38. Late fruits

6 April 2002 was the daylong anticipated. There were so many mixed emotions; excitement, nervousness, happiness. Seeing mum and dad getting ready in their best suits I was sure that could be compared to their wedding day. They practiced their short speeches to thank the Lord and the church community. The rest of us got ready too and we were on our way to the all white church.

There were beautiful flower arrangements at the front and roses around the baptismal pool. The music, readings, and speeches reflected solemnity and happiness of the service. Mum and dad got ready for the actual baptism all in white.

It brought tears into my eyes to see Branislav and mum in the pool. “It is my privilege to baptize my mother-in law today. Marija, I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.” After saying these words Branislav fully immersed mum in the water. The old life buried with all its failures, sin and guilt. She sprang up washed and clean into a new epoch of her life. I waited for mum to help her as she came out of the pool.

It was dad’s turn. We stopped to watch. “My father-in-law grew up without a father, today he can claim his Heavenly Father. Franz, I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.” As if these words were not lifted to heaven; for me heaven came down and was among us. I looked at my children, they were crying of joy. Very often when the grandparents asked them if they had any wishes they would answer: “Our wish is that you love God.” Today, their wish came true and they rejoiced.

While mum, dad and Branislav got changed and dry, beautiful hymns were sung of repentance and God’s love. Soon they were ready to rejoin the congregation. Dad read the verses from 1 John 3:1-3.

 “1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”

Mum had her short speech. “To God we are all important and because of that he patiently waits for each one of us. Our daughter Marica responded to God’s call 21 years ago in her early youth. She was like the first fruits we eagerly wait for. Franz and I responded in our mature years. We are like late fruits that have special taste and use. To God be the glory for the sacrifice of His only Son through whom we receive salvation. We also want to thank all of you for your support and brotherly love.”

Mum and dad received so many flowers and presents that day in memory of the occasion. The nicest present for them was to belong to the family of God. Dad was crying as the people addressed him as their brother.

39. Family of god

The following day mum and dad were on their way back home to Croatia. They looked so happy like a newly wed couple. For them that was a new start. Mum and dad had so many adjustments to make in their everyday living. While still in Stuttgart mum was learning how to make her cooking healthier and she introduced some new recipes in their regular diet. They didn’t eat pork any more and they tried to reduce on meat consumption all together. There was no more smoking, coffee, and alcohol. They shared the news about their baptism with mum’s family and friends. The responses were different but mainly positive.

Mum and dad started attending the local church in Slavonski Brod. Each church member and friend coming to the church services had his own story to tell. There were people who lost their jobs to keep the holy Sabbath as God commanded by the fourth commandment. There were people whose family rejected them because of their faith. There were people who fought big fight with their bad habits and addictions and overcame them. One of them was Tadija.

As a teenager Tadija became a drug addict. This caused many problems at school with his attendance and learning and problems with the police. However, in his heart there was a love for God. The pastor would give him clothes for church, but when in need for money for drugs he would sell them. Then for a while he wouldn’t come until the pastor encouraged him again. It went on like this for a while until one evening.

Tadija described how he decided not to use drugs any more. That evening when he was desperate for drugs he knelt down by his bed. He prayed to God not to let him go but to keep him in prayer. He prayed for five minutes and realised he said everything to God he wanted to say. He prayed again and again. When he didn’t know what else to pray to God he begged God to keep him on his knees until the urge goes. That night he fell asleep by his bed on his knees. The next evening the same thing happened, to keep from the temptation he stayed on his knees in prayer. Eventually, Tadija overcame his battle, got baptised and was selling Christian books for living and that way he shared his story with everyone he met.

God lifted up Tadija from his knees to his feet in a special way. Tadija who had suffered as a baby from cerebral palsy and was a drug addict became a super marathon runner. He has run many marathon races and special peace runs during the recent war in Croatia. He became a role model for the drug addicts who wanted to give up their addiction and even lead some of them to God.

Knowing that we are all children of the same Heavenly Father brings us close to one another; so close we call each other brothers and sisters. Mum and dad truly enjoyed the church services and fellowship. They already knew some of the church members so they didn’t feel like strangers there; on the contrary. They started inviting church members home to visit them and join them for nature walks in the nearby vineyards and forest. Mum enjoyed cooking for the guests too. That way they got to know the people closer and felt like part of a family indeed.