A Ministry of Healing † Hope † Peace for Bosnia and the whole World
This is a ministry of the New Jersey Synod, ELCA, striving to bring peace to Bosnia through the wonderful children of this beautiful country. On this website you'll see much from the past ten years of this ministry, as well as was to get involved with our 2010 IST (International Servant Trip).
The dates for 2010 Bosnia IST are:
June 19 - July 1, 2010
The 2010 Travel Team has begun their preparations! Please keep them in your prayers.
If you have question about this ministry, please contact Jason Reed, the trip coordinator, at jreed@njsynod.org.
Last summer, during the trip, we asked Travel Team members and our Interpreters about their favorite Friendship Camp. Here a video of what they said!
Here are the daily updates from this summer's trip:
Sunday, June 21 The entire Travel Team arrived in rainy Sarajevo safely with all of the luggage! We were met at the airport by Vjeko, Azra, Ada, Alisa, Dzan, Petar and our trusty driver, Vildan. We had a restful afternoon and a wonderful welcome dinner that evening.
Monday, June 22 We got right to work on Monday! We toured the Tunnel in Sarajevo - a combination tunnel and trench that during the second half of the war provided the only route in or out of the city during its almost four-year siege. Then we loaded the bus and drove to Vares.
In Vares we held our first half-camp ("picnic"). We had 130 kids in an active, high energy day! The wide age-range (7 - 17 year-olds) made it challenging, but everyone did a great job.
Ed, Cindy and Georgia managed to have fun with 130 kids and 300 tennis balls in the gym, while Larry did a great job bringing everyone together with his music.
After the half-camp, we got back on the bus for a 5 hour drive to Jajce, followed by an 11 PM supper at our hotel.
Tuesday, June 23 We had a terrific Friendship Camp in Jajce! There were 80+ kids - over 20 more than last year. But the most wonderful part was who came to the camp. For the last several years the has been a "two schools under one roof" school, meaning the Bosniak (Muslim) children had their own teachers and school Director (Principal) and met in four classrooms. The Bosnian Croat (Roman Catholic) children had THEIR own teachers, Director, and classrooms. Each of these years we've had children from only one of this "schools". This year, for the first time, we had children and teachers from both!
There was so much fun and joy! The teachers had fun (and loved the Matilda the Gorilla song), the kids had fun even as we mixed them up in our "color groups". It was wonderful watching kids of both ethnic groups play, singing, eating together and even together washing hands in each others bathrooms.
Vicki and Kate did a great job leading their activities, while Jackie showed everyone how to manage large groups of kids with great joy.
After the camp the group very briefly visited some of the remarkable sites in Jajce - including what's left of a church that once held some of the earthly remains of the Apostle Luke! Then we were off 3 1/2 hour drive to Kozarac, where we began our stay at the remarkable Srcem Do Mira (through hearts to peace) House with a wonderful home-cooked meal.
Wednesday, June 24 We had a great Friendship Camp in the small town of Kozarac this day. We had about 55 children and lots of their teachers. The kids were eager for all of our activities, though they tired easily. Katie, John and Rahool really stepped up their leadership of the Movement Group, helping the kids to really work together physically as well as socially, all while having lots of fun.
Bobbie continued being a positive team member - always helping both the children and the other team members.
The children and teachers, as at the other camps, loved the beautiful tote bags and were thrilled with the teddy bears. Both were given with the story of all the people in New Jersey who have lovingly worked for months making them.
After camp the team rested briefly and then headed out on an amazing, difficult tour. Being led by the founder and "first-among-equals" leader of Srcem Do Mira, a remarkable woman named Emsuda, the group first visited a cemetery where over 600 tombstones, all with the date 1992, marked the burial site of people killed during the terrible summer at the start of the war. Many of the bodies were recovered from mass graves that are still being discovered throughout the region. There are still over bodies 1,200 missing just from in and around Kozarac.
We then went to notorious Omarska Concentration Camp, the site of some of the worst atrocities of the war. We walked some of the grounds and saw the infamous "white house", where so many were tortured and killed. After hearing some of the stories we stood outside the entrance and there, among the weeds and dandelions, prayed prayers of sorrow, pain and hope.
Then we drove to the smaller Trnopolje Concentration Camp, where our hostess Emsuda had been held along with all of her immediate family. We again heard stories and walked around a portion of the building. We were here at 6:00 PM when we paused for our prayer time, being especially grateful for the prayer support of everyone back home.
Lastly we visit a newly rebuilt mosque, where we were greet by its gracious Imam, Suleman. We spent a peaceful time inside marveling at its beauty and asking questions of the Imam. We then returned to Srcem Do Mira for another delicious dinner and some important reflection time and devotions.
Thursday, June 25 We had a wonderful Friendship Camp in Sanski Most this day, with over 165 children and lots of teachers. There was a great energy and the teachers offered lots of support and encouragement. Jason was interviewed by the local television station - no CNN coverage yet! Jackie did a great job as usual as the Music group "traveler", her groups are always well cared for and love her! Rachel continues to help lead the Art group activities with great skill and smiles.
11 children from an orphanage out in the countryside were able to come to the camp (yeah!) and we got to drive them back home on our bus. It was a very good camp!
After this camp we stopped by an "Identification Center" where they work to identify human remains found in various mass graves. They do this both through DNA testing and laying out the actual remains along with any artifacts found with them (pieces of clothing, etc.). Last year's team was able to enter the facility; this year's team was not able to do so because they were receiving and beginning to process a new set of remains from another mass grave.
We then drove on to Sipovo, enjoying a special dinner in a restaurant that overhung a river, then the team were taken to their host homes to enjoy some much-needed rest.
Friday, June 26 We held our largest camp of the trip in Sipovo! We arrived to find the school we've used for the last nine years to be under construction (much needed repairs from the war), so we moved to a neighboring school - one without a gym or any other large space - like a gym. But the team pulled things together brilliantly!
With 340 children waiting outside (as it began to rain), we rushed in and set up seven "rooms" (well, one was a narrow hallway). We brought the kids in and got them registered and began camp in each room simultaneously. We even pressed our driver, Vildan, into service as an interpreter. It was a crazy, excellent camp, with a closing outside (the rain briefly ended) which included people from the neighboring buildings hanging out of the windows taking pictures.
We drove back to Sarajevo this evening.
Saturday, June 27 We had a day of rest in Sarajevo, including worship led by Julie Rowe and Larry Olson.
Sunday, June 28 Sunday we drove to Srebrenica, stopping near the school to visit the Srebrenica memorial site - a very sad, sobering reminder of how much more needs to be done.
The half-camp we held immediately afterward with the children of Leptir ("butterfly"). Leptir is an important facility for children with disabilities. Many of the interpreters sited this as their favorite camp. It was an incredibly moving, hopeful camp. Hopefully we'll be able to post some of their stories on this site sometime soon.
We then drove to Gorazde, in preparation for the next day's camp in the neighboring town of Foca.
Monday, June 29 Monday's camp in Foca was very exciting. We had a large-than-expected group with over 200 children. Everyone was fully charged for this last, "full" camp, and we continued our new tradition of ending the camp with thank-you gifts and singing on the front steps of the school. It's a great way to share the joy and energy of the camp with the whole neighborhood.
After the camp we returned to Sarajevo for the evening.
Tuesday, June 30 Tuesday's camp may have been the most exciting of the entire trip! It was in a remarkable school that is a model for all our dreams - a school with Serb, Croat, Bosniak (Muslim), Roma (Gypsy) children, plus 69 special-needs children mainstreamed into the classrooms with the other children. The children were so special, fragile and sweet. Though we intended to only hold one of our 2 1/2 hour "Picnics", we ended up holding an almost full-day camp. We had a great closing on the school steps and then had snacks out on their front lawn. Our Friendship Camp also included 8 children from another special needs program called "Joy of Life". It was a great camp!
The day ended with our traditional Farewell Cook-Out at the home of our driver, Vildan, and his family. Delicious food; dear friends; lots of laughter!
Wednesday, July 1 We boarded the airplane in Sarajevo at 6:35 AM (12:35 AM New Jersey time!). We're about to board the plane in Munich heading for home!
It has been wonderful; difficult; challenging; great fun; hopeful; physically and emotionally taxing; joyful; messy; and Spirit-filled. We cannot thank you enough for all you have done to support and partner with this vital ministry. The need to work for peace in Bosnia and the world is so great and so rewarding. Thanks be to God!
shalom, Jason Reed
PS We'll work to clean up this website over the next couple of weeks, including putting up more photos.
All of our Friendship Camps and Picnics have been Sponsored! Thank you for your generous giving. Donations to cover other trip supplies (the General Fund) are still welcome and needed. See our Home Team page for details on how to donate.
What is the Bosnia IST? For the last ten years the New Jersey Synod, ELCA has been connected to the children and communities of Bosnia through the Bosnia International Servant Trip (IST). We have had the great honor and joy of bringing and teaching healing, hope and peace to the children of Bosnia, as well as receiving deep healing, lessons in hope and gifts of peace from them.
Each year, over a two-week period in early summer, we host "Friendship Camps" in towns and villages around Bosnia. These Camps offer peace-making, diversity training, music therapy, and lots of fun!
To read more about this ministry, take a look at our story!
To find out how to help, including how to donate money, check out our Home Team!
To meet the group going to Bosnia this year, here's our Travel Team!
To learn more about our work with the children of Bosnia, take a look at our Friendship Camps!
Tentative dates for the 2010 Bosnia IST are: June 20 - July 3, 2010! Travel Team applications will be available in September 2009.
HOME TEAM 2009 Much of the work of the Bosnia IST is done by our Home Team. The Home Team is made up of individuals, families, groups, organizations, congregations and businesses who provide material, financial or prayer support for the trip. The 2009 Home Team Guide is available, along with this year's sewing project pattern - our ever popular Teddy Bear! Please visit our Home Team page for these items.
Financial donation of any size (tax-deductable, of course!) should be sent to: Bosnia IST, New Jersey Synod, 1930 Highway 33, Hamilton Square, NJ 08690. If possible, please include this donation form.
videos See a music slideshow of our trip here! It's kinda large, so it might take a bit to open.
Here is about the ministry made by the ELCA.
Here is a great video made by former Travel Team member Alyssa Phillips, with scenes from our 2006 Bosnia IST.
Here is an award-winning, awful, great, disturbing video about the Bosnian war called "10 Minutes". Warning-this video contains some violence.
photos This is an exceptional ministry! Take a look at some photos from our 2007 servant trip and get a better “feel” for what the Bosnia IST is all about! Photos - Part I Photos - Part II
our partner We're also very grateful for our continued partnership with our dear friends at TWI for the Children, the non-profit that began this work in Bosnia over a decade ago. Please be sure to check out the cool, full website.
Bosnia IST 2008 in brief This summer we had the privilege of serving around 2,500 children at the 17 Friendship Camps (and one picnic) we held throughout the country. We played, sang, danced, and laughed with the children. We shared meals and stories and hopes and dreams and tears with them. We taught and learned about peace and reconciliation together. We shared the love of God with them, and, in turn, found ourselves looking into the face of Jesus.
We visited, served and prayed in churches and mosques, schools and orphanages, homes and restaurants. We walked the grounds of concentration camps, cemeteries, memorial sites, and identification facilities for human remains recovered from mass graves. The increased tensions in the region made this year’s trip particularly important and the joy and community that we shared particularly satisfying.
It was hard work - long hours, taxing physical labor, emotionally draining efforts. It was wonderful work - meeting and living with such beautiful, wounded, generous, loving people. And because of the nature of peace-building in such a broken world; it was messy, challenging and incomplete. In other words, it felt like a truly faithful response by our synod to Jesus’ call to “Feed my lambs” (John 21).
Thank you for your support, partnership and participation in this ministry. It is good, hard work we are called to do together. And we certainly can’t do it without you.
If you have any questions or concerns about this ministry, please don't hesitate to contact the Travel Team Captain, Jason Reed: bosnia@njsynod.org or 609-234-8405.
Thank you so much for your partnership in serving the children of Bosnia. And thanks be to God for this wonderful opportunity to serve and meet the living God in such a beautiful, broken place.
