And the Earth moved…

Near Glina, by the main road

Entering the city of Petrinja with our van full of supplies. The center has been practically destroyed

There was a 5.2 earthquake in Croatia on December 28th, and a rather devastating one of 6.4 the next day, December 29th. Thankfully there were not so many casualties (only 7), but hundreds of people lost their houses, or their houses are not liveable until reconstruction takes place. On January 13th and 14th we took our first trip to Petrinja, which was the epicenter of the earthquake, to Glina and to the surrounding villages in central Croatia. These are some of the country’s poorest regions, to start with. Our team consisted of three volunteers and we visited 13 families and brought them necessary food and hygiene items. We also spent time listening to their stories and encouraging them, as we quickly found out that the terror of the earthquake and the continued shaking in the following weeks caused a lot of fear, worry and lack of sleep. It is also the area where the war was fought 25 years ago and for many this earthquake revived the trauma of the war. Prayer, encouragement and a listening ear was what people were thankful for the most.

In the village of Mecencani, where the earthquake caused 51 openings, or sinkholes in the ground

A sinkhole we got close to, by the main road

Our second trip happened on January 24th and 25th. We were four volunteers this time and we went to the same area and revisited some of the families from our previous trip and some new ones. We spent time with 16 families in all. We also went to a town called Sunja, where we had painted a mural and had done some projects a couple of years ago. They asked us to bring some food and hygiene items for aid packages that they are making for about 20 to 30 needy families from the area and they needed to restock. We have been collaborating with them for several years now and this created a nice opportunity to help them once again. On this trip we also went to bring aid to Lovca, a small village snowed in in the mountains. We managed to make it with our van until 2 km from the village where we parked, we filled up our back-packs and carried on foot what we could to reach these isolated people, who were so grateful to see us! 

In Petrinja, distributing blankets to people who were forced to leave their homes and now live in trailers and containers

The mural we painted in Hrvatska Kostajnica in the summer of 2019

The mural we painted in Sunja during the summer camp of 2018

in Sunja

As mentioned above, the families were very thankful for the much needed food, hygiene and blankets/other items we brought. They were even more thankful that unlike other volunteers that come to bring aid or help in other ways, we took time to listen to their stories and encourage them, caring not just for their physical needs, but also taking into consideration their whole being, including their mental and spiritual well-being.

Thanks to all of you who have been sponsoring these trips. Your solidarity and generosity moved us so much and all the families we are helping also thank you. We will soon return to that area for more distributions …

On the way to the village of Lovca

In due time

Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary. (Galatians 6:9)

I was raised in the Christian faith but had only a superficial knowledge of the Bible. Still, the first time I read that verse, many years ago, it  really struck me. It was handed to me, written on a nice card, by a friend I really looked up to. At the time I was an idealistic and a bit confused 18 yrs old student searching for meaning in life and trying to find my calling. I was in a turmoil and my friend simply wanted to encourage me. I remember reading it over and over, till I had it memorised. I was trying to figure out what those words meant, it seemed to me something still hidden, like in some secret code, but deep inside I just felt its meaning was going to unfold one day: it did talk about the future, right? That’s what I really cared about then, that “reaping” part.

So I decided to embark in the “doing good”, which meant dedicating my life to various missions, all the way to India, Nepal, then back to Europe to start a humanitarian organisation in the war torn countries of former Yugoslavia.

Mind you, another mission I engaged myself in the meantime was becoming a mother and having children. By now, the first part of the verse “Let’s not become discouraged” and the last one “weary”, started taking a predominant emphasis in my life. My carefree years were definitely past behind me and here I was engaged in life’s real struggles.  Some of them were probably common to most mothers, especially if they were unexperienced as I was! I remember  falling apart in tears when my husband would come back home from work in the evening and I didn’t even manage to put together a simple dinner! Many years and dinners later, this memory makes me smile but then it was such a struggle!

There were times when I felt like an absolute failure, in my personal life as well as in the projects I was involved in. Some of them ended upbrutly, like when, due to political unrest and other legal complications, we had to close our beloved work in Nepal and return to Europe; or when, later on, when one dear coworker suddendly died due to heart failure right in the middle of an event we were hosting. 

I could make quite a long list of disappointments and failures that marked my life, yes…but back to that mysterious verse that I always carried with me, something I learned over and over was that, inspite of whatever was failing or falling apart in that particular moment, I was supposed to just keep on “doing good”.

I simply had to focus on that and not get weary, faint or quit. 

In fact, so many times, turning away from my inward sadness and discouragement and getting involved in some needy situation was my salvation! 

And the “due time”? Well, I believe many, if not most, of the results of our well doing will remain unseen in this life.

But… my kids have grown up and some of them are also wonderful parents, accomplishing things I never imagine they would when they were tiny tots. Next year we’ll celebrate the 20th anniversary of the humanitarian organisation I helped to found. It took a lot of perseverance and sacrifices to keep it going, but it’s certainly been rewarding and many lives have been touched and changed during the course of our activities. 

Yes, sooner or later, in one form or another, I’m sure we shall reap.

P.S. I wrote this article about 5 years ago. So interesting to realise that, a few more storms later, the principle still rings true, more than ever.

With friends and coworkers, at our Volunteering Center in Croatia

With young volunteers, during a Summer Camp in Sunja, Croatia.

Tailor made stress relief

I’m starting to think that every season of life contains its set of challenges but also its own secrets for happiness, survival and freedom from stress.

They say birth itself is quite a stressful experience but then just watch babies and small children: by crying and expressing their emotions so honestly and freely they probably get relieved of a good amount of stress. Then there’s all that playing, hugging and laughing…

As we grow up, larger amounts of stress are waiting for us around the corner. Some of my worst memories are all the studying and tension and fear of failing just before an exam. 

I was already a grown up woman and still had this recurrent dream of my high school teacher going through the list of names of the pupils in the classroom and slowly…stopping at mine! And…I hadn’t studied enough! Thankfully this is when I’d wake up and felt so relieved that it was just a dream.

I’d say that my teen years were some of the most stressful, especially because apart from listening to music and engaging in some occasional sport, I really didn’t know how to open myself up, ask for help, release tension. I don’t think I smiled that much either, as all the photos from that period of my life testify.

Adult life and parenthood came, with news sets of challenges and mountains to climb, especially when my children turned teenagers. Gone were those amazing stress-relief moments that playing with small children offer. But I think I was able to empathetically accompany my teens to adulthood, remembering my own difficulties when I was their age.

Menopause comes, with a bunch of annoying ailments that I can’t say I really enjoy,  but now I see that the door to a whole new view on life is opening up.

Now I finally have time to open wider the book of my life, reflect on past events, come to wise judgement, forgive myself and others, make peace with stuff that went wrong.

Now I have time to learn new tasks and even engage myself in some types of sport and entertainments I once thought would be impossible: running, walking long distances, kayaking, camping and free climbing. Talk about stress relieving activities!

So I do believe our wise and loving Creator must have provided a specific formula for overcoming every test we encounter in life, and some tailor made stress relief techniques. When the test comes, not before.

We just have to believe it’s there, trust Him and find it.

The Wallet

To this day, my 95 yrs old father carries with him everywhere a wallet full of coins to give away to beggars he might meet on the way.  He doesn’t know much about home finances — thankfully my mom takes care of that — but he does care about getting that wallet refilled! Ever since I can remember, in our family it was important not to waste money, but it was just as important to share it with the needy. These early teachings, not just theoretical, but very practical, surely had a lasting impact in my life. Later on, as a mother of small children, I also made sure I carried with me a wallet full of coins and and taught them to stop by beggars in the street, or even street artists, not just to drop a coin in their hat, but especially to share a few words, to find out something about his/her life, which in turn gave the experience a lot more humanity and dignity. 

It was nothing preplanned, but it happened regularly, and it surely added a lot of joy, fulfilment and even fun to our walks.

Later on, I found out my kids did the same with their kids, so it was a good trait that got passed on! In fact, I always considered generosity a very important quality and praised my kids for it, even to the point of telling them that I didn’t really care about their choices in life, but please, oh please, could they keep that generous heart of gold? And they did. Over and over I’d find out one of them did a shopping for a homeless standing outside the supermarket, or helped a single mom, or sent money to someone fighting cancer. Whenever I get to spend time with my grandchildren, scattered around the globe, I’m pleasantly surprised that they also enjoy helping others. I guess it’s a virtue that needs to be cultivated from a tender age.

 It’s an experience and for this reason it needs to be experienced, not just read about.

It provides stories, to be told, retold and passed on.

It’s spirituality and love put into action.

It’s character building.

It’s seeing Jesus:  “When you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me” (Mat 25:40)

“Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I’ve found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love.’“- Gandalf