Jesus in the Balkans
Hey guys--
My friend Mary, who was with our group in Kosovo and Turkey, wrote a newsletter which I really enjoyed, and I wanted to put part of it here. (Thanks, Mary.)
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[about her trip to Kosovo...] I really didn't know anything about Kosovo when I got on the plane to go there (which was a first for me), and I was totally shocked and amazed as I listened to people tell stories about their experience as Kosovar Albanians. These people have been through so much: war, ethnic persecution, oppression, economic hardship, occupation....and more. I heard stories from people my own age who had lived through such terrible atrocities; it was an extremely humbling experience that brought so much clarity and perspective for me to the issue of suffering and pain.
Why? Because as I spoke with these Albanian Christians I saw in them the most beautiful and amazing thing I've ever witnessed in my entire life, and probably the most beautiful thing I'll ever see on earth: Jesus. I know that sounds so cliche-pop-Christian-culture (you know that "veggie tale" language, that "hi-de-le ho neighbor" Ned Flanders-esque Christianese that exists in America, but I really mean it in the most profound sense). Truly what I witnessed was Jesus as He REALLY IS-- POWERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, SIGNIFICANT, PRACTICAL, LOVING, PEACEFUL, ALIVE, ACTIVE, CARING, AND AWARE--at work in them from their most shallow/mundane actions (visiting with friends, cooking dinner for guests, riding on busses) to their very profound actions (embracing serbians and turks) .
These Albanian Christians told me their stories. One girl told me how she used to have nightmares every night, she had tremors, and she had total and complete hatred for the Serbs. As she began to learn about Jesus and then ultimately decided to accept His life and His death for hers, she was freed from the nightmares and was able to sleep through the night again. She had peace and was able to speak and hear the Serbian language without cringing in hatred, and even now she is able to say with honesty that she LOVES the serbs! If you could only understand the depth of the evil that has transpired between these two ethnicities you would understand what a miracle this really is. And to be frank, this is just like Jesus: showing His power not in His sheer force to squelch or beat down, but in his power to bring LOVE and PEACE to a heart embittered with hatred. It's easy to hate; it is ONLY divine to love.
But the love that I saw in Kosovo didn't stop with just seeing how God was working among the Church to plant the seed of reconciliation. The church in Kosovo also went on its first mission trip this year and sent a team to Turkey. I had the privilege of attending this historic event, and saw the Holy Spirit do amazing things in the hearts of the Kosovar Albanians. Each one began to confess and realize during their time in Turkey that they had hatred in their hearts for the Turks as well. The Turks were the ones who brought Islam to the Balkans during the Ottoman empire, and did many horrific things to the people in this region during this empire as well. One Kosovar Albanian girl shared with us how she was struggling with hating the Turks as soon as she got there b/c of how modern and easy Turkish life was compared to how they left her country. She then shared with us a few days later how, sitting on a hammock overlooking the city of Istanbul, she felt God lift her eyes to see all the twinkling lights of Istanbul. And, she says, she heard that gentle, quiet whisper of God's voice telling her that each light represented at least one person, and He knew each light, and He loved each person. That encounter with God blew her away. God had already done so much in her to give her forgiveness and a love for the Serbs (who were committing genocide against her people), and now God was showing her that He wasn't finished: He wanted her to love the Turks as well.
You see, God wants us to be like Him, and He IS LOVE (I John 1-4). I'm so encouraged to tell you today that I KNOW my God is love and that He IS involved in our lives in very, very practical ways. It was getting the chance to witness how God is at work across the Globe that helped me to KNOW that Christianity is not a western thing; it's not an American thing; it's not a Republican thing (I'm a democrat!); it's a KNOWING JESUS thing.
And while we were in Turkey, we went to a Turkish church, with Albanian Kosovars. That sentence right there should blow your mind: ALBANIAN BELIEVERS GOING TO A TURKISH CHURCH!!!! It was so cool. The Kosovars shared their testimony and then the Turkish followers of Jesus got together and prayed for the Albanians. One man then stepped forward (he was a turk), and asked for forgiveness on behalf of all of his forefathers and his country; there was not a dry eye in the entire place at that point! Later the Albanians shared with us how that moment right there was SO important in their hearts to be able to forgive and heal from the past hurts. Now, the Turkish church is excited about inviting the Kosovars to come and work in Turkey with them, and also about sending Turks to Kosovo! A bridge was made for more peace making work to happen, reconciling men to each other and men to God. PRAISE GOD!
I was so disillusioned with the American church and our culture, to be quite frank. I am so glad I went on this trip and was reminded by all I saw how BLESSED I am to be an American (even with all the valid criticisms I have), and how GRATEFUL I am for suffering, because it can accomplish something in us (James 4): the perfection of our character, and CHRIST-LIKENESS! I've learned from the Albanian Christians that Christianity is about inviting Jesus into every aspect of your life. It's about crying out to Him from a sincere place in your heart with every whim of your heart in any of its directions. It's simply about Knowing Christ, not knowing about Christ. Do you know the difference? That's my one and only challenge to you as your family/friend.
My friend Mary, who was with our group in Kosovo and Turkey, wrote a newsletter which I really enjoyed, and I wanted to put part of it here. (Thanks, Mary.)
-------------------------------------------------
[about her trip to Kosovo...] I really didn't know anything about Kosovo when I got on the plane to go there (which was a first for me), and I was totally shocked and amazed as I listened to people tell stories about their experience as Kosovar Albanians. These people have been through so much: war, ethnic persecution, oppression, economic hardship, occupation....and more. I heard stories from people my own age who had lived through such terrible atrocities; it was an extremely humbling experience that brought so much clarity and perspective for me to the issue of suffering and pain.
Why? Because as I spoke with these Albanian Christians I saw in them the most beautiful and amazing thing I've ever witnessed in my entire life, and probably the most beautiful thing I'll ever see on earth: Jesus. I know that sounds so cliche-pop-Christian-culture (you know that "veggie tale" language, that "hi-de-le ho neighbor" Ned Flanders-esque Christianese that exists in America, but I really mean it in the most profound sense). Truly what I witnessed was Jesus as He REALLY IS-- POWERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, SIGNIFICANT, PRACTICAL, LOVING, PEACEFUL, ALIVE, ACTIVE, CARING, AND AWARE--at work in them from their most shallow/mundane actions (visiting with friends, cooking dinner for guests, riding on busses) to their very profound actions (embracing serbians and turks) .
These Albanian Christians told me their stories. One girl told me how she used to have nightmares every night, she had tremors, and she had total and complete hatred for the Serbs. As she began to learn about Jesus and then ultimately decided to accept His life and His death for hers, she was freed from the nightmares and was able to sleep through the night again. She had peace and was able to speak and hear the Serbian language without cringing in hatred, and even now she is able to say with honesty that she LOVES the serbs! If you could only understand the depth of the evil that has transpired between these two ethnicities you would understand what a miracle this really is. And to be frank, this is just like Jesus: showing His power not in His sheer force to squelch or beat down, but in his power to bring LOVE and PEACE to a heart embittered with hatred. It's easy to hate; it is ONLY divine to love.
But the love that I saw in Kosovo didn't stop with just seeing how God was working among the Church to plant the seed of reconciliation. The church in Kosovo also went on its first mission trip this year and sent a team to Turkey. I had the privilege of attending this historic event, and saw the Holy Spirit do amazing things in the hearts of the Kosovar Albanians. Each one began to confess and realize during their time in Turkey that they had hatred in their hearts for the Turks as well. The Turks were the ones who brought Islam to the Balkans during the Ottoman empire, and did many horrific things to the people in this region during this empire as well. One Kosovar Albanian girl shared with us how she was struggling with hating the Turks as soon as she got there b/c of how modern and easy Turkish life was compared to how they left her country. She then shared with us a few days later how, sitting on a hammock overlooking the city of Istanbul, she felt God lift her eyes to see all the twinkling lights of Istanbul. And, she says, she heard that gentle, quiet whisper of God's voice telling her that each light represented at least one person, and He knew each light, and He loved each person. That encounter with God blew her away. God had already done so much in her to give her forgiveness and a love for the Serbs (who were committing genocide against her people), and now God was showing her that He wasn't finished: He wanted her to love the Turks as well.
You see, God wants us to be like Him, and He IS LOVE (I John 1-4). I'm so encouraged to tell you today that I KNOW my God is love and that He IS involved in our lives in very, very practical ways. It was getting the chance to witness how God is at work across the Globe that helped me to KNOW that Christianity is not a western thing; it's not an American thing; it's not a Republican thing (I'm a democrat!); it's a KNOWING JESUS thing.
And while we were in Turkey, we went to a Turkish church, with Albanian Kosovars. That sentence right there should blow your mind: ALBANIAN BELIEVERS GOING TO A TURKISH CHURCH!!!! It was so cool. The Kosovars shared their testimony and then the Turkish followers of Jesus got together and prayed for the Albanians. One man then stepped forward (he was a turk), and asked for forgiveness on behalf of all of his forefathers and his country; there was not a dry eye in the entire place at that point! Later the Albanians shared with us how that moment right there was SO important in their hearts to be able to forgive and heal from the past hurts. Now, the Turkish church is excited about inviting the Kosovars to come and work in Turkey with them, and also about sending Turks to Kosovo! A bridge was made for more peace making work to happen, reconciling men to each other and men to God. PRAISE GOD!
I was so disillusioned with the American church and our culture, to be quite frank. I am so glad I went on this trip and was reminded by all I saw how BLESSED I am to be an American (even with all the valid criticisms I have), and how GRATEFUL I am for suffering, because it can accomplish something in us (James 4): the perfection of our character, and CHRIST-LIKENESS! I've learned from the Albanian Christians that Christianity is about inviting Jesus into every aspect of your life. It's about crying out to Him from a sincere place in your heart with every whim of your heart in any of its directions. It's simply about Knowing Christ, not knowing about Christ. Do you know the difference? That's my one and only challenge to you as your family/friend.
posted by Seth | 7:50 AM
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