Church crosses boundaries to help others (Baptists in Bosnia)

Services for Tuzla Baptist Church are often conducted in secret in members’ homes.

When a new member is baptized, sometimes the ceremony is performed in a bathtub.

That’s because Tuzla Baptist Church is in Bosnia, a war-torn, heavily Muslim country that was part of the former Yugoslavia in southeastern Europe, near the Adriatic Sea. It’s one of a few Christian churches in the country.

Concordia Lutheran Church in Greenwood is helping them from thousands of miles away.

For almost a year, the 400-member congregation has collected and sent money, Lutheran literature and children’s items to the fledgling Bosnian church.

The aid effort, coordinators say, supports less fortunate Christian believers in another country and contributes to their struggles to promote God.

Concordia receives e-mails when members of the Bosnian church receive the gifts, and “it buoys you up when you get this excitement,” said Karen Campbell, who helps with the program.

One of Concordia’s church members in the U.S. Air Force was recently stationed in Bosnia, said Heidi Ford, the coordinator of the Tuzla aid project. He heard of the Bosnian couple who ran the church and told Concordia about them.

The Bosnian church’s situation captured the hearts of several members of Concordia, Campbell said.

“They’re a church that’s struggling, and we’re not opposed to helping a different denomination because they’re so into God’s work,” she said.

The 50-member Bosnian church often meets in an upper-level room in a decrepit stone building in Tuzla. To serve members who can’t attend regular services, the pastor will travel to people’s homes and preach.

“It’s not like a church we have here,” Ford said. “It’s a room in that building.”

Because the country’s major religion is Islam, some Christians are arrested or denied employment because of their faith, Ford said. Vandals have destroyed and defaced parts of the congregation’s meeting room because of their Christian beliefs.

“I’d imagine it’s kind of fearful for them to go to that church,” she said.

The church is expanding despite its difficult circumstances. Tuzla has spawned a new church, called New Hope Church, that travels to members’ homes. Ford helped to name New Hope.

Lela Puja, wife of Tuzla pastor Zeljko Puja, exchanges e-mail with Ford almost every day. Concordia sends about $100 to Bosnia each month via Western Union.

Concordia members have tried sending items by postal mail, but it’s too cumbersome. A box smaller than a shoebox was sent full of Lutheran literature and a few children’s gifts. Postage was almost $30, and the parcel took two months to arrive.

Ford said she hopes the Bosnian church will gain independence through their gifts and won’t have to rely on money from Concordia.

“If something is needed, we just manage to get it,” Ford said. “If (the church) doesn’t have the money to get it, we’ll just chip it in ourselves.”

This article, with reports by non-Serb Americans, does square with Zoran's observation of the town a few months ago when he visited for his bike tour: the observation of Tuzla being a non-tolerant place, no Christian churches, and violence towards those who are non-Muslim:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/905179/posts#2

BTW- Why is it in Serbian controlled lands of Bosnia and Serbian-dominated population of Serbia, there are BOTH mosques and Serbian Orhtodox churches. But, in Muslim areas- there are ZERO Serbian Churches? There was only one, in Tuzla and that was damaged. Anyone want to provide an answer?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/905179/posts#8

My friend was nervious about going into Tuzla with Beograd plates.

I gave him a choice, either Zenica or Tuzla- no if/ands or buts, we're going. Along the way he mentioned there are weekly incidents of Serbs being harrassed or victimized in Tuzla as that town and Zenica are the two worst towns he knows of after Sarajevo.

The mainstream media, in regard to the Balkans, seemed to be operating on the opposite principle. Tuzla, for example, was stressed as a "tolerant" town, but it is clearly not and was not during the war. The mayor of that INTOLERANT town was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and given awards. Muslim towns are rewarded for ethnically cleansing Serbs and blowing up their churches by NATO countries.

http://www.postconflict.org/beslagic.htm
Since his election, Mayor Beslagic and his policies have been a benchmark of ethnic tolerance and national solidarity. His efforts to maintain peace and civility during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina led to the survival of his city Tuzla as a bastion of tolerant and democratic relations among citizens and has earned him international recognition as well as numerous awards. In 1997, Mayor Beslagic received a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize and was the recipient of the W. Avarell Harriman Award by the National Democratic Institute. Past Harriman honorees include former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and current U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright.

Yes he is. This is is main site: http://www.pedalinpeace.org/

He has started to write about what happened (though he's only done the first couple days). Below is taken from the middle of Day 2 where it starts to get interesting, in my opinion.

http://www.pedalinpeace.org/ridejournal.html
The ride towards Banja Luka was becoming quite monotonous, as traffic was light.
After two hours, my mineral water and coke was warm, low and unsettling on the stomach. The sun was directly overhead as it was 2p when my energy was being fueled by adrenalin. There was not a town nearby when I noticed an SFOR base. I asked a British soldier if the café sold noncarb water. After noticing I was an American, he said to follow him and went inside the main gate. Within a few minutes, a female British soldier and an American Officer came out and we began small talk.
While there, I was well-versed of the troubled spots, land mined areas, where the bad guys go, i.e. The Brits/Americans loaded me up with 4 liters of water and 3 MRE's, instantly adding at least 10-12 lbs to my pack.
The Croatian Black Legion units turned into the local mafia, the Bosnian Muslims commit petty crimes, whereas the Serbs (according to the local SFOR), have become an essential machine in fighting local crime. It was everyone's belief of SFOR I spoke to, that if/when SFOR leaves the region, war will reignite. The Serbs are not in the position to win, as they've been the most accommodating with the Dayton disarmament accords. While the Croatians and Muslims have been arming themselves and fueling their finances with the use of local mafia.
After spending two hours with SFOR, I trekked to the outskirts of Banja Luka. The town is very beautiful, unscathed (from what I could see) by war. The town center was bustling with window shoppers and the roadway buzzing with cars. I had a light meal outside of the town, away from the traffic/people. I needed to rehydrate with the temps nearing 95F and beginning to take its toll. My skin was red and starting to become clammy. After an MRE and half-liter of cool water, I bounced back onto the bike and for the first time since the ride began, full of pep! I was back to riding in the low 20's(mph) as I passed residential homes along the Sava River.
With darkness imminent, I stopped for a final push of coca cola at a roadside "lemonade stand" a young Serbian child had. While I stopped to give him business, his parents came out. They invited me for dinner and for an overnight stay. I had to decline as I was far behind schedule. We talked for 15 minutes and I departed.
Shortly, I came upon the coolest looking town I've seen ~ Celinac. The river was flowing on one side with the town center shops getting ready to close for the night while the young people and families were having dinner at the restaurants along the road.
I stopped the RS Police Officer for directions to the nearest hotel. He was kind enough to walk and talk with me til he knew I could the hotel down the road. Upon checking into the hotel, a wedding party was being held. In good ole Serbian fashion, I was invited. In good ole Serbian fashion, I accepted. I first went into the town center to eat and to have cold Niksic Beer.
Two hours later, I returned to the hotel and was immediately greeted and told to enjoy. They introduced the groom and everyone else in the wedding party to me. They raised a toast for my efforts of Nasa Srbija. I was brought to a table full of food and told to just enjoy. Eat, drink and enjoy. The Orkestar was playing "Raso, National, and kolo songs" all night. All I have to say is my fondness for Celinac, my adopted town of the RS.

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