“Can you explain what’s happening?” Lydia said. “I am trying to follow the news since this morning. Is it possible that...?” These are the words with which my wife greeted me as I entered our home in Burnsville, Minnesota. It was 2 p.m. Tuesday, September 11, and I had just returned from my classes at Bethel Seminary St. Paul. “You got it right,” I said. “America is under terrorist attack…” As we shared our initial thoughts and feelings about this horrifying event, three of our children came running home from school. They crowded through the doorway and as in one voice asked, “Do you know what happened today?”

Moments later we all found ourselves sitting speechlessly before the television, staring at unbelievable scenes while reminding ourselves that this was not a movie, but reality. After praying with my family right there in front of the TV, I thought, This feels somehow familiar.

Conflict in Croatia

In 1991 our home country was brutally attacked, too—by Serbian nationalists and terrorists. We spent day after day in front of the television, just as many in the United States have done, watching horrific scenes of buildings falling, bridges exploding, houses burning, and thousands of people fleeing for their lives. I began to connect the events, feelings, and issues we went through as a family and a nation during wartime in Croatia (1991-1996) with what my American friends, and the United States as a whole, have experienced since September 11.

The comparison became even more vivid to me when I received a phone call from Seattle later that week. Friends of ours, a Bosnian family with two daughters, had immigrated to the U.S. to seek a more secure home. The father described to me the effect the terrorist attacks had on his wife. Terrifying scenes from New York and the Pentagon brought back to her such intensely painful memories of the war in Bosnia that she collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Our conversation brought to mind some of the thoughts and questions that plagued us during Croatia’s wartime days. Will others outside of our country understand and care about us as this tragedy unfolds? Many Croatians felt frustration, fear, and even anger because of the international community’s apathy toward what was happening to us. How, after seeing in pictures and on video the utter destruction of cities like Vukovar and the deportation of thousands of women, children, and the elderly, could anyone remain so indecisive and hesitant about getting involved?

Buoyed by the body

On the positive side, I recalled how some basic biblical truths we previously had taken for granted became very precious to us. What a great consolation it was to know that we are children of God—to be certain that the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the universe, is our personal Lord and Savior. Belonging to the Body of Christ also was a source of hope. The encouragement and help we received from Christians around the globe meant so much to us during those times. Letters, emails, visits, food, clothing, and other supplies spoke to us in powerful ways about the wonder and the majesty of Christ’s body worldwide.

Especially moving was the decision of our American friend and missionary Mark Vanderwerf to stay with us through those difficult days. His wife had died suddenly in early 1990, leaving him alone to care for his three young children. Even so, Mark decided to live in Croatia and minister with us. That left us breathless.

Wisdom from the Word

I also remember God’s call to us to plant a new church in western Zagreb. But as the war in Croatia gained momentum, we saw all our plans for the church evaporate. Overnight our country’s borders had changed, bringing thousands of refugees to our front door. A verse from Acts opened my understanding of God’s purposes for such things: “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God…” (Acts 17:26-27, NASB).

The first part of the verse showed me where to turn for answers to ethnic tension and strife: the biblical truth about creation. God is creator of all nations; such knowledge must shape my attitude toward every ethnic group in the world, including those who were attacking my country.

The second part of the verse helped me understand missiological purposes for our predicament. God appoints times in history, and He determines the geographical borders of countries and nations so that they may seek and find Him.

A particular challenge during those times was to help people, both Christians and non-Christians, cope with emotions and attitudes of confusion, anger, hatred, fear, and panic. And as Christians we had to wrestle with issues like:

• What is the truth about our country; is our cause just; is it worth dying for?
  
  
• What about going to war and killing; supporting the government versus resisting; patriotism versus nationalism?
  
  
• Will the values we hold and the decisions we make in these critical moments stand the test of time?

How glad I was to discover The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses by C. S. Lewis, and find in it two essays that were of enormous help to me. I uncovered many satisfying answers, both to my head and heart, and with confidence shared them with others. The first essay, “Why I Am Not a Pacifist,” helped me think soberly and biblically, and to speak up clearly, about the Christian view of war and what the believer’s role in war should be. The second essay was “Learning in War-Time” which we adapted, published, and distributed to college and university students, encouraging them to continue living, working, studying, and researching even while their lives were in constant danger.

Appropriate patriotism

I especially praise the Lord that in those difficult times He gave us courage to identify and stand with those ethnic groups who were considered enemies of our country. In uncontrolled “patriotism” our new government and nation acted like, as someone put it, “a jealous goddess.” One could prove to her his love only by hating those she considered her enemies. We as Christians could not love our country that way. Christ commands us to love even our enemies; we are not free to do otherwise.

But there is a place for patriotism. I remember saying to many Croats: “We as Christians can die for the cause of our country, but we must not live for it. Rather, we must live for Christ and His cause, which is the kingdom of God, and which extends far beyond our national borders.”

With that attitude, we distributed food and clothing to Serbs, Muslims, and Croats alike. When people began losing their jobs because of their ethnicity, we stood with them. We tried to help meet their needs and find new jobs. It was very uneasy and even dangerous, but in this way Christ was glorified, and we greatly rejoiced in seeing God’s love manifested, shining in the darkness and bringing light to many.

Affirming America

On my way back to classes at Bethel the Friday after the attacks, I heard on the radio an appeal from a Canadian reporter saying, “Now is the time to speak up for America.” The temptation to remain silent in the face of another’s trouble is just as strong when the victim is as great and mighty as the United States as it is when the victim is considered small and insignificant. Knowing what it meant for us as Croatians to have someone speak for our case, I began to think about how I can speak up for America in these hard times: I can start with my little circle of influence.

That evening I sat down and began writing to my church in Croatia, to American missionaries there, to the churches in the U.S. with which I have contact, and to a number of individuals I know personally here in the U.S. My letter began: “Dear friends. This week your homeland has been brutally dishonored. I feel with you. I understand…”

I am glad that in a unique moment like this, by the grace of God, I refused to remain silent.

Mihal Kreko is on sabbatical from his pastorship in Croatia as he pursues his Master of Arts in Theological Studies at Bethel Seminary St. Paul. He and his wife Lydia and their five children (l to r: Miriam, Deborah, Tabita, Daniel, and Emma) live in Burnsville, Minnesota.