Through India’s love of travel and a sense of adventure, she moved to Serbia. Her initial short-term trip lasted four years as she discovered God’s goodness inside a refugee camp and a ministry of love and compassion.
“It doesn’t matter where we are or who we are with; we can always share hope and God’s love with those around us,” says India.
Her heart for people led her to work in a government-run refugee camp at a time when a flood of refugees from the Middle East flowed through Serbia bound for other destinations.
India worked in the OM Serbia hospitality tent, which the local government allowed. The work was simple — serving tea and coffee, washing clothes, playing games and chatting — a place of peace within the camp.
She experienced openness to spiritual conversations from many Islamic refugees, where religion is part of life. Her team spoke about Christ, prayed with them, and offered them Bibles. “I remember one story from the Netherlands. An Afghan guy was asking questions about Jesus. He said he first heard about Jesus in a refugee camp in Serbia,” shares India. “So they often took what we said or did and thought about it once they moved on.”
At times, she was challenged by the physical sufferings, stories, and difficult circumstances of people moving through the camp. “I felt for them. They seemed trapped or in the middle of their journey. From their homeland and culture, which they had to leave but were not yet in their new home.”
India also spent many hours coordinating short-term volunteers to work in the camp. The volunteers were essential in creating vitality and interest among the refugees, who had a constant stream of new people to talk to. “Many refugees felt special that the volunteers were coming from their ‘dream’ destination country just to meet and support them,” shares India. “They would often ask us, ‘Why are you here? Why are you not in your home country?’ It was a big testimony that people didn’t get paid but volunteered their time and money to be with them.”
One winter, the camp had a setback. Heavy snowfalls collapsed the hospitality tent beyond repair. Yet the team fixed their eyes on what was unseen. OM Serbia fundraised globally, buying a new tent and bringing global awareness to the refugee ministry.
Being present in the camp, loving people, and listening to their stories, India has seen God at work, even in her own life. “Through my experience, I realise that God is the same God all over the world, and He can reveal Himself to someone in a comfy Australian church and also a dirty, overcrowded refugee camp in Serbia,” she shares. Encouraging others who feel led into ministry: “The richness of experience, culture and adventure, and sharing the Gospel with people who don’t have much access is so rewarding.”
India has returned to Australia and works remotely in administration for OM Balkans while doing relief teaching. She looks forward to God’s leading, knowing that God may ask her to uproot and make a new home, join a new community, and learn a new language and culture in another unreached part of the world.
