"“Remember how the Lord your God has blessed you in everything that you have done. He has taken care of you as you wandered through this vast desert. He has been with you these forty years, and you have had everything you needed."
Deuteronomy 2:7
Dear friends,
In our last blog post almost a year ago, we showed you the house we thought we would buy.
As many of you know, we actually bought it in May and moved in on August 16th!
The above Bible verse spoke clearly to me more than a year ago that we can trust in God with every step, because He has truly proven His faithfulness to us time and again over the years!
MOVING
Here you can see the house shortly after we moved in!
Of course, a lot has happened since then, and we've settled in quite nicely. Since the kitchen is still missing the floor tiles and the kitchen furniture isn't available yet, we've converted Luna's future studio into a kitchen. That works quite nicely, only, for the washing up and fetching water we have to go upstairs to the bathroom on the first floor.
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| Our temporary kitchen at the moment. |
The children have been going back to school for almost four weeks. They both mostly take the school bus, although Amos has changed schools, while Junia continues to go to her former school in Karlovac. They also attend music school; Amos has started piano lessons, and Junia is in her third year of playing the clarinet. Now she can practice undisturbed at home. š
She also has horse riding lessons once a week, weather permitting, and is already doing looking good in the saddle. Amos, for his part, has become an promising fisherman, having attended a day of fishing school and diligently catching small carp from the pond when we still lived in Karlovac. Unfortunately, he can't go fishing alone here, so he rarely gets a chance to get to the water these days.
We've also had a new addition to our family! Right after we moved in, we made friends with a black village cat, who soon became our "Bleki." And she was pregnant! It only took a week for her to give birth to five black kittens under the old red car that was still parked in the yard! They've grown well, are already eagerly eating cat food and playing around. After being moved four times by their mother to the most secluded corners, they've found a home in our old basement for the time being.
We don't yet know what to do with six cats, but these sweet little creatures bring so much joy into our lives and awaken a deep sense of care in all of us. This is probably how God feels as He guides us through our growth process!
RENOVATION
I could spend hours telling you stories about God's supernatural provision throughout the entire process, from buying the house, through the initial renovations, finding and paying contractors, to what lies ahead.
Here are a few of them:
The house purchase was completed within a six-week window, during which the very bank we were able to get the loan from offered a special interest rate of 2.82%. That's the equivalent of €11,000 less cost for us compared to the terms last year when we first applied for a loan!
After we returned the money for the deposit our local church had lent us and paid the tax on the house purchase, we still had a few thousand euros left from the bank loan. Of course, that was far too little to even carry out the most necessary work.
But God has promised us very clearly that all renovations will be completed and that He will provide everything necessary! Throughout this entire time, and up until today, we can and must rely on His promise!
Three times already, contractors have been working in the house (renewing the parquet flooring and installing and replacing the plumbing), while we didn't yet have the money to pay them! In each case, we received donations, some of them very large, within a few days, and were thus always able to pay on time. Twice, we had to ask our house church to helped us out.
We also have had some great helpers. Two brothers from the house church helped with many jobs, such as tearing down a wall to enlarge the kitchen and removing the chimney we no longer needed. Then a good friend, brother, and painter from Zagreb came to the house for five days, staying overnight there amidst primitive conditions, and plastered, smoothed, and painted most of the rooms. He and I together will also be finishing the walls in the hallway, bathroom, and kitchen soon.
A major uncertainty was the preliminary work on the floors in the hallway, bathroom, and kitchen, as well as the tiling. The old concrete floor below and the tiles on it were brittle and uneven. Tilers here in Croatia are booked out for months in advance and are also very expensive. (€30-50/m2 for a the area that needs to be tiled, without materials. This price is really high for Croatian standard.)
"Coincidentally," Luna's mom told two handyman friends from Berlin about our difficulties, and "coincidentally," they were about to go on vacation together in their RV anyway. A week later, they came to us, set up the camper and stayed for two weeks, professionally solving all the problems, so that the hallway is tiled and the bathroom and kitchen are ready for tiling!
Throughout this time, we lived from day to day and week to week.
Many of you know that in June, we began publicizing our ministry at the prayer house in Zagreb and here in Karlovac and asking for donations. From the very beginning, many substantial donations came in, both monthly and one-time sums for the renovations.
The timing of this provision was often so supernatural!
Once, we needed a special synthetic pad for the hallway floor, which is almost never used in Croatia. I spent a whole morning driving around Karlovac with our handyman friend, asking everywhere for it, without even having the money in my bank account to buy it. Then we found the pad in a special shop near Zagreb. At that time, a donation of €200 arrived! I drove there in the afternoon and spent the money right away. š
The next day, another donation came in, which we used to buy food and other materials.
A few days earlier, when we needed to buy most of the building materials for the flooring work, we went to the store, ordered everything we needed, and I found out I was a full €300 short. But God had already planned for that! That morning, I was supposed to pay €300 to a contractor, but he had already left so that we had arranged to meet that afternoon.
I got those €300 out of the car and paid for the materials.
Around noon, I received my final payment of unemployment benefits of €380.
I was able to drive to Karlovac, withdraw the money, and pay the contractor.
At one point, I still had about €90 in cash and about €20 in my account. I had a few small errands to run, wanted to buy food for lunch to feed our helpers, and I also needed to buy some building materials. I paid for most errands with my card, but the groceries I paid in cash. When I picked up the building materials on the way home, I realized I had exactly the amount needed in my wallet, with just 20 cents left over! I had not spared money while shopping, but if I had bought one more item, I would have been missing it later.
As I left the hardware store, I was filled with indescribable gratitude and admiration for God's faithfulness and incredible timing!
These experiences mean so much to us now! In this way, our faith grew much, much stronger than it would have been if God had just sent €20,000 into our account in the first place.
During this time, we can also learn that Jesus' words:
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things."
and
"Give us this day our daily bread."
can also apply to larger expenses and construction projects!
God's ultimate desire for us is that we rely completely on Him and live in dependence on Him - regardless of our bank balance and other circumstances. The money of this world can be rendered completely worthless in a short period of time by an economic crisis, our homes could be destroyed in a war, or we may be driven out of our country because of our faithfulness to Jesus, but our Heavenly Father knows exactly what we need, when we need it, and how He can provide for us.
He knows that far better than we do.
UPCOMING RENOVATIONS
Next week, our contractor for the heating is returning from vacation and is supposed to adjust our central heating system so that we can heat the entire house as soon as possible. Currently, we are making do with two electric radiators.
After some back and forth, we finally decided on a pellet stove with a high heat output so that the prayer room and possibly an extra toilet and entrance area in the basement can also be heated. Pipes still need to be laid for this. In addition, a stainless steel pipe needs to be installed in the chimney, and new radiators need to be installed in the kitchen and guest room. How long this will take and how much it will cost is difficult to predict, but as Jesus said, we needn't worry about what we'll wear and what will keep us warm tomorrow. š„
At the same time, I'm in the process of clearing out two sheds and the old pigpen. In the garage, which will then be converted into a prayer room, there are currently a lot of tools, building materials, children's toys, bicycles... and these will be relocated into the other sheds.
We've already been able to dispose of, give away, or sell a lot of old furniture, appliances, and junk, including the old red car that was still in the garage at the beginning. Now, one can begin to imagine what it will all look like.
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| The future tool shed, when it was still full of junk. |
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| The wooden parts of the old furniture made a nice fire. |
Sometime in November (hopefully), the kitchen furniture and appliances, which friends have kindly promised to donate to us, will also be available. Before that, we still need to smooth, paint, and tile, just like in the bathroom.
There is also a trip to Ikea on the plan to get a bed, a desk, and other things. We also want to pick out a couch for the living room. There's a good secondhand shop in Zagreb belonging to a Christian addiction rehabilitation center for that.
With these jobs done, we'll be really well set up, except for the windows, which should be replaced as soon as possible. But even now, we already feel at home here and are happy about God's abundant blessings in so many areas! As a sign of his mercies, we were able to harvest many apples and figs, and even a few grapes and pears.
TRANSITION
Aside from the move, a lot has also changed professionally for us. Last year in November, I ended my job as a rafting guide and tourist agent because I felt it was time to follow God's call into "full-time ministry". I already mentioned that, since June this year, we've been collecting donations for our pastoral and prayer ministry both in UPPERROOM Zagreb and also in UPPERROOM Karlovac, which is still under construction. Since August, I've also been officially employed by the Croatian NGO of UPPERROOM and initially receive a salary based on the minimum wage for 30 hours per week.
For the amount of this salary, my lead pastor has recruited donors in the USA with whom I've never had personal contact. Another miracle of God!
Travel expenses are covered by supporters from Karlovac.
Please watch our introductory video from June to get an insight into our ministry:
In the Zagreb community, I was appointed co-leader in May and, in addition to the weekly prayer and worship set, I'm growing into my role as shepherd and teacher.
Two times a month, I preach or teach during the Sunday service in Zagreb and invest in the young people and families of this community. Thankfully, I'm not alone in this: Zuzanna is often there, who founded the UPPERROOM with her husband and brings a wealth of experience, wisdom, and above all, God's Spirit within her. She herself oversees the community, and helps me settle into my role.
Almost the entire Zagreb community has already been staying at our house for a mini-retreat overnight, which was a very blessed time with much encouragement in prayer.
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| Some of the Zagreb UPPERROOM community on our terrace. |
Until the renovations to our house and prayer room are largely completed, for practical reasons, most donations will continue to go directly to us privately – unless someone would like to receive a donation receipt for their support, which is possible through the NGO in Zagreb.
At a certain point, we will then redirect all donations through that NGO, of which I am also a board member. These donations will serve exclusively to finance all expenses of Gornjesoba Karlovac and a part of my salary, which I hope we can then raise somewhat.
In the USA and Canada, there is the possibility to donate through our partner missions organization Modern Day.
If you would like to join our regular circle of supporters or make a one-time donation for the renovations, we would be very grateful! Please contact us, and we will be happy to send you the bank details.
When it comes to Luna, she changed jobs for the summer and was able to help car owners affected by various recalls organize repairs at the workshops and get replacement vehicles. She was given three days off for the move, and besides that, she wasn't as busy as before, so this job was another Godsend for the adjustment to our new place.
Since this position was limited to three months, she is now starting a new job, also in German language, but this time in the private dental insurance sector. She will be in Zagreb for a week and two days for training and orientation, but will then work from home as before. She has been searching for a job in the German-speaking customer service sector for a long time, where she won't be exploited, pressured, and treated with the same ungratefulness as she has been so far. We have a good feeling about this company and this project and pray that she feels comfortable in the new team and succeds in her tasks.
At the same time, she is continuing her online studies in graphic design and has already completed 25%. She enjoys it a lot, because this online school is top-notch and practically oriented. God willing, after graduating from school, she will gradually become self-employed in the artistic field, in which God has endowed her with so much passion and talent!
REPENTANCE
There's a lot going on for us in October!
On October 17th, we're hosting a big celebration for the 10th anniversary of UPPERROOM Zagreb. Two elders from the "mother" UPPERROOM in Dallas will be visiting, and we're expecting guests from many congregations and communities in Zagreb and Croatia. This is so significant because some of these leaders and servants of God haven't been in contact with each other for years due to various disagreements from the past. But since this summer, when there were two large joint inter-congregational events, in Zagreb and Dalmatia, we can see how the walls are being dismantled piece by piece.
This requires humility and the willingness to repent!
The Lord has been putting these themes on our hearts for some time. When we began our discipleship theme of "repentance" at the beginning of September, a collective time of fasting and repentance began that same Sunday in Dallas, and we didn't know it!
In the week following the anniversary, we will travel to the Balkan Call Conference in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Perhaps you remember how we talked about the past conferences in Serbia and Croatia. I recently became part of the core team for leading and implementing these four-day gatherings.
The Balkan Call also has a lot to do with repentance. Representing the countries and peoples from which we come, Turks, Serbs, and Croats, as well as brothers and sisters from the former Austria-Hungarian empire, will repent for the violence committed against the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The various ethnic groups from the country itself will also be represented and will seek reconciliation and a new beginning. In addition, over 500 visitors from all 12 Balkan countries and from around the world will offer blessings and prophetic prayers over the country. A 24-hour worship and prayer room will also be running throughout the conference, in which we from UPPERROOM will also be able to serve.
This whole combination was put on the hearts of some leaders 10 years ago by God himself, who asked him how spiritual breakthrough and renewal could break forth in the churches and countries of the Balkans. Through these conferences, as well as through prayer meetings throughout the year, the spiritual strongholds of arrogance, hostility, violence, bloodshed, and unforgiveness are being torn down. Churches begin to network and learn from one another. These events often result in political breakthroughs of peace, but also in ever-increasing openness to the gospel.
Turkey is a good example of this, because despite strong political pressure on missionaries and pastors, the churches are growing, and the people are becoming increasingly open to the gospel of Jesus!
The Balkan Call Conference in 2022 in Turkey, as well as regular mission trips, especially by brothers and sisters from North Macedonia and Bulgaria, have contributed significantly to this.
To respond to God's call for repentance, or turning to Him, and to prepare ourselves for the events to come, we as UPPERROOM Zagreb fasted together for three days this week and deliberately took more time for prayer. It was a wonderful time, which we "coincidentally" concluded in the evening on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, with a shared praise service and communion.
It is so liberating to completely empty ourselves before God and to rely on His strength and love alone.
In fasting, we become newly and deeply aware of this dependence on the Lord, without which we can do nothing.
EMBRACE
Even though we are enormously grateful, I don't want to pretend that living by God's providence in the way described above and waiting for His solutions is always easy. The past year of waiting and worrying about the loan was also wearing us out at times. Every test of faith is a new challenge.
Thank God we have His Word with so many promises and His loving embrace that awaits us every day. In this embrace, we realize again and again: In Jesus, we already have everything we truly need. Because, in fact, we need nothing but Jesus.
"Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Matthew 4:4
"One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord."
Psalm 27:4-6
In this psalm we see that he first hides us in his embrace when we're in trouble, then sets us high upon a rock and then we end up claiming victory over our (spiritual) enemies and offer thanksgiving in return!
Thank you to all of you who have accompanied us during these great upheavals and challenges, prayed for us, and invested in our house and ministry!
We hope this long blog post has encouraged you and that Jesus has touched you in His own way.
Above all, He longs for us to be united with Him—like a bridegroom with his bride.
For this, he emptied himself of his divinity, and humbled himself to the point of death on the cross.
His blood makes you righteous and holy before God, so that you are welcome in his embrace.
His grace is greater than all our weaknesses, sins, and problems. In dependence on him, there is freedom and abundant life!
We pray that you may live every day in humble dependence on Jesus.
Lots of love and hugs,
God bless you!
Harry & Luna
with Junia and Amos
