Sunday May 19, 2019

We have been traveling all week but I'll have to post a separate travelogue.  There is just too much for one blog.  We returned to Sarajevo on Friday afternoon, unpacked and did some laundry.  Our newest NGO partner had invited us to Iftar Friday evening.

If you aren't aware, we are about midway through Ramadan.  Iftar (Arabic for "break fast") is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset.  They break their fast at the time of the evening call to prayer.  Call to prayer is based on the times of sunrise and sunset; during Ramadan they fast during those hours.  Here in Sarajevo, we hear a loud cannon boom at sunset and we know it is the end of the daily fast.

Iftar is one of the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community, with Muslim people gathering to break their fast together.  This NGO had invited their members and other friends to join them at a restaurant Friday.  We were at a table for 6 and shared the meal family style.  Traditionally, dates are eaten first to break the fast, in emulation of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who broke his fast in this manner.

Dates are the first bite taken to break fast at Iftar

Iftar feast

You can see that the table was covered with food - meat platter with chicken, beef, lamb, ćevapi, salads, raw onions, flat bread and lemonade.  We were with the young Elders and they made a pretty good dent in the food.  We were about two-thirds through the meat platter when they came and dumped another huge portion of meats on the platter.  There is no way 6 people could eat that much food, although the Elders tried.  We hope that they feed the poor and needy with the leftovers.

We had to get the Elders back home before curfew so left before the celebration ended.  We aren't sure if anything more happens after the eating.  We asked another partner we were with on Saturday if this much food is normal every evening - definitely not.  When families gather for Iftar it is much simpler and less food is served.

On Saturday we drove to Sapna, in northeast Bosnia, with another partner and one of her volunteers.  LDS Charities is helping them refurbish their mobile library.  We are doing some vehicle repairs and replacing the tires.  The inside will have the flooring replaced and new shelves for the new books and media equipment.  This rural area is very poor and the schools do not have libraries or enough text books.  The mobile library stocks all the required curriculum books and materials for the teachers to access and use for lesson planning.

Mobile library project banner

Our partner Ines and her volunteer (whose name I cannot remember) taught a workshop to 15 elementary school children.  The topic was developing good study habits.  They seemed to be doing a good job, but not knowing much of what they were saying, it's hard to say.  We were very impressed with the students good behavior and participation.

Volunteer (left) and Ines (right) conducting the workshop

In the classroom

During the break, we wandered the school halls a bit.  It is a colorful school, with large murals on the walls and a variety of student art work.

Apparently there are bullies everywhere

There were two large posters outside the English Club door.  The one about bullying and another to stop violence.

Stop violence in the schools

Sapna is a 3-hour drive.  We arrived back in Sarajevo around 4:00 pm and went to the store for groceries so we could feed the missionaries today.  We are leaving first thing tomorrow morning for Bihać to wrap up a refugee project there.  It is a 5-hour drive.  Thank goodness for books on tape while we drive.  I love to travel but will admit I'm exhausted from all the driving.  And the week ahead is more of the same.