Category Archives: from the Balkans

October 30, 2013 · 08:15

Hearts Grown Brutal

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I am reading this book alongside The Bridge on the Drina (yesterday’s post). This is a different kind of book.

The subject is broader – Yugoslavia, not simply a town in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Its about a family, not the changing culture surrounding a bridge over 300+ years.

While yet unfinished. I’ve gotten far enough to know some of its value. That is, how the broader international issues impact individuals, namely the collapse of two empires after WWI, which created a vacuum, into which flowed more brutality through WWII, post war oppression and the wars that broke up Yugoslavia. This is not really new brutality, but the methods are more modern and more widely reported… yet largely ignored by the outside world.

Which raises the question: How have we become desensitized over time to brutality?

How desensitized are we?

What should we do about it?

How does the Gospel inform us and change us?

How does that change affect what we do about injustice?

I guess what I’m asking is, have our hearts grown brutal?

If so, we need to seek God’s change in our hearts.

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Filed under culture, from the Balkans, seeking understanding, things Central European

October 29, 2013 · 09:38

The Bridge on the Drina

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Been working on this since early September or so. It is deep. It is, for me, one of the richest, most thoughtful books I’ve read. Ever.

Look at the top of the picture of the book. Yeah. Nobel Prize for Literature. I don’t even know what that takes.

If you EVER want to read a single book that will give insight into the Balkans, read this. But, its not a popular page-turner. You have to stop and think along the way, sometimes deeply, other times you just have to stop and take a break. So if you take this on, give your self time.

But be warned. There is extreme brutality. The author did not shy away from describing graphic horror. As a Yugoslavian (what does that even mean to readers today?), he knew the need to describe the brutality that existed back then, in recent history and that continues today in more subtle ways.

I once went to the monument park in Mohacs, Hungary where there are wood carvings depicting humans impaled after being defeated by a superior Ottoman army. I now have a better understanding of what took place there and, more importantly, I have a better understanding of why the anti-Turk atmosphere existed when I first began visiting Hungary 16 years ago. That attitude seems to have subsided since today there are Turkish eateries every two blocks in Budapest.

I also learned how deep is the wound is between Serb and the converts to Islam.

It is all very, very complicated. And I guess the main thing that I learned is how dark those Drina river valleys are and how deep is the need for the true Gospel of Jesus, the Gospel of Grace, the Gospel of forgiveness in this region.

Tomorrow, I will introduce a book that is more contemporary, but the region is the same.

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Filed under culture, from the Balkans, seeking understanding, things Central European, travel notes

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welcome?

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July 19, 2013 · 15:44
August 10, 2012 · 14:48

praying over Srebrenica

the Imam sounds the “call to prayer” and I pray in Jesus name that the Gospel will be known in this town…

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Filed under experience, from the Balkans, photos along the way

August 8, 2012 · 13:47

looking back at my first visit to Srebrenica

CLICK HERE

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Filed under experience, from the Balkans, photos along the way, seeking understanding

August 8, 2012 · 05:27

A breather to begin the Balkan Loop

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Whew… this is a great breather… been goin pretty long and busy for the last few days… so ridin the train from Budapest to Szeged to begin the Balkan Loop* has been a good time of sitting back and reflecting. So I thought to write this post and catch up a bit, hopeful that I’ll get logged into some wifi in Szeged to put this post up.

In the last days we have really seen God answer prayers through details in Kathryn’s housing, acclamation to life in Bp & immigration processing. When I read Deuteronomy I’m always reminded that God cares about details. It is blessed to experience His hand of provision through so many kind Hungarians.

There were good acquaintances made last night at the Bridge…

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*I keep referring to the Balkan Loop. If you don’t follow my progress in the Trip Plan (find previous post for link) you will wonder ‘what the heck is the Balkan Loop?’ Well, today I am heading to Serbia via Szeged, I’ll be in Subotica for a day and then south to Srebrenica, Bosnia via Beograde. In Serbia I will be hanging out with friends in the Kingdom and try to be an encouragement.

In Srebrenica (if this name is new to you, see my Youtube video on ‘revtomtravels’ channel) I will seek to encourage believers and gather information for a development project possibility. Then I’m off to Sarajevo to pray for this mostly Muslim city and perhaps encourage a new follower of Jesus.

Then I’m off to Mostar (new to me) to meet Jeremy who will bring me to hang out with his family for a couple of days on the Croatia coast.

My next destination will be Osijek via Zagreb. I covet prayers for our growing partnership with the Bible college and seminary there. I look forward to good conversations with our folks there.

Finally, I’ll head back to Bp.

Please pray that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart would be acceptable to God. Pray too for my Sweet Anna who is back home.

Thanks for reading, thanks for praying, please sign up to follow this blog and read my posts in your email. You can see my last few tweets on the right, but you can see more stuff if you follow me on twitter.

Hopefully this will post when I arrive in Szeged.

Peace from Grace.

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Filed under experience, from the Balkans, things Central European