Bosnia and Herzegovina
The dazzling terrain of Bosnia and Herzegovina includes an extremely diverse geography that blends together to make up one of the most awe inspiring landscapes in the region. The geography is not the only aspect of the country that maintains a surprising amount of diversity for such a small area. The country is also home to three major ethnic groups, the Muslim oriented Bosniaks, the Serbs who proclaim Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Croats who are largely Catholic. Like the landscape, the population diversity is one of the most striking aspects of the country. Unlike the landscape, the people have not always been able to live in harmony.
After Bosnia and Herzegovina gained their independence from Yugoslavia, a flood of internal cultural strife broke loose to wreak havoc on the newly formed republic. A civil war broke out and ethnic cleansing literally swept the nation. Unthinkable atrocities were committed on all sides and the result was an estimated 700,000 homeless and tens of thousands dead. Fear and hatred kept the people divided and the country developed two separate territories with two separate governmental bodies – the Bosniak/Croat Federation, and the Serbian Republic.
The civil war drove so many people from their homes that the economy was dealt a crippling blow. As a consequence, poverty and alcoholism further worked to harden the hearts of the people. There is very little evangelistic Christian presence in the area and the cultural ties with each ethnic group’s professed religion is strong. In a nation divided by religious tensions, many Bosnians seek a peace that transcends human understanding.
The internal division that plagues the people and separates them from the peace they seek can only be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Only Christ will be able to reconcile the broken relationships and uplift the discouraged and disillusioned people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The only hope is that the people would be unified as one body through a growing, inclusive church-planting movement and a spiritual revival that will bring light into the lives of so many torn apart by poverty, alcoholism and ethnic division.
If you would like to be a part of bringing this hope to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, please contact us at hope4cee@pobox.com.