Bohall Ministry

"If someone in walked in here off the street, they wouldn't believe what's going on." My wife and I were standing in a former casino hall in Zagreb surrounded by 300 other Croats, Slovenes, Serbs and Bosnians enjoying a Slovakian band singing in Serbian. Some were dancing, others talking among themselves or simply listening; but everyone was having a good time. My wife was right; this scene was rare. The event that brought these different cultures and languages together was called "Srcokret" - a word that's not even a word. Photo courtesy of Sara Delić Suncokret  is Croatian for "sunflower". It literally means "turn towards the sun". The wordplay was designed around a desire to see hearts ( srce ) in the former Yugoslavia turned toward Christ. This was the third Srcokret since 2008 and the second one my wife and I have attended. All three of them have been examples of how true Christian unity is stronger than the ...

In small town Croatia, picking chestnuts is an autumn staple. Yesterday, I (Jeremy) had the opportunity to take a group of 5th through 7th graders from our church out chestnut picking. We've been meeting weekly ever since the school year started. When I asked what sort of activities they would like to do as a group, chestnut picking was one of the suggestions.  Chestnuts grow inside a very well protected pouch which usually requires a knife to open. Most times there are three chestnuts inside each pouch. Early risers often find a bunch of chestnuts on the ground in the morning, but when we arrived in the afternoon most of them were already opened.  Undeterred, one of us would shake the trees while the rest protected their heads. Once the chestnuts fell the kids raced to open the pouches as quickly as they safely could.  I asked one of my friends at the church to go with us. Božidar (literally "God's gift") led us to a place where there were a lot of ch...

Every year since Petra was a child, July has meant camp season in Orahovica. This summer is no different. As we turn the calendar, normal activities are exchanged for registration forms, building preparation and lots of phone calls. This year Jeremy has a more direct role in camps. During Teen Camp he will be speaking with the teenagers every morning about what it means for young people in Croatia to live in light Christ's victory. Paul's letter to the Ephesians, especially chapter two, will be the basis of his messages. Jeremy will also be a leader at Young Adult Camp while Petra will continue working on the logistical side of Children's Camps. Please pray not only for wisdom and direction for us, but also that that Lord would draw each camper closer to Himself. Sunday, June 30th was a special day for our family as we dedicated David to the Lord. His deda (Peter) and our pastor prayed over him while many other Kuzmič's joined the celebration. We are thankf...

We are the Bohalls - Jeremy, Petra, Enoh, Ian, Emily, David and Mihej. We've been living and serving in Croatia since 2007. Our aim, put simply, is to glorify the Lord by endeavoring to make disciples of Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ we have experienced His grace in our lives and are passionate about sharing His love with others. From a practical standpoint we see ourselves as a bridge between the church and community. This is where we've witnessed the Lord's sovereignty in our lives and ministry. He has directed our paths to Croatia and provided us with tools that we are able to use practically to benefit the local community and worship the Lord. Rather than list the various ways we've been able to do so, we invite you to stay updated on what God is doing through our ministry. If there are any ways we can better communicate with you, please let us know. Feedback is always welcome. Your partners in ministry, The Bohall Family The Bohalls Summer ...

We are proud to announce the arrival of David Peter Bohall! He was born at 9:57 pm on Mother's Day. Both he and Petra are doing well. After each of our children's birth we've been overwhelmed with thankfulness. David is an example of the Lord's incredible mercy - a gift graciously given. We are aware that many have kept us in prayer and we are so thankful for those who support us in such an important way.  The kids were excited to meet their baby brother. Their faces in this picture say it best. Enoh as the oldest brother was certainly the most proud. Emily wasn't sure what to think. And like he is so often, Ian was just plain excited.  We plan to return to Orahovica (about an hour from Osijek) when Petra and David are released from the hospital on Wednesday or Thursday. Thankfully, Petra's mother will be with us to help us adjust to life as a family of six.  We consider raising a Christian family the most important part of our ministry. T...

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. John 15:4 (ESV) It's impossible to obey the Great Commission without living John 15:4.  Remaining, residing and abiding in Jesus is not only essential to being fruitful, but it is the true mark of a disciple. We've been reminded of this truth in several ways this spring and have been exhorted to live it out in the midst of a busy and challenging time of our life. Here's a quick update on what's going on: Personal: The doctors in America gave Petra a different due-date than the doctor in Croatia did. Regardless of which one the baby listens to, we're within a couple weeks of meeting our fourth child. For whatever reason, this has been the most difficult pregnancy for Petra. Pray that the Lord would give her strength, and periodic moments of rest and relief as she gets closer to giving birth. Ministry: During the late...

The hours of peace during a smooth day of travel is the latest example of God's mercy in our lives. Thank you to those of you who prayed. Lam. 3:22-23

In 2007, just a few months after we moved to Orahovica, our pastor asked Jeremy to "share something" on Sunday morning. In preparation, Jeremy wrote a short testimony and a few thoughts revolving around Paul's benediction in Ephesians 3:20. As the Sunday service progressed, Jeremy realized that he wasn't called up during the normal testimony time. We looked at each other and joked that "maybe Jeremy's the preacher today...haha!". It turns out Jeremy was the preacher that day. Since then, Jeremy's been asked to preach or lead a Bible study at least twice a month. Our pastor Slobodan and members in the church have been extremely supportive of Jeremy's role as teacher and assistant to the pastor over the last few years. Additionally, Jeremy's been serving on the board of elders since 2008. All of this has given Jeremy an increasing desire to be involved in leadership in the church. Jeremy preaching at a church retreat in 2009 When we wr...