before, because I normally could just say “no” if I really wanted to. I actually didn’t handle it well in every circumstance, either. I had moments where I dwelled on exhaustion and let that rule my reaction, rather than rely on the Lord in those moments.
In spite of all of that, it has been worth it. We formed relationships with people over the last few weeks that could last a lifetime, and hopefully for eternity.
There is a guy we have been hanging out with a lot during our month here in Sombor. I’ll call him John to protect his privacy. The guys on our team met him the first full day we were here. He met the last World Race group just as they were about to leave Serbia, so he had an idea of who we were. He’s an outgoing guy who seems to know everyone in town. He has welcomed us and included us in so many things since we’ve been here. Someone from our team hung out with him almost every single day for the first two weeks we were here.
He came to church the first Sunday were here, just 5 days after arriving. We originally planned to make dinner at the house after service (service is at 6pm), but we decided to go eat out with John instead. I am so thankful in the change of plans. We went to a place called Pink Panther and ate some awesome Serbian BBQ food. The conversation was casual and lighthearted as the group sat and ate together. Then out of nowhere, it took a turn, but not by any of our American hands. John steered us down a more serious path.
He began by telling us how much satisfaction he gets while hanging out with us, to which we all knew was actually the Holy Spirit in us that he was attracted to. He went on to say that all the things he pursues don’t satisfy. He mentioned that if he had a girl that he truly loved, then he would be happy. He even said that when he makes it to America, then he will be happy.
On a side note…that’s a very common theme we’ve noticed here. To multiple people I’ve talked with, America equals happiness.
After John talked through all of these things with us, Ethan redirected the conversation toward Jesus, and how He is the only one that satisfies. John told us that he wants to believe, but he can’t because he hasn’t felt or experienced the Lord. Ethan took his hand and told him that that he was going to pray that he experiences the Lord and feels him. But before Ethan could start, John interjected. He said he wasn’t opposed to it, but not there. Not in Pink Panther. Not in public. He wanted to wait until we got back to the coffee house. So, there we went, back to the coffee house.
On the walk back, Ethan turned to me and explained that he felt like the Lord had put me on his heart while we were at the restaurant talking with John. He asked if I could pray a bold prayer over John, that he would feel the presence of God and receive Him. My heart sank with fear. Why did the Lord put me on your heart, I thought. I quickly shut it down, knowing that it wouldn’t change anything, and doubt wasn’t going to help.
When we got back, Ethan immediately looked over at me with a nod. Oh, we’re doing this now? He told John that we were going to pray over him, that he would feel the presence of God. I got up and walked over to John’s seat, pulled up a chair, and sat down. Nerves fluttered through me, hopeful that something miraculous was about to happen. We heard so many stories like this at training camp, where the presence of the Holy Spirit was tangibly felt and seen.
I started by telling John how thankful we were that he was so willing to open up to us and share so vulnerably with us at the restaurant. Then I prayed a bold prayer. I honestly can’t even remember what all I said, which is probably a good indicator that the Holy Spirit took over. I remember just asking and pleading with God that John would feel His presence. I finished and took a step back as Drew (our squad leader) got his guitar and started playing worship songs.
I stood a couple feet from John, now standing, with my arms in the air worshipping the Lord. I kept asking God to fill the room with His presence, that John would experience Him. I asked over and over. Come on, Lord, I pray that John can feel Your presence. Please, Lord. After a song or two (the details of that night are a blur), I opened my eyes because I heard John whispering. I couldn’t hear all of what he was saying, but I remember seeing him shaking his head as he talked to Mack. I went and sat back down next to him, to hear the conversation. He said he couldn’t feel anything. My heart sank a little. Why, Lord. Why didn’t You show up?
I still don’t know the answer to that question. I wanted so badly for John to have such an encounter with God that he couldn’t deny it was something supernatural. But that encounter didn’t happen. Not on that level, at least. In moments like these I have to remind myself that God is sovereign, and His timing is perfect. Not mine. I thought that was it. I thought we were going to have an amazing story after being here for only 5 days.
But we still do have an amazing story. God provided a night of vulnerability for growth to happen, whether we see the fruit of it right now or not. I believe that God is going to get a hold of John. I’m excited for that day, that hour. It’s not here yet, but I’m hopeful. My prayer now is that the seed planted while the other World Race team was here, is a seed our team was here to water. Only God can make the seed grow.
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
1 Corinthians 3:5-7 ESV
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