Coffee in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is not just a pick-me-up drink that you pour yourself to start your day. No, kafa in BiH is an event, not a casual whim.

Day or night, streets in BiH are lined with cafes, full of people talking quietly over tiny cups of traditional Bosnian coffee, which is thick and strong. Nothing much happens in BiH without coffee. Whether it is a business meeting, a hike up one of the Olympic mountains, moving day, a rafting trip, a birthday celebration or simply a summer afternoon with friends and neighbors…coffee unites people in this divided land.

A devastating civil war in the 1990’s served to segregate the three main people groups in Bosnia – Bosniaks (mostly Muslim), Croats (mostly Catholics), and Serbs (mostly Eastern Orthodox Christians). This segregation has awakened deeply rooted nationalism and made it increasingly difficult for Bosniaks to clearly hear and respond to the Gospel. However, there are a few who have begun to follow Jesus and these believers are beginning to disciple others. In cafes and in homes, over coffee, Bosniaks are reading the Bible and discovering the hope and freedom offered through Jesus!