27. “I’m going and you decide for yourself”

The birth of children has always amazed me; excitement, expectations and uncertainty of pregnancy mingled together with the miraculous end product. Spiritual birth and development to the point of baptism is like a pregnancy; it’s always inspirational. No wonder that baptismal services are very touching.

The churches Branislav pastored have always prepared special baptismal programmes. Appropriately chosen biblical texts that encourage commitment to following God are complemented with uplifting musical items. Old Christian classics like ‘Just as I am’ just speak to the hearts of people as well as modern and new composed songs for the particular occasion. Baptismal candidates share their experiences or biblical texts and the sermon aims to encourage people to recommit themselves to faithfully follow God’s leading. The actual act of baptism, following the example of Jesus, is the culmination of the service and always brings tears to many eyes. The baptism of 19 January 2002 was no exception. Furthermore, Branislav did something he believed the Holy Spirit prompted him to do.

After baptizing the candidates Branislav stayed in the baptismal pool. He addressed the congregation: “While I am still standing in the baptismal water I want to invite all of you whom the Holy Spirit is moving to make the same step in your life as our newly baptized brothers and sisters. Come around the baptistery and I want to say a special prayer for you.”

That very moment my mother stood up, turned to my father and gently but with utmost determination said: “Franz I’m going and you decide for yourself.” At those words my father turned to me and asked: “What shall I do?” “Dad, if you are ready, stand up and go I’ll come with you.” Dad stood up and we joined mum at the baptistery together with other people moved to make this pivotal step in their lives. Branislav said a prayer and you could feel the presence of God among us.

As soon as we returned to our seats, Miriam and Natasha rushed to us with big smiles and whispered to their grandparents, “We are so proud of you.” They summed up my emotions too. After the service many friends came to my parents to congratulate them and to encourage them.

Excitement of the baptismal service continued at home. Mum and dad called for a family meeting. Dad spoke with so much happiness and resolution: “Our son-in-law you are our pastor now. We made our first step in the service today and we want you to prepare us for baptism. We don’t want to go home without being baptized.” Mum continued: “When I told my sister and brothers that Franz and I were planning to come to Stuttgart this time they were discouraging me. They were saying that I was going to die here, but we came here to find life. Teach us and help us to understand how to follow God as He ordered in His Holy Word.”

28. Sunday breakfast special

The following morning an interesting phone call woke us up. “If the families Mirilov and Klemm have no objections in half an hour we are coming to you for a special breakfast. You set the table and we’ll bring all the food and drinks.” This was the head deacon and his wife the church treasurer.

Mum and dad were awake talking in bed and so gladly received the news. “I think this is in your honour,” I teased them. Miriam and Natasha immediately jumped up from their beds when told about the surprise breakfast. In no time they were ready and rushed to set the table.

We all eagerly waited for the doorbell to ring. The fun started as soon as our friends stepped in. The aroma of the baskets of food they brought filled our home. That was some breakfast indeed fit for the royalty! Delicious German bread, buns and pretzels and appetising spreads, breakfast cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables, desserts, hot and cold drinks. The food definitely made us all very happy and content but there was more to it than to be fed.

That morning after a “yummy breakfast”, as the girls described it, there was so much talk about God’s love. Our friends shared their experiences how God befriended them and how they are on a journey with Him. They talked about life as it is with all its ups and downs, happy moments and blows and what difference it had made to them keeping connected to God. They openly talked about their weaknesses, temptations and struggles but also how they claim God’s mercy and power in their lives.

Mum and dad had so much to share too. They talked about God who had patiently waited for them all these years, how they felt God calling them but them not ready to respond to Him. They talked how busy they were with their everyday lives, trying to make ends meet and how it seemed that commitment to God would be just an additional responsibility. It was only when they let God show His love in different life situations that they realised commitment goes both ways, between God and us. My parents were naming the recent events that had happened in their lives where they could see God showing them His mercy and power.

The girls learned a song that was granny’s favourite “I’m near you even when you don’t see it”. The song talks about hard moments in life when we don’t see God’s presence but God assures us that those are the moments when His hands are there to protect us. She asked them to sing it for us. The song spoke to all of us and it was like a dessert to our spiritual breakfast. What a lovely surprise the whole morning was, we all thoroughly enjoyed it.