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GEOGRAPHY

Area 51,129sq.km. Mountainous Balkan state bracketed by Serbia-Montenegro and Croatia.

Between 1992-95 over 1.3 million Bosnians fled to other lands and a further million or more were internally displaced. By 2000 only a quarter had returned, but few to their own homes.

Capital Sarajevo 485,855. Urbanites 36%.

PEOPLES

Massive changes 1991-2000. Second figure is for 2000.

Slav 88%. Nearly all speaking Serbo-Croat, but a patchwork of three mutually hostile, major Slavic nationalities.

Bosnian Muslim (or Bosniaks) 38.3-50%. Mainly in Central Bosnia.

Croat 17.3-19%. Mainly in SW & on N border.

Serb 30.1-20%. Mainly in the 'Serb Republic' in N & E Bosnia.

Other 12%. Vlach Gypsy 400,000; Rumelian Turk 4,000.

Literacy 86%. Official language Bosnian. All languages 2. Languages with Scriptures 1Bi 1NT.

ECONOMY

Bosnia was Europe's second poorest country before the Bosnian War. Its fragile agrarian economy was shattered by the war, massive population movements, wholesale destruction and disruption of communications by the de facto partition of the country. Foreign aid is virtually the only source of income. Unemployment 60%+. Income/person $1,380 (4.4% of USA, an optimistic figure).

POLITICS

Bosnia straddles the cultural divide between east and west. It became separated from Serbia in 960, and during the 500-year Turkish occupation many Bosnians became Muslim. The recent break-up of Yugoslavia led to a Croat-Muslim alliance in support of independence in March 1992, which was immediately militarily contested by the Serb minority. The tragic three-sided war between Serbs, Croats and Bosnian Muslims caused immense damage, loss of life and the partition of Bosnia. The war ended in 1995 with the country almost equally divided between Serbs in the Serb Republic and the Croat-Muslim Federation. An uneasy peace is maintained by NATO armies.

RELIGION

Nationalistic religions have replaced Communism as the prevailing ideology and tend to be equally tyrannical and hostile to any who 'traitorously' deviate. Religious freedom is more theory than practice.

Missionaries from Bosnia
n.a.

Missionaries to Bosnia
P,I,A 137 in 21 agencies from 9+ countries: USA 85, Canada 10, Korea 7. C 30. M 10.

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Challenges for Prayer

1 The Bosnian tragedy was provoked by the political follies of the West and Serbian nationalism distorted by the megalomania of the Yugoslav Serbian leader Milosevic. The 'ethnic cleansing,' looting, destruction of 25% of all buildings (plus damage of a further 50%), and 250,000 deaths have left deep scars and an abiding hatred between communities that once lived together, spoke the same language and even intermarried. Pray for greater wisdom and foresight on the part of world and Bosnian leaders in implementing a workable peace, a just settlement and a viable future.

2 Bosnian refugees are scattered around the world as well as in Bosnia itself. Of the 1.3 million who fled to other lands only 400,000 had returned by 2000. Most of the internally displaced are still homeless. Pray that Muslims, Orthodox and Catholics alike might find healing for their deep psychological wounds, peace with God and with one another through faith in Christ and willingness to forgive the perpetrators of their misery. Pray for UN personnel, as well as secular and Christian NGOs who seek to help Bosnians rebuild their lives.

3 The miniscule evangelical witness has grown since 1991. Then there were only 2 to 3 congregations, but this had grown to 29 in 2000 with 700 people attending services. Evangelicals have gained credibility as the only ones to bridge the gulf between ethnic groups. Pray for the few believers and their witness in this war-torn land, amid a population uniquely receptive – for a while. A small Bible School with 20 students was started in 1996 in Mostar.

4 The unreached:

a) Only a very small percentage of the population has ever been clearly presented with the claims of Christ and the need for personal repentance and faith.

b) The Bosniak Muslims – from only a handful, the number of believers in Jesus has grown to 300-400, but most are unreached.

c) The Serbs. Over 500,000 became refugees, but they received the least aid and are bitter against the world that has ganged up on them. Pray for their eyes to be opened to the message of peace in Jesus.

d) The largely Muslim Gypsy, and wholly Muslim Turkish, minorities have only a few specific ministries directed to their evangelization (Vineyard, IMB-SBC).

e) Student ministry. By 2000 there were 30,000 students in Sarajevo. Hitherto no work has been done among them, but in 2000 a new ministry was begun. Pray for lasting fruit.

5 Expatriate Christian input is needed if sensitively provided. Pray for those engaged in aid, rehabilitation, outreach and church-planting ministries to fully identify with the people and that through them a harvest may be won. Pray for effective networking among expatriates. The largest agencies: IMB-SBC (30), Novi Most International (16), Pioneers (11), CMA (10), Church Resource Network (10), Team Expansion (5).

6 Christian Media ministries for prayer:

a) The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bible Society was formed in 1999 as a cooperative effort for Scripture and literature publication.

b) TWR broadcasts 8 hrs/wk in Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian from Monaco and Albania.

c) The JESUS film is available in Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian and is in preparation in Vlach.

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