Maybe its just jetlag, or maybe its just schedule lag, but
for whatever reason I can sense my musing messy. Remembering back to last year, and re-reading
my blogs of those days here in Livno, my state of mind confirmed that it wasn’t
just in the state of Indiana, Michigan or even Livno, but rather some state between
here and home. So, of one thing I’m
sure, the lack of visual verbiage will surely be evident this time around as
well.
My goal and hope for every trip I make is to return ‘used up’. The time is brief and to make the most of it,
one need be stretched to one’s limit. I
ask God to allow that, and not let me be consumed in the doing. Indeed, I need supernatural strength to do
what I do here, and every time, it seems, I get it…or maybe it’s just the
jetlag fogging up my better judgment. I
guess if that be the case, than to already be invited back next year by Dr.
Garner, is due to his state of jetlag too, or the former reason. And I am hoping it is for the former reason I
am being asked to return.
There is something about this place and the expanding team
of super talented, driven servants here that inspires this soul’s heart and
soul. I have mused of heroes here in
this blog and the champions of education and care here are more of those I
speak. It seems that Bosnia is stuck
somewhere between Communism and liberty, at least the liberty we know and
appreciate. Many seem to believe that ‘things
were much better under ‘Communist rule’.
We know what lies ahead, if they persist and start to dream. If they
choose to invest in the hearts and souls of kids, change for the better will
result, because we have seen such change, create America. But these people have been beaten down and
left in the lurch time after time. The
transition to liberty comes when individuals, one by one, turn from
hopelessness to hope, and inspire others to join. Against seemingly insurmountable odds, the
best of the best can move mountains and change the tide. Indeed change is slow and yet, a decade ago
there were none here to show them hope around the corner, and a belief that
these things are possible.
Such is the growing team that is here. With odds seeming insurmountable, they cling
to a most heavenly charge to be those who choose to make a difference in the
lives and living circumstances of the citizens of Livno. While some teachers have risen beyond the
call of duty to forge ahead and pour themselves and potential opportunity into
their students here, one has to wonder if the big machine will wear them
down. Empty promises, absconded funds,
and a host of burdens weigh them down every day. To date, these champions have not let these
hurdles hinder their hearts, their call to teach and be the best of teaching
and teachers. I had privilege of
inspiration from educational leaders, and now I get the opportunity to be as
they were to me, to these wonderful teachers here.
I am sent as a champion for kids and the special need
population, sacrificing only one week of my life a year, while those who live
and remain, do it day in and day out. I
see students light up here, just as they did in my classes at home, with even
the high schoolers enjoying this, their first ‘lab’ in their physics class. And I am also surprised to see many light up
on the stoop of the school as well, student smoking allowed here. My wonderful translator, Predrag, informs me
that he was never allowed to smoke in school, yet he, currently a smoker
probably started in junior or senior high.
I suppose if I were to stay for long periods of time, my
asthma would kick into full gear as smoking is allowed everywhere (except in
the classroom). And I will return, my
suitcase filled with cigarette smoke tainted clothing. It is almost like I am being thrust back to
my childhood days where smoking adults were prevalent, remembering my one
voyage into the teacher’s lounge in elementary school to deliver an urgent note
from the office to a teacher in the lounge.
I was overwhelmingly surprised it was filled with the smell and smoke of
cigarettes, and worse yet, to see my teacher, smoking…but I digress…
I am amazed that with 65-70% unemployment, most, even kids
have cell phones, many being iPhones.
And here I sit, my phone rendered useless because of the exorbitant
charges that would be dumped on me should I connect here to the local carrier. I believe this proves that whatever is perceived
as valuable, or even necessary, people will find the resources to possess. And that is why I believe I get the
opportunity to come. If I can join this
team and continue to infuse hope and educational excellence into the best of
the best, and even potentially inspire those who have been long overwhelmed by
the economic machine in transition, to find new hope, a new cause for a better
land, the time I give will be worth more than I can fathom.
I love the teachers here in Livno, just as I loved my teachers from elementary school through college. These teacher here, the best of the best,
inspire this heart like the best of the best who were my teachers. I get the chance to challenge them to rise and raise the next leaders of this
nation; leaders who could and probably will bring change and economic success to
Bosnia. Inspired by my inspired teachers and mentors, I come to inspire these here. It starts as a seed and grows. It is the great call to be everything we were made to be, standing tall growing through joy and adversity. Indeed, what started as a seed, can grow into a towering redwood.
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