Bohall Ministry

A Final 2011 Update

2011-12-30T05:08:00.000-08:00

In November we had the chance to travel to Szeged, Hungary for the semi-annual CEO gathering. As was the case two years ago, this was a great chance for us to catch up with other couples and families who are doing similar work in Hungary, Serbia and Croatia. Tom's main theme for the weekend came from Oswald Chambers: "The goal of the missionary is not to win souls or be useful. The job of the missionary is to do the will of the God."

In early December, Jeremy had the chance to preach in the Evangelical church in Osijek. They record the services there, so here's your opportunity to hear Jeremy preach (31:00), listen to a vocal/piano/trombone version of "Be Thou my Vision" (26:00), or get an idea of what a typical service in Croatia is like.

Some of you were involved in voting for Christian Educators Outreach to receive a grant from givingoflife.com. Thanks to you, CEO received a $2,000 grant! Go here to see the 20 organizations who benefited from these grants. In other good CEO news, we have been accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). You can go here to see what that means for your financial donations to Christian Educators Outreach.

Finally, 2 major prayer requests:

1. Petra is coordinating and leading a New Year's celebration for youth from all over Croatia in our local church in Orahovica. Pray that the Lord would give her strength and wisdom throughout the entire event.

2. Jeremy will be speaking to the youth on Saturday evening. He will be drawing on Hebrews 12 and Romans 12 in discussing faith and obedience. Please pray for him as he finishes his preparations and as he speaks.

There are other prayer requests on the right hand side of our site. Please consider taking some time to pray for our ministry and our family. We strongly believe that prayer is the biggest way you can support us.

Have a blessed New Year!

The Bohall Family

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T12:47:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Jeremy, Petra, Enoh, Ian and Emily Bohall

CEO in Croatia is growing

2011-11-14T00:42:00.000-08:00

We are excited to have new Christian Educators Outreach partners in Croatia! Kevin and Alyssa Walker arrived from Boston last week to work as professors at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek. Tom Foley joined us as we welcomed them to Croatia. You can find out more about what they are doing HERE. Welcome Kevin and Alyssa!

Moving Forward

2011-11-01T02:13:00.000-07:00

As we head into the fall and winter, there will be several changes to our ministry. First of all, Jeremy has begun a Masters degree in Theology (MTh) at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek—which is only about an hour from Orahovica. Since he began teaching and preaching several years ago, Jeremy has had a growing awareness of the gift of teaching the Lord has given him. Please pray with us that the Lord would continue to direct Jeremy’s steps in this endeavor.

Secondly, we are praying for wisdom in how to move ahead with youth groups. The last two years saw tremendous growth in our youth group through baseball, and the opportunity we had to teach in the High School. But many of those teenagers have graduated and gone off to college. In the next few months Petra will begin again, but we’re not sure what shape youth groups will take.

Thirdly, Jeremy is planning on beginning the Royal Rangers ministry in Orahovica this winter. Though he has very little experience, at least 4 others — 3 of whom have some previous experience with RR – have expressed interest in being part of a team that will serve with Jeremy. Please pray for wisdom as Jeremy prepares to begin RR in Orahovica.

Prayer is the most important way you can be involved in our ministry. It’s the main reason we keep you updated. If you are interested in learning more, please let us know!

Your partners in ministry, Jeremy, Petra, Enoh, Ian and Emily Bohall

Meet Emily!

2011-09-30T05:42:00.000-07:00

We are proud to announce the birth of Emily Vjera Bohall!

Petra's labor was considerably shorter than her two previous births. After a night of contractions, we left the house at 6:07 am and the official time of delivery was 6:25. Both Petra and Emily are healthy and home.

Enoh and Ian have responded with awe; who wouldn't with such a beautiful younger sister!

We are overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord for his provision and to those of you who included us in your prayers. Thank you!

The Bohalls

Support Christian Educators Outreach!

2011-09-01T13:38:00.001-07:00

Our missions organization - Christian Educators Outreach - is applying for a grant through givingoflife.com. Support our cause by going here and voting for CEO. Thanks!

A Snapshot of Summer

2011-07-21T05:32:00.000-07:00

So far, this summer has seen periods of craziness, but also times of rest. Here's a look at our summer to this point.

In early June we celebrated the graduation of our Senior Highers. Petra prepared a five-course dinner for them, then shared briefly about our faith and our prayer for them as they continue on to college. Graduates don't wear the caps we do in America so we surprised them after dinner with their own graduation caps.

A few weekends later we took them bowling - many for the first time as a new bowling alley opened in our part of Croatia recently. Some of the youth were jealous of Petra's bump!

In late June we celebrated our 6th anniversary with a weekend trip to Ljubljana - the capital of Slovenia. We were blessed to have Petra's parents stay with the boys so we could go babymooning before number three arrives in September.

As soon as we came back from Slovenia we spent a week or so on the Croatian coast with extended family. Enoh continues to grow as his 3rd birthday is right around the corner...

but even just at one and-a-half, Ian's catching up quickly.

We're thankful for the few weeks we had to unwind a bit before camps started.

Camps began in July. The first kids camp was a huge success:

Here are some things you can keep in prayer during the next 3 weeks (childrens, young adult, and teenage) of camp.

1. This year 3 special needs people came to children's camp. For the most part, mentally handicapped people don't attend school in Croatia, let alone public school. Praise God for this opportunity!

2. Pray for the safety and health of the children who attend. The first week of children's camp saw triple digit temperatures. Yet, no one got sick. Pray for continued health.

3. Pray for the leaders. This year we have more new, inexperienced leaders joining the team. Pray that the staff would be united and ready to serve.

4. Pray for all the campers who attend, that they would hear, understand and accept the gospel.

Thank you for your partnership with us in ministry!

The Bohalls

First Baseball Game in Orahovica

2011-07-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

On June 11th, our small town got to see their first baseball game ever!

In mid-May, Jeremy met with a missionary in a city an hour away about the possibility of coordinating what would turn out to be the first game for both teams. The day was a huge success. Though Orahovica lost (9-7), it was a competitive and well attended event. Three representatives of the Croatian Baseball League came from Zagreb to umpire, and explain the rules to the spectators while the game was in progress.

Jeremy had the chance to coach, pitch and hit.

He also was able to have a great conversation with his assistant coach about Jesus after the game as they were packing up. Please keep him in your prayers.

We have a need! Please consider how you may be able to help provide uniforms and catcher's equipment for our team. At this point we are using the other team's catcher's gear and are just using t-shirts during the game. But we have the potential to play other teams in Croatia and Serbia and would love to have real uniforms. Please contact Jeremy at jeremy.bohall@gmail.com if you're interested in helping.

A Special Bunch

2011-04-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

“I have everything you have—a strong education, good friends and time to have fun. But you still have something I don’t. I wish I had what you have.”

Soon after we returned from the States we had a conversation with Sara over dinner. She told us about how a friend of her’s recently made this comment to her.

Sara enjoyed being in the U.S. for the first time this Christmas

Sara is the only high school teenager in our church. She’s been a huge help in developing our Senior High Youth group. And the comment one of her friends made to her only helped confirm our focus on unchurched teenagers.

Our purpose in ministry here in Orahovica is to be a bridge between the church and the community. That’s why our baseball club and English classes are so important to our ministry. As it turns out, our youth group is made up entirely of teenagers we’ve met through those ministries or have come through Sara’s invitation.

The Sr. High group enjoying an American breakfast with us.

But more than half of our group, including Sara, will be graduating from High School in June. We’re proud of them, but will certainly miss them as they head off to college. Please pray that the Lord would continue to work in the heart of these teenagers now, as we still have time with them, and later when they go on to college.

We do have much to rejoice in though, including the fact that we have been invited back to the High School to supplement English classes with our workshops during school hours. What that means is that we are in contact with almost every high schooler in Orahovica and in the surrounding villages. Praise God for this opportunity!

The Junior High youth group continues to develop as well. For a long time we’ve only had girls attend. Soon after Petra began praying for more boys, one of the boys we met through baseball began coming to our house regularly for youth group. Petra’s able to have great, candid conversations with this group. Our prayer for these two groups is that the seeds that are planted now will bear fruit in their lives. Thank you for your partnership in prayer for our youth.

We're Expecting!

2011-04-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

That’s right, Baby Bohall number 3 is on the way! We found out right before we left the States in January and eagerly await the birth of our 3rd child in September.

Hvala!

2011-01-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

It's impossible to express how grateful we are to you for your partnership in making disciples of Jesus Christ in Croatia.

Paul puts it so well in his letter to the church in Philippi:

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

As we prepare to go back to our home in Croatia we remember your encouragement, support and prayer.

Hvala!

The Bohalls

The Great Foundation; a reminder and an update

2010-11-10T15:31:00.000-08:00

The Great Commission has a Great Foundation: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me..." (Matthew 28:18)

Though we are back in the States for 3 months, the call to join with disciples from all nations in endeavoring to make disciples of all nations does not stop. In fact, as we mentioned in the previous post, one of our goals while we're here is to keep you involved in what the Lord is doing through our ministry in Croatia.

That's why it's important for us to be reminded of the foundation of our call to go. Yes, Jesus urged his disciples to go, just as the Lord urged Abraham to go generations before. But simply going won't get us anywhere - at least when it comes to disciple making.

We obey the call to make disciples because Jesus has the authority to send us. He lived the perfect life of word and deed. He was sinless yet paid the price of sin. He displayed his power through love.

So as we continue to answer the Lord's call on our lives we encourage you to remember the foundation of missions - The Lord's authority and power. That is the groundwork for our obedience, which rejoices in the promise "behold I am with you always, to the end of the age."

And it's in that spirit that we rejoice in how the Lord has answered our prayers. In our last post we urged you to pray with us. Thank you! Here is how the Lord has answered those prayers so far:

- Regarding our travel. The flights went better than we could've imagined. Enoh and Ian did very well traveling and adjusting to the new time zone. The whole process was smooth and safe.

- Regarding our fund-raising efforts. We have had the opportunity to speak in one of our supporting churches, and have received a report from another that our support will be increasing. We have also received a large one-time gift. Please continue to partner in prayer with us as we endeavor to increase our monthly support.

- Regarding our ministry. Sara has joyfully filled us in on what has happened in the Junior High youth group. She is getting valuable experience in ministry and being a godly mentor to her younger peers. Thank the Lord for her.

- Regarding connecting with family and friends. Because of the fact that Petra's and Jeremy's parents live within an hour and a half from each other, the boys have had ample time with both sets of grandparents. We've also spent valuable time with friends we haven't seen in some time.

The Lord has provided and will continue to provide. Great is His faithfulness!

Thank you for staying informed.

In Christ,

Jeremy and Petra Bohall

A Chance to be Involved

2010-10-15T23:43:00.000-07:00

Our trip to the States is rapidly approaching. As we anticipate traveling on October 25th, we invite you to pray specifically for the following:

- The travel from door-to-door - about 18 hours in all - that the Lord would cover the four of us with peace and safety. Pray for patience as we find creative ways to keep the boys content on the two flights. Pray also for Enoh and Ian as they adjust to a new time zone, new surroundings and the busyness that awaits us as we hit the ground running.

- Our fund-raising efforts. We have determined that we need to raise our support by approximately $400 a month. The Lord has been faithful thus far in our ministry and we are confident He will continue to provide for our needs.

- The ministry we are leaving behind for 3 months. Pray for Sara - an 18 year old who is contagiously passionate about Jesus - as she takes over the Junior High youth group. Pray also for the boys who have been coming regularly to guitar lessons, that the Lord would continue to work in their hearts. Finally, pray for Betanija church that God would continue to strengthen and renew our pastor and the congregation.

- Jeremy as he studies. He will be taking two classes in order to prepare for a Master's Degree at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Croatia.

- The relationships we renew. The latest methods of communication via internet are nice, but nothing beats face-to-face fellowship. Pray that our time with relatives and friends is mutually encouraging.

Thank you! Prayer is by far the most important way in which you can be involved in our ministry. Please let us know if we can better inform you.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Petra, Enoh and Ian

Fall Plans

2010-10-07T02:32:00.000-07:00

With a very busy summer behind us, we've settled into our normal routine. Petra's leading two youth groups and teaching Christian Education on the weekends, while Jeremy continues teaching English in a local elementary school and preaching occassionally.

Jeremy also has a new opportunity this fall as he and a friend from Orahovica are offering guitar and drum lessons for up to 8 boys from the town. They've been meeting 3 times a week and it's proven to be a welcome challenge for the boys who are looking for something constructive to do.

Just this week, we had a team from EuroMission Norway visit again. Several of the members have shared some of what they know with the boys. It's great to see non-believers from Orahovica connect with teenagers who are passionate about their faith.

Finally, we’re excited about an extended 3 month trip to the States from late October until the end of January. Our plans are to meet with supporters, spend time with family and friends and Jeremy will be taking a couple courses in preparation for his Masters Degree. We’re looking forward to seeing many of you. Keep your eyes open for an invitation to the “Hvala” (Thank you) party!

Camps Return to Orahovica

2010-09-27T00:46:00.000-07:00

As you know, camps are one of the highlights of our year. They are where Petra first felt her call to Croatia and it was the place we began our ministry when we moved here in 2005. As it turned out, due to reconstruction, that was the last year camps took place in Orahovica before they returned this summer.

What a reunion it was! We went back to 4 weeks of camp—2 kids camps, a teenage camp and a young-adult (18-35 years old) camp. Altogether, over 300 campers and leaders participated in camps. Though the building is not 100% complete, the logistical side of camp ran smoothly. Even more importantly, the Lord worked in the hearts of many campers each week.

As soon as it became clear that camps would be in Orahovica, we made the decision that Petra would be a leader and administrator during the two kids and teenage camps, while Jeremy stayed home with the boys. We reveresed roles for young-adult camp.

We are encouraged to see new campers every year. One of the most exciting things is that since many are not from Christian homes, camp is a way for them to hear the gospel in a way they’ve never heard it before. Also, we are excited that our teams of leaders are growing and maturing. We love seeing new young leaders because of the energy and passion they bring to the program and atmosphere of the camp.

Camp Week 3: Youth Camp

2010-07-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

Today our camp opened its doors to youth ages 18 through 35. Though the location and facilities stay the same, there is almost a complete change-over in staff. Petra and Jeremy will aslo make a switch as she'll stay home with the boys while Jeremy works as a leader.

During the last couple years youth camp was not well attended. Last year our team made a strong effort to revitalize the camp and it shows in the registration this year. Although it's still the only camp that isn't filled to capacity we're expecting over 40 youth along with 20 leaders/volunteers.

This year's theme is "A life without compromise." Please pray that the Lord would work in the hearts of the young people who attend.

Camp Week 2: Children's Camp

2010-07-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

We are in the second week of Children's Camp. The one major difference between this kid's camp and the last is that this is for ages 10-12. Other than that, the all of the bullet points in the previous post remain the same.

Please pray with us for the following:

One boy who was sent home at the beginning of the week. Pray that the Lord would use a conversation he had or something he heard during his time at camp to penetrate his heart. Pray also for his family situation.
That the seeds that have been planted this week would grow and blossom.
That the Lord would continue to renew the leaders' strength throughout the rest of this week.

Two of the leaders of this week's camp - a couple - traveled by train from Split, Croatia - a 14 hour train ride. Remember, leaders are not paid for working at these camps. Many of the volunteers give up their vacation time in order to be here. In the case of the two from Split, they brought 15 kids with them during the overnight train ride.

The sacrifice many of the leaders make in order to be part of camps in Orahovica is tremendous. We've seen the Lord bless these efforts to produce fruit. Thank you for your prayers for these camps.

Camp Week 1: Children's Camp

2010-07-09T05:48:00.000-07:00

Camps are back! It's been 5 years and a lot of reconstruction since camps were last in Orahovica, but they are finally underway. As a way of helping you get a better idea of what camps are like, how we are involved and how you can pray, we will be updating this site once a week with details about each camp.

Camp Week 1: Children's Camp
- July 5th through the 10th

- Ages 6 through 9 - the requirement is that each child has finished first grade and are able to read and write.

- The price of camp is $40.

- This year, more than others, fewer people were able to pay the registration fee. The camp policy is to accept everyone and usually outside donations help to cover the cost of paying for the kids who can't. This year we were in the minus to start camps, but during the second day of camp someone donated money to pay for 16 kids who were unable to which turned out to be the exact amount needed to erase the deficit. Praise the Lord!

- Please pray:

That the Lord would work in the hearts of each child who attends.
For safety during the entire 4 weeks of camp.
That the Lord would give the leaders strength, wisdom and guidance.

Great Expectations

2010-06-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

This summer is a very special one for us. Camps are returning to Orahovica! Though the reconstruction is not 100% complete, camps will come back to Orahovica for the first time in five years. What does this mean? It means at least twice as many campers can attend and hear the gospel. It means that camps no longer have to take place on pavement in a nearby city. Rather, they will be in a small town near the lake where the first ever Christian camp was founded in the former-Yugoslavia more than 30 years ago. It also means that there's a lot to do before camps start on July 5th.

That's why last weekend - a holiday weekend in Croatia - many of the camp leaders gathered in Orahovica for a work weekend to prepare the building for camps. Over 100 mattresses, some of which haven't been used for 5 years, were cleaned. Bunkbeds, which have been stuck in storage had to be put together. Sheets were washed, pillows counted, windows scrubbed, furniture moved, and floors swept.

Petra, who couldn't be more excited, had the privilege of organizing and delegating. It's a gift she's been given by the Lord and knows how use well. Jeremy, on the other hand, got to stay with the boys the whole time - something he will have to practice as Petra will be primarily working at camp come July. Fortunately we live 10 minutes from the church so the 3 Bohall boys can enjoy watching the others work.

How can you be involved? Please pray:

1. For the camp leaders, that God would give them wisdom, strength and refreshment before camps begin.
2. For the campers, that God will prepare their hearts for what's in store.
3. For the completion of the building project. The Lord has provided in so many amazing ways so far. Even though the kitchen has not been completed yet, an alternative has been found and meals will not be a problem during camp.

Please let us know if you would like any more information about camps!

The Bohalls

March and April in Color

2010-05-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

In an effort to keep it simple, yet informative we'll summarize the last two months in a few pictures and several words:

On March 19-21 we had the privilege of driving to Vac, Hungary to take part in our first CEO gathering. (If you're unfamiliar with CEO, please scroll down!) We had a very enriching weekend interacting with other believers who have many of the same goals and passions as we do - but for different parts of Eastern Europe. Since then, we've established a relationship with Tom Foley (far right) in which he has begun encouraging and mentoring us. The move to CEO has been a huge blessing!

This is a team from EuroMission Norway who came down during the week before Easter to do a series of concerts in Orahovica and surrounding towns. They helped us establish numerous contacts, and even more importantly showed a passion for living out their faith which many youth here have not witnessed among fellow teenagers.

The 6th - 9th of April was the beginning of baseball season in Orahovica. We had an excellent training camp in which new children attended and we began each session with a short Scripture reading. Excitement for baseball in Orahovica is growing and we'll have more exciting news to share on that front soon! If you are interested in making a contribution specifically for our baseball team, we are in need of several pieces of equipment - especially catcher's gear. Contact Jeremy if you are interested. jeremy.bohall@gmail.com

Every Friday evening our junior-highers come over for a Bible-Study, discussion and games. Petra has connected with this group in a very special way. Often, when events like Euromission happen, there's no follow-up. But we're in a situation where we can continue to encourage, and disciple those who made decisions to follow Christ.

Thank you for your continued support for the Bohall Ministry. If there's a way we can keep you better informed, please let us know!

Springing Into Action

2010-04-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

Since we've lived in Orahovica, there has never been a lack of things to do - which was one of the things that confirmed our calling in the first place. There has been a growing list of opportunities both in the church and the community that are well worth our time and effort.

Never has that been more apparent than this spring. With the wonderful news that camps will return to Orahovica comes a new set of challenges for Petra. A growing baseball team means that Jeremy can invest more time into training kids and teenagers who are over the initial hump of learning the basics. Two expanding youth groups give us new opportunities to disciple teenagers at various points in their spiritual lives.

We count it a privilege to be busy. God is a God of action. From his call to Moses, to Jesus' command to his disciples, God has always urged us to "go!" as we obey the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19).

But Jesus also withdrew at times during his ministry on earth (Matthew 14:23). He told us to go into our closets and close the door when we pray (Matthew 6:6). Taking time to be in the Word and in prayer is even more important to our call to make disciples than all the other activities we are involved in. It's also a greater challenge.

So as we continue our ministry in Orahovica, we ask you to pray for our spiritual state. Pray that we would be refreshed as we seek to be salt and light in the community.

As always, thank you for your support. We are convinced that we could not be working here if it were not for your partnership in ministry.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Petra, Enoh and Ian Bohall

An Exciting Change!

2010-03-03T02:50:00.000-08:00

We are excited to announce a small but significant change in our ministry. We have become partners with Christian Educators Outreach (CEO) - a nonprofit organization for the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Please take some time to look at their website - especially their Story, Practice and Core Beliefs section. The reasons we made the change can be summarized as follows:

5. Connections. The head of CEO - Tom Foley - has been to Orahovica, met our pastor and his wife, and preached in our church. He is familiar with how ministry works here. In fact, he brought a team over 5 years ago to begin English classes in Slatina - the same English classes Jeremy now teaches. In other words, CEO has already had an influence on our ministry without our knowing it.

4. Finances. New Europe Vision - our former organization - was primarily designed to send humanitarian aid to the former-Yugoslavia. NEV waited until a certain amount of money came in before sending it our way. That made budgeting and financial planning very difficult for us. CEO is set up to send your contirbutions to us monthly.

3. Team. In the past we were the only missionaries supported by New Europe Vision. While NEV fit our needs at the beginning, there was no existing network within the organization with whom we could exchange ideas, receive advice or be encouraged. CEO has a network of partners with a similar vision and mission. We will be attending a CEO conference in the next couple weeks where we'll meet with many of our new partners.

2. Flexibility. We are in a unique situation: Petra is from Croatia, had a preexisting relationship with our church and considered Orahovica home before we ever moved here. CEO will not dictate how we work, when we return to the States or how much money we raise. Instead, they will give us the flexibility to decide - with the elders of our church - what our ministry should look like. Essentially, that means that our practical ministry won't change at all.

1. Mission. The Bohalls and CEO are on the same page. Again, please see the Core Beliefs section on CEO's website. In summary, we will work together to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ "to the ends of the earth". (Acts 1:8b)

One thing we want you to know is that 10% will be taken from every donation to offset CEO's administrative and ministry development costs. While that's an increase, we feel that the advantages listed above wouldn't be possible without a small portion of your support going to CEO. In other words, we see the 10% as beneficial to our ministry. If you are interested in supporting us financially, please see the directions in the column on the right hand side of this site.

Finding an organization like Christian Educators Outreach was something we have been praying for. CEO was recommended to us by a good friend who recently pastored a church in Croatia. He, in addition to the other connections we mentioned and the time we've spent talking with Tom Foley have only reinforced the fact that God has opened this door for us. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

In Christ,

Jeremy and Petra Bohall

The Importance of Prayer

2010-02-09T14:44:00.000-08:00

It's impossible to overestimate the importance of prayer in our lives.

We often try to calculate various things in our ministry: How many lives are we influencing and to what extent? What aspects of ministry are most worth our time? How much have our donors given this month? Sometimes we give too much weight to those sorts of questions.

But prayer is different in that it can't be calculated. It is invaluable. So when we tell you, our supporters, what our prayer needs are, and constantly ask for your prayers, we do so genuinely, knowing that prayer is the most important way you can support us.

We’ve seen our ministry blossom because we have such strong prayer partners. The Lord has directed our paths through your prayers. What an incredible thing!

So please continue to keep us in your prayers - it's the most powerful way to be part of our ministry

"God is Gracious"!

2010-01-15T06:33:00.000-08:00

Ian Rahim Bohall was born on Wednesday, January 13th at 1:40 pm local time. He and Petra are doing well as they both recuperate in the hospital. At 8 lbs. 1 oz, he is more than 2 lbs. bigger than Enoh was when he was born! Ian means "God is gracious" while Rahim means "compassionate". We feel blessed beyond measure with the birth of our second son. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Election Silence

2010-01-09T03:37:00.001-08:00

On Sunday, Croatia will vote for their third president since their independence 20 years ago. I’ve learned a few things about Croatian politics, but one of the things I appreciate most is what happens the day before citizens hit the booths on Sunday. Today is called the day of “election silence”. Neither candidate will speak publicly, debate or campaign at all. Laws demand that we don’t hear anything from them for 24 hours before voting begins.

A day of silence from the voices of the candidates gives us the perfect opportunity to pray for His will to be done "on earth as it is in heaven". Please pray for the future President of Croatia.

Puppets and Packages 2009

2009-12-26T12:40:00.000-08:00

Christmas season at "Betanija" church in Orahovica includes giving away thousands of Samaritan's Purse Christmas shoeboxes. This year we put together a puppet show and a short presentation before distributing packages in each location. We began in Đurđenovac where a new church plant began just a year and a half ago. The church was filled to capacity 3 times.

Puppet team before the show in Đurđenovac

Distributing shoeboxes in Đurđenovac

We also had the opportunity to offer shoeboxes to the children in the elementary school where Petra and I teach English in Mikleuš. Altogether our team traveled to six locations and gave out over 2,000 packages before Christmas - including the annual Christmas Eve celebration in our church in Orahovica.

The amazing thing about Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes is that they not only provide a Christmas present for children who may not otherwise receive one - they also provide an opportunity for us to meet people in the community who wouldn't normally come to church.

This is the last year Croatia will receive shoebox packages from Samaritan's Purse. Though we won't be able to give away as many packages, we are hoping the Samaritan's Purse model will provide a good example of what we can do for our own community in the future. Praise the Lord for the opportunity we've had to share the gospel through these presentations. Please pray for those who have heard the Good News!

A Time to Sow and a Time to Reap

2009-12-10T01:18:00.000-08:00

Seasons like this confirm God’s sovereignty in our lives and ministry! This fall has brought along completely unexpected opportunities that we are excited to share with you!

During the week Croatian students were heading back to school, we received a phone call inviting us to come to the high-school in Orahovica and be guest English teachers. They asked us to teach 2 classes a month for each of the eight high-school classes –making a total of 16 hours each month until Christmas.

If you remember, two years ago we were in the same high-school offering after- school English workshops for those who wanted to stay and practice their English. Though it has been nearly two years, they remembered what we had done and wanted us to supplement the current English program with the same sort of English activities we did back then.

Having more experience now, in addition to already knowing several of the students through baseball has opened more doors than we imagined.

In many ways we feel like we are reaping from our work at the beginning of our time in Orahovica. At the same time we know this is just the beginning of our efforts to plant seeds.

Our goal in teaching English is to be a positive presence in the high-school as we try to touch upon values we believe can be influential in the teenager’s lives.

For example, during one of Petra’s classes she talked about goals and how important it is for us to be thinking about our future. If you are to ask most high-schoolers what they want to do in life, they wouldn’t be able to tell you. Our desire is to demonstrate the importance of hope and vision in each of their individual lives.

Praise the Lord for his provision. We feel like this has been one of many open doors we’ve been able to take advantage of since our ministry here began a couple years ago. Please pray that we will continue to see fruit from our work in the Orahovica High School.

Camps 2009

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For Petra, the summer means camp. Camp has been the highlight of her summers for the last 14 years and this year was no different. The board Petra serves on organized a children’s camp, teen camp and youth conference. Since the building in Orahovica is still under reconstruction, camps and the conference were once again held at the seminary in Osijek. Children's camp was attended by over 100 kids from all over Croatia, many of them from outside the church. What made this year's children's camp extra special is that for the first time since the war, we did not use a translated children's program. Instead, our team wrote a program ourselves entitled 'Knights and Princesses of King Jesus'. It was a lot of work but we are very proud and already have plans to create a new program for next year as well.

Teen camp was attended by close to 100 teenagers and the theme was friendship. It was exciting to see that many of the teens who attended camp made the decision to be baptized in September, including one of our high-schoolers from Orahovica – Sara V.

The youth conference theme was 'My Place on the Mountain'. We heard about pursuing God's calling in various areas of work such an politics, education, social work, media. etc. Youth camps have been very poorly attended since our temporary move to Osijek and the hope for this conference was to once again start breathing life back into it. We feel like it did just that and it was wonderful to see young people from both Slovenia and Bosnia and Hercegovina attend as well. It is our hope that we can continue to see more and more people from other countries of the former Yugoslavia attending these kinds of events. Thank you all for your prayer and support for these camps!

Youth Conference 2009

The Place Where They Keep the Smiles

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“Zvono” or “Bell” has become one of our favorite places to visit. In November we took a few of our youth group members to do crafts, read and make music with the students. Sometimes it’s hard to find a smile in Croatia, but never when we visit Zvono.

Why Change Now?

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Some of you who receive and regularly read our "Bohall Bulletin" may wonder why we've gone to the internet all of a sudden. Others may understand without reading this. Either way, there were many reasons for making the switch from snail mail to the internet. Here are a few:

1. The internet is cheaper. We want to be wise with the money our donors have generously given. This is one way to cut down our ministry costs.

2. It's easier for people to find us. Whether newsletters get recycled, thrown away or just plain lost, the paper system is less reliable than the internet these days. In addition, there may be people who want to know what's going on in Croatia who we haven't even met. Our desire is to share news from both our ministry and other noteworthy things that God is doing in Croatia with anyone who may come across this site.

3. We can be more transparent. Some of the people we work with have internet access, know English fluently and could easily find out what we're saying to our supporters. Knowing that keeps us focused on providing true, reliable information.

4. You can get a better glimpse of our ministry, lives and overall situation in Croatia. Pictures are expensive to print - especially in color. But they're free to post on this site. And pictures often say more than we can in a simple article. We want you to see what's going on.

5. You can communicate with us as well. When we send a newsletter we have no idea what you're thinking. "What a horrible use of space" you may be saying, or "couldn't we hear about this or that?" Let us know what you're thinking.

With these 5 things in mind, please tell us if you would like to be taken off our snail mailing list. We will send out one more "Bohall Bulletin" soon, but if you're aware of this site and don't need the Bulletin send an email to jeremy.bohall@gmail.com

Thanks for your support!

Jeremy Petra and Enoh

About Us

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We are the Bohalls - Jeremy, Petra and Enoh, Ian and Emily. We've been living and serving in Orahovica, 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 Orahovica 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