|
|
|
|
TWI for the Children PICNICS
IN THE PARK Bosnia 2002 - 2003
|
|
 Picnics
in the Park:
Each month the families of children with special needs gathered together
for a day in the park or at a restaurant. This allowed the children to
learn how to react in a public place and to show the public that
disabled children are no different from them. This time together
is also a period in which the families share common problems and work
together to solve their problem.
|
|
|
September 2002: Picnic by the lake: |
|
Disabled
Children and their families enjoy a day at the lake in September 2002 |
|
|
October 2002: Picnic in the Park |
|
|
|
 In October, the
kids with special needs and their families enjoyed a
Halloween party in the park. Kids dressed in Halloween dress and
had a wonderful party. The day was cold, but the party warmed
things up. The children and their families are becoming a resource
support group and the change in the children is dramatic. Smiles,
games, and just enjoyment of the wonderful life that we have is now
being enjoyed by the children.
|
|
November 2002: Picnic in the Mountains |
|
|
|
 In late November, our children
with special needs and their families
drove high in the mountains surrounding Sarajevo to the site of the
Olympic ski jumping contest. There they set up the picnic and with
songs and good cheer, they enjoyed one another and again showed that
together they can overcome all adversity. Bobby joined the group
and the smiles and good cheer were everywhere. The children went
home filled with the clear, cold mountain air and looked forward to
their Christmas picnic.
|
|
December 2002: Holiday Party |
|
 |
 On January 26, 2003, we held a wonderful picnic for our
children with special needs together with their sisters, brothers and
parents on the Olympic mountain of Igman close to Bjelasnica
overlooking Sarajevo. This wonderful spot was close to where
ski jumping took place in 1984. It was a beautiful, snowy day and
the group enjoyed sledding, skiing and barbecue in the open and hot tea
prepared at home. The group of people playing next to us started
to communicate and it took a while until they realized we were not quite
a typical group of children. It showed how eager the kids are to
be normal and to experience all of the joys of life. The kids made
a snowman, ran, played on sleds and some even tried to ski. Our
teenaged boy Dzanan, was afraid to fall, and he refused to go on the
sled. But once he tried to go down the hill with Vjeko, we could not
stop him. Then he went with his mom and sister. Mirsen was
as active as usual and little Leyla was too. Vahid brought his daughter
who enjoyed playing with the kids. Everyone had a great
time! |
|
February-March 2003 |
TWI had to stop funding these outings due to lack of funds. The group still attempts to meet as often as possible just outside of Sarajevo. This has been a wonderful project and TWI stopped the project after
lots of discussion and with a great deal of sadness. The day in the park
was a project that did a great deal of good for these children and their
families. Back to
Learning Center. |
 |
Help
us to continue these Projects in the Balkans by providing a donation: Updated: 03/03/2008 |
Our one day camp at Boracko Jezero lake in the mountains went perfectly
well. We had 30 people. Vahid was happy to be the driver. Zlata and
Amina helped and Hasena and Azra coordinated with all the families.
Vjeko and Azra did our best. We had a few rain showers, but we found a
good place, a barbecue area, near the lake with a shed, so we could make
games and have fun, while it was raining cats and dogs. The children
actually enjoyed watching the rain and clouds moving, and sun coming
out. Vjeko even jumped into the water during the sunny period. The
weather was almost tropical, not cold at all. Everybody sends best
regards and appreciates your efforts for this project. Nusret and
Memsud-Hasena husbands were great with a barbecue.
Since we needed van
and 4 cars we had to decrease the drinks to be able to pay for the
petrol. Everyone had a great time. During our time at the lake, Aldin was able to stand and walk a bit along the rail of the shed, and he was stretching his hands towards the rain and enjoying nature. Leyla Brko was as cheerful as usual, and the other Leyla Kapo was in
a much better mood than she was before. Janan was playing with a basket ball. Other kids enjoyed the time also. I brought all my masks and wigs and we made a fancy gown party. They all send you their blessings and thanks and you should be proud of helping these wonderful kids to come back to real life. 
Our group continued to hold monthly picnics either in the
park or on the mountains. These days out of Sarajevo are powerful
medicine for the kids and their parents.
