Oct 25, 2007

Short Trip To Croatia

We have been in Croatia since May of 2000 and during that time we have prayed continuously for co-laborers. We have been the only IFB missionries in all of Croatia since the beginning, almost. We have had a few people come and leave but most of them weren't serious. So we prayed again and again and again.

Finally after 7 lonely years on the field God has called two young families to come and help. The Scott Holcomb family is on deputation now and will be coming and working as our partners in Croatia. Then the Kevin Brown family is also on deputation and headed for Croatia some time next year. We are so excited to have help coming soon.

Two weeks ago as the Holcombs took their survey trip we also went along. Johnny had been planning a trip to Croatia to find a house and the Lord worked it out so I could go along. So we left kids with Grandparents and headed to Croatia.

We had a ball in Croatia and so enjoyed sharing Croatia with the Holcombs. It was like introducing a beautiful baby, we were so proud. We do love Croatia and especially the people. We stayed with our national pastor and his family and enjoyed all the good Croatian food, Thanks Ljubica!!

I took lots of pix so I thought I would share some. I'm sure after you all see Croatia many of you will feel the need to go as missionaries, come on, your welcome.!! HINT!!!

Bro. Scott and Traci Holcomb, missionaries to Croatia. To find out more about them and support them if you would like you can go to Croatia 4 Christ and click on the About the Holcomb link. They are a very sweet family and right down the line doctrinally. Oh yea he sings, really sings!!



Here we are at a traditional Croatian breakfast (sandwhiches) in the home of our national pastor Bro. Rich. We love their family and their kids and are so blessed that God let us know and work with them. Bro. Rich is now the pastor of the church in Croatia and doing a wonderful job.


I just had to share a picture of the pastors kids, Ruben, Rebeka and Meggie, these are good kids that love God and pass out tracts everywhere.
I almost forgot Matej (Matthew), isn't he a cutie??

The Holcombs infront of the castle in Varazdin. Isn't it nice, it just had a paint job. :0)
The changing of the guards in the town square in Varazdin.

While in the capitol we got to see some traditional dancers. How cute are they???

The golden statue of Mary the mother of Jesus, so they say but we know the Truth!! What darkness!

While we were in Croatia the church had it's annual missions conference and Bro. Scott and my sweetie preached. We had such a ball and so enjoyed all the church people.

Bro. Rich, the national pastor and Bro. Scott at the international super. Bro. Rich was introducing Bro. Scott and he was about to sing for us.

This is our dear friend Danijel. He is like one of the family and we love him. He was been working all of his adult life for the money to buy his dream car and here he is with it. We're proud of him and love him very much.

We took the Holcombs down to the Adriatic Sea to see Dalmatia. Dalmatia is the same Dalmatia the Bible talks about, it's modern day Croatia and is still called Dalmatia and yes the dogs come from there. :0)

My sweet huney!!! Sure love this guy, he's been my huney for the last 16 years and yes I know that I'm spelling Huney wrong. :0) And yet another one, can't help myself!! Oh yea, I know that I'm a bit fluffier than the my avatar, yea that's America your seeing all over my face. Sad isn't it!!

The coast is lovely and the little towns are filled with boat lined harbors.
Here's huney infront of a boat with the second most lovely flag in the world! :0)

Aren't the white buildings and red roofs romantic. I love the coast, too bad people think they have to get naked to go there. ;0} Go figure!!

I took this picture off the coast of one of the 1100 islands. I love the flag flying infront of the church. Sadly the church is dead and it's religion is equally without life.


All over Croatia you will see those little Catholic prayer places, inside is one of their saints or idols more like it. It's so sad to see little ladies passing and crossing themselves to a statue who can't hear or heal.

Traci decided to take a little nappy-poo on the way over to the islands. I thought it was a great opprutunity for blackmail. I really grew to love Traci, she's so goofy, alot like me but she really has a heart for her family and a heart for God. I'm looking forward to a long friendship with her.

I really liked this picture. This one lone tree standing alone. That's kinda what we have been in Croatia for so long, we're excited about have some fellow-laborers joining us soon. Can't wait till there's a forest.

Once we arrived by boat in the city of Sibenik we enjoyed a traditional lunch of pizza. Yes they we're eating it with a fork and knife. Everyone eats pizza this was in Europe. If you puck up your food to eat it your considered to eat like a child. So we learned really fast and actually it's very effecient.
Traci is rebelling a little to the whole knife and fork thing while eating pizza, can't say I blame her.



While we were in Croatia we passed out about 3000 tracts, actually the men did, we ladies tended to the shops. :0)

I have always loved the little narrow hall-streets. I think this one was great because you can see the Adriatic.

We got a little brave and rented mopeds and rode around town all day, It was great like something you see out of a movie. We had a ball when Traci and I took the mopeds out alone. Wow, what an adventure!

Isn't the city beautiful at night?


I love taking pictures of old buildings and such. These were some of my favorites. Deocletians palace in Split Croatia.





Don't you just love the clothes hanging behind the 1800 year old collums?


I thought this was very sad, the Croatians have the Readers Digest but they don't have a good Bible.


Oh yea I almost forgot, we went to Croatia to find a house, we did and we're so happy with it. The Lord really did a miracle. We're so blessed.

Well it's taken me hours to upload all these pictures and I still have hundreds, but I'll spare you. :0)

Have a great Thursday!!

8 comments:

  1. Tori...I lvoe the pictures..and Praise the Lord for the calling of more people to go there...My husband and I both have a heart for missions after living overseas 11 years with the military....We even visited Slovenia....lived in Turkey...yes..yes..darkness...so much of the world...
    Do you have a prayer card you could send me????
    Deby
    Who is your sending church...mission board etc???

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  2. Tori, I loved seeing all the pictures of your beloved country, and I know you're so thrilled to have someone coming to join you in the work! When people come to see us here, I feel like I'm showing off my baby too - it's so beautiful and so needy. Thanks for sharing all these pics!

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  3. Tori, thank you for sharing your pictures and the wonderful time you had showing off Croatia to your new missionary friends and fellow co-laborers.

    I enjoyed the pictures of the people reading the tracts most of all. Those are good presentation pics. :)

    I think I'd be rebelling along with Traci on eating the pizza. LOL

    ~Kristi

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  4. Loved the pictures, Tori! Thanks for sharing!!!

    I'm sure your hearts are more than ready to be off the road and back home. :o)

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  5. Tori,
    The pictures are beautiful!!! How wonderful that god has brought two families to work with you all! I guess you all must be returning to soon. Hope to see you soon on vuh.
    ~Michelle C

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  6. Deby,

    Slovenia is part of the Old Yugoslavia, it's just north of us and the people are virtually the same. Croatia is prettier. :0)


    Susan,

    Isn't it funny how God gives you a love for your people and country? I just love Croatia!

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  7. Thank you for sharing all the nice pics! Praying for you guys.

    God Bless
    Jess~

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  8. I enjoyed seeing these pictures. My parents were in Croatia the year my Dad passed away (2005). They came with a tour from Trans World Radio. It was a life changing experience that Mom talks about often.

    I would also like to show these pictures to my 3 children. We homeschool and this will be great geography and missions.
    Becky K.

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