5 July 2016 | Hajdučica, Serbia [Ana Gagić/tedNEWS] Some fifty youth from across the South-East European Union (SEEUC) donated money and a week of their time to serve residents of a small village, Hajdučica, near the north-east border of Serbia. Joining them was an initially sceptical TED Campus Ministries director, Tihomir Lazić, who was amazed by what he found.
“I didn’t really have such high expectations that this would work, especially the idea that young people would not only pay to come, but to work hard in the village of Hajdučica, where there was no sea… That’s not typical for young people during the summer time.”
It may not be typical, but it happened! From 20-26 June the youth painted and renovated houses, restored gardens, mended the local play areas and still found time to interact with the local youth each evening.
“After seven days, I can say that I am thrilled, and that I experienced a kind of refreshment from learning that there are still young people who are willing to sacrifice so much,” Lazić confessed, noting that they worked hard all day long and yet were “so full of positive energy, singing all the time and being constantly joyful.” Their enthusiasm can be seen in an engaging video report.
The project, ‘Mission of Humanity – Mission H7’, was the initiative of Miroslav Gagić, SEEUC Youth Ministries director. He worked in co-operation with the local Red Cross, using their premises for accommodation and a base for their programmes.
The local Social Work centre provided them with a list of families in need. The youth then divided into teams – often working until dark. Gagić was impressed with their enthusiasm – and sometimes had to slow them down so they would still have energy for the next day!
“We worked in one building which was 140 years old,” he said. “We painted the entire house, a barn and a porch, and we even made a brick paved path. We had been working on it the entire day. When we were about to leave the house, we saw smiles and tears in the eyes of the inhabitants and that was something that we will never forget.”
“I wasn’t really aware that these people would be so grateful to us,” commented one of the youth, Zoran Gigić. It also benefited the youth themselves. Lidia Keta, a high school student came because she saw “an opportunity to reduce our selfishness and our ego.”
Gagić believes that ‘Mission H7’ more than achieved its goals: “We are grateful to God for all these young people who responded to a call and who left their comfort zone for others, to help those who live in difficult circumstances and I really hope that this mission helped and encouraged all of these young people.”
It clearly did according to Milena Vučković, a first year high school student: “We had time to be together and time to make new friends. I learned something new and useful and was encouraged through various experiences. I don’t want to go home!”
There was one last event before they went home. A concert, attended by 150 grateful people from the small village of just 1,375 residents.
“We were a little afraid whether we would be accepted or not,” states Anja Babeu, another high school student. She now has new friends as, she says, “We were glad that we were able to attract the young people from the village to be with us every evening.”
Many expressed that this is something that should happen more often. After all, these Serbian youth are part of a world-wide Adventist youth movement that wants to do more than sit in the pew. As with the Global Youth day theme, they want to ‘be the sermon.’
Žarko Jovanović, sums it up positively, “Since I don’t come from an Adventist home, I was thrilled to experience the Christian fellowship that was present among the participants. They constantly sing, and they are happy, and we had a very nice experience. I think that this kind of event should happen more often.”
That is exactly the reaction Gagić hoped for. He sees ‘Mission H7’ – Hajdučica as just the first in a series of Missionary actions that SEEUC young people will now organise throughout the whole Union territory or even beyond. [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, director; Esti Pujic, editor
119 St Peter’s Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ted.adventist.org
tedNEWS is an information bulletin issued by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European Division.
You are free to re-print any portion of the bulletin without need for special permission. However, we kindly request that you identify tedNEWS whenever you publish these materials.
