1 Kings 17:16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the
jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by
Elijah.
At EDI (Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum) rain poured
out in Fuzine, Croatia. It poured out
on the participants and the team of EDI 2015. This was not a literal rain but a spiritual rain that God
gave to all of us who attended these 11 days together this July in Fuzine,
Croatia.
The current reality of our countries cannot be glossed
over; all are experiencing some types of crisis. For the majority of participants and team coming from
Southeast Europe a recession with no end in sight has gripped their
countries. The happiest thoughts
of the young people are to flee to a Western country (this were the actual
desires of several participants when they first arrived at EDI). Although this is not necessarily bad
for them, what about the countries they would leave behind? Will they continue to be dried up,
sun-scorched lands? Even prosperous
Western countries like the US and Norway, two other countries represented this
year at EDI, have their own cultural, financial and spiritual crises. At EDI we did not gloss over these
realities but neither did we let them determine our present and our future.
God impressed us during the days of EDI 2015 that we will
be those who hold the rains of blessing, the joy, the flour and oil that will
not run dry no matter what happens to the surrounding around us. We are the “7000 that will not bow our
knees” (1. Kings 19:18) to circumstances and the winds and ways of the world,
but are emboldened by Jesus and his principles to make a difference
together. To bless our nations
financially, culturally, and spiritually acting out the principles of Jesus
together, determined to speak, walk, act, and love differently.
At EDI we were encouraged and taught by well selected professionals in business, economics and politics. Robert Maricak, former CEO of General Grafik in Croatia, encouraged us to avoid corruption, to pay our taxes, be people of integrity, to be entrepreneurs and take risks. Eimert van Middlecoop, former minister of defense in the Netherlands, taught us about the values and traditions of Jesus that can be brought into politics. Samuilo Petrovski, National Director at IFES for Serbia and Montenegro, spoke on leadership and diplomacy. Gerti Bogdani, an Albanian politician, reiterated that we can have the miracles of peace in the midst of storms, with God fighting on our behalf. Others that filled our jars were Jack Fallow, former CEO of UK Gasforce, who spoke about maintaining the flow in our work life and through literature from authors such as Plato and Tolstoy taught us what it means to be people of integrity.
Experts discussed relevant issues facing our
countries. Mihaela Kovacs, Director
of Fundatia Baraca Sighisoara in Romania, Margareta Mihalic, project manager at Autonomous Centre (ACT) in Croatia, and Andrey Ivanov, Head of sector, Roma and Migrants integration
at European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, taught us about the Roma situation in Europe using
practical examples of reconciliation and love. We also addressed the discrimination and empowerment of
women, and the current waves of media manipulation. The later was addressed by
Tihomir Kukolja, BBC trained radio broadcaster. Through it all we were given
hope.
Thanks goes to Drazen Glavas, Head of ET!K, a Croatian company committed to Education, Training and
Kommunication (communication),
and Camelia Popa, artist who also runs an art school in Romania. They helped us explore our gifts and
talents and we learned to write out and live our life goals as well as express
who we are in art. And through the
second annual EDI creative competition, participants presented visions of
change for their countries and committed to practical solutions for bringing
hope to our nations. For the team,
who were previously EDI participants, EDI held its first series of advanced EDI
courses where they could continue to grow through private mentoring designed
especially for them.
In small groups, recreational trips to the Adriatic coast
and conversations during breaks, participants and team members dialogued about
our lives and cared for each other with sincerity and depth. People were open about their
difficulties as well as their joys, dreams and visions for their own lives,
their communities, their countries and the world. It was a time of refreshing and inspiration for all of
us.
By the end of this forum I felt that I had been amongst amazing men and women that will be God-made miracles in their sun-scorched lands, bringing rain where there is none.
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