RHP part one ~ Sarajevo!

RHP 2019 ~ Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina

The Refugee Highway Partnership (RHP) annual roundtable took place in Sarajevo this year.  It’s called a roundtable, since at the beginning of their gatherings, (2002), everyone was able to sit around the table.  My first trip to an RHP roundtable was in February 2013, when we were 24 around the table in Malta.  Since that time, I have served on their leadership team, helping organize the roundtables in Malaga, Spain and Catania, Sicily (Italy).  Then I took a break as we prepared to leave Belgium, raise financial and prayer support for Steve to return to missionary service in Europe.  During this time of transition for us personally, the flood of refugees poured into Europe (2015-2016).  And thus, as the number of refugees increased across Europe, so did the scope of the RHP.  This year, we were 189 registered participants!

Sarajevo city ~ from a distance with the mountains in the background

So much joy all around ~

Dear friend Jan from Antwerp ~ watching him grow in wisdom has been one of my life's greatest joys!

From the website of the RHP, www.rhpeurope.net..."We are a network of Christ-followers who share a common passion to see the Church minister the whole gospel amongst those who have been forcibly displaced – including the refugees and asylum seekers who arrive in Europe."  These are my people!  The ones that I resonate with the most.  Because we share so much in common. Their vision: is to see a Kingdom movement of transformational ministry with and among forcibly displaced people in Europe and beyond.  

Workshops focusing on sustainable ministry

The plenary sessions ~ such good teaching on breaking down the barrier and embracing the stranger

We learned a lot about the importance of story and listening

Sarajevo was the host to the winter Olympic games in 1984.  And just 8 years later, in 1992, Sarajevo came under siege for 3.5 years as war broke out in the neighborhood.  The city has 7 museums dedicated to the history of war in their country.  It’s also the city where Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed in 1914, which was the event that set off the triggers of World War One.

War history lesson on the bobsled run

Another bobsled run view ~ so much of life had happened here...in a happier time....

Our meetings filled our mornings and evenings with great teaching and networking with people from across Europe who had come prepared to share from their experiences thru teaching, workshops, and many times around meals and late night networking in the rooftop terrace that often included live music from well known Sarajevan musicians.  But our afternoons were filled with opportunities to walk around the city and learn….learn about war, about tunnels of hope, about the effects of war on children, about culture and religion.  Opportunities to pray for the city.  We even took a hike up what used to be the bobsled run of the Sarajevo Olympics. It’s been abandoned and full of graffiti messages in the middle of a national forest. Snow on the run made it all the more authentic  (did you catch the photos above??)

Jewish Cemetery on the outer edge of the city

Sarajevo ~ city under siege for 1425 days...that's more than 3.5 years, folks!

Tunnel of hope....the only safe passage during the siege, located under the airport

So thankful for the RHP, for the city of Sarajevo, and their pride in their country, their music and culture, and their hope for the future.

Where my worlds collided....Malin (L) from my world in Sweden, with Jan (R) from my world in Belgium.  Felt the love!!!

 

When an arrow shows up in your hotel room, what might it mean?

 

Sarajevo hosting the European Youth Olympic Festival just as our roundtable finished up...hope for the future!