History of Work in Yugoslavia (1920's Report)

THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

HISTORY OF WORK IN YUGOSLAVIA

      I)          YMCA  WORK IN GENERAL

    II)          YMCA WORK AMONG BOYS

Y.M.C.A.  WORK IN GENERAL

The foundation of the Christian activities among the laymen in our country was laid down by Dr. John R. Mott in April 1911. Dr. Mott has visited the University in Belgrade at that time , and a direct consequence of his conferences the Student Christian Movement begun. And and has continued its active work under splendid leadership of Dr. Marco Lecco, former Rector of the University. These activities has been purely spiritual  and limited only to the students and  professors of the University. At that time we had no other Christian laymen’s movement. The name of the Young Men’s Christian Association was known only in a limited circle.

The wars in 1912 and 1913, when Serbia had to fight for her freedom, together with the great European war, interrupted the steady development of the nation, but in spite of all these obstacles the S.  C  M.  did not discontinue its activities.  The groups of the students met regularly  for prayer and the Bible-studies. – The European war was for Serbia more cruel than for any other country  in the world. After our many battles and the diseases during and following our wars and exile, our population was reduced by one third. Very many families were deprived of their breadwinners, because so many men lost their lives in battle. The health and wealth  of our people were destroyed.  Economically we were ruined and were confronted with a great crisis and object poverty. Consequently, after the war the  fundamental problem was the entire reconstruction of our social and private life. We felt the greatest need at the time for leaders. This was the case with our Student Movement also. A great  many of our active student workers have been killed in the war, so that even at the present time our Student Christian Movement cannot develop its activities with the same power as before the war.

In 1918, however, after the war, the Young Men’s Christian Association initiated in the British and Serbian Armies on the Salonika front came to our country and organized its work in Skopje and Belgrade. The first initiators of the Y.M.C.A. work in our country were the British secretaries , who only remained here for two years, after which time the work was left to the direction of the national workers. Since that time the work has continued to develop and expand, until at the present time. Through the efforts of our workers and Board of Directors, we have established seven centres with a membership of more than 1,000, plus more than 300 boys. – At the present time the Y.M.C.A.  in the Kingdom of Serbs , Croats and Slovenes has overcome all obstacles  and difficulties, and now our national organization  has every prospect of a glorious future of service . Upon our fundamental basis, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and our fourfold  programme, our leaders look forward to the time in a not far distant future when the Y.M.C.A. will become the strongest unifying and vivifying power in the country.

The two Christian movements, S.C.M. and Y.M.C.A., are administered separate, but both of them profit though the great advantages of cooperative work. Nearly all the members of the S.C.M. are also members  of the Y.M.C.A.

The help and service which the Y.M.C.A. is rendering to the country consist in general in the following: In all places the Y.M.C.A. locals are attractive, useful and real community homes. The whole Y. M. C. A. atmosphere, and especially our spiritual lectures and the Bible-studies contribute to the spiritual and moral reconstruction of the country. One hostel for the students in Skopje, plus our restaurant in Belgrade, and our special activities in all our centres consisting of :social evenings, concerts, debating clubs, reading rooms, libraries, special classes for studies, different physical activities and the work among boys, make our movement of a real value and are reasons why the Y.M.C.A.  is constantly growing, respected and eagerly desired by many in the country.

The Y.M.C.A.  work in our country is strictly interdenominational, and the movement is lead by layman, especially and largely helped by the Serbian Orthodox Church.  At present, the Y.M.C.A. work is carried on only  in the Eastern part of the country where the majority of the population are of the Serbian Orthodox faith.  However, the Y.M.C.A. is also desired in the Western  part, where are the Roman-Catholics. The lack of workers and financial means limits our rapid development. We look forward to that moment when our movement will be spread all over the country and will exercise its full benefit towards all our fellow-citizens. All over the country in the cities as well as in the village, we find many men who were formerly helped by the Y.M.C.A. while in different countries as prisoners, in Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria or in Russia and Siberia. In return for such assistance from their unknown Y.M.C.A. friends in the past, they are now showing their appreciation by helping the Y.M.C.A. movement in the country.

The existence and steady, sure, growth of our movement are due to the generous help we are receiving  from the British National Council. This help is considerable both morally and materially. We are especially indebted  to the hon. Montagu Waldergrave and  to Mr. Oliver H. McCowen. Whose names are now on a par with the founders of the Association. We are very grateful also to very many excellent workers of the Y.M.C.A. from different countries in the world,  who have on their journeys through our country visited our work, lectured for us and helped us also by their experience and prayers.

In spite of this very inspiring growth of our organization, our work  is not yet self-supporting and independent. Our country is not yet materially recovered. Not yet our people are accustomed to render the necessary material support. The Y.M.C.A.  in our country has not yet even the most modest building of its own. But, first of all, we lack specially trained national secretaries. When all  this is accomplished, the Y.M.C.A. in our country will be strong enough to develop its own independent work and become an active member of the World's Alliance.

Y. M. C. A.  WORK AMONG BOYS

     

Immediately  the Y. M. C. A.  assured its ground in our country  and prepared the first material basis for its work, our eyes and hearts were turned towards our boys, who have been left to fight alone. In the general struggle for reconstruction after the war, those who have been greatly forgotten, who have in the same time disposed by least experience, and let to themselves, have been indeed our boys. The only care they had to expect was their parents’ love. But few of them could enjoy this privilege.

Realizing the great importance of the work among boys, our III national conference held in summer 1922, brought an article in the  Constitution that “a special attention should be paid to the work among boys”.

The work among boys was carried on in our three centres: Belgrade, Skopje and Kragujevatz.  The first work among boys was done among the boys in Skopje where the first Y. M. C. A.  centre was opened. As the activities with the boys were together suspended during the war, so the work which was started immediately after the war by the Y. M. C. A., was heartily received on all hands by the population of Skopje. Beside the work done by the Y. M. C. A., a great portion of the relief work was extended in the same area by the Y. M. C. A. people, as for instance: helping in feeding, clothing, lodging, etc. Religious work was main task among the boys, by having Bible-studies and delivering different spiritual lectures. The physical activities were greatly developed as: athletics, football, swimming and other national games.

Second centre where the work among boys was started was Belgrade. Here in this place before starting the work with boys many things had to be performed before hand. First of all, Belgrade as a capital of our country was all in ruin, and one of the first duties that Y. M. C. A. A people wished to do was to find suitable local for the organization of the work. On the second hand great difficulty was felt at once for a well trained person  who was to lead the movement. When the first two points were accomplished, work among the boys was started. Among the first activities done by the Y.M.C.A. people for the boys were: religious work, as Bible circles, held regularly twice per week, with interpretation of the read portions from the Gospel. There was given many O. T. (old testament) stories  and their fulfillment in the N. T. (new testament)  There was also some lantern lectures to illustrate to the minds of the boys all what they have been taught and prepared in their Bible-reading. Secondly, physical work was done too.  Special attention has been to the gymnastics held in the Y.M.C.A. local and also outdoor games were executed. Programme shown above was great-sympathy for it. In out third centre , Karagujevatz the work with the boys was carried on only during the summer-time, as we had no especially  trained  man for this work, and also the centre itself being not yet fully developed. The boys of Kragujvatz in the camps had to join their fellows, from the other centres. It is hoped  that this year they will have a camp of their  own as they had last year. During  this period  of preparation in the country  some changes took place in Skopje. The new Y.M.C.A. secretary has shown especial interest in the social and physical work with the boys of this centre. He was shown such an ability in leading the boys in those two directions that they feel at home  being young members of the Y.M.C.A.  Executive Committee of the Y.M.C.A. in our country had given permission and help for few camps held in a various places for the Y.M.C.A. boys. One of the best was held in neighborhood of Tristenik, nicely situated region near the rivers – Western Morava, where the boys could baid, race, jump, swim and enjoy beautiful sunshine. Lectures were given in various ways with rich illustrations of the life of peasants, fields and beautiful scenery. – the boys lived under tents and had regular duties as one of the well organized boys-scout camps in England.

  

Scout sections were organised  in two centres – Belgrade and Skopje. This work was found to be very useful and healthy for the boys, who have special interest in the branch  of our work.

The future  work of the Y.M.C.A. in our country will mostly depend upon the international understanding of the various countries in the world, that we should all,= by the help of God and His divine love for us all as His children,- realize one and the highest Christian ideal, that is to say __ 

"CHRIST THE HEAVENLY LEADER OF US ALL"

*This article can be found in the World Alliance Achieves in Geneva in its original form. The Kosovo movement take no credit or responsibility of its content and only wish to showcase the historical work of the YMCA within the Balkan region.  

Original Document can be found in Geneva