Camp- A great time for everyone!

Thank you for your prayers for camp! It went so well!

All summer I and the Zenica team were praying for 10 of our friends to come but only one did. We wish all our friends had come because camp was so great! But we are thankful for our one friend and the 10 Bosnian students who did come!

The content of the camp was really great! The EUS staff all did an amazing job planning it and thinking how to make it more fun and interactive while still allowing students to encounter God in his Word. (Note: Deron and Jessica Bauer are staff in Sarajevo, they’ve been there for a year and are alumnus from UCSB)

The camp was called “A better life,” “Bolji Zivot” and Deron found an old (Frank Sinatra style) song in Bosnian called, "Bolji Zivot" to play at the start of each session. Jessica was the MC and brought lots of energy and depth to the sessions. Students got practical communication skills, thought about what would make their life better, heard Sladjan’s powerful testimony about questioning life and God and seeking answers until finding Jesus! Then students were encouraged to discuss in small groups their thoughts on faith, relationship with God, Heaven & Hell, where they thought they would go and why. It was the most in depth, clear conversation I’ve been in while in Bosnia! Two girls from Banja Luka were in my group along with Charlene and Crystal and we all took turns sharing our thoughts and questions and answers. It was a great session because Charlene, Crystal and I had been having a lot of fun with the girls and it was so good to hear their thoughts and how they live their lives and to share with them what we believed freely without pressure on any side. I pray this conversation will continue to work in their (and all our friends’) hearts and draw them closer to himself. Then a pastor from Sarajevo came and talked about Jesus clearly, all the students were focused and paid attention even thought many had never heard the Gospel before they listened and though we didn’t see fruit, their response was better than last year and I still believe God’s word won’t return empty! This was a great step for the students that did come!

Thanks you for your prayers!

I got to co-lead an investigative Bible study one morning and it was great! I enjoy teaching and it was exciting that this was the first time many of the Bosnians had ever looked at the Bible!

We also had a lot of fun swimming in the lake, chatting over coffee, playing volleyball, and the last night we had a talent show and karaoke (in Bosnian and English)! Many good memories!

I was able to have enough energy to engage with the students and didn't have a bad headache even though I was sleeping on the ground. God is gracious! I did twist my right ankle and it still hurts but overall I was okay :-)

It was hard to leave my new friends and the EUS staff especially Deron and Jessica, my good friends from UCSB. Please keep praying for them and the other EUS staff as they continue the work in Bosnia for the rest of the year.
Pray they would build on the relationships already started and that students would be interested and respond.

Thank you so much for all your prayers while we were in Bosnia! God was with us!