Carol Crom    

 

Carol Crom

Serving as a field correspondent in Bratislava, Slovakia.

 

My Story:

I was born in Iowa, the youngest of five children. We lived in a small farming town, Onawa, on the Nebraska/Iowa border. I loved to read and dreamed of traveling to faraway places, never imagining how true that dream would someday be. I started a course in computer programming at a small college. After three months of classes a few businessmen came to conduct practice interviews with the students. The surprise came a few weeks later when the insurance company I “practice interviewed” with offered to hire and train me. That began a nine-year career as a computer programmer/technician which eventually led to Orlando, Florida.

 

In 1985, the company I worked for in Orlando bought another, larger company and we were ordered to move north to Michigan, in November. I was used to snow but didn’t want to leave Florida. This seemed like a good time to take 3-6 months and go on a short-term mission project. At my pastor’s advice, I applied to an organization that matches interested people with positions available. Due to my computer experience, 47 organizations were recommended. I eliminated any based in North America or Europe except one group in Holland with which I had already been in contact. Five mission applications were sent out. The first response was to help build a school in the jungle of Venezuela, South America but I really wanted an opportunity to get to know a different culture and decided their one-month program was too short. The next offer was from Holland—to spend three months taking Bibles and books into Eastern Europe. My company agreed to give me time off if I moved to Michigan and worked for them six months—exactly until the day I was accepted to go to Holland. It seemed clear the Lord was in control despite the fact that my flight to Europe was cancelled, three times, due to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster which happened just four days before I left. Central Europe became a region people were seeking to flee, not to visit.

 

My first trip was smuggling books into Czechoslovakia. Little did I (or anyone) dream that in less than three years the Iron Curtain would fall or that one day I’d be living in Bratislava, now the capital of an independent Slovak Republic! Through God’s provision, after the changes instead of bringing books illegally into communist lands we helped to start seven Christian publishing houses all across the region.

 

In September 2005, I joined Entrust (then known as Biblical Education by Extension, or BEE) as part of the Communications Team, sharing stories of where God is working in His world. It has been a wonderful fit.

 

May 1, 2006 was the 20th anniversary of when I came for a three-month ‘mission project’. It hasn’t always been easy. Slovak can be a frustrating language with its many tenses and word endings whose logic still escapes me, even though I am thankful to understand almost everything and communicate (even with butchered grammar) in nearly any situation. I have also learned “missions” is not something you do for a short-term and then you go back to your “real life”. “Missions” is putting your faith in action every day, in whatever job or situation the Lord places you.

 

Between leaving Iowa and moving to Europe, I lived in California, Missouri, Florida and Michigan. In Europe I lived in Holland (3 ½ years), Austria (2 ½ years) and in Slovakia since Feb. 1st, 1993. It is clear to me and those I work with that the Lord has led me here and He will provide what is needed. The local church in Bratislava is able to fulfill the role of spiritual and emotional support, but can’t contribute financially. I am looking for people, called by God, to join my monthly support team. In order to meet my living and travel costs, I need to increase the amount of regular gifts by $500 / month. That is a large amount, but it isn’t impossible for a group of people, working together. It isn’t impossible for God.  

 

To make gift to Carol click here and select "Crom, Carol" under the Missionary pull down. For information on other ways to give click here.

 

 

For more updates and stories click on the links below to view Carol's newsletters.

 

 

Entrust's Work in Slovakia:

The ministry of Entrust (initially known as BEE International - BEEI) in Czechoslovakia started in the mid 1980's through contacts with trusted Protestant leaders and pastors. During this decade attempts were made to reach almost all evangelical denominations. In the region of Slovakia, the first groups were started in Žilina (northeast), Bratislava (southeast), Banska Bystrica (central) and in a few other locations.

 

In the late 80s and early 90s more than 12 Entrust small groups operated around the country in almost all the major cities, primarily among the Brethren and Baptist groups. With the approval and encouragement of the Bishop and leaders of the Slovak Lutheran Church, a three-year training program was established for church workers in Bratislava, Zvolen and the eastern city of Prešov. After Czechoslovakia split in 1993, Entrust was the main source for teachers and materials when the first Slovak Protestant Evangelical Theological School began in Banska Bystrica.

 

In the early 90s, a deep and growing relationship was established between Entrust and the Baptist Union under its president, Tomas Kriška. This has continued to grow so that today, almost all Baptist pastors and interns are part of one of the four Baptist groups scattered across the country.

 

Also in the early 90s a women's group began in Bratislava. Several Entrust staff facilitated the first groups, and Ester Krišková was the main organizer. Two years ago Entrust approached Ester and asked her to be involved a the ground level with a renewed thrust designed to train Slovak women.

 

In the late 2007, the women began studying the course, Walking with Christ. This course was completed in January 2009, and several women are already beginning second-generation groups, while continuing on with Discovery Bible Study in the core group. Included in this core group are a few local missionaries, who will pass the training on in their own context in Slovakia, with a potential for further multiplication.  

 

 

Slovakia:

/files/Images/Ministries/Slovakia/SL-Flag.bmpThe dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro area on 1 January 2009.

 

/files/Images/Ministries/Slovakia/Slovakia.bmpLocation & Geography:

Slovakia is a landlocked country located in the heart of Europe. It is bounded by Hungary to the south, Poland to the north, Austria and the Czech Republic to the west and Ukraine to the east. Slovakia is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains to the north and northeast. In the northern area the High Tatra, which has rocky peaks, snowcaps and traces of ancient glaciation, reaches the country's highest point of Mt. Gerlachovka at 2,655 meters (8,711 feet). To the south the mountains are lower and form the Low Tatra and Slovak Ore Mountains while to the east other ridges are generally heavily forested or wooded. The lowland area in the southwest is part of the Hungarian Plain and the country's principal rivers are the tributaries of the Danube River, such as the Vah, Nitra and Hron.

Capital: Bratislava

Area: 49,014 Sq Km (18,924 Sq Mi)

Population: 5,463,046 (July 2009 est.)

 

To read more stories from Slovakia click here.

 

 

See Carol's newsletters listed below.

 

 

 

NameSizeTypeLast Modified
Crom - 2009 05157.8 KBPDF Document11/20/2009 3:44:10 PM
Crom - 2009 07141.6 KBPDF Document11/20/2009 12:46:18 PM
Crom - 2009 1095.5 KBPDF Document11/20/2009 12:46:19 PM
Crom - 2009 11208.5 KBPDF Document11/20/2009 12:46:20 PM
Crom - 2009 12235.8 KBPDF Document12/28/2009 6:00:21 PM
Crom - 2010 03154.2 KBPDF Document3/16/2010 4:24:32 PM
Crom - 2010 08113.7 KBPDF Document8/26/2010 4:31:06 PM