Starcevo is a small town on the edge of Pancevo which itself is a large industrial satelite town of Belgrade. On the edge of Starcevo, in the shadow of an oil refinery are the “barracks” where tens of families live in very poor conditions…
This morning we played football, told stories, painted faces, played with balloons, and made music with these families. It has been a precious time as these friendships stretch back over 13 years.
Even today, people still speak of the bombing of 1999 that brought this area to its knees – thick black clouds billowing up from the oil refinery and chemical factories: spilling pollutants, searing the air and leaving a legacy of broken ecology and ill health that will linger for generations. As well as struggling with their poverty, the families of Starcevo have to cope with these health challenges.
Yet you could not meet a more vibrant, generous and welcoming group of people – the “barracks” have been filled with laughter and great conversation through the morning…
Sounds amazing all that you’ve been doing! Incredible that God is touching all those lives thru you! Missing my husband lots though.
Your husband’s missing you too – we wouldn’t be here facing all these opportunities without your involvement earlier in the story and your massive support now. See you soon. X
Just one of so many parts of a compact and deeply moving experience over those ten days. Awsome.