A Fall Update

Throughout the next month or so I will be endeavoring to do something that is quite foreign to us. 

In the Spring of 2007, Petra and I were already involved in ministry, working with youth in the local church and teaching English at a nearby seminary. That local church extended an invitation to serve full-time. We decided to take a leap of faith to see if the Lord would confirm the decision through the response of our family and friends. 

Since then and throughout the growth of our family and a move to Zagreb, the Lord has provided. We have never made a trip to the States for the sole purpose of fund-raising and have never been in need. It is honestly awe-inspiring to consider how the Lord has taken care of us. We believe He will continue to do so.

For various reasons, our support has decreased over the past year or so. Therefore, I am traveling to the Northeast U.S. from October 8th to 28th for the purpose of fund-raising. Our ministry at this point is more established. Petra leads camps throughout the summer and is involved in various church projects throughout the rest of the year. I teach and preach in our local church and lecture occassionally at the same seminary where I taught English 12 years ago.

In coming to the States, my hope is to meet with many who know us and thank them for their support. I also look forward to sharing what God is doing through us with others in hope that they may consider partnering with us. 

So we come to you first of all to ask for your prayers. I hope to see those I interact with come away with a clear understanding of the need in Croatia. And I would love to know that I have effectively communicated our vision and how the Lord is using us here. Would you please pray to that end?

Thank you for partnering with us. We are well aware of the fact that the Lord provides through your thoughtful and prayerful support. If there is any way we can keep you better informed, please let us know!

Prayer and Making Disciples

I’m convinced that it is impossible to make disciples of Jesus Christ without prayer. Let me put it in even stronger terms:

If we’re not praying for those we’re discipling, we’re not discipling.

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For those who are serious about a biblical vision of disciple making, it ought to be evident that prayer is an essential ingredient. 

The reason I post this though is because it’s probably the thing I am worst at. I need a reminder.

So, if you and I are serious about making disciples of Jesus Christ, let’s stop what we’re doing.

Go for a prayer walk. Turn down the music in your car and pray. Put a half hour of time in your calendar to pray. Do whatever it takes to devote time to pray for those you are discipling. 

If we can’t make time to pray, we’re not actually making disciples.

An Update from Camp

We would appreciate your prayers as we are right in the middle of our summer ministry. Petra is continuing her active role in camps, leading and coordinating all four sessions in Orahovica. We’re serving together, balancing caring for a new baby while watching over several hundred energetic campers throughout July.

Who is a God like our God?

 Mihej Drago was born on Good Friday. He is a healthy, growing boy surrounded by four kids who anxiously try to evoke smiles and laughter from their baby brother whenever they can. 

Petra has recovered relatively quickly. Both the Kuzmič and Bohall parents have been with us, lightening our load and adding to the joy of the new life the Lord has provided. Who is a God like our God? (Micah 7:18-20)

Summer 2018 Update

It’s been quite a while since we’ve been in touch. Honestly, the transition to Zagreb has been difficult. Yet, the Lord’s faithfulness and steadfast love has been evident in how quickly the children adjusted and the church family has surrounded us. Praise be to God!

We moved to Zagreb in August 2016 with an idea of what we would be doing to support a local church we’ve known for years and a pastor with whom we’ve been friends for even longer. But our roles were a bit undefined at the beginning. Additionally, we made an unofficial agreement to reevaluate the fit after two years. Now, in August 2018, our roles are more defined and we have agreed with our church to continue our ministry together indefinitely. 

Petra is serving as the secretary of the church; a role she is very gifted in. We’ve discovered this gift after years of leading and coordinating camps in Orahovica which has also given her a wealth of experience. After a year of admin work with our app “Biblija365” and various other projects, we all agree she’s the one for the job. She also teaches Christian Education to elementary school children and mentors some of the young women in our church. 

Jeremy successfully completed his Master’s in June when he defended his thesis on Making Disciples in Croatia at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek. Though it’s the official end of one project, in some ways it’s just the foundation for a more focused practical ministry. Throughout the first 2 years in Zagreb, Jeremy has been leading Bible Studies during the mid-week services. One of the challenges for him has been a completely different church context; in Zagreb the local church is made up predominantly of college educated professionals and college students. Quite simply, given his commitment to teaching in Croatian, Jeremy has had to step up his game. He is also serving as a deacon. 

Additionally, we have continued our work with Biblija365, the Croatian Bible reading app that was launched last year. Jeremy also teaches English once a week at the center for refugees in Zagreb. There is no lack of work to be done. The challenge has been what to say no to. 

Though living in the big city is new for both (all) of us, and therefore has created a lengthy adjustment period, we are thrilled with the church with whom we are serving. We are a young (8 years old), vibrant, and growing community. The teaching is biblical and there is a strong bond that unites our fellowship. We are part of a church that has an influence on the Church throughout Croatia. That gives us joy vocationally while providing peace that our children a part of a community in which they can grow with their friends in the Lord. 

Another thing we are very excited about is that the head our mission organization, Tom Foley, and our pastor in Croatia, Ratko, have a strong personal friendship. Tom visits us 3 or 4 times a year and during each of those visits has a conversation with Ratko. This allows us to say that there is complete harmony between the vision of the church and our role as missionaries. In supporting our ministry, you are supporting not only our work, but the efforts of Christian Educators Outreach and our church in Croatia. Your prayers and gifts are critical to us being here. Thank you!

In Christ, 

The Bohalls: Jeremy, Petra, Enoh, Ian, Emily and David