Former refugee finds comfort in the promise of Heaven, an eternal home that he can never lose

Dusan Smudja

Novi Sad Theological Seminary (NSTS), Serbia

Born in Croatia, Dusan Smudja had to leave his home with his family as refugees when he was only nine years old. “War literally turned my life upside down,” he says. “We lost everything we owned, and…my mother, sister and I were confined to a refugee camp for 45 days.” He describes that time as terrifying: Dusan saw and experienced many horrible things, and his father was away, still fighting on the war front.

The United Nations arranged safe passage out of the camp into Serbia, but then his family was in a new country with no money and nowhere to go. The government provided a temporary shelter for them, although the living conditions were “extremely poor,” he says. “[We] quickly lost hope that things would ever be better again.” That is until one day when an American visited the family and talked to them about Jesus. They accepted Him as their personal Savior. “I remember the happy expression on everyone’s faces, radiating faith, hope and love of the Lord as His child. I received a home that I will never lose again, one that is eternal – Heaven!” He also says Jesus has been glorified through the hard times in his life. “If war had never happened, maybe I would have never come to know Him and experience true joy.”

After graduating high school, Dusan enrolled at Novi Sad Theological Seminary (NSTS) in Serbia and is studying there today toward his Bachelor’s degree in Pastoral and Biblical Studies. He is also an assistant to a youth pastor, working with young people to “help them to get safely through this very dangerous part of their lives…[while] focusing on the Lord…God has called me to work with the youth, so they can have Christian examples and role models in their lives.” He is considering the Master’s program after graduation and ultimately wants to serve his local church in youth ministry.

He is grateful for his time studying at NSTS and shares what he is learning with people at his church who do not have the opportunity to study. Having received scholarship help through OC, Dusan says he is very thankful because he and his family cannot afford to pay for this studies on their own. “Without this help, it would be very hard to continue with my studies. I am blessed to know that there are people [who are willing] to invest in me and my future ministry.”