V tábore sme sa starali o deti každý deň. Program zahŕňal Bingo, Talent Show, maľovanie na tvár, kreatívne aktivity a veľa osobného kontaktu. Mladí boli zodpovední, prítomní a dali do toho srdce – a Boh sa ich cez deti a službu dotýkal.

Každé ráno sa vedúci a dobrovoľníci stretávali na modlitbách a slovách povzbudenia. Naučili sme sa aj zopár srbských detských pesničiek – Ko stvori blistajuće zvezde a Ja ima telefon budú v hlavách ešte dlho.

Čo nás Boh naučil? Že ho chváliť a slúžiť mu môžeme kedykoľvek a kdekoľvek. Nepotrebujeme byť pripravení na 100 percent. A že veľakrát žijeme svoje životy zbytočne sebacentricky a izolovaní – deti nám nastavili zrkadlo, ktoré sme potrebovali vidieť.

Boli sme aj účastníkmi slávnostného otvorenia centra pomenovaného po Joni Ericksson, prvého Joni centra v Európe, kde sa budú môcť odborníci a dobrovoľníci viac venovať deťom s postihnutím.

V nedeľu sme navštívili cirkev v Belehrade – bohoslužba v srbčine, chvály, spoločenstvo v jednom Duchu naprieč jazykmi. Pozreli sme si aj pamiatky, videli sme sútok Sávy a Dunaja a ochutnali sme miestne špeciality – pljeskavicu a čevapi a samozrejme najsladšie červené dyne na svete.

Na ceste domov sme stratili jeden občiansky preukaz. Našiel sa neskôr – zapadnutý medzi sedadlami v aute. Emigrácia do Srbska teda nebola nutná. 😄

Ako aj minulý rok, na hraniciach sme si počkali cca tri hodiny v pomaly sa posúvajúcej rade áut, no dobrú náladu nám to nezobralo.

Ďakujeme všetkým, ktorí išli, modlili sa a podporili túto cestu.

Prečítajte si aj článok o misijnej ceste do Srbska z roku 2025

Kamp Nade na Facebooku – https://www.facebook.com/kampnade

Dobro došli – misia do Srbska 2026

Mission Trip to Serbia – Serving in Kamp Nade Kamp Nade (Camp of Hope)

Our mission trip this year took us to Serbia, where we joined the ministry at Kamp Nade – a camp open to parents and their children with disabilities. For years, this camp has been a tremendous blessing to families who face many challenges in their daily lives, so it’s no surprise that it is in high demand among parents.

Can young people of this age experience blessings from giving?

Today, a young person can choose from many activities and, if they want, they can easily fill their whole summer with them. There are plenty of camps on the market offering sports, cultural, and spiritual programs. Many of these activities help build connections among young people, where everyone looks for a friend they can relate to. But what about giving? I feel that we have taught young people spiritual consumerism, while showing them too little of the example of service and the opportunity to personally experience the blessing that comes from giving. And it doesn’t have to be only about money. It is enough when they give their time to others – to those who are in greater need than they are. To those we usually don’t pay attention to, simply because they are not part of our circle.

Prayers and seeking

We prayed and looked for a way to involve the youth during the summer in a kind of ministry that would turn the roles around. In these new roles, they would be the ones giving and seeking ways to reach out to others—especially to those whom society pushes to the margins. Through a family connection of Pastor Andrej Kraljik, who is originally from Serbia, we were able to connect with his aunt Elenka, who introduced us to camps for children with mental and physical disabilities. She was excited about our plan and encouraged us not to be afraid, assuring us that such camps change people’s lives. One thing led to another, and in faith we started forming a team. We presented the idea at a youth meeting and were greatly encouraged by the genuine interest we received.

Preparation for a trip to Serbia

After some time, a sixteen-member international team was formed, including, besides Slovaks, one Indian, one Ukrainian, and a girl from Ghana. Hooray! Even Naty, who had been so eager to go, eventually canceled her vacation and joined us. English became our common language, and the Lord took care of all the details of the trip – the invitation letter, residence permit, financial support, insurance, and travel expenses.

Service in love

Finally, we arrived at the camp. On Sunday, we visited a Baptist church in Belgrade, and in the afternoon, we began preparations for the camp. Our mission was to care for the children—whether through games, conversations, or practical help. Every day we had the opportunity to learn what it truly means to be a servant. The young people who participated in the trip genuinely surprised me—they carried out their tasks with joy, selflessness, and open hearts. They showed that service is not about us, but about the fact that giving is more rewarding than receiving.

God's touch

Alongside serving the children and their parents, new friendships also formed between us and the people we met in Serbia. It was wonderful to see how God connects the hearts of people from different countries and backgrounds. Every evening, we were able to share our experiences and encourage one another in working with the children. Most importantly, we could sense God’s touch and blessing, which multiplied among the children with disabilities and also touched their parents. One couple, for example, was finally able to have some time for themselves and enjoy a coffee without their children—for the first time in 15 years.

What young people say about trip to Serbia?

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At the beginning, I was afraid—wondering if I could handle it, if I would be patient enough, and if I could manage a child who is nonverbal. But the Lord gave me the strength and a way to connect with the children and communicate with them - Sofi Sofia

t was heartwarming to see how, even through us, God brought them joy, and that we could help not only the children but also their parents. What delighted me the most was when a little girl at the camp told me that she liked me - Akari Akari

It was truly enriching.
When a person gives, they also receive in return - Viola Viola

I came to understand that God wonderfully created even children with disabilities and that, just like us, they long to experience joy and acceptance. I am grateful to God for the opportunity to serve them – Peťo

The children were happy to be accepted and to spend time with someone other than their own family – Debora

We want to come next year again

The mission trip to Serbia was a powerful experience for all of us. We learned more about what it means to live a life of service, opened ourselves to new relationships, and left a piece of God’s love where it was most needed. We believe that in the future we will have the opportunity to continue serving these families and bringing hope where it is lacking. Many of us have already decided to return to the camp next year. Thanks be to God for this experience and to the Košice Baptist Church for their prayer and financial support.

misijná cesta do Srbska – tím zo Slovenska