Time of Sowing for Bayash  and Time of Harvest for Arli

Tears came to their eyes as OM EAST's ministry partners, Bob and Nancy Hitching recalled their recent trip to a Bayash village in Croatia. They grieved over the slow-moving process of their ministry and the hardships they face. They asked OM EAST to join them in prayer for more helpers to reach the “least of the least” - even the Roma look down at these people. Perhaps help would come from a totally different source - help from another Roma people group, the Arli…

The Hitchings were instrumental in creating the Bayash language script. Bayash children are thus able to bridge the culture of their host nation through language, and gives dignity to their own culture. The Hitchings also run “UNA club” programmes with Bayash children: They cover the muddy floor with plastic, feed the children probably the only warm and nutritious meal of the month, and then sing songs, tell stories about God, pray and teach the children how to read in their mother tongue.
There is no Bayash church in Croatia, but individual Bayash believers (some of them who are still teenagers) have dreams and visions for their people.

The Arli Connection

Nancy was visiting a conference in Spring 2008, when she bumped into the assistant pastor of the biggest Arli church in Serbia. This pastor was seeking someone who would be able to produce a “red little book” (referring to "My First Bible") in the Arli language. How amazed both of them were that God had brought them together! The Hitchings, who work with the Roma Bible Union, had just received freshly printed Bayash versions of "My First Bible" from OM EAST. Soon the Arli translation began.
Just before Easter 2010, the Hitchings travelled to Serbia with Simon (OM EAST) to deliver 1200 copies of "My First Bible" in Arli to the Arli church. They even started talking about the possibility of Arli full-time workers among the Bayash in Croatia.

OM’s role in the Church is to mobilise people to share the knowledge of Jesus and His love with every generation in every nation. OM pioneers and leads initiatives to redeem lives, rebuild communities and restore hope in over 110 countries.