u susret tinedjerskom kampu

Nas drugi djecji kamp zavrsava sutra, i u ponedjeljak nam dolazi 98 tinejdera iz cijele BiH! Molim vas molite za punovremeni tim, za domor, snagu i radost da nam se obnovi tokom vikenda! Imamo dodatnih 10 vodja koji ce biti od velike pomoci, ali nam je potrebno Bozje vodstvo i mudrost za slijedecu sedmicu, jer nikad prije nismo imali toliku grupu tinejdera na jednom mjestu i vecina nisu vjernici!


ENGLISH
looking toward teen camp

Our second children camp finishes tomorrow and then on Monday we have 98 teenagers coming from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina! Please pray for the long term workers, for rest and strength and joy to be restored over weekend! We have additional 10 workers coming, which will be of great help, but we do need God's wisdom and guidance for the next week, since we never had bigger group of teenagers on one place and most of them are not believers!

Kid's camp num. 2

God's blessing!

Bozji Blagoslov! Just today we have new camp starting, kid's camp number two! Children in this camp come through the contact from organization called "Mission wihtout borders"! These children come from homes in various needs.
Please pray:

• good weather, since we had rain every day
• protection of kids and all campers at the beach and all kind of bites
• strength and rest for leaders
• unity and communication between leaders
• openennes for children for all that God has for them
• healing of their hearts
  

thank you

Djecji Kamp 2 "Misije bez Granica"

Bozji Blagoslov!
Upravo danas je zapoceo novi djecji kamp gdje nam djeca dolaze kroz kontakte organizacije "Misije bez granica"!
Molim vas molite se

• dobro vrijeme, jer nam svaki dan pada kisa
• zastitu na djeci i svima kamperima i na plazi i od raznih uboda/ujeda
• snaga i odmor za vodje
• jedinstvo i komunikacija medju vodjama
• otvorenost djece za ono sto Bog ima za njih

HVALA

ECBIH djecji kamp 2009 IZVJESTAJ

Tko je tvoj najbolji prijatelj? Pedeset i devet djece iz citave Bosne i Hercegovine na ovogodisnjem djecjem kampu Emek Beraka na Borackom jezeru naucili su da Isus moze i da zeli da bude njihov najbolji prijatelj!


Svaki su dan djeca kroz razlicite biblijske price ucili o Isusu kao prijatelju. Tako Isus je prijatelj koji prihvaca Mateja, omrazenog carinika. On je I prijatelj koji iscjeljuje stotnikovog slugu! On je onaj koji daje vid slijepom covjeku, i brine se za Lazara i podize da ga iz mrtvih! On iznad svega dijeli svoj zivot s nama kroz Njegovu smrt na krizu i uskrsnuce.
Naucili smo i da Isus zeli da budemo dobri prijatelji jedan s drugim, i primjere za to mogli smo vidjeti u istinitim pricama prijateljstva koje smo slusali svaku vecer!


U programu smo virtulano putovali sirom svijeta uceci o razlicitim zemljama: Keniji, Kamobodji, Dominikanskoj Republici i Kazahstanu. Svaki dan smo culi pricu o jednom djetetu iz te zemlje, naucili nesto novo o toj kulturi, njihovim navikama, jelu, igrama koje igraju, pjesmama koje pjevaju, itd. Nakon toga smo i pokusali igrati neke od igara, pjevati pjesme na njihovom jeziku i napraviti njihovu zastavu. Ono sto je bilo posebno u ovoj sedmici je vrijeme molitve kad su se djeca u svojoj djetinjoj vjeri, molila za probleme kao sto su siromastvo, droga, alkohol, bolesti te da bi im se Isus objavio kao njihov prijatelj!

Vecernji program se vrtio oko talent show-a “Emek Beraka trazi zvijezdu”! Bila je to citava lepeza talenata, od pjevaca i pjevacica, rap-a i break dance plesaca, do recitacija i komicnih predstava. Nakon tri veceri natjecanja i elminacija, 3 mlada momka iz Sarajeva su glasanjem publike odnijeli prvo mjesto i naslov zvijezda kampa Emek Beraka I kao nagradu besplatno ucestvovanje na tinejderskom kampu 2010! Drugo mjesto je osvojila curica s predivnim glasom, a trece skupina preslatkih princeza.


Zadnju vecer je padala kisa, ali unutar satora za sastanke bila je jedna posebna atmosfera dok su razlicite vodje dijelile svoja svjedocanstva o tome kako je Bog promjenio njihove zivote! Djeca su cula kako je Isus dao svoj zivot za njih, ustao iz mrtvih i sada zivi! Culi su i kako On nudi dar oprostenja za grijehe i ako prime taj dar, vjecni zivot!
Puno djece je izislo na molitvu, neki da prime Isus u svoje srce, a neki da se mole s vodjom za neke druge probleme koje su imali!
Mogla se osjetiti snazna Bozja prisutnost kako djeluje u njihovim srcima. Nastavite se moliti da Bog nastavi svoje djelo u njima i za odrzavanje kontakta sa lokalnim radnicima!

Jos nesto sto bi posebno izdvojili je "dernek" koji smo imali u Cetvrtak. Bilo je tu puno zabave i smijeha kroz skakanje na trampolinama, prelaska mosta od konopaca, vreca za skakanje i sumo hrvaca...te na kraju tijesta i hrenovki na rostilju! Nezaboravan dan!

Takodjer redovna zbivanja na kampu su aerobik, pjesme slavljenja, igre, kupanje u jezeru i kamperske duznosti, sto ukljucuje pranje sudja, wc i tuseva, ciscenje kampa i sl. Svaki dan smo imali i nagrade za najcisci sator, sto je uvelike pomoglo punovremenom timu na kraju kampa! Hvala kamperi!!!

Zadnji dan,bilo je tu puno tuznih lica, ali i obecanja i planova za slijedecu godinu. Mnogi su stvorili neka nova prijateljstva, ali ne samo jedan s drugim, vec i s najboljim prijateljem kojeg itko moze imati...Isusom!

ECBIH children's camp 2009 REPORT

Who is your best friend? Fifty-nine kids from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina at this year’s children’s camp Emek Beraka on the Boracko Lake learned that Jesus can and wants to be their best friend.

Everyday kids learned through different Bible stories how Jesus showed himself to be a friend. Jesus is the friend that accepts Matthew the hated tax collector. He is a friend that loves through healing the centurion’s servant. He is the one that gives sight to the blind man, and he cares for Lazarus and his family by raising him from the dead. Also He shares His life through His death on the cross and resurrection. Also we learned that Jesus wants all of us to be good friends to one another. Every evening we heard the true-life stories of friends who were there for each other in many different ways.

We also traveled virtually around the world learning about four specific countries: Kenya, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic and Kazakhstan. Each day we heard from a child in each of these countries, learned more about each country, what they eat, what games they play, what songs they sing, etc. Then we played some of their games, sang some songs and made some things including making little flags for each country. A highlight of this program was the prayer time we had for each nation. Children came forth and prayed with their childlike faith for the children in those nations, for solutions to problems such as poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, healing for sicknesses like AIDS and for God to reveal to them that Jesus can be their best friend too.

The evening program spotlighted Emek Beraka’s rising talents. From talented ballad singers, to break dancing and rap, from poem recitation and comic skits to dancing, we saw and heard some talented young people at camp. After three nights of preliminary competitions, three young men from Sarajevo with their comic revue took the title of Emek Beraka’s Stars 2009 and won scholarships for teenage camp for 2010. Runners-up were a young lady with a beautiful voice and a group of lovely dancing princesses.

The last evening was rainy, but quiet reigned inside the meeting tent as different leaders shared testimonies of how God changed their lives. The children heard how Jesus gave His life for them, rose again and now He lives. They heard how He offers them the gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life if they will accept this gift. Many children came forth for prayer to let Jesus into their lives or to pray with someone for other needs. You could feel the strong presence of the Lord working in their lives. Pray that the Lord will continue His work in them and that local leaders will have opportunities to continue to minister to them.

Other highlights were a carnival with jumping castles, a sumo wrestling game, a rope bridge challenge and cooking bread, hot dogs and smores over an open fire. Also regular camp activities were aerobics, praise songs, games, crafts, camp duties (washing dishes after meals, cleaning the toilets and showers, cleaning the camp, etc.) and of course swimming in the lake. We also had a daily contest for the best-kept tent with prizes.

On the last day, there were many sad faces that camp had come to an end, but promises to come back next year. Many had made new friendships not only with each other, but also with the best friend anyone could ever have…Jesus!

Prayer Camp 2009

Prayer Camp 2009

Prayer Camp was amazing! We had leaders and prayer warriors from all over the country come to this place that we love to call “valley of the blessing”. We came together to pray and commit the land and the campers into God’s hands as a platform where He will reveal Himself in a new and fresh way!

Prayer camp lasted two full days, from Friday evening to Sunday morning and we wanted to use every minute of it.
It was all about journey and places. We journeyed with Elijah (1 Kings 17-19) from places of provision on Friday, to place of victory on Saturday, just to finish at the place of revelation on Sunday morning! It was exciting journey!

Friday evening Vanja started off finding Elijah at Kerith and Zerapath and there we learned that God provides in the middle of the drought. We were reminded that we belonged to the Lord who orders our circumstances, sometimes even to ravens, or the widow, and also the wind and the sea in the New Testament! We were also challenged to follow the faith and obedience of the widow in Zerapath and give in our lack knowing that there is more to come!

Every night we organized prayer chain from Midnight to 6 AM, and we had many encouraging testimonies from those early hours of worship and intercession! Also at 6 am, we would all get up and go into the prayer walk around our property, praying for tents, dining place, office, kitchen, meeting place, just sealing the boundaries of the camp site and praying for protection and His will to be done within the same! On Sunday morning it was a special joy to pray for the new piece of property that we just recently purchased, dedicating it to the Lord for the very first time!
We all agreed that we felt enormous excitement thinking of the ways that the Lord will be using this land we were standing on!

Saturday was the key day, filled with prayer, worship and the “meaty” Word! Following Elijah we came to mountain Carmel, the place of victory!
In the morning, Ronnette from Fredericksburg, long time friend, talked about God who revealed Himself in the fire and also about his prophet who stood in the face of 500 Baal’s prophets challenging their god, and also in the face of people of God, challenging their compromising faith and lifestyle. We talked about faith that it took, that came only from the deep knowledge of knowing his God and knowing who he was in Him. We were encouraged as the church in Bosnia and Herzegovina not to fear but to get to know our God and our true identity in Him, since that it where our victory lies!

Following the morning session and just before dinner, we had time where Enisa Dedic taught us about intercession which was followed by prayer for unreached cities in our country, leaders of the existing churches, campers, specific camps and the long term team that will serve throughout the 2009 camp season! It was amazing time of prayer, obviously Enisa did an excellent job J!

In the evening, pastor Sasa talked about God who revealed Himself in the rain that comes as a promise received by those who persevere! He encouraged the church in this country not to give up, but to persevere, for the promise will come for sure! He also painted his sermon that will remain as a constant reminder of the perseverance that is needed in order to receive what is promised!!!

And then Sunday came, Pastor Orin from Oregon preached about Elijah’s experiences on Horeb, place of revelation place where he saw God in a whole new way. He also preached about the desert that led to Horeb! He preached his life and his heart out, and as he just mentioned some of the desert experiences he went through, he was quick to add that he would never trade it for anything, In those lonely, dark places, he met God in a way that he would have never met him in any other way! He was thankful for deserts for in the midst of the same there was God who meets us and leads us out, preparing us for the journey ahead of us!
And our most immediate journey is the camp journey 2009 and, but for each one of us there is unique journey waiting, as well as for the church in Bosnia and Herzegovina! Our prayer is that we will persevere as we move from the place to place learning about God, ourselves, and that we would never, never give up, always focusing on Him who persevered so that we can do the same and receive the promise of the harvest of the souls that we all so deeply long for!
We cry out, “LORD GIVE US THIS LAND!!! Will you make the drought season end and will you open the floodgates of heaven, and let the salvation rain on the Balkans!!!”

I invite you to join us in this persevering cry, and that walk up to the mountain until we see “the cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea!!!” 1 Kings. 18:44

Molitveni Kamp 2009

Molitveni Kamp 2009

Molitveni kamp je bio nevjerojatan! Vodje i molitveni zastupnici iz razicitih krajeva nase zemlje dosli su na ovo mjesto koje mi volimo zvati “dolinom blagoslova”, da bi se molili I predali kamp I kampere u Bozje ruke kao platformu gdje ce se On objaviti na jedan nov I svjez nacin!

Molitveni kamp je trajao dva puna dana, od Petka navecer do Nedjelje ujutro, I plan nam je bio iskoristiti svaku minutu.
Citav kamp je bio u vezi putovanja i vaznosti odredjenih mjesta u nasim zivotima! Putovali smo s Ilijom (1 Kr. 17-19) od mjesta providjanja u petak, do mjesta pobjede u Subotu da bi u Nedjelju zavrsili s mjestom objave! Bilo je to vrlo uzbudljivo putovanje!!

Petak navecer Vanja Bule je zapocela s Ilijom kojeg nalazimo na potoku Kerit i u mjestu Sarafati, i tamo ucimo o Bogu koji providja u sred suse I to na vrlo neobicne nacine. Podsjetili smo se da pripadamo Bogu koji zapovijeda nasim okolnostima, ponekad cak i gavranovima, pa I udovicama, a u Novom zavjetu vjetrovima I moru! Takodjer smo bili izazvani da slijedimo primjer vjere I poslusnosti udovice iz Sarafate i da se odlucimo na davanje i u nasoj neimastini, jer uvijek jos dolazi! Kad sve sto imamo stavimo u Njegove ruke, On ce blagosloviti, slomiti I uciniti da pretekne!

Svaku noc smo organizirali molitveni lanac od ponoci do 6 ujutro, i culi smo mnoga ohrabrujuca svjedocanstva iz tih ranih jutarnjih sati slavljenja i zastupnistva! A onda u 6 ujutro, svi bi se zajedno skupili i odlazili u molitvene setnje po kampu, moleci se za satore, kuhinju, ured, mjesto sastanka, trpezariju, jednostavno stavljajuci pecat na granice nase zemlje moleci se za zastitu i ispunjenje Njegove volje unutar tih granica. U Nedjelju ujutro bila je posebna radost moliti se za zemlju koju smo nedavno kupili predavajuci je Gospodinu za upotrebu po prvi put! Svi prisutni su mogli osjetiti ogromno uzbudjenje razmisljajuci o nacinima na koji ce Gospod upotrijebiti tu zemlju na kojoj stojimo.

Subota je bila kljucan dan, ispunjen molitvom, slavljenjem i “mesnatom” Rijeci! Slijedeci Iliju dosli smo do planine Karmel, mjesta pobjede!

U subotu ujutro, Ronnette iz Frederickburga, dugogodisnji prijatelj, pricala je o Bogu koji se objavio u vatri i o njegovom proroku koji je stajao pred 500 Baalovim laznih proroka izazivajuci ih o njihovom bogu, i pred Bozjim narodom, izazivajuci ih o njihovoj kompromitirajucoj vjeri i zivotu. Razgovarali smo o vjeri koja je bila potrebna Iliji i koja je samo mogla doci iz duboke spoznaje o tome tko Bog jeste i tko je on u Njemu. Na kraju smo kao crkva u Bosni i Hercegovini bili ohrabreni da se ne bojimo, vec da se priblizimo Bogu, dublje upoznamo Njega i nas identitet u Njemu, jer tu lezi kljuc nase pobjede!

Poslije jutarnjeg sastanka i u vrijeme prije vecere Enisa je imala dva predavanja gdje nas je poucavala o zastupnickoj molitvi, iza koje je slijedila molitva za nedosegnute gradove, vodje postojecih crkava, kampere koji ce doci na kamp ove godine, pojedinacne kampove, njihove programe i vodje te punovremeni tim koji ce sluziti kroz citavo vrijeme kampova 2009! Bilo je to stvarno dobro vrijeme molitve, sto znaci da je Enisa napravila dobar posao! Hvala Enisa!
Navecer, pastor Sasa je govorio o Bogu koji se objavio kroz kisu! Ohrabrio je crkvu u nasoj zemlji da ne odustane, vec da ustraje, jer obecanje zasigurno dolazi! Takodjer je stigao naslikati svoju propovjed kao trajni podsjetnik ustrajnosti koja nam je potrebna da bismo primili ispunjenje obecanja!!

I dosla je Nedjelja, pastor Orin iz Oregon, US, propovjedao je o Ilijinom iskustvu na Horebu, mjestu objave i otkrivenja, gdje je Ilija vidio Boga na potpuno jedan nov i svjez nacin. Takodjer je govorio o pustinji koja je prethodila Horebu i tu je ispropovjedao svoje srce i zivot! Dok je dijelio s nama neka od mnogobrojnih pustinjskih iskustava u dugogodisnjem misonarskom radu medju plemenima u Irian Jayi, brzo je nadodao da ni za sta ne bi mjenjao nijedno od tih, jer u tim mracnim i usamljenim mjestima, upoznao je Boga na nacin na koji ne bio mogao nikako drugacije! Bio je vrlo zahvalan za pustinje jer u sred istih bio je Bog koji nas tamo susrece i izvodi pripremajuci nas za putovanje koje slijedi!

I putovanje koje je upravo ispred nas je kamp 2009, ali postoji putovanje za svakog od nas, kao i za crkvu u Bosni i Hercegovini. Nasa molitva je da cemo ustrajati dok putujemo od mjesta do mjesta upoznavajuci Boga, nas same i da necemo nikad, ama bas nikad odustati, uvijek ponovo upiruci pogled u Onoga koji je ustrajao tako da bismo I mi ustrajali i primili obecanje zetve dusa, ono za cim tako ceznemo!

Mi vapimo, “GOSPODE DAJ NAM OVU ZEMLJU!!! Hoces li zaustaviti ovo vrijeme suse i otvoriti nebo i uciniti da kisa spasenja padne na Balkan!!!”

Pozivamo vas da nam se pridruzite u ovoj ustrajnoj molitvi i usponu do planinskog vrha dok ne vidimo “oblak velik kao covjecja ruka kako se dize iznad mora!!” 1 Kr. 18:44

SUMMA SUMMARUM

WE CAME, WE SAW AND WE EXPERIENCED!!!

It's strange to think that year is over when we are actually only in September, but in the terms of the camps ministry it makes much sense. Ten days ago we were at the camp site cleaning up, putting tents down and spending last few moments as the long term team 2008.

Looking back we couldn't be more thankful to God for all that He has done. He is a faithful God, and we can say in all honesty that all we expected He has done, and more! And though having different programs in each of the camps, the underlying theme was clear and emphasized constantly, and that was DOĐI, VIDI, DOŽIVI, or COME, SEE, EXPERIENCE!

It was a journey that started June 9th and ended August 21st, and in between there was an overwhelming bounty of faces, backgrounds and stories coming together for a season and creating something new, a testimony of His provision, His grace and His mercy. If I had to single out one moment, person or a story out of these two and half months of camps, I would be in trouble, but here are some of the reminiscences.

As I look back, first that comes to my mind is the day when we arrived at the camp site and met as a team, some for the very first time. I remember wondering if camps are actually going to happen?? Aware of all impossibilities of our young team, suddenly doing together such a big project as a national camp did not sound as a good idea, but somehow day by day, from putting down the „cubes“ (I am the only one calling it this way J) for flooring in the eating and meeting place, to putting up tents, from connecting water, to reading Bible together and meeting to worship...somehow and somewhere in the process we became a team that will live 8 weeks in the tents, with 24/7 working hours, being stretched beyond known limits while crying, fighting, praying and serving together knowing that none of us was found there by accident.

There is also something special that happened. Every year again it's a struggle to keep up with devotional time in the midst of the camps...it's just so busy from the moment you open your eyes until the moment you crush in your bed. But since we had a young team this year, I knew it was a prerogative that we find a way to work it out. So, everyday we would get up before everyone, find the announcement board where scriptures for the day would be posted and then we would spend time on our own, then after that in our little groups discussing the scriptures we just read and only then our day would start. Almost everyone said, including myself, that that time early in the morning made major difference in their camp experience. We had amazing times!!

In our long term team we had representatives from 8 churches around the country and I pray that the very same churches, cities and lives are changed forever thanks to the summer of 2008 and encounter with the God of Emek Beraka.

During that preparation time, we also had our brothers and sisters from the US and national churches helping us out and carrying the burden with us. We would not be able to do it without you, and your example in love and servanthood was such an encouragement. THANK YOU!

Then there were six weeks of camps, more than ever before. We started this year with children. We had two groups of kids, and together exactly 120 of them, ages 6-12. They all experienced „Banana Island“ (this year kid's camp program) listening daily stories about Jesus and testimonies from the great men and women of faith that would come to us through the „Time Machine“ and share with us what they did to be known as “Bananas for Jesus!“ In our second week of kids camp, we had a some flue going around, but after couple of days of fever, it was all fine in the end. Almost half of those kids were at the camp for the very first time and a lot of them never heard about Jesus in such a way. Let's pray for the seeds sown!

Then we had two teen camps, one immediately following the second children camp and the second one in the very last week of our camp season. In both of those weeks, we had all together 79 teenagers learning about Joseph's life, his choices and struggles. Highlight of course was waking up at 5:30 with the sounds of trumpets and going for the race in teams, while conquering different obstacles and taking pictures as a proof (nothing leaving to case). In the end, as a group they had to learn one verse from the Joseph's story which was hiding in the bottle waiting at the finish line, which for most of the groups was in the lake. In the second week we had a team come from Germany to help out. They ministered through dramas and testimonies, but above all they managed to connect with teenagers, which made such a difference. We had an amazing prayer time last night, God has definitely touched hearts. There was a lot of goodbye tears in the end of these camps...

„The youth camp this year was the best one ever!!“ one girl told me, and I agreed, even though we say that every year, and somehow God always manages to surprise us with more. The theme scripture for this year was Isaiah 61, and each day the focus was on a different verse and different aspect of the inheritance that we do have as His children living in the Year of the Lord's favor. Though we only had a Sun for 3 days out of 7, though no showers for days, though we were running short of layers of clothes we tried to keep ourselves warm with....still this was the best camp ever. God has done something special and deep in and among us, and I can't wait to see what's coming around the corner for this generation as it becomes fully aware and accepts its call for such as time as this.

And finally, there is an adult/family camp. There we had 49 adults and 47 kids different ages. Without fail, every year again, during this camp, we feel as we are having all our camps together. We followed the theme from the youth camp but adjusted a bit to fit the needs and the group addressed. One of the biggest challenges was the lack of workers, especially male. Our South African team left and we did not have any team coming for this week, so we did feel the need for those able to minister. But in spite of that, God really touched many and many did respond to His prompting in stepping out during prayer times, making some new decisions, and I pray for God's protection and strength for living those out.

Once we finished our camps, we had a a week off and then the long term team met again in a familiar place called home for the last 2 months, but this time to clean up and put a closure on the camps 2008. We did not have a bull fall in a septic tank as we did last year, work went smooth, everyone was eager to finish as soon as possible. And then the last day we went as a team for canoe safari on the river situated just couple of hours away.

In the end I must say that many wondered if we will be able to make it as a team, and if we will be able to cary the load of the camps, but I am so thankful to God who made Himself strong through our weaknesses, and in His grace created a team that stood every challenge, sometimes stumbling, but never giving up. I am so proud of them, in spite of their youth, or inexperience, they were willing to learn, to forgive, to serve and to remain a team.

Thank you everyone, I had a blast being part of the long term team 2008!

These were our camps 2008! We had a great time. God has provided all the finances that it even ran over which will be of great use for the needs until the next camp. I thank God for protection over our lives and that through every sickness, bite, high fever, cold and rainy weather, He brought us through without consequences. Talking about bites...it didn't miss me (Vanja) this year, so I ended up again on antibiotics, but though it was painful, I must say that I often forget it even happened. It's God's grace!

Camp 2008 is done and all it really was is 20 long term workers, teams from South Africa, America and Germany, 370 campers from all around Bosnia, from every church around the country, from babies to grandmas, male and female, in one place, called Emek Beraka, Valley of the Blessing. THEY all CAME there, THEY SAW AND THEY EXPERIENCED all of this and so much more and we do say „ this was the best camp ever“!!!

For details, why don't you join us next year?

Now, got to start getting ready for the camps 2009, wondering only how God will top 2008!!!!!

Youth Camp 2008

There was 75 of us at the youth camp, from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina and further. Somehow this camp is always the place that God reveals His heart for the future, and it's understandable since those young people, ages 17+, are those who will be the main actors in what's coming.

Our theme was Isaiah 61 where it speaks about the year of the Lord's favor. The prophet is announcing the year when exchange happens between God and His people. Each day we focused on the different aspect of that exchange. The theme was throughout the day, so in the morning we would have a short word, movie clip or activity emphasizing the theme and then following that, time in the small groups which were amazing. Most of the young people enjoyed that time, willing to share their lives and ask for prayer. Some groups had to be forced to finish J!

Then in the evening there was a video clip about Dr. Zele and his famous team creating a humors version of the theme of the day. Also, each night we gave an opportunity for people to come out and receive the ministry and people responded, even few young people give their lives to Jesus. I really pray that God would seal those decisions and exchanges that happened throughout the week.

Here are some of the theme highlights:

Exchange #1. FORGIVENESS (Is. 61:1): We gave Him our mistakes, sins and regrets, and He gave us release from our guilt, forgiveness.

Exchange #2. FREEDOM(Is. 61:1): We gave Him our slavery to sin, different habits, past, unforgiveness, generational and national curses and He gave us freedom!

Exchange #3. HEALING (Is. 61:1): The we talked about healing, the exchange where we gave Him our sicknesses, broken hearts, pasts, dreams and allow Him that instead of that He brings healing and hope.

Exchange #4 INHERITANCE (Is. 7): We learned about our true identity and inheritance as new creations in Christ, those living in the year of the Lord's favor. We also learned that all we mentioned in the week so far is rightfully ours forever and that we are called to live in the fullness of it.

Exchange #5 JOY (Is. 61:2) In a exchange of our sadness, hopelessness and desperation, joy and and oil of gladness.

Exchange #6: RESTORATION (Is. 3-4): And the last night, we focused on God who desires and wills to bring restoration to our land. He calls us to be part of it, tools in His Restorer's hands, but only after we were restored, only after we have experienced all that He has to offer in the year of His favor, in the relationship with His Son. The prophet calls those people oaks of righteousness, tall, unwavering and completely aware of the call and responsibility. So instead of being called devastated generation, facing war in the next 10 years, we receive from His hand restoration in our lives, relationships and we go on to be those who will stand and rebuild ancient ruins, places devastated through the generations and we WILL be called „repairers of the broken walls“ (Isaiah 61:3-4, 58:12).

Now weather...I don't remember ever, ever such low temperatures like that week. We only had few warm days and the rest of the week was freezing. With no dry and warm place to go to, it was quite challenging, so it was common to see people walking around covered in multiple layers, blankets, sleeping bags hooping around, almost immobilized, but not caring as long as they were warm. Not to mention evening meetings when temperatures that were already low would drop even more, and then the rain would start, amazingly nobody missed evening meetings, got sick or other things you might expect in such conditions...we only looked as bunch of Eskimos that could not wait worship time in the evenings or aerobics in the morning just to start jumping and warm up. I am excited to say that everyone had a good attitude about it even finding joy in the midst of it. Funny thing was that after 4 days of such weather, it was Dina's turn to speak and her theme was JOY! We laughed about it, but then realized that finding joy in such times and places was only God's doing, and that day was a turning point. The next day Sun came out and everything went back to normal (camp normal of course J) as it was like that the whole week.

There is so much more to share about this camp, but it's impossible to do that. We also had a house of prayer where we had tremendously blessed time. Leaders and young people would gather daily and worship and pray and seek revival upon their lives, families, cities and land. We will definitely have it next year as well!!!

These were just the highlights, but all this to say, this was the best camp until now, and we are looking forward to the next one...and of course praying for the better weather this time! J

Teen Camps 2008

This year we had 2 teen camps, one made of contacts from Evangelical Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the other one from the organization Mission without Borders, based in Mostar. We had all together 80 teenagers attending those camps.

The theme of the both camps was Joseph’s life. Every day we focused on one aspect of his life:

This is Joseph's coat of many colors in making...:))

• IT’S NOT FAIR! : There are situations in life that often are not fair, just as it was in the case of Joseph and his brothers, but God is still on our side!

• I AM AFRAID! : Joseph was a slave and experienced fear and loneliness many times, and sometimes we feel the same, but we can trust God that He will be with us in the midst of everything. Early in the morning that day, around 5:30 we had adventure where we divided in 3 groups that had to do 3 different activities. Each one involved many obstacles, running together, some tied up with closed eyes, and all in the end learning the scripture by heart. In the evening we had a night game that again exemplified to us the truth that God is with us in very situation as He was with Joseph.

• GOOD CHOICES: regardless of everything choose rightly! Joseph was tempted to sin, but He stood strong and made a right choice. We talked about choices that are presented to them as teenagers and encouraged them to make the good ones.
• YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Joseph has made a difference in the life of his family and the whole nation, and the message for teenagers was that each one of them is important in God’s eyes and that He has a plan for their lives. In the evening we talked about forgiveness and Joseph’s example in that. We shared about Jesus and how He made the way to the Father, in order that we can be forgiven. Then we closed with prayer! This year we focused on discussions in the small groups, so sermons in the evenings were not as long (except for the last night) but short with very clear message and the clear applications, empowered with activities connected with the theme of the day and personal testimonies. This year we had less teenagers per group and that also made a difference, and made connecting easier.

We definitely noticed difference between two camps, two groups of teenagers. The work in the small groups went much easier in the first teen camp, but then in the second we had a altar call and many came out asking for prayer and ministry which did not happen during the first week. This just proves how each camp is so unique, set up from totally different people and needs, and how God has a unique approach to each one. Our God is so versatile.

During the second teen camp we had help come from Germany. There was a team of 16, both leaders and teenagers who served in many ways, but mostly testimonies, facilitating workshops, dramas and connecting and sharing with teenagers. They even organized to meet up with the young people in Mostar after the camps, and many showed up.

We are so thankful to all that helped and served in the camps this year and all those who supported us in prayers. Even though the second teen camp was in the last week and everyone was very tired, we experienced supernatural nourishment of God, who “gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak!” Is. 40:29

In the end we are thankful to God for all He has done in the life of each teenager and leader, and as it says written in Gen. 39:2 “The Lord was with Joseph and the Lord gave him success in everything he did! We have preached that word, we have prayed it over our lives and camp, and we have experienced it first hand as the Lord lifted us up and lead us through finish line in joy and deep satisfaction as we closed not just this one camp but camps for the year of 2008!

Kid's Camp 2008

Kid’s Camp 2008

Sixty kids from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina came this summer to “Banana Island”, a magical place nestled in Boracko Lake with a time machine where Biblical characters visited. A place where games were played, challenges overcome, new skills learned and where we went “bananas” for God.

We split into six groups that were also workshops: Banana Artists, Banana Adventurers, Banana Reporters, Banana Sport, Banana Warriors (spiritual warriors, of course), and Banana Drama and Dance.

The last night of camp each group shared what they had learned during the week.

The Banana Artists had an exhibition of their pictures and plaster masks they had created. The Banana Drama and Dance group showed us a drama called Ashton and a dance to the song Our God is an Awesome God. The Banana sport group showed some field hockey maneuvers they had practiced. They had also organized a volleyball tournament with water balloon thrown by towels during the week. The Banana Adventurers showed us some rope knots they had learned and they also organized an iron-man type game for all the groups. The Banana Warriors helped out during worship and made the armor of God (Ephesians 6) out of aluminum foil and paper plates. Banana Reporters made a daily video report (7 day banana TV station) as well as a newspaper (Banana Page). They also made a panel of different photos they had taken.

Visitors from the Bible included Noah, Gideon, Elijah, Zacchaeus and Mary Magdalene. They shared their experiences how God changed their lives and they went “bananas” for Him.

A Caveman/women beauty contest, a missionary story around the campfire, a night game, and a quiz show mixed with a talent show were just some of the activities at this camp. We also went to the Boracko Lake everyday and about seven kids learned to swim for the first time.

The camp went for five days and as always good bye was difficult and tearful, but as for us, leaders we were excited to see all the things God can do when we give ourselves to Him.

Something we would like to especially emphasize is a 7 year old Muslim boy saying to his parents that before camp he thought that there was no God because of all the bad things happening in the world, but now that he knows that God exists. Also, he is trying to convince his much older brother to come to the youth camp telling how wonderful experience that will be for him. Amazing!!!

What more to say but that God was among us and we are yet to see and hear all the things that happened last week!