"Full of understanding & full of love"

A young man in Bosnia-Herzegovina becomes a Christian thanks to the witness of Mission Without Borders and our partner Church!

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Once a muslim, now a Christian!

Orhan’s family struggled with poverty when he was growing up in Mostar, BosniaHerzegovina. His mother, Marina, worked as a hairdresser and also as a cleaner for a local company. His father was unemployed but picked up any manual work he was offered. 

Orhan grew up sharing a small house with 11 other family members: his parents, his sister who is five years younger, his grandparents, uncles, and aunts. The house had a living room, bedroom, kitchenette and inside toilet (no bathroom).

Orhan, his sister and parents slept in the bedroom at night, and the other family members in the living room. 

Orhan’s family were enrolled on Mission Without Borders’ family sponsorship programme. As a result, Orhan had a childhood filled with Mission Without Borders summer camps, special children’s events, and later on, youth meetings. 

His faith had its ups and downs – but Orhan always had a sense of God’s hand on his life – and was drawn to Christianity because of the people he knew. Growing up in a Muslim community, Orhan would never have been exposed to the Bible and its truths were it not for the supporters of Mission Without Borders.

Orhan, now 20, said, “It’s always been interesting for me to observe how people in MWB's and the church are full of understanding and full of love.”

It was when he recently saw a friend of his, Vanja, getting baptised, that Orhan realised he wanted to be baptised as well. He felt that baptism was a corner stone of his relationship with God – that one piece that he was missing, to demonstrate his commitment to Jesus. 

As soon as he found out that the next youth conference would take a place at Boracko Lake, at a local campsite, he felt a calling and sense of perfect timing that this is where he should be baptised. This local campsite was where Orhan first went along to MWB’s summer camp – and first felt God’s presence in his life.

Drazan Jarak, the MWB staff member who supported Orhan’s family, said, “Orhan always had big eyes as a child, wide open to everything around him. He was eager to learn and to socialise, and I’m proud of the young man he is today. 

Orhan’s family was withdrawn from the programme 10 years ago, when he was 10, but I’m glad that we still have a connection with him, thanks to the way that MWB works closely with the local church.

"Orhan's baptism is the proof that the seeds we sow in people's hearts reaped years later, by God, by the church and his people"





As Orhan shared his testimony at the baptism, he said, “I’ve been thinking about baptism over the last two or three years and I’m glad that I’m doing it right now. I decided to follow Jesus with my own will, and I want to share the good news with others. I decided to follow Christ because it makes the most sense and I finally understand it clearly.”

In Matthew 5:16 it is written, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” 

Thanks to the commitment of so many Christians – both in MWB staff, volunteers and the generosity of supporters, and in the local church – to Orhan and his family, Orhan now knows Jesus for himself.

Through family sponsorship, you can shine a light into people’s lives – as they come to experience for themselves the love and faithfulness of God through the Christian witness of our staff and church partners. Click the button below to become a family sponsor and change lives today!

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