Besieged

Description

Bosnia. November 1992. Six months in to the longest siege in the history of modern warfare.

Back in early spring Sarajevo seemed like an exciting place for three young backpackers exploring the Balkans. It proved to be a case of wrong place, wrong time when, within days, Bosnian Serbs surrounded the city.

Along with a number of civilians, Doug, Jim and Scott are protected by Croat soldiers in a makeshift compound. They are, however, kept separate from the others. Lack of food has sparked anger with Western nations for their lack of intervention. The three Brits are easy targets.

Faced with this hostility, plus the growing threat of starving to death, the three friends decide that facing the risk of being shot by the Serbs is preferable and leave the compound.

To their amazement the Serbs have abandoned their positions, leaving food, water, guns and ammunition in abundance. The boys are ecstatic. They now have more than enough to get out of the country.

But wait ... what about those left in the compound who believe the siege continues?

Shouldn't they be told?

After all, this is a day of good news ...

Biblical Connection

Besieged is a modern re-telling of the story told in 2 Kings 7. In that story four lepers are in Jerusalem, by the city gate. They are ostracised by their countrymen but sharing in their suffering as they starve in the siege inflicted by the Aramean army. The four men decide that they can stay where they are and starve to death or surrender to the Arameans ... and be killed. Either way they figure they will die but with the Arameans there is always the slim chance that they will be allowed to live, and be given food. They head out of the city and find the Aramean camp deserted. Food and drink is in abundance. After a few hours of gorging themselves they realise that what they are doing is not right, they have to tell those back in Jerusalem. The story has a particular resonance for Christians. Jesus defeated Satan, sin and death outside the camp on Calvary. Nobody need live in fear, anxiety and shame any longer. The church has found life in all its abundance in the kingdom of this saviour. It's a day of good news. We need to go back and tell everyone.