09. Aug 2023

Omarska - Banja Luka

Early in the morning I passed by two men sitting on a porch and drinking the traditional liquor called rakija. They held the bottle up and called out to me to come over. I did... and asked for water. The level of communication was quite limited as they spoke niether English nor German. The few words I know in Russian helped a bit. Still they understood that I am walking from Germany to Greece and that I love Jesus. They were actually 2 and 4 years younger than me and amazed that I was doing this. I said in simple Russian: "God to me energy resurrection!" They understood. I prayed for them in English. That they did not understand, but God did.

Later in the afternoon I walked by a group of men who were sitting in the shade by a place to purchase cold drinks. They were all drinking beer. I greeted them with the slavic greeting "Dobre dan!" One man answered in German: "Spazieren Sie?" - You are walking? He had worked once in Austria and still knew a few words in German. They offered me a cold beer, but I took a mineral water instead for which I wad grateful. My water supply was not warm and getting low. Again conversation was limited. They understood how old I was, that I was walking from Munich to Athens and that I have Jesus in my heart who gives me "the enery of the resurrection."

Inbetween these two encounters, around noon, I passed through another small village and saw a car from Germany parked in front of a house. A man was there and I greeted him in German. He did not seem to understand, but said in German: "Daughter from Germany". He then motioned for me to go with him to a shady spot in back of the house. His daughter and children were there visiting from Germany as well as his sister-in-law and her husband who were also visiting from Germany. I ended up having an impromtu lunch with them. We talked, and I was able to pray with them... in German.

Two things I learned today: 1) The people in Bosnia-Herzegovina are very hospitable. 2) It is important to have people who know the language and culture to be able to speak to the heart.

Photo 1: A wall painting showing the traditional dress

Photo 2: Next week I will have to go over the mountains to get to Sarajevo.

Photo 3: Scenery passing through a village

Photo 4: Fruit hanging down near the road. Quite often I will pick something and eat it as a quick source of energy, vitimans and moisture.

Photo 5: After 37 kilometers I was very happy to reach Banja Luka, a predominatly Serbian city. Pastor Andrei Cicală picked me up. I will be staying with him and his family the next three nights. Just two weeks ago they moved from Serbia to start a new church here.

Milestone: One third of the way is now complete.