Getting our hands dirty

We spent a wonderful day doing humanitarian work at the Duje Center. I know I’ve written about them before, but it’s truly an incredible community made up of individuals with mental and physical disabilities, as well as many elderly residents. The center is largely self-sustaining, they grow most of their own food in greenhouses and even operate their own dairy processing plant.

The Church has provided significant humanitarian support over the years, including helping to build a new kitchen that now prepares meals not only for the 489 residents but also for about 3,000 people in the surrounding community

We were joined that day by some senior missionaries from France, the Kershisniks, who oversee all Church construction projects in Central Europe. Fun fact: Elder Kershisnik’s younger brother served in Yugoslavia with Charles and was actually his companion back in 1980–81 in Zagreb and Belgrade! 

Elder Kershisnik, a contractor by profession, came to review the plans and reports for a dormitory the Church will soon be rebuilding. We will be building will be a 2 story building

   

The junior missionaries and the Parkinsons spent the morning harvesting eggplants and peppers. We were glad to join them afterward. We’re especially grateful the Parkinsons have chosen to spend a few months here in Bosnia, they’re able to work remotely and have decided to do so from here. What a blessing they are to us! Maddie Parkinson served with us in Croatia during our last mission.

The best of part of working at the Duje Center is the Bosnian Feast they feed us when we are done with out work. 

We had a baptism! It was such a wonderful way to end the week

Afterward, we shared a dinner together. I made chicken soup and salad, and everyone else brought something to add to the meal. It was delicious!  

Visiting an elderly member who lives outside of the city and her many pets.

Saturday evening we had some visitors from Belgrade the Parkinsons and President Savić, who came to speak in church. We took them out to some traditional Bosnia food.

We try to attend church with our wonderful group of members in Banja Luka. The trip is a six-hour round drive, plus two hours for church and another one to two hours for lunch so it makes for a long day, but it’s worth every minute to spend time with these amazing members.  

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The drive home this month was absolutely breathtaking. I’ve never seen fall colors like this in my life! It looked just like a painting. Bosnia is truly a stunningly beautiful country.

In the middle of all the beauty, reminders of the Balkan War that ended over 30 years ago are still visible. These two mortar holes were partially repaired, yet the scars remain. So sobering to see the damage once done to someone’s home.