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FROM MY HOME NEAR MUNICH, GERMANY TO ATHENS, GREECE – 2250 KM
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Following Jesus...
I got to know Jesus by reading his biography, the first four books of the New Testament. I was 16. I often wondered how it would have been to actually walk with Jesus, hear his words and be part of his encounters with people. Certainly life changing. A bit of that I was able to experience on Snail-Trail 1 as I walked from my home in southern Germany to the west coast of Spain. It was an amazing experience. Even though I could not see Jesus, I sensed his presence, leading and enabling. I got to be a part of his encounters with people through conversations and prayers that I had with them.
Snail-Trail 2.0...
Following Jesus does not end by reaching a certain destination, completing a certain task or reaching a certain age. The call continues. The path leads on. My steps on Snail-Trail 2 will take me from my home near Munich, Germany, through Austria and the Balkan countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and Greece. I hope to arrive in Athens by the third week in October. I invite you to join me on this journey of walking with Jesus by way of the photos, thoughts and film clips on the blog.
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Balkans...
This region of Europe has great needs. Seven of the ten poorest nations in Europe are in the Balkans. The past Balkan wars have left scars in the soul of the people and landmines in the ground in numerous areas. The recent mass movement of refugees through many of these nations, the financial crisis in the region and the aftermath of corona have taken their toll on the people and their welfare. Churches struggle with the exodus of the younger generation to the west in pursuit of a more secure future. Our prayer is that God’s kingdom will come and his will be done in the Balkans. Please join me in this prayer journey. You can find more information about each of the Balkan countries by way of this webpage put together by my colleague Kurt Plagenhoef in Albania. (Click on the different countries on the map “Target Countries”): www.balkanreach.org
Together...
Prayer: I would greatly appreciate your prayers as well… I will be needing it! This is not a marked pilgrim path like the St. James Way. There are not pilgrim hostels waiting at the end of each trek. Pray for God appointments, protection from wild animals and drivers, for strength for the journey, for hearts to be touched by God’s heart.
Project: If you would like to be a part of what the Assemblies of God is doing in the Balkans (church planting, children’s camps, student ministries, Bible School…), please click on this link to make an online donation: https://giving.ag.org/donate/600001-226052?class=88
You can make a one-time contribution or wait to see how far I go for a per kilometer pledge. Please click on the option “88 Snail Trail”. Many thanks!
Blog
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Podgorica - Hani Hotit
Photo 1: View of the mountains just south of Podgorica
Photo 2: The last look back to Montenegro before going over the mountain and to the border... and missing that turn to the right!
Photo 3: The first glimpse of Albania coming over the mountain
Photo 4: The road leading to the border
Photo 5: I am not the only one who dared to walk along the main road... cow in Albania.
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Pause
Friday and Saturday were two days of rest. I was able to catch up on some work I needed to do, update the Snail-Trail blog, had meaningful conversations and prayer with my hosts, Jonathan and Brittany Hollingsworth, and Pastor Dragan Novakovic and participated in the local church prayer meeting on Friday evening and a national prayer meeting on Saturday evening both in Podgorica. Rest days mean that I am not walking on those days with a 40 pound backpack.
Photo 1: I had the honor of preaching in the Sunday morning service in Podgorica. Pastor Dagan translated for me.
Photo 2: After the service our Assembly of God Team in Montenegro and I had lunch and a Field Fellowship together. To the left are Jonathan and Brittany with their two boys Benjamin and Blake, and on the right, Tamara Henkes. They are working together with Pastor Dagan at the church in Podgorica and are developing various community connection projects including learning English and a crisis counseling center for women. They also hope to soon offer an online platform for people seeking answers about God and what it means to follow Jesus. A future area of ministry outreach would be among the students at the university in Podgorica. Anyone interested in coming to help?
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Ribljak - Podgorica
Photo 2: Even though it was a long hike of almost 40 kilometers, I did not pass a sigle grocery store or water source along the way other than one restaurant. Fortunately Brittany and Jonathan brought me a cold bottle of mineral water and lunch inbetween visits to the visa office. As I got closer to the city of Podgorica, I walked on a back road that took me through a number of small villages. All of a sudden the path turned into a jungle that I could not pass through. That is this picture. You can see that there was once a dirt road there. I hate it when a path ends like that, but that is also part of the journey. The detour costed me an extra three kilometets which is a lot on a long stretch like today.
Photo 3: The final path leading to Podgorica. There was no traffic on this one which was a great relief. I sang my pilgrim song of blessing as I approached the city.
Photo 4: Jonathan was waiting for me in his car before the main Orthodox Chuch in the center of Podgorica. I was really glad to see him, get to his and Brittany's house, meet their two boys and two cats, take a shower, have something to eat, get my clothes washed... and go to bed.
Photo 5: Another pilgrim path comes to an end. I always felt that if I could make it to Podgorica, then I could make it to Tirana... my next destination.
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Gornje Polje - Ribljak
Unfortunately Jonathan could hardly walk this morning when got up after yesterday's 31 kilometer hike. There was no way he could continue. He called Brittany to pick him. Never before had he walked so far with a full backpack. We celebrated his personal milestone and the people he was able to speak with and pray for in their language. After I left the campground and while he was waiting for his wife to come, he a God-talk with one of the two brothers that ran the campground. When he got back home, he had a notice from the visa office to come and clear up some issues concerning their children's visas. It was good that he could be home and take care of these things. God allows all things to work for good, even muscle pains.
Photo 1: River scene
Photo 2: Famous Emporer's Bridge on the edge of the city of Nikšić
Photo 3: I met these two Russian bike riders at the bridge, Natalie and Maria, who now live in Nikšić. They take care of two stray dogs there, had them neutered, chipped and feed them. The fate of these two dogs is much better than the four I had seen in the city that had been poisioned and their corpse just waiting to be disposed of. Natalie is an English teacher and Maria understood more English than I did Russian. We talked a bit and I was able to pray for them before I left. They asked if they could put my picture and story on their blog... always a good sign that the moment was meaningful.
Photo 4: Further down the river I saw this coal hut that was actually producing coal from wood. I had only seen such huts before in outdoor museums in Germany.
Photo 5: At the end of the hike I had to go over this mountain... and sang my pilgrim song on the way down as a prayer for the people living in the valley all the way to Podgorica.
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Zaborje - Gornje Polje
Photo 2: There was not much traffic on this part of the road, but nice views of the surrounding mountains.
Photo 3: This dog followed us for about 6 kilometers. We thought he was a stray as there are many on the side of roads. It was a very friendly, young dog that seemed to like walking and was street smart. Jonathan was negotiating with his wife by phone about the possiblity of picking the dog up and taking it home when a car pulled up. It was the owner, an older woman. The dog ran over to her, then back to us. I think he would have like to continue his adventure with us.
Photo 4: Praying for Montenegro
Photo 5: Later the traffic on the road picked up. We were glad to take a sideroad after a few kilometers that took us to the village of Gorne Polje which means "High Field". We stayed the night at a small campground next to a river. After the evening meal I met three Germans who were traveling through the region and both of their vehicles had broken down. They were stuck at the campground waiting for spare parts to be delivered. They had many questions and I was able to share my story with them and pray for them. Perhaps the talk will give some orientation in their further journey through life.
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Plužine - Zaborje
Photo 3: You certainly would not want to have an accident here...
Photo 4: Meet Jonathan Hollingsworth. He and his wife Brittany are Assembly of God intercultral workers here in Montenegro. They live with their two children in the capitol city Podgorica, my next destination. It will take four days to get there. Jonathan met up with me about halfway through today's hike and would like to walk and pray with me the next days to Podgorica. Brittany dropped him off right as I was leaving a roadside stand. There was a picnic table in the shade there and I had attempted to speak with the man at the stand, but he could not understand English or German. So when Jonathan showed up, I went back with him to the table to take a water break and see if we could have a conversation with the man. His name is Vesko. Jonathan knows the local language and could translate for me. We had a God-Talk and were able to pray for him. Jonathan knows the culture well and could tell that we were able to break through to touch the heart. It was a great start for our walk together. It also shows how important it is to have people in these countries who know the language and culture and can build bridges from God's heart to theirs.
Photo 5/Milestone: Today marked the halfway point in Snail-Trail 2. Every step I take now, even through the distance will be further from home, will actually be taking me closer to home.
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Pause
Photo 2: Scorpion in the shower room... You do not want to step on him bare footed when you take a shower.
Photo 3: Nearby Orthodox Church. I used the time in the afternoon to work on my blog. I did not think I would have an encounter with anyone today. Then towards early evening a young man on a bicycle showed up, Tobias from Germany. He was also wondering if the campground was in operation and whether he could stay there. Not long after that another man arrived who was traveling by motor bike through the region, Chris, also from Germany. I said that there was a shower, a toilet and a water source. Whether the old man would come around again, I did not know. Chris decided to move on. Before he did, though, we had a short talk. I told him I was a pilgrim and offered to pray for him before he left. He said he had an experience like that in Romania where an old woman prayed for him and afterwards good things happened. I said that it was God knocking on his door to show him that he is there and loves him. I also had a good talk with Tobias and was able to pray with him.
Photo 4: Sundown at the campground. It was a good day... and evening!
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Šćepan Polje - Plužine
Shortly before this bridge going over the Piva River Canyon, I met three Germans who had parked their car so they could walk to the bridge. We talked briefly and I was able to say a prayer of blessing for them.
Photo 1: Montenegro means "Black Mountains". There are many of them.
Photo 2: On the path today I needed to walk through 56 tunnels! Some were very short, others long and dark. I had my emergency reflecting vest on my backpack and wore a head flashlight. I actually looked forward to going through a tunnel, because it was cooler there.
Photo 3-4: The Piva River is dammed at one point to create this very beautiful water reservoir.
I still had a little more than a hour to walk and was almost out of water. I was trying to ration it the past two hours and was getting very thirsty. There had been one water spring after about 45 minutes at the beginning of the hike, but after that no water/drink resources along the way. I asked God if he could send me an angel with water. Shortly after that a car honked at me. That usually happens a number of times during the day. Some want to encourage me and give the thumbs up sign. This time I turned around and made a drinking motion. The car actually stopped. The driver handed me a plastic bag with two 500ml bottles of water, one energy drink and two Mars candy bars... all cold. I said it was too much, I just needed one bottle of water. He said it was from God and pushed the bag through the window and drove off. I did not know whether I should laugh or cry. I had never in my life drank an energy drink. I guess if God provided it, he knew what I needed!
Photo 5: End point for today - Plužine
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Kuta/Brod - Šćepan Polje
Photo 2: A welcomed shady spot for these sheep. It was hit and miss for me.
Photo 3: Some nice views along the way. At the border to Montenegro three rivers come together. It is a popular place for rafting. Early on the walk a car stopped and the driver asked me if I would like a lift to the rafting camps. His name was Darko and he was on his way to visit his wife who works at one of the camps. That would have saved me about 18 kilometers of hiking on a hot day in Bosnia-Herzegovina. It was tempting. I said that I was a pilgrim and pray while I walk. He seemed to understand and continued on his way. A few hours later, now towards lunch time, he came by me once again. This time he had a packed lunch to give me from his wife. He told her about meeting me on the road. Both if them had done a pilgrimage from Bosnia-Herzegovina to a famous monastary in Montenegro. Darko is a medical student who would like to immigrate to Germany once he finishes his studies. So many of his generation would like to do this if they could. We talked and then I prayed for Darko and his wife that the Good Shepherd would direct their steps. They are orthodox Christians who love Jesus and want to follow him.
Photo 4: The single lane wooden bridge that crosses the river and the border between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro
Photo 5: The last view of Bosnia-Herzegovina. My heart was greatly touched by the people I met there, their history and spiritual needs. May God's will be done in this country.
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Madari - Kuta/Brod
Photo 1: The sign says, "Warning! Forbidden Entry. Potential mines." I saw it laying on the side of the road that I was hiking on. I do not know where it was originally mounted or whether I was in a landmine area. It is certainly a reminder that you can not just walk anywhere you want in this country.
Photo 2-4: Road following the Bistrica River. I had actually wanted to go a different way, but missed a turn off. This way had a number of tunnels on it. One was long, had a curve in it and no lights. It was good practice for a hike coming up in Montenegro that has a lot of tunnels, some long with curves and no lights.
Photo 5: Mountains of Bosnia-Herzegovina