Today I had two important meetings. The first meeting was with the secretary of the International Fellowship for Evangelical Students (IFES, here called EUS) that took place in a well-managed office. It was good to see how the organization is operating. Their main activity is to organize English courses where also is discussed about how you can follow Jesus. They have active students and also a good collaboration with the Dutch and American branch of IFES. We discussed about possibilities to develop a project focused on reconciliation amongst Serbs, Croats and Bosnians and about other possible ways of collaboration. Also she gave me insight in the political situation of BiH and she gave me advises about key persons I should meet. It was also wonderful to be together with a fellow believer and follower of Jesus. It was good to pray together for our activities, for the situation in BiH, unity amongst the believers in the Balkans and for fruitful meetings during my trip in the Balkans.
After I left
I asked a police agent (who was arranging the traffic) where I could find a taxi. He pointed that there was a taxi at the other side. I told him that when I would be there, the light would be green and the taxi would be gone. So he uses his whistle, stopped the traffic (the traffic light was green) and made a gesture to the taxi to come. I thanked the police and got in the taxi and leave quickly so that the traffic behind could drive again.....
In the time that Auke & Annechien were visiting the tunnel under the airport from the war of '92-'95, I had a meeting with an interesting Franciscan priest. He made a mixed choir with orthodox, Catholics, Muslims and Jews who are singing their traditional songs: in order to pay respect for each other and to highlight the importance of diversity. Also he forms a network of theologians of each religion with even a network of women theologians from Christian and Muslim background. He wants to show that religion a base for values is but that it is misused by manipulation for political motives.
After a constructive 2,5 hrs discussion where I learned many things about the situation in BiH but especially about the way the different religions are looking for ways to collaborate in order to teach the people the real value of faith: to serve the people and God and not to dominate the people.
In the taxi back home the taxi driver told me that he and his father were working in Germany for 20 years to earn and save some money to buy a small house and a shop in Sarajevo. Only one year after he came back the war started. Now his wife has a shop and he is earning some money as a taxi driver.
After I came home we talked about our experiences today and went to eat something in a restaurant in the Bazar. Tomorrow will be the last day in Sarajevo.
After I left
I asked a police agent (who was arranging the traffic) where I could find a taxi. He pointed that there was a taxi at the other side. I told him that when I would be there, the light would be green and the taxi would be gone. So he uses his whistle, stopped the traffic (the traffic light was green) and made a gesture to the taxi to come. I thanked the police and got in the taxi and leave quickly so that the traffic behind could drive again.....In the time that Auke & Annechien were visiting the tunnel under the airport from the war of '92-'95, I had a meeting with an interesting Franciscan priest. He made a mixed choir with orthodox, Catholics, Muslims and Jews who are singing their traditional songs: in order to pay respect for each other and to highlight the importance of diversity. Also he forms a network of theologians of each religion with even a network of women theologians from Christian and Muslim background. He wants to show that religion a base for values is but that it is misused by manipulation for political motives.
After a constructive 2,5 hrs discussion where I learned many things about the situation in BiH but especially about the way the different religions are looking for ways to collaborate in order to teach the people the real value of faith: to serve the people and God and not to dominate the people.
In the taxi back home the taxi driver told me that he and his father were working in Germany for 20 years to earn and save some money to buy a small house and a shop in Sarajevo. Only one year after he came back the war started. Now his wife has a shop and he is earning some money as a taxi driver.
After I came home we talked about our experiences today and went to eat something in a restaurant in the Bazar. Tomorrow will be the last day in Sarajevo.
Love the story about the choir! Do they have a CD?
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed journey further!