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Bosnia Missions Trip, July 2001

GREETINGS from The Church @ The Neighborhood Center!

Did you know that we have an incredible opportunity this summer?  In addition to the “regular” schedule of events, including Kids Club, Summer Camps, and a Mexico Trip, we are going to send a team from our church to Bosnia on a 3-week missions trip!  This fact sheet has been prepared to give you some details about the trip and the process leading up to it.

 

WHO?

First of all, let me introduce myself.  My name is Chris Somers, and I’m writing this letter as Team Leader of the group from our church going to Bosnia this July.

I have been involved in Neighborhood Ministries since 1992.  Prior to the formation of The Church @ The Neighborhood Center and its weekly meetings beginning in September 2000, I attended Open Door Fellowship Church (ODF) since arriving in Phoenix in 1991. 

In 1997, some people from ODF (and a few other valley churches) realized the need to reach out to the thousands of refugees from the war in Bosnia who had resettled in the Phoenix area.  Thus, a Local Bosnian-Refugee Outreach (LBO) was formed.  This began with meeting practical needs, such as furniture and clothing, and became organized through a weekly ESL class.  The relationships that developed with these resettled families led to their kids’ involvement in Bosnian VBS’s and Bible Studies, as well as Neighborhood Ministries’ Kids Clubs and Monday Night programs.

In July of 1999, I was part of a 10-member team from ODF that traveled to Bosnia for two weeks to visit the extended families of our new Bosnian friends and to forge connections with evangelical works in Bosnia itself.  Incredibly, leaders of the churches in three of the cities we visited (Split, Sarajevo, & Jajce), have, in turn, visited us here in Phoenix since our trip.  They have come as guests of the Local Bosnian-Refugee Outreach to speak to our families here during annual retreats at Mountain Meadows Ranch and at the ESL & Bible Study classes. 

I mention all of this for two reasons.  First, the majority of this summer’s team has been significantly involved in the Local Bosnian-Refugee Outreach ministry over the past few years.  And, second, the church leaders who we will partner with in Bosnia are two of the groups who have visited Phoenix and whom the majority of our team has met.  Their evangelical works in Bosnia are the ones that impressed and touched us the most during the 1999 Summer Trip.  I am convinced that we are partnering with like-minded and like-hearted ministry leaders who are doing some of the most significant evangelical work in Bosnia today.  It will be awesome.

How did this opportunity arise? 

As a result of the growing relationship with the ministries in Bosnia and our connection with ODF and the Local Bosnian-Refugee Outreach, The Church @ The Neighborhood Center was asked if we could provide a youth-oriented team of 4-8 people to support the Sarajevo church and its summer ministries from July 14-22.  

What will be doing?

Our involvement will include working at the Sarajevo orphanage, helping with a coffeehouse ministry, working with a church of young believers in a town outside of Sarajevo, and helping with some light construction projects.  We will remain a third week and partner with a ministry leader from Jajce who is well known to us.  We will assist her and staff a one-week Kids Summer Camp program.

So what do we bring to the table? 

Significant cross-cultural ministry experience. 

I believe Neighborhood Ministries is the perfect training ground for world missions and cross-cultural ministry.  Each member of our team is a veteran of ministry in Kids Club and the Monday Night Kids Life program.  I wish more people would recognize the value of this aspect of NM and take advantage of it.  During my July 1999 experience in Bosnia, we visited two refugee camps.  Each time, I felt like I was experiencing Neighborhood Ministries … hyperactive & loving kids, out-of-work adults, broken families, etc.  It felt very familiar.  

As far as the distance goes, five of our team members have lived overseas and experienced living in another culture and language firsthand. 

Additionally, we are blessed to count the daughters of the two “founding” families of the Local Bosnian-Refugee Outreach among our team.  

What do we hope to accomplish?

Our purpose for this summer is not to plant a church, or to engage long-term in Bosnia.  We do not have a goal to convert 100 unbelievers in three weeks.  It is a short-term mission trip.  We will be one more tool used by God to convey His love in the individual lives of those He causes us to encounter.  God cares, and He is in this for the long haul.  We will connect with genuine long-term ministry works, and offer them much-needed staffing support for their summer outreaches.  As mentioned previously, these are not random ministries we are partnering with.  I believe our team will be a natural fit with those ministries, and by God’s grace, our partnership touch lives and will further His kingdom.

The team members were asked recently why they want to be a part of this opportunity.  Here are some of their thoughts:  

  • "to connect as imperfect people with imperfect people and communicate God’s grace."

  • "to be challenged ... to experience God ... to experience another culture.
    because God wants me to ... it’s where my heart is ... I’ve been waiting for this kind of opportunity."

  • "God put it on my heart to do missions ... I want a chance to serve God any way I can."

  • "to impact my life ... to experience their culture ... to see where the Bosnian kids I know come from."

When & where are we going?

July 11th 
– Depart Phoenix
July 12th 
– Arrive in Sarajevo
July 14th-22nd  
– Sarajevo
July 24th-29th  
– Working with kids
July 31st  
– Depart Split, Croatia
July 31st  
– Return to Phoenix

Where is Bosnia?

Will the team be close to areas of recent unrest?

Bosnia was part of the former Yugoslavia, south of Austria and Hungary, and across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. War ended in Bosnia in 1996.  NATO troops maintain order in the region. The current conflict in Macedonia, which has pulled the former Yugoslavia back into the news, is not near the areas to which we will be traveling.

What can I Do To Help?

You can pray:  

  • For each of the stops on the trip, pray that God would orchestrate His divine appointments with those He desires us to meet and minister to. 

  • For each of the team members to be sensitive to the Lord's leading in all circumstances. 

  • For safety and guidance as we travel. 

  • That we would be a blessing and not a burden to all that we meet (including Christian workers). 

Join our email conference to get regular updates as we travel.   

Would you please consider investing financially in this venture?  

  • This trip will cost a total of $18,000.  On average, each team member will need to raise about $2,250 to cover all expenses (airfare, lodging, meals, transportation, etc). 

  • This is an investment in the lives of the team members as well as in their cross-cultural ministry to Bosnians both here and in Bosnia. 

  • Checks should be made out to The Church @ The Neighborhood Center (memo: Bosnia Trip.) We believe this will be a significant investment into the lives of those going and into seeing the strengths of Neighborhood Ministries released among Bosnians. Please join us!!!