By an Alliance worker serving in Europe
When church planters M and D moved to Varesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, they found a rental space—a little storefront. Immediately, they put a sticker in the window: “The Evangelical Church of Zenica—Varesh branch.” When they found that space, rented it, and put up that sign, they didn’t know that two stories above them lived a woman who would pass by a few times a day going to work or to the store.
After M and D were there a few days, their neighbor summoned up her courage, walked in, and introduced herself. “My name is Nina*.” M and D also introduced themselves. They were surprised when she asked, “Can I study the Bible with you? I’ve been reading the Bible for many years now, but I don’t understand all of it.”
Then she told them this story.
Twenty years ago, my husband and I were newlyweds here in Varesh. It was during the war, and one day enemy forces overran the town and began to search door to door looking for people of our religion. They came to our apartment and began to beat my husband mercilessly and then took him away. I didn’t know if I would ever again see him alive.
They continued making their way through our apartment building, all the way up to the top floor. When they had finished searching our building, I heard them coming back down the stairs. As they passed my floor, I heard one say to the other, “Remember this apartment. We’re going to come back later and have some fun with her.” Alone and desperate I fell to my knees and cried, “Jesus, save me!”
Answered Prayer
I’ve heard Nina tell this story several times in the presence of M, D, and others who are visiting. It always boggles my mind that someone who just saw her husband beaten by people who called themselves Christians, who then dragged him away to a concentration camp and who indicated that they were coming back later to mistreat her, that of all the names in the universe she called out “Jesus, save me!”
What doesn’t surprise me is that Jesus answered her prayer. Sometime later when the coast was clear, an older couple came to her door and said, “Nina, we know that you’re in danger. Please come. We’re going to hide you with us.” So she went. She hid with that family, and she was safe.
A Great Savior
After the war, Nina was reunited with her husband. They still live in Varesh and have two grown sons. For 20 years the Holy Spirit reminded Nina of her prayer and that Jesus answered it. This caused a hunger in her to know about Jesus more.
She got herself a Bible and began to read it, but she couldn’t understand everything. God in His goodness sent M and D to her city. Of all the spaces in the city that they could have rented, they chose the one downstairs from her apartment, one that she would pass by every day. The Holy Spirit gave her courage to go in one day and ask, “Will you study the Bible with me?”
Jesus is a great Savior. God is a great God, and we thank Him for what he’s doing in Nina’s life.
*Name changed