TWI for the Children 

 Camps to Kids

IN BOSNIA

JULY - AUGUST 1998 

  The purpose of this page is to provide a day-by-day description of the Camp to Kids activity in Bosnia and Herzegovina  during the summer of 1998.  Single-day camps were held in Sarajevo, Zenica, Potoci, and Mostar. Cultural experiences in Bosnia and in Croatia are also described.

  28 July 1998 (Tuesday):

  Arrival in Sarajevo.  

  We arrived in Sarajevo and were met by  our driver Vahid Memic, and Vjeko and Azra Saje. The airport needed to be repaired, but so much progress had been made since the summer of 1997.  We moved our 12 bags of camp equipment through customs and few questions were asked when I told them the equipment was for orphanages.   It was extremely hot, above 100 F, and we were sweating before we left the airport. 

 The van was an old Ford Econoline and I had doubts if it would make it for the next three weeks.  We immediately drove to Vjeko’s home for some cool drinks and put our equipment in the apartment.  We then went with Vjeko and Azra to the Mercy Corps offices.   When we left Mercy Corps, we  visited with Borka and family.  

They immediately made plans for the entire team to have a BBQ at the home on Saturday night.   Returning to our apartment, we rested and later, we had a wonderful Bosnian feast with Azra and Vjeko.  There was everything from snetzel, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach and stuffed peppers – all very delicious.  We ate on their balcony and finally turned-in about midnight.  The day was not over however as the girls still had to sort-out the equipment which we had to take to Gradacac the next morning. It rained and there was a minor earthquake during the night, but I did not feel or hear any of it – sleeping the sleep of the jet-lagged.

29 July 1998 (Wednesday):   

  Trip to Gradacac  

Bobby was up at 0800 for her  meeting at Mercy Corps,  the rest of us slept in until 1100.  At 1130, we took all of the bags for the Wednesday Camp down to the street and when Vahid came with the van we loaded and were on our way about noon.  We arrived in Tuzla in the early afternoon resting for a while at the overlook  in the mountains just south of Tuzla.  

Had lamb roasted on the spit and some of the delicious leftovers from our feast the night before.  The day was warm, and beautiful. Visited briefly at the Mercy Corps headquarters in Tuzla and then visited the "Dom Za Nezbrinotu Djecu" (Children without Anyone) Children’s Home in Tuzla to talk briefly about the Trauma Team assessment program.    Left Tuzla late, arriving in Gradacac at 6:30 PM. Went directly to the school and visited with the director and his staff.  Talked with the teachers about their  successful music program and computer needs as well as to preview the next days program.  We then went to the hotel and met up with the St. Marks team who were searching for the hotel. The Saint Marks team had just arrived in Gradacac from Slav. Brod  after a super time in Croatia and the Life Center.  All went to a local restaurant for dinner.  The table was set and ready for us when we arrived.  Wonderful meal from soup to nuts with guests and interpreters, we had 25 people.  After the meal, we returned to the hotel and prepared for the next day while the St. Marks crew practiced their dances outside – competing with the disco across the street to see who would do the best.  (I think the St Mark’s group won.)  Finally quieted down about 0200.  Nobody sleeps during the summer I think.  The dogs and people walking around all night are a fact of life in Bosnia. 

Up at 0600 and was the first at breakfast in the main room.  Bread, cocoa, coffee, meats, eggs and various homemade jams.  We were all ready to go at 0830. Children’s Workshop at the Gradacac School began at 0900 and was scheduled to finish at 1600.  The set up went well and although the turnout was not as heavy as in 1997, we had about 100 children.  Registration was done by our two interpreters.  I let the children in two by two and the children went to the registration desk to get their baseball cap and name-tag colored fish. The children then signed the banner announcing our trip and proceeded to the gymnasium to play some games until all of the children were registered.  

At 1000, all of the children come together in the Gym and we  taught them the English words for “stand-up and “sit-down”. Bobby told them the story of the beautiful selfish fish using our name tags to demonstrate how the fish found happiness by sharing her gifts with others.  Jason then told the story of the rainbow and how everyone and everything is part of the beauty of the earth. It is a great participation story and the children were really into it.  Following the story, we split into our color groups (each child was assigned to a color coded group when they received their colored fish name-tag and we had assigned group or circle leaders to handle each color group) and worked on completing the Indian necklace craft.  This craft was proceeded by a brief story to explain the necklace and what it meant to the Indians in America.    The children were really into this activity and soon everyone was wearing their necklace and ready for game-time.  We split the groups into dance and game groups and played baseball and danced new dances until lunch.  After a delicious lunch of Burach (a local pastry with meat and cheese) we again gathered to work on the “wide-mouth frog” craft.  Bobby, Mary, Nicole and Jason then acted out the story of the wide-mouth frog and the children participated using their new puppets.  We then split into our groups to play games and dance.  We ended by participating in our circle games and at 1500 we assembled for our camp closing to exchange gifts and sign our names on the caps of the children.  Mary Anderson closed the activities by telling the story of the clown without a mouth and distributed clown dolls to all of the children and the staff.  This was a real highlight of the school as all loved their clowns.  Probably, many homes in Gradacac have clowns on display.  All had fun and it was a good tune-up for our combined group.  Our preparation for the camps had really paid off as everyone was able to participate and be part of having fun with the children.  We departed the school at 1600 hours for Sarajevo going by the Arizona Market to see how free markets have come to Bosnia.  Arrived Sarajevo 1830, the St. Marks group had gone down the hill to the Pizza Hut near the Holiday Inn.  We were tired and stayed at home dining on pizza brought to the house. Does this sound just like America?  Finally got to bed around midnight, again the girls preparing the equipment bags for the next day’s camp. 

We were all ready to go at 0830 having had our breakfast and bought my fresh bread at the small grocery on the street below.  We loaded the vans and on the way to Ilidza, we picked up our two interpreters, Kiko and Amena near the Television Station in New Town.  Not too many children were at the school when we arrived, not like the crowd which greeted us last year.  However, when we began our registration, there were about 80 children enrolled.  We repeated the schedule we had used in Gradacac, beginning with our registration procedure and continued with the stories of the “beautiful fish”, the “rainbow” and the “Indian Necklace” craft.  We continued with games and dancing and just before lunch, we prepared our “wide-mouth frog” puppet craft.  We made this change to allow time for the puppets to dry over the lunch break. Vahid picked-up Cindy Prezgar from the airport at 1230 and brought her to the school.  Cindy was a bit jet-lagged, but went right to work.  After lunch of Che-vop-che-che (small hamburger links which are the fast-food of Bosnia) bananas, yogurt and coke, we gathered in the gym where Bobby and her group acted out the story of the “Wide-Mouth Frog” who thought he was better than everyone and how he met his match in Mr. Alligator.  The children were very interested, well disciplined, extremely pretty and a joy to work with.  We continued our program of circle games,  relays, dancing, and singing the favorite “Dum Dum Dilly” and other  songs in which the children participated in full voice.  We gathered for the final ceremony and used the numbering system for identifying the crafts and getting them back to the proper child.  We then gathered in the front hall for the “clown” story told so wonderfully by Mary Anderson dressed in full clown costume.  The children were enthralled.  After our exchange of  gifts the children were dismissed and we went for coffee with the staff.  Departed for home about 1600 and had the remainder of the day free.  We gathered for a brief critique of the day and then walked down the hill for a tour of Sarajevo.  The city had really changed over the past year.  Many new shops and buildings rapidly being repaired.  The walking street through Sarajevo was torn up to allow the water, and other conduits to be repaired.  There is a new mall in the old town and everywhere there were changes.  Ate supper in “Morrisons” café  in the old town.  It is the best local food in town and must eating.  We then walked back through town having ice cream at the local shops.  Everyone was on the street and it was packed.  All the ladies were out to see and be seen.  What a wonderful experience.  Everyone then walked up the hill by the American Embassy and then climbed the stairs adjacent by the funicular (still not working since the war).  It is a steep walk and we were pooped by the time we reached the top of the hill and were ready for bed.  Again, the girls prepared for the next day prior to turning in.  This prior preparation allowed me to carry the bags downstairs and in the van before the teams arrived each morning.  

Departed the house at 0730 after a delicious breakfast of oatmeal and fresh bread.  The others had their  breakfast prepared for them and I am certain it was better than what I cooked.  It as wonderful to have our team live with families in the neighborhood.  Most of these wonderful ladies were widows and the Bread and Breakfast they provided helped them with their expenses as much as we enjoyed their helping us.  Leslie Mohr from the Catholic Relief Society in Sarajevo joined our group and we loved her immediately.  We enjoyed our drive  to Zenica along the river.  

The homes and bridges had been repaired and there were only a few places where the war was still evident.  People were out swimming and fishing and the scene was one of pastoral beauty. We arrive in Zenica at 0930 and pulled up to the Children’s Home to see children everywhere.  These children ranged in age from 5 to 18 years presenting a real challenge.  The director of the Home had taken a group to the seaside but we had a good number of staff and about 100 children.  We noted a few children who were pretty traumatized, but most looked and acted like children everywhere.  The teen-age girls were beautiful and were all fixed up for the camp.  They participated with great gusto and helped us with the smaller kids.  We followed the same schedule of events we had used the past two days, but substituted the “Indian Dream-Catcher” craft in place of the Indian necklace.  This craft was a bit hard for this group as they lacked the discipline of the schools and did not have a high concentration level.  It was evident from the start that the children were street-wise as they could charm you and at the same time, you had to watch your things.  They loved getting hats, name-tags, crafts, and clowns.  However, they also wanted us to leave all of the soccer balls and volley-balls.  The lunch was a real high point and it was again evident that they didn’t eat this way every meal.  There was nothing left over.  We tried to play games, but were not successful.  The kids did not know how to play organized games and really vented their frustration on the balls, kicking them with a vengeance.   We finally resorted to circle groups where we could use small groups to play relays and other participatory games.  We danced, and sang songs which they enjoyed greatly.  This was the most demanding and challenging camp we had ever had, but the most rewarding.  We felt blessed when we saw the children respond to our instructions.  They wanted our attention and love and loved getting our signatures on their base ball hats and soon wanted us to autograph their bodies.  All the boys want Nike shoes and clothes.  The signs of trauma were everywhere and the teens showed these signs most.  I can imagine there is a lot of sexual trauma at the home which should be addressed.  We took lots of pictures and as we left after the final ceremony, they were hanging on the vans.  It was a blessed day which we will never forget.  When we returned home to Sarajevo, we rested and then went to Borka’s home for BBQ.  We were disturbed to learn that Borka had had a stroke after we saw her earlier in the week and was in the hospital.  Yet, Zorin and Irina treated us to a traditional BBQ with all of the trimmings.  It was good for me to be able to see my Bosnian family and the children and Maladin.  Cindy, Bobby and I walked to the house getting the opportunity to re-walk the path I used so often when I lived in Sarajevo.  It was really great to see that they are repairing the Olympic Skating Rink.  There are new trees along the main street, planted by the Germans and the garden behind Borka’s home was as beautiful as when I lived there.  Finally left to go home at 11:00 PM.  A wonderful night!

All of the team had voted to go to the lake during the free day, so at 0800 we were on our way.  Vahed had our van, Al Hunley drove his car, Vjeko drove his station wagon and Leslie Mohr drove her car.  We picked up Kiko and Amena on the way and stopped at the small town of Kiseljak where we bought some bread, vegetables and drinks for the picnic.  It was a great experience to walk through the markets and shop for our meal.  We were soon on our way to our next stop the small health spa town of Fojnica.  This small town at the base of the mountains has been an established spa and health resort for many years.  Fojnica was always known for its clean air and healthful water.  We visited a very old Catholic church which overlooked the town.  The church was having mass and it was wonderful to see people coming up the hill to worship.  The church itself was beautiful both inside and out.  We took many pictures and then left for the lake.  We quickly left the paved road and found ourselves on an unpaved dirt road going straight up-hill.  We drove about an hour always up and always dusty and hot.  It seemed that we would soon reach heaven before we reached a beautiful overlook which had a wonderful view of the lake below and the surrounding hills or tops of the mountains.  Around the lake, people were bar-b-queuing, swimming, and sun-bathing.  The sun was very hot, but at this altitude, we still could be cool in the shade.  There were several cabins around the lake where people spent the week.  Cars were everywhere and everyone was having fun.  We ate a great picnic lunch fixed by Azra and Vjeko, swam, slept, danced with the locals, and walking the mountain trails.  Al, Cindy and I left early and enjoyed a quicker trip down the mountain and with the luxury of not eating dust from the other cars.  When the entire group returned home and had a chance to wash-up, we walked into town for a pizza supper and a chance to enjoy Sarajevo by night under a beautiful moon in a dark blue sky.  Again prepared for the next day’s activities and then to bed.  

Up and dressed by 0830 and on our way to the school.  About 100 children welcomed us and quickly we were registering them, giving out baseball caps and issuing color coded name tags.  The children were younger than last year averaging about 7 - 12 years.  These were very well disciplined children making our camp easy to manage and lots of fun.  We told our stories, played games and sang the songs with great gusto.  We lunched on sandwiches and ice cream  -- all much appreciated by the children.  After lunch we made our “wide-mouth frog puppets and joined in the thespians from our team in the story of the “wide-mouth frog”.  All enjoyed the line-dancing and limbo.  We had great times with our relays and circle games as well as letting the children play among themselves.  Our final ceremony and the always loved “Clown story” were followed by a prolonged autograph session in which we signed the hats.  

After the camp was completed at 1530, the St. Marks team went to the Vrelo Bosnia where the Bosnia River begins to get some water to take home.  The remainder of us rushed to get downtown to again explore the city of Sarajevo.  In the evening the young people went to a disco while Bobby and I went to the city hospital to check on our dear friend Borka.  We then returned home to have dinner at Vjeko’s house, prepared by Azra, with Gertruda Munitic and to discuss the feasibility of a joint “Bosnian and American Musical Tour”.  Gertruda was very excited about these prospects and at 2300 Vjeko and I took her home.  On our way home,  we stopped by a friends home and enjoyed some fresh mussels which had been brought from the Adriatic seashore.  We enjoyed good conversation, excellent seafood and the opportunity to share a cool evening on the patio of an apartment house 6 floors up overlooking the city.  At 0100, it looked like everyone in Sarajevo was still awake and enjoying the summer evening.  Home to bed and ready for an early departure.  

We departed  Sarajevo at 0700 for Mostar. The weather was the warmest we had experience and by the time we arrived at the school on the outskirts of Mostar we were all sweating.  The newly rebuilt school was the center-point of the almost destroyed town.  It had a nice gym, and was like new. This was a starting point from which the town will arise.  I wondered where all of the well dress children came from as most of the houses I could see were completely shelled out.   The workshop began at 0930 with lots of help from the school staff who participated as fully as the children.  We went through the usual procedure of registration, handing out hats and name tags and quickly were into our stories.  

The heat was so intense that I thought it best to limit the amount of games and running.  Our staff quickly adjusted and we had more crafts and stories, supplemented by circle games and songs and dancing.  After lunch, we continued with our crafts and songs which were enjoyed by all. We began our closing ceremony early due to the heat.  The children enjoyed everything and we left a great deal of sport equipment.  After the children had departed we had coffee with the school staff and as this was the last day of the camp, we conducted a lengthy critique of lessons learned.  After the critique, we split into two groups.  One group visited Mostar, its destroyed bridge, and visited the 14^th Century merchants home while the other went swimming in the cold,  cold river.  We all returned to the hotel to rejoin the St. Marks team prior to their departure for Split and the Life Center in Rijeka at 1900.  We hated to see the St Mark’s Team depart, and wished them God’s Speed.   At 1900, Bobby, Vjeko, Azra, Fatima and I went to the Pavarotti Center for discussions with their staff on the feasibility of a Joint Musical Tour which we had initiated with Gertruda the evening before.  After dinner, we toured the beautiful Pavarotti Center and finally had to leave and walk back through East Mostar to the hotel.  We stayed overnight in Mostar at the Hotel Bristol on the river.  

The TWI for the Children team of 5 persons visited the Children’s Home in East Mostar which we have been supporting with our donations and supplies.  We visited the director and gave her clowns for the children and balls and jump-ropes.  The children had received bad news as their funds to take the 35 children to the seaside had been withdrawn and limited funds were obtained to take the children to swim in the lake up the river.  Not quite the seaside, but it was cool and got the children out of the city.  We toured the buildings and were told that a new home complex was being constructed to the south of the city near the hospital. We promised to visit the new complex which is due to be completed in February when we returned with the Trauma Training Assessment Team.  

We made arrangements to interview the children for the assessment at their lakeside camp next week.  Soon we were on our way south to the seaside.  At 1130, in white-hot weather, we were stopped by a blockade of the border by truckers upset over cheap products entering Bosnia from Italy.  We turned north to find another crossing and a new adventure along the southern roads of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  It is quite an experience to be in a van (without air conditioning) full of people not knowing if we could get across the border to Croatia.  We wonder if Jason’s team had been successful in reaching Split last evening.  Our first try to cross the border was along a track not used by any except locals.  We were turned back by the Croatian border guards and so to the next border crossing.  Each new border crossing further north and miles to drive were frustrated by the truckers who had parked their trucks across the road.  Finally, we found a crossing far to the north where we could cross. We were hot, frustrated, but in excellent spirits as we rolled into Croatia and saw the beautiful Adriatic sea.  At a small seaside holiday village we pulled in the van, bought a picnic supper and immediately fell into the water.  We are ready to swim anywhere and stay in our bathing suits in case we stop for a few minutes.  As it began to get dark, we loaded the van and were again on our way south to Mlini.  We reached this small village about 2200, and fell in love with our Bed and Breakfast accommodations.    We had people staying in the B&B and the Mlini Hotel and Vahid was in another B&B.  All finally were in their places and of course all went for a midnight swim.

On 6 August, the team all went into Dubrovnik to learn all about this old and beautiful city.  Much swimming and just recovering from the heat of Mostar.  On 7 August, we went on a boat tour to Dubrovnik and the island of Lupid.  Enjoyed the extended boat excursion and lunch on the island.  Went swimming and just enjoyed the beauty of the Adriatic coast.  We ate a late evening supper and watched the fires  licking the hills beyond Cavtat.  Airplanes dipped down into the sea and returned to the fires to empty their water on the flames.  It looked horrible as the flames destroyed homes and property.  

Hadn’t these people endured enough?  Although the fires were all around us, I had no problem sleeping.  On Saturday, most of the fires had been reported extinguished and under control.  Some of the team visited a small island near Dubrovnik to swim and the remainder stayed home to swim and rest.  The group went into Dubrovnik for dinner and some of us stayed in Mlini to eat our dinner.  Everyone had enjoyed our downtime and were rested and ready for the next week’s work.

The team departed at noon for Sarajevo.  We stopped at a small restaurant near Konjic where we enjoyed a delicious meal and then on to our home in Sarajevo.  It was good to get home and in our bed.
 

Nicole Wilkes departed  for United States from Sarajevo.  Thus ends the 1998 Friendship Summer Camp.

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