Independence is near. Pray for Kosova.

Pray for Kosovo. Pray for peace. Pray for wisdom.

Everyone in Kosova has been holding their breath since Kai Eide recommended in the summer of 2005 that the UN Security Council start talks between Prishtina and Belgrade on the issue of Kosova’s final status. The issue is: Should the region be returned to Serbia, or become an independent country? Talks began in late 2005 and continued through February 2007. Martti Ahtisaari, the UN’s head negotiator, recommended independence for Kosova to the Security Council in early spring 2007. But Russia blocked all attempts to approve of the independence plan, and forced another 120 days of talks between the two sides under the asinine pretext that compromise was possible and that a solution could be found which would please both sides. But no one really believes that a middle ground exists between independence and non-independence. Serbs said that they would compromise with the Kosovars just as soon as they accepted being a part of Serbia, and the Kosovars said they would compromise with Serbia just as soon as Serbia recognized Kosova’s independence. And in the midst of all of this word-bantering stood the United States, and to a lesser extent the European Union, who were openly supporting Kosova’s drive for independence.

The end, it seems, has come. Kosovar leaders in all likelihood will declare Kosova’s independence on Sunday, February 17. Even major Western (and Russian) media outlets concede that the declaration of independence is imminent. Foreign journalists have begun to descend on Prishtina, and Kosovars living abroad are coming home to be present for the new country’s birth. Everyone is still holding their breath waiting for the joy – and the release – of knowing that they are independent. Yes, release. Martti Ahtissari has called the status process agony, and it indeed has been agony – the first and last thing mentioned on the evening news for over two years. It has been agony for the Kosovars, not knowing what country they belong to, being citizens of nowhere. Imagine living on the boarder with Canada, and for ten years the USA and Canada argue over which country your town belongs to. And while they are doing that, you can’t leave the town. That has been Kosova since 1999.

The agony is almost over. Please pray that Kosova lands softly. There are still Serbs living in the country. They could cause problems. Some elements of Serbia’s government may even be toying with the idea of invading Kosova.

Kosova’s status has blinded many Kosovars eyes to almost everything else. Pray that more opportunities for the gospel open up in the coming months as people begin to understand see that there is more to life than the issue of Kosova’s political status.