Whirlwind Tour in Through Former Yugoslavia

Tom just finished a whirlwind tour through three republics of the former Yugoslavia. These Balkan countries recently came into our administrative area and this was a get-to-know the leaders visit for me, and a good-bye and transition tour for my predecessor. Hosted by my fellow missionary and outgoing education coordinator Vance Massengill, we first spent afternoon in Sr. Mitrovica, Serbia. There we met Miroslav and Blazhenka Radovanovic who were our former students at EBS. Now “Mik” is the national overseer plus the pastor of his own local congregation.

Then we spent a day in Croatia where Tom met with the overseer Josip Jendrico and later spoke at the church in Vincovci which is now pastored by David Hvala. It was the first time that I had visited the church since the civil war in the 1990s that had destroyed their former facility. All around Vincovci we saw several mine fields that we still to be swept clean of the mines.

Finally, we drove over 800 km (500 miles) to Ohrid, Macedonia where Vance awarded several MIP graduates with their certificates. Additionally, three ministers received their exhorters certifications and an additional three pastors their ordination licenses under the supervision of Vance and overseer Pavle Ginoski. Besides the baby dedication of the Overseer's grandchild, Tom was also asked to speak in the morning service. After lunch, we drove back to Croatia. On Monday, Vance brought be back to the airport in Belgrade, Serbia.