Croatia? Let’s
see. Hmm. Isn’t that in … Well, I’m really not sure.
No, Croatia is
not one of those countries that shows up on the regular news cycle. Its claim
to fame outside the country is probably the attractiveness of its Mediterranean
Dalmatian coast as a tourist destination. Otherwise, this strangely shaped Central-European country bordering Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia and Serbia was mainly
in the news as a part of the former Yugoslavia that was involved in the awful
war in the 90’s, at the time of the breakup of that country.
After a one-week
visit, my word for Croatia is “charming”. Maybe a bit tattered, but charming.
It is obvious that years of Communist rule and the subsequent war have left their
traces. The facades of ornate old buildings in downtown Zagreb are desperately
in need of a face-lift and general repairs. First Communism, then a war, and
now an economic crisis fabricated in a far-away rich country – it is hard for a
small, poor country to get back up on its feet after such successive blows. But
the center of Zagreb is eminently walk-able with cobblestone streets, flower
markets and more sidewalk cafés than any other city I’ve ever visited. They may
not have much disposable income, but the people make up for it in discreet openness.
We visited 2
cities and a town in Croatia. We flew into Zagreb,
the capital, where we ended up spending two full days – one at the beginning
and one at the end of our visit. This quiet little city is backed by a mountain
and faces a river.
All the way on
the eastern tip of the country, on a very flat, very fertile farming area is Osijek. This city, also on a river, is
about ½ hour from the Danube and the border with Serbia. The front line in the
war with Serbia was on the edge of the city which was shelled relentlessly. The
headquarters of the Croatian Reformed Episcopal Church is located here and is
where we lodged. This is where Bill preached on Reformation Day. The area
around the church is the city’s academic center with numerous high school and
university campuses.
Tordinci is a farming town
of 800 people, about 20 minutes from Osijek. The first Reformed church in
Croatia was founded in Tordinci in the 1500’s. This is a long way from
Wittenberg, Germany, and I find it amazing to see how quickly the Reformation spread
throughout Europe at that time. Bill preached in this historic church on
Sunday, November 3. We also attended a brief service in the village Protestant
cemetery the morning of All Saints Day. This included a time of thanksgiving
for a Hungarian pastor and his wife who ministered here for 50 years at the end
of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. They are
both buried here where they served.
Bill’s first
visit to Croatia was 3 years ago when he stayed in Tordinci for a couple of days.
He returned from that trip telling me how the walls of every home in town were
completely pocked with shellshot from the war. Tordinci was occupied by the
Serbian army. One block from the church is a memorial to the 200+ people from
the town and surrounding farms that were killed in this very recent war. The
church itself was gutted and heavily damaged. But on this visit, hardly any
traces of that terrible experience remain. Reparation funds have been well
used. The church is beautifully restored and every house in the village has new
stucco on the walls and a fresh coat of paint. This is a symbol of Croatia. The
war damage is being covered over and everyone is moving on.
The dynamic
ministry of our colleagues in Croatia is a bright spot in the re-evangelization
of Europe. Outreach is blind to ethnicity, reaching across formerly bitter
frontiers. They are opening churches and training pastors. None of them earn a
living wage so their time is necessarily divided between ministry and a secular
job. One pastor mentioned that he needed to see a church member who lived
outside of town but he didn’t have the money to put gas (at around $8 a gallon)
in his car to get there. There are times when the lack of sufficient or even basic
means is a serious handicap to outreach and ministry. To an American budget the
sums seem almost derisory: “If we had
$5000, we could buy a building in the town where we want to plant a church.”
$5000 would buy a building that could house a growing church? What a concept!
But men that only receive $300 a month are clearly more concerned for the
continuation of the ministry than their own salary. In such situations,
sensitive church partnership can be helpful, effective, and rewarding – a
“win-win” situation for everyone.
As with most places
we visit, the welcome is gracious and open. The Croatian believers are so
pleased that we have come and want to get to know them. They love their country
and enjoy introducing us to the good things in it. We sincerely rejoice with
them for the great things the Lord is doing here. The invitation is extended
well beyond us: come and see for yourself. You will be all the richer for taking
the time to learn more about this charming country and the dedicated Christians
serving here.
