To Heal the Wounds of Bosnia

Bosnia & Hercegovina | Debbie Meroff

Visitors rolling through the Bosnia-Herzegovina countryside are struck by stunning mountain vistas, rushing rivers and lush green valleys dotted with neat houses, gardens and haystacks. Strangers are also taken aback by the wounds of war: buildings reduced to ruins or pitted with bullets, the occasional skull-and-crossbone sign warning of unexploded landmines, and the disturbing frequency of cemeteries. Gravestones are instantly identifiable as Muslim, Catholic or Orthodox and to passers-by who stop for a closer look, it becomes obvious that the years 1992 to 1995 signalled a tragedy of staggering proportions.

Much of the world has forgotten the killing fields of Bosnia after it followed Slovenia and Croatia’s lead and broke away from Yugoslavia. The explosion of hatred between Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats and Muslim-background Slavs left over 100,000 dead, a third of them women and children. But although the grass has grown over those 15-year-old graves, the hearts of survivors remain deeply scarred.

A house—or country--divided against itself cannot stand. Yet the barriers between ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina are still very much in evidence. In a land only a third the size of England, Serbs have claimed their own autonomous region. In other towns and cities, Bosnians and Serbs tend to live on their own sides. And the government doesn’t just have one elected president but three—Bosniak, Serb and Croat—each rotating four-month terms through the year.

Meanwhile, the country’s social and economic situation grows increasingly desperate. Factories that closed during the war have not reopened. A 40% unemployment rate—rising in some places to 70%-- means the government gets too little tax money to rebuild the infrastructure. Young people see no future and turn to drink and drugs. Pensioners struggle to survive on a pittance. For many residents, wood-burning stoves are the only option for heating homes.

People are also spiritually impoverished. ‘There’s a definite sense that “my religion is my nationality,”’ explains OM Bosnia team member Trevor Sambrooks. ‘The words “Serb” and “Orthodox” are used interchangeably, as are “Croat” and “Catholic,” and “Bosnian” and “Muslim.” Although a person’s religion is part of his birthright, only a few are devout. However, a growing number are being influenced by Muslim missionaries from outside, and the offer of schools, mosques and other gifts donated by wealthy Muslim countries.’

Only about 25 evangelical fellowships exist in Bosnia. When OM began bringing in humanitarian aid in 1998, church planting became a priority. The first team lived in a 750-year-old Muslim-dominant town named Bihac in the northwest corner of the country, which has never had an evangelical church. The first locals to follow Jesus were baptised in a local river in 2001, and although several other men and women gradually came to faith the situation then seemed to stagnate. The team realised that attending formal services in a church building didn’t come naturally to people unfamiliar with Christianity, and decided in 2006 to move from a congregational model to house churches. Since then the number of believers has tripled from ten to thirty, and it has been gratifying to see new Christians using their own initiative to reach out to neighbours. One of the several house groups meets for prayer and Bible reading every day.   

Muslim-background believer Amir says he first met American team member Caroline Chesnutt when he was a fifteen-year-old student, eager to practice English. “Caroline prayed ten years for me,” he marvels. “Then I went to a Christian conference in Sarajevo, and what I heard was like an explosion. I was torn in two.” But today Amir is an enthusiastic follower of Christ, the only one in his family. 

‘Church planting is like growing a flower on a rock,’ observes Estonian team member Jael Puusaag, who has persevered in Bihac for almost ten years. ‘The only thing that has kept me going is knowing it’s God’s will. But I agree with what another worker said: “I have only one candle. I’d rather let it shine where there’s total darkness than where there’s even a little light.”’

Most of Bosnia’s population are still unreached. Only about 1000 among 4.2 million have discovered a future and hope in Jesus Christ. Few new churches are being planted and most residents, like their government, live passively, unwilling to upset the status quo after surviving the horrors of war. Even believers are slow to see the need for a reconciliation ministry. Although churches cooperated with an OM-instigated “Pray for Bosnia” focus in 2008, subtle ethnic tensions within congregations still exist. And it doesn’t help that Baptist and Pentecostal churches don’t work together.

For several years OM’s Sarajevo team concentrated on strengthening already-existing small fellowships. Then, in 2006, they felt the Lord leading them to start a new ministry in the unreached suburb of Dobrinja. This Muslim area is close to what was known as ‘sniper alley’ during the war, and was relentlessly pounded by Serbian forces entrenched in the circling mountains. With the blessing of the national church most of the OM team moved to Dobrinja to become part of the community. While no house groups have been established as yet, a twice-monthly Saturday night worship time attracts some interested families.

In 2009 American couple Ed and Monica Siddle settled in the Muslim section of the old city of Mostar to work directly with the local church in discipleship, coaching and training of local pastors and leaders. Much of their ministry is centred around a purpose-built Bible School in Mostar that serves the whole country.

Brazilian Field Leader Claudia Costa shares the view of many outside observers that Bosnia-Herzegovina will not make progress either spiritually or economically without reconciliation between its three main ethnic groups. Humanly speaking, such healing seems impossible. Only the God who knows all hearts can penetrate the barricades of bitterness. And, asserts Claudia, He will only exercise that power in answer to the concerted prayers of His people worldwide.

Credit: Debbie Meroff
© 2010 Debbie Meroff