Serbia Mission to Serbia Calvary Chapel High School, CA, serves Serbian church and reaches out in community Children from Gypsy camps attend an outreach led by the team in Csantaver, Serbia. Story by Shellie Renz Photos by Daniel Beltran A chilling wind whipped across the muddy Eastern European landscape. It was January in Csantaver, Serbia, and everything was brown and bleak. A group of American teenagers from Calvary Chapel High School (CCHS) of CC Costa Mesa, CA, clothed in heavy coats, scarves, and hats, tolerated the elements while trudging for 20 minutes down a dirt road. They were accompanying a Roma family, typically called Gypsies, on their way home from an outreach. As they neared the village houses, a handful of children began to follow them. The children were dressed only in sandals, pants, and thin jackets. While shivering with cold, their faces conveyed excitement at being visited by strangers. The teens, bundled to their noses, immediately felt the disparity between themselves and the impoverished Roma children.

Long-time missionary Tibor Varga, left, shares his passion for ministry in Serbia with the CCHS team. Eric Gomez and Austin Lack, right, listen. Jon Pollock leads men, women, and children from surrounding Gypsy camps in singing “Father Abraham” in Csantaver, Serbia. In December 2011 and January 2012, a youth team from CC High School, CA, ministered in Serbia, Slovakia, and Hungary. The American youth were impacted by the poverty they encountered in Gypsy villages in Serbia.

52 53 High school junior Cindi Flynn approached return. We receive more than we could ever Sarah Yardley, one of the trip leaders, a small, dirt-covered girl. The girl gave have dreamed of or expected,” she remarked. believes she saw God work in a similar way Serbia Cindi a plastic purple ring—which seemed through a prayer on the previous visit. When to be one of the child’s few possessions. According to Daniel Beltran, a CCHS junior, Sarah vacationed in Serbia with her sister in Overwhelmed, Cindi removed a real gold “Our goal was to help three Serbian churches: October 2010, they visited a Roma village. bracelet from her own wrist and gave it to CC Subotica, CC Csantaver, and CC Bačka As Sarah shared the Gospel with a woman, the girl. Delighted, the child ran back to Topola.” The 30 students prepared a VBS, the lady invited them into her home. When show her friends the treasure. Later, Cindi skits, and youth services. They also planned they entered, Sarah recalled, “We sat at the commented that the exchange reminded for the unplanned: allowing time for God table and she pulled out X-rays.” Doctors her of God’s grace. “When we give Him all to lead them to serve in unexpected ways. had discovered some complications with the that we have, He gives us so much more in Their two-week trip included ministering in woman’s pregnancy. Sarah continued, “She nearby Hungary and visiting Slovakia. communicated, through a translator, that she was extremely worried about her baby.” God of the Unexpected Sarah prayed for the woman and her baby, When CCHS missions coordinator Sarah but never expected to see her again. When Yardley and students Daniel Beltran and Sarah led the CCHS team, however, “We Emma McKay visited a Roma home in were in a bus picking up Gypsy families, and Bačka Topola, they found two of the fam- the woman I prayed for stepped onto the ily’s three children suffering handicaps from bus. Her face lit up with an enormous smile. preventable health problems. The children She was carrying a beautiful one-year-old were also named Daniel and Emma. Little baby, overjoyed to show us the evidence of Emma had experienced brain injury by answered prayer through her child.” inhaling meconium during the birth pro- cess. Young Daniel had received operations Tea in Subotica for cleft palate but still endured intestinal Like a lily among thorns, so is my problems. The mother was a Christian and love among the daughters. attended Bible studies at the local church, Song of Solomon 2:2 but the father blamed God for his children’s condition. Emma McKay explained, “The dad really saddened us. He wasn’t open to Sixteen-year-old Brooke Allen watched her God because of his kids’ situations. He didn’t female classmates share their testimonies of Cindi Flynn shares the love of Jesus with a girl during an outreach in a Gypsy camp in Csantaver, Serbia. believe that a good God would put him in Christ’s work in their lives, one by one. As the difficult place that He did.” Daniel said one of the group worship leaders, Brooke the mission trio realized, as they ministered was scheduled to speak last at Calvary The tea was a favorite feature of the mission “I have been crucified with Christ; to the family, that they would not see the Chapel Subotica. Butterflies multiplied in her trip for many of the girls. “Every girl’s tes- it is no longer I who live, but CC High School, CA results of their efforts. But they have con- stomach as she nervously awaited her turn. timony affected at least one of the Serbian www.cceagles.org fidence, he continued, that their actions of She tried to concentrate on what her friends ladies,” remarked Brooke. “As we watched Christ lives in me; and the life [email protected] love will be used by the Lord to reveal His were saying and prayed for the Holy Spirit their faces, we could see God working, which I now live in the flesh I live 714-662-7485 ext. 2363 own love to the children’s father. to envelop her. Brooke peered out over the allowing us to touch each woman with by faith in the Son of God, who tables of tea and cookies and realized that the something she needed. We spoke with the loved me and gave Himself for me.” “For there is hope for a tree, if it is 30 ladies in the audience were on the edge of women one-on-one after our presentations Galatians 2:20 cut down, that it will sprout again, their seats, captivated by the dialogue. The and gave them each a small gift. Several Manuel Ayala, a missionary from Peru, young girls had worried that they would not commented that they had found joy and and that its tender shoots will not HUNGARY lends his voice to an outreach in Serbia. be able to connect with these women. How comfort in something one of us said.” Subotica cease.” Job 14:7 could two very different generations with Csantaver dissimilar languages and cultures find con- Bringing it Back CROATIA Bačka Topola nection? One society was affected by issues Life in Southern California, several stu- ROMANIA such as divorce and materialism; another dents testified, is an enormous contrast to BOSNIA & Belgrade was torn by war and poverty. As the evening their mission experiences in Eastern Europe. HERZEGOVINA “When we give Him all that we have, SERBIA progressed, however, both found solace in The CCHS students appreciated the time He gives us so much more in return. the words of the Bible concerning beauty they spent in fellowship, discussions about from within—from the Lord. As Brooke God and Scripture, and small groups while MONTENEGRO We receive more than we could ever took her turn in front of the audience and on the mission trip. Daniel Beltran said, “I KOSOVO sang “Mighty to Save,” she was able to put all developed a new level of thankfulness for all ALBANIA have dreamed of or expected.” else aside but her guitar and song. I have. Life can fall back to normal after you MACEDONIA have been home from a mission trip for a Cindi Flynn Serbia was part of Yugoslavia before few weeks. We are staying in fellowship dis- Charm is deceitful and beauty is Brooke Allen prays with Hannah at a that nation dissolved after the fall of passing, but a woman who fears cussions, though, and trying to live out the Gospel on a daily basis.” Vacation Bible School camp. communism in the early 1990s. the Lord, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30

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