My name is Ilija Mutic, I was born on 2.08. 1996, in Pirot. My friends call me Niki. I am student of 4th grade of Secondary Technical school – technician for computer construction. I grew up in very good surrounding, good family, without troubles and fighting. I am the oldest child from three children. Growing in that kind of family influenced on my personality and my character, so I see everything positive and enthusiastic.
My family, as a lot of Roma people in our city are not religiously defined. All what they know about God are tradition and customs. Because of that, my knowledge about God and spiritual life was wrong, almost I had no knowledge.
My first contact with church happened 8 April 2012. But why 8 April? Because on that day, all Roma people around the world are celebrating world Roma day in different ways. Then I heard there will be a performance in hall in Prokuplje, so after school I went to see what it is about. There I saw group of people which took my attention. Their appearance told me that they are different then all other people in hall. When they started to sing, their songs were telling about God, words that they sang found place to my heart, and that moment I felt something what I never felt before.
After that I met Pastor Marijan and choir of Evangelical church, I spoke to them and I was interested to visit church where they are, and they called me to come on Sunday service in their church. I expected to see church with icons, crosses, people in cassocks, but I found completely different picture.
In church all of them accepted me well. I felt warm welcome, especially I was positively surprised because there I saw couple of young persons.
During the service, sermon was “Give your heart to Lord” and then I understood that my place is in that church, because then I got happiness and peace in my heart which I never had felt.
After the service, youth from church spent time with me, called me on prayer meetings and fellowship so I started to realize more about God and church. By reading and studying books, through prayers and service I learned a lot
Few months later, God, through pastor Marijan showed me talent, which I didn’t know I have, so I started to play guitar. Now, God uses me to be leader of the team for praising Lord in church.
I am also in project “disciples who make disciples”and planting new house groups. I am very happy and glad that God uses me so young in bringing Good news to lost people. And my prayer is to bring a lot of hearts to the Lord.
My life has now purpose and hope, and that hope I want to show to my family and show them that there is way of Salvation through Jesus Christ.
