As the Serbian people face their first winter with a new democratically-elected government, evangelicals are scrambling to minister to a nation left nearly bankrupt, observers report.
As the Serbian people face their first winter with a new
democratically-elected government, evangelicals are scrambling to minister
to a nation left nearly bankrupt, observers report.
It remains to be seen if they will find the help they need.
Bread of Life Co-director Jasmina Tosic recently laid out a
plan to meet the physical and spiritual needs of more than 15,000 Serbian families
this winter. Bread of Life is a ministry that largely has focused on refugee
aid during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s. The Southern Baptist World Hunger
Fund is among Bread of Life’s sources of support.
However, Tosic recently noted Bread of Life has received only
a few offers of outside help for the plan. “We are putting our trust in God
and find ourselves continuing as written in Haggai ‘giving careful thought’
about our past and future,” said Tosic, a member at First Baptist Church of
Belgrade.
The organization’s winter ministry plan includes monthly
distribution of food and hygiene items; a one-time distribution of stoves and
firewood, shoes and socks, clothing, underwear, jackets, blankets and bed linens
and minor renovations of living accommodations; children’s workshops to
provide one-time food and hygiene aid and ongoing programs for children; a home
care ministry to provide visits to indigent persons with special needs; and
a self-reliance program to provide a foundation for the future.
The needs are many. Since a democratic election knocked longtime
despot Slobodan Milosevic out of power in October, the new government has discovered
large budget holes for basic needs like electricity, food and pensions.
And the West has been caught unprepared to offer quick help,
The New York Times reported late last year.
Serbian officials say they need $500 million in energy, food,
medicine and pension support to survive the winter.
Tosic stressed the events of the past year have brought Christians to a crossroads.
The Serbia people are expecting a dramatic change in the condition of the everyday
life – but the new government has been left with little or nothing, she
said. “We believe the people of Serbia will soon become disillusioned and desperate,”
Tosic wrote in a recent newsletter article. “As Christians, we find ourselves
facing a strategic task this winter to help fill the ‘basic needs’
gap that is widening with every minute.
“This is not only crucial because of the immense needs but
also because it will be a brief opportunity to grasp the disheartened and present
them with Christ’s love.”
Tosic said the new government is trying to decide between establishing
a state church or following the rest of Europe to establish laws guaranteeing
religious freedom.
“Our present concern is whether authority can be established
quickly enough as we desire to see this happen without major unrest and disturbance.
Our people need peace, a chance to rebuild their lives honestly, better opportunities
for work and spiritual awakening and revival.”
Tosic praised God for the peaceful transition of power in Serbia.
But she also stressed that she considers the peaceful situation in Serbia to
be delicate. “For the moment, it is calm here, yet we consider our present condition
fragile. We hope that you, our friends, will join us in prayer for the efforts
of our new government and the people of Yugoslavia.”
In the meanwhile, Yugoslavia’s changes also have created new opportunities
for Southern Baptist missionaries – as well as an urgent need for new missionaries,
leaders report.
Most of the missionaries’ work among the Serbs currently
takes the form of prayer, Southern Baptist missionary Ben Hanna reported. Prayerwalking
teams from Bosnia are interceding for God’s work in Serbia. An extensive
prayer network also has been established to pray down barriers to the gospel.
“True change will come when believers cover the land with prayer and love,”
Hanna said.
Yugoslavia suffered greatly during a 1999 war.
During the conflict, Southern Baptists distributed food to
the most needy people. After the fighting, they continued to meet the needs
of Serbia through three relief projects.
Such efforts are changing opinion of Baptists in the country.
But after living under dictatorial rule, Serbs are suspicious of promises. “They
don’t put much stock in words, having had 50 years of communist rule, followed
by a decade of lies and broken promises,” Hanna said.
However, as missionaries live out the hope and faith they believe,
Serbians are seeing that Christians offer more than just empty promises, workers
emphasize. (BP)
(Persons may send gifts for Yugoslavia efforts to SBC World
Hunger Fund/Bread of Life, Office of Finance, International Mission Board, Box
6767, Richmond, VA 23230.)