During the recent Lent season, Youth for Christ in Croatia set up an interactive prayer path called “The Stations of the Cross” on a hill above a Franciscan monastery.
As many as 240 people of all age groups journeyed through these 15 stations. The event coordinators added more content and a clear Gospel message to the existing stations. Picking up a wooden cross, carrying a nail, tasting bitter herbs, stepping into a dark tomb are just some of the interactive activities that help communicate the message clearly written out at every station.
Once again, staff were overwhelmed by the impact the Gospel message, communicated in this unique way, had on the people who walked the path. There were two grandfathers who were very skeptical about this prayer path, but something happened to them on the way. God touched them, they said. They suddenly weren’t bitter, came down in tears, open in spirit, gentle and vulnerable.
Some returned the next day to walk the path again. A class of 5th graders liked it very much and were eager to participate; others shared their stories and asked for prayer, and the list goes on.
Praise God for meaningful and very personal conversations with people. Because of its artistic value, the Stations are also appealing to people who don’t necessarily consider themselves believers – and here they were presented with a clear story of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are so grateful for this incredible ministry that literally keeps proclaiming the Gospel to this city from the top of the hill.