Wednesday, August 31, 2016

It's Time to Go

As I mentioned earlier in the week it's time to wrap up this blog. And although I don't have much more to say, I do want to conclude fittingly.

The theme of this blog has been culture shock. Originally I started it primarily as a way to process the move from America to Croatia. But it also had a faith-based component from the beginning.

In the end, the transition from one culture to another, and in a way living in two cultures at the same time, has a lot of relevance to our situation in this world as christians. As I made reference to a few days ago, we're waiting to go to our true home.

C.S. Lewis says it well: "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

But while we wait, we're already living and working in the new kingdom. This tension is both difficult and exciting. It's hard sometimes because we see the imperfection all around us. It's exciting because we have a chance to do something about it. Our task is not simply to sit by while we wait for paradise. Rather, we work towards bringing the kingdom while living in hope knowing there are far better days ahead of us.

This move is a continuation of our work in the kingdom here in Croatia. Honestly, although we have a plan and a general idea of what our task will be and what life will be like, there's a certain uncertainty about how things will turn out. This is that tension.

So we go forward in faith believing that the One who determines our steps will provide as He has always done. The Lord is good and his steadfast love endures forever.

The Bohalls, August 2016



Monday, August 29, 2016

The Bohall Kids Talk About Moving

What goes through a child's mind when they find out they're moving?

Since we decided to move to Zagreb, I've heard that moving is one of the most traumatic things a child can go through. This NY Times article says that the effects can be felt even into adulthood. Looking back at my own experience, I remember not being happy about moving. However, doing so as a child and teenager is what helped me adapt fairly easily to life in Croatia.

Another thing the linked article talks about is the difference moving has on introverts vs. extroverts. Predictably, it's more difficult on the former than the latter. From my own perspective as an introvert, moving wasn't pleasant, but it brought about more personality flexibility. I am now more extroverted than I used to be.

One of the positive things about moving to Zagreb (vs. somewhere outside Croatia) is that we have friends and family there. Our children have acquaintances and we already have a local church we're ready to call home. This, combined with the fact that our children are still relatively young, gives us hope that the move won't be too traumatic.

In talking to our oldest son, Enoh, about the move, he's the one who is least happy. I decided to ask each of the kids a few questions about the move to see what they're thinking about. In watching the interviews, I don't see anything too profound. But if nothing else, this should be interesting for us, and them, to watch in the future as we look back at the unknown of moving.

Take a look if you're interested.


Saturday, August 27, 2016

Be Ready!

The fifteen of us were in Poland surrounded by wooden structures of various shapes and sizes. We had traveled 12 hours from Croatia to live in tents for a week. In my calculation we formed the smallest campsite of all the villages that totaled 7,200 campers. We were at Royal Ranger (RR) Eurocamp 2016.


This was the second RR camp I had attended in two years, but by far the biggest camp I had ever been to. The hosts had prepared for nearly four years and it showed. The infrastructure and organization could not have been better. In attending the leaders meetings every morning at camp I saw that there were some minor challenges here and there, but overall it was obvious they were ready when we came.

On the second day of camp I was asked to share a message during the village devotional time. In similar situations in the past I'd have said no. I only had two days to prepare. The theme wasn't one I had spent much time studying. But the answer fell out of my mouth before I really processed those details. "Yes, I'd be happy to!"

When it was time to speak, I realized that the group of 300 campers was the biggest group I had ever spoken to.

Our motto as Royal Rangers is "Be Ready" It's something I've been trying to teach others. Maybe I had finally learned myself. The state of being ready is completely dependent on the amount of preparation one does ahead of time. In organizing the trip for our 15 campers I had prepared the logistics ahead of time. Therefore we were ready when the day came to travel. The Eurocamp team was ready for us because they had prepared well ahead of time.

I believe the main reason I was ready to speak during our morning devotional time was because I've been spending this year consistently reading and studying Scripture more than any other time in my life. The Bible Project has helped with an incredible reading plan and intro videos that have helped me be immersed in God's Word. It was this constant discipline of devotional time that allowed me to be ready.

And I believe this is how we as ministry workers...no we as Christians, can best prepare for any event. In the New Testament we are constantly encouraged to be ready; "Be prepared to give an answer" (I Pet 3:15), "Be alert at all times" (Luke 21:36). Paul encourages us to put on the full armor of God which includes the sword of the Spirit. Being ready and studying the Word are strongly connected. That's what I experienced when I was out of my comfort zone of preparing a message without much time of preparation.

The camp was a huge success because of the preparation of the organizers. Our experience there and our trip there and back were smooth because of our preparedness and God's hand of grace upon us. We grew in our relationship with the Lord and with one another. All in all it was a tremendous experience for the 15 of us from Croatia. But if there's anything I would like to pass on to the younger Rangers it's this: Read, study and memorize Scripture so that you are always ready to serve the Lord in whatever capacity you are asked to.

The video below offers a taste of Royal Ranger Eurocamp 2016.


Friday, August 26, 2016

Home

Where is home?

Petra and I lived in Orahovica for 9 years - longer than I've lived in any one place in my life. Without a doubt I considered Orahovica home. The house we lived in, our four kids who learned to eat and walk there and the daily routine all contributed to us calling it home.

So how will it be possible to call Zagreb home now?

For Enoh, our eight year old, home was most about his teacher and his classmates/friends. Here in Croatia you have the same teacher from first to fourth grade. Of our four children, this move is hardest on Enoh because of the relationships he has in Orahovica.

That's what I remember most about our moves when I was a kid/teenager. Sure, I missed the cornfields and apple trees I grew up playing around in Iowa and the field I spend hours playing home-run derby in in Wisconsin. But it was the friendships I missed most.

It's the friendships that created the greatest pull back to Croatia for my wife. Upon moving to Croatia 10 years ago, we calculated that Petra had spent exactly the same amount of her life in America as she had in Croatia. The thing is, she felt more at home in Croatia. In a relationship based culture (as opposed to the schedule oriented culture in America) this makes sense.  It can be difficult for a foreigner to find a way "in" to this sort of culture. But once one is in, leaving can be a difficult thing.

And so the web of relationships keeps us in Croatia despite an attractive option of working together with friends in the States. Simply put, Croatia is home.

In a recent conversation Petra told me the table most represents home home for her. And that makes a lot of sense. So many friendships were begun, renewed and strengthened around our dining room table. Of all the material things we moved, the table was first priority.



Of course, a material building and physical space can become both real and symbolic expressions of home. But without family and friends they become virtually meaningless. We were created as relational beings. And as God's creatures we look forward to the day when our fellowship will be perfect. We long to go home.

Until then we imitate what we look forward to in the imperfect world of moving and goodbyes. But even the imitation is enjoyable when we share it with others. Yes, our table is coming with us to Zagreb in expectation that it will see many more relationships enjoyed around it. Zagreb will soon feel like home to us. And the table will be one of the main reasons why.

Home is where the table is.

Here are some pictures of our fellowship around (and sometimes on) the table in Orahovica over the years.

Mexican night for our high school group in 2009
Dutch Blitz "Croatian Cup" 2010
2011

New Year's Celebration 2013

Emily's birthday 2014

Buffalo Wings 2014
January 2015

Thanksgiving 2015

Cousins 2016

Thursday, August 25, 2016

The End of an Era

It's been 10 years since we moved to Croatia, 9 since we began living in Orahovica and 8 since I started this blog.

Of the three, only living in Croatia will remain. Yes, we are moving. We will begin calling Zagreb - the capital of Croatia - home next week.

And so this blog will come to its inevitable end. Over the last few years I have blogged with less frequency. Acclimation to Croatia, more responsibilities and other outlets for writing have rendered it less useful. Its eventual end has been apparent for awhile. After this week it'll be official.

However, the move and decision to end the blog give me a great opportunity to share some final thoughts. Over the next few days, I plan to post daily. These posts will be influenced most by the events of this summer and our move.

This blog has provided me the opportunity to process a lot of what I was going through during my first years in Croatia. Although it has lost its importance to me, I value reading what I wrote in the past. I hope this last series will provide a fitting conclusion to a project that has helped me at first articulate, and later remember, important events and thoughts throughout our first decade in Croatia.

The picture below is of a chapel near where my family has vacationed for the last 10 summers. Kukljica is where the blog began and where it is ending.

St. Jerome's chapel, Kukljica Croatia