Dobrodošli u Srbiju! (Welcome to Serbia!): There and back again...return to Leskovac

Sunday 7/15

I'm back in Leskovac. Funny, it feels like my hometown now :) The reason for the switch from Niš is that Bojan, one of the Roma pastors at the LEC, wanted to spend a few days with me. What an honor for me to spend time with this humble man of God.

Bojan holding his grandson Samuel, and his youngest son Stefan

On the way to Bojan's home...

The neighborhood

An interesting building right across the street from Bojan's home: a refugee center sanctioned by the Swiss government for Serbian refugees during the balkanization of Yugoslavia in the early 90s

I must take this opportunity, now, to inform you of some prayer requests that Bojan has shared with me.

Perhaps you remember Mio Stanković....?

Mio (front left) and his family

Well, he had a vision for a massive multipurpose center to be constructed for the Roma people here in Leskovac. The years have ticked by, and that vision has had the groundwork prepared. The LEC has gained approval for the project--the idea has a green light from the local government, but they are still in need of a license to begin construction. Without it, the project cannot commence. The issue is that elections are approaching for the local government, and those who are running may not be so supportive of the idea.

This multipurpose center, ideally to start construction this September, is planned to include a building for Bible school, a church building to seat 1,700 people, a library, a medical center for dental work, and courts for sports like soccer and basketball. If it begins, it will be the largest project for the Roma people to date.

The prayer is simple: they need the license to get construction underway. This center will have tremendous impact on a great number of people, not just the Romas. Pray for faith for the elders of LEC that God will accomplish His saving, healing work through this vision.

Bojan told me they have many other plans for the church. Offer up these prayers to God:

That more churches would be planted in other cities for the Romas. There are many, many cities that lack churches, and the Romas hunger for God--their souls are searching--but workers are needed to share the gospel. There was a prophecy that the LEC was to be the "mother of churches"...the catalyst, so pray for finances to accomplish this work (perhaps even spare some change if you feel led :)

The Serbs have many seminars and youth camps....not so among the Roma church, only English camps for learning the language. They need the finances to fund seminars and Biblical teaching.

"The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

-Jesus

Also, since the NATO bombing in the late 90s, the radiation has left many of the youth with tumors, and medical care is expensive, so lift this sickness to God and pray that He will cleanse their bodies.

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I spent the night at LEC...a strange feeling to be the only human occupant in an entire church building. Anyhow, I had the same room that my family and I had years ago, and the memories flooded as I walked in.

It was much colder last time...

Love it :)

Monday 7/16

Bojan, Miki (member of the Roma church...he speaks English :), and I stopped by to see a Roma wedding in the evening. Louder than the Serbian one?

........yes.

Fortunately, this wedding did not go for 3 days straight like some do! :)

Tuesday 7/17

I went with Bojan and his family...along with a bus full of Roma people...to Sijarinska Banja, south of Leskovac. It is an aquatic center embedded in the hillside where springs of natural water flow from. The top several pools are heated, and the bottom one is cold...probably added so that people can throw you in to prevent you from falling asleep in the warm water and drowning ;)

It was an absolutely wonderful day. The sun shined bright and warm, and the multitude of people enjoyed pure fellowship and surrounding views of God's glorious handiwork.