Throughout Croatia our 3,300 Seventh-day Adventist believer are showing their ardent desire to share their faith with the country's 4.5 million inhabitants. Many evangelistic avenues have been explored through the years, but with society's more recent years of extreme drift into secularism and materialism, the church's task is not becoming easier.
Two years later, a young pastor, Dragutin Matak, took up his first ministerial duties in that district. His initial task was to construct a new church building for a small family of believers. In this connection, the Ciplic family were extremely generous by way of providing financial contributions as well as use of their trucks for transporting building materials. The beautiful edifice resulting form this effort now serves as the spiritual home of a church family that has now grown to some 40 members. God's blessings have attended the Ciplic family, and their family business has grown beyond their fondest dreams.
In 1990, Momo decided to move to the town of Otocac, about 28 miles (45 kilometers) away, in order to open another branch book center. e also had it in mind to encourage and assist in the establishment of a new church iasmuch as no Seventh-day Adventists were living there at that time. Today, Otocac has a fledgling church group of 10-15 members.
With the outbreak of war in 1992, life became very diffiult for Serbs living in Croatia, and Drago found it necessary to relocate with his family to Stuttgart, Germany. There he devoted much of his time to working a an ADRA volunteer in collecting and dispatching aid supplies to Croatia and Bosnia.
Momo and his family sought refuge in Zagreb, and he, too, volunteered his services to ADRA. Amazingly, considering his Serbian ethnicitiy, he was allowed to deliver many tons of humanitarian supplies to his Croatian and Bosnian neighbors in Otocac, which had been very badly blitzed by the Serbian army. Through these acts of mercy, Momo earned the respect of many people throughout the region. Sadly, however, his home was set on fire - which was a common tactic during that terrible conflict. When a young man was charged with the offense, Momo went to his defense and plead with the judge not to imprison him, but rather to set him free. This additional demonstration of magnanimity led to the local government's decision to underwrite the costs of repairing the roof on Momo's fire damaged home - an act which was completely unheard of at that time.
Following the cessation of the war in 1996, Drago an Momo returned to their former homes. One lady, whose son had been tragically killed, ordered a gravestone from a local Croatian supplier, but she was continually disappointed after numerous unfilled promises of delivery. Many of her friends said, "Go to Momo. He will keep his word and not disappoint you. He is a man who will stand by his promise!" Consequently, it was Momo, a Serb, who supplied the headstone for a Croatian soldier who had been shot by the Serbs - with the cost being met by the Croatian Ministry of Defense! This, too, was a remarkable happening in a time when feelings of hatred were running so deeply on both sides.
Today, the business enterprises in Gospic and Otocac continue to flourish. Drago now has seventeen employees, which includes his wife Mira, son David, and daughters Daniela and Manuela. Their area of operation extends over a radius of more than 60 miles. Every year a convoy of 25 trucks arrives from Italy to deliver more than 500 ton of marble to supply the family's business. Additional materials are obtained locally as needed.
People of the entire region have become aware of Drago's Christian convictions. When bereaved clients enter the company's main office, they are met by a dignified inscription on the wall which eloquently echoses the promise of Revelation 21:4: "And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes; and their shall be no more death."
"It is astonishing to see how these word bring comfort to our customers," says Mira.
"We have so many opportunities to talk with people about our faith," adds Daniela.
"And we also offer to all our visitors any five titles of a wide range of Adventist books which are prominently displayed," adds Manuela.
More than 60 titles such as Steps to Christ, The Caveman, More than 1000 Shall Fall and others are taken each week from the display table, and many customers return for more.
Miroslav Lorencin, the President of the Croatian Conference, exclaims, "We detect an ongoing spirit of excitement amongst the members and pastors about sharing their faith with others, and obviously the printed page is proving to be an important enabling tool."
Long may the Ciplic family and their fellow believers continue their effective and exemplary witness for Christ!
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John Arthur is the former Publishign Ministries Director of the Trans-European Division.