Kosovo2018: #9 In the cafe after church (Photos by Joshie)

After church we all head down to the cafe for a customary coffee and catch up.

I recall last time this was great fun. I caught up with friends and Joshie managed to take a few photos.






















































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Kosovo2018: #8: Football

Last time I was here I played football (and was told to people that I was Roberto Carlos)



This time we went to see the local footy club play.



It was a hot day and man was it good's. Down to 10 men. Penalty going against us and a great goal to win the game. I managed to capture the goal from the stalls (but you can't see it... though check out the response from the crowd- you can see Joshie enjoyed it!)

Kosovo2018: #7 Through the roof

We were asked to visit an old lady.



I couldn’t work out whether she was a widow but she lives alone and she has hole in her roof. She attends the local church which Ray goes to whilst here.



The weather is better the day we visit. It was only raining slightly. Three weeks ago there was snow and I was told only a few weeks ago there was torrential rain.



We are here to take the first look at the problem. It took us a while to find. We had to ask the neighbour to phone the lady as she couldn’t hear us knocking at the gate. The house is on three floors. There’s a basement which is incomplete. The top floor is also incomplete.



There are stairs that go up but it has been covered to seal up. We go up and through to check out. It’s an incomplete house. She lives on one floor. Easier to manage. She really wants to offer us some food and drink and gets us a juice. Joshie is very happy.



After inspecting the roof area it looks like it needs new tiles and some doors and windows. Luan picks up the phone to ask his friend to come and look at the roof to give an idea of cost for a job like this.



We leave but resolve to buying some essentials and coming back to drop off. She’s not there when we come back. Joshie drops the eggs off where we left our drinks.





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Location:Rruga Nikollë Kaçorri,,

Kosovo2018 #6: Family fun

Caleb & I visited Avni (a wood cutter) and his family a couple of years ago. Caleb played football with Hasret and Avni showed me lots of photos. The girls were immense fun and they were sharing how Altonne (middle) was recovering from a deliberate hit and run- they joked she was half metal.

If I had one word to describe this family it would be blessed. There’s an immense amount of fun and appreciation in this household.

Hasret was playing his drums and they were singing songs. He even shared some of his drawing that he’s been doing. He said he’d love to learn to play the guitar someday.

There are hardships and then there’s some. I feel taught afresh being here about some of life’s simple blessings: one another.

Altonne shared: only this morning I remembered Caleb and you and I prayed for you and thanked God for you.

The gratitude is mutual as are the prayers for this family.















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Location:Rruga Nikollë Kaçorri,,

Kosovo2018: #5 Joshie of Gjakova

Here’s the explorer in his new habitat.






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Location:Rruga Nikollë Kaçorri,,

Kosovo2018: #4 Coffee

I recall hearing that Coffee is the world’s number one drink. More popular that water.

One thing I love in any country is ‘going out for coffee’. And this place is no exception.

Such a great tradition.






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Location:Rruga Nikollë Kaçorri,,

Kosovo2018: #3 Redux

Just been re-reading a few entries from the last time I was here with Caleb.

https://solanky.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/kosovo

The house we are now staying in is now complete.












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Location:Rruga Nikollë Kaçorri,,

Kosovo2018 #2: Slept in an airport

Flights are expensive.

We can do anything to make them cheaper. Including an overnight stay in Vienna.

Joshie was up for it. So was I. I’ve done it a few times before. Even my friend Ray who I gave a lift to the airport only last week did it. He is in his 60s and ‘in between’ chemo sessions. Ray has arranged most of our trip and we’re meeting him on the other side.

The adventure begins.


















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Location:Rruga Nikollë Kaçorri,,

Kosovo2018 #1 Joshie n Papa

Around 14 years ago I nearly left the charity sector. I was disillusioned with it. Too much money and power in the wrong hands. Saw too much of what I’d rather not in an ‘industry of help’.

I wanted out.

Teaching was my panacea. Applied. Interviewed. The university however failed to let me know that I got in. An administrative error. One that cost me my teaching career that I never had but also one which reopened the door for charity. Except this time without money. The question put to me was do you want to do this. Money aside. What do you want to do?

This is tough question- as I really didn’t know. Teaching held prospect, a safe career, respect and security. Oh and money. The other had none of these.

I asked just about everyone what I should do hoping that I could outsource this issue. I received lots of advise around pros and cons and supportive sentiments. It was only when I asked a professor (and good friend’s father) who said this exact question: what do you want to do?

I didn’t have an immediate answer as I was till trying to scramble around the what should I do the of response.

I went home.Told Angie exactly what happened and she asked me the same question: what do you want to do?

The answer was instinctive. I want to do the charity thing. I just don’t know how we will survive. She said “let’s pray now”. We did. We went to sleep. The next morning she woke up and said “let’s do this together”.

We have done this now for nearly 15 years. A few years ago I said we must start bringing our children when the time is right. That time happened for Caleb two years ago and now it’s Joshie’s turn.

Today we stepped out the door and were heading to Kosovo to see friends and start to see more of the world, but to share in what we are doing together as a family.
























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Location:Rruga Nikollë Kaçorri,,

Kosovo #13: Three Kosovan-ism phrases

A few phrase "isms" that I've observed over the past few days:

"step-by-step": a common life phrase to describe the passage of time and the life journey between key milestones.

"Blah blah": they blah blah (with added hand gestures to signify talking) used to describe gossip. It was generally a negative.

"What to do?": a rhetorical expression of exclaiming "its out of my hands" or usually following an explanation of a dilemma or overwhelming problem. 

Kososvo #12: do you have his mother's permission

Most weeks there's a permission slip request from school for one of the boys. Usually it's a fairly simple process.

I was caught off guard at Pristina airport at the passport control when the policeman asked whether I had permission from the boy's mother to travel. 

There are a number of ways that I could have handled this. But the one I chose was, maybe not the best either, a vacant stare at the policeman completely lost for words for all of those few seconds before I blurt out "I'm his father!"

He looks at me. He looks down at Caleb. 

A pause.

My mind is wrestling with whether I should say something or not. 

He looks again and waves us through .

Trafficking children is still a big problem. The family we will be staying with had one of their children "given for adoption" during the post war period.

One group I worked with said that it's the airlines and their staff that "just know" who are being taken and they are powerless to intervene.

Caleb and I walk through hand in hand to get our baggage.

Kosovo #11: Rahovec

Around 14 years ago Ray came to this Roma colony and met Suzana and her family.

Hers was the first house he visited.

He's been friends with them ever since. It was powerful hearing from Ray and Aferdita (Suzana's daughter) the stories over the years. A lot has happened to them. Ray is inbetween chemo treatments and timed this particular visit to Kosovo, with us, to fit in.

Someone like Ray was friends with my family when they were thrown out of their country Uganda in 1972.

When Aferdita tries to pay tribute to him (which is quite a few times), Ray is very quick to not take any praise and give thanks and credit to God. 

 

Kosovo #10: at the reservoir with friends

Kosovo #9: call me Roberto Carlos

I still recall seeing that banana free kick against France at around the half way mark that former Brasil left back and free kick specialist Roberto Carlos swung both out and then in to the back of the net in 1997. I recall trying to practise that for ages.

Today I got invited to play football here in Gjakova. I was introduced, referred to whilst playing as Roberto Carlos. I even had a selfie taken as a result.

Shame I couldn't strike the ball like him.

Kosovo #8: playing blind

I was taught how the blind play chess. (And knit!)

My friend Shiape (the fifth best chess player in all Kosovo) kindly showed me. He was less enthusiastic about the knitting!

Kosovo #7: the widows

Her children were denied to travel through a person's land to get to school. They had to therefore venture through a river to get there. Sometimes the river was a few inches high. Sometimes much more.

Her house backs on to this river. Currently there's a truck there and lots of rubbish floating around the edge. The tied up dog is also barking away.

We arrive armed with a few supplies of flour, meat, sugar, a tray of eggs, soap and other few items.

Upon arrival she shares about her high blood pressure and Ray says we'll get her some medicine.

She's a widow.

Kosovo #6: From a crumbling home to building a new one

This man proudly shows us around his home that he is building. It's about 18 months from completion I was told.

It is next to his current crumbling one.

Kosovo #5: Blessed are the peacemakers

306  students.

We're in a primary school. The Head ushered us into his office and lady comes in delivering coffee one by one.

This school has been here since 1981. 35 years old. This Head has only been since 1996. This is actually quite a feat as his contract lasts 2 years before renewal. He's clearly good at his job as the last renewal was given without his consent.

He's not complaining.

He shares passionately about his students whilst his colleague finds a text book that he gives especially to Caleb.

He starts off by saying: "... y'know there was a war here sixteen years ago"

It's hard to stop a man midflow from here.

He goes on to share about the mixes of students including a 75 from the Roma communities and his acute desire to integrate people from all walks of community to encourage the future generation to feel and know that there are no barriers between people and races. A man with a dream.

His particular requests to us is to help to build a computer room and particularly for a disabled girl. A wheelchair to help the ten year old get to school. Currently her grandmother pushes her 2km every day here.

As we finish listening he asks Caleb which class he is in. Caleb says Year 5. He says let's go meet our Year 5s.

After 16 years peace making comes in the form of a place of learning that is desperately trying to ensure its students learn in inclusive environments.

Kosovo #4: after a long day...

Kosovo #3: "we're with Ray"

Ray has invited me to Kosovo multiple times.

I have tried to come many times too. It's just not worked out. 

Right now I'm lying on a bed in house in Gjakova. I would never be here being welcomed in this home. With these lovely people who give their beds up for Caleb and I. 

Aferdita cooked a meal. Suzanna, the mother, baked the bread. Ramadan, Aferdita's older brother, his wife Miki and their son Heckuran played. Luan, Aferdita's fiancé, drove us from the airport to here. And Albina, one of Aferdita's younger sisters, said to me we all know Ray. He has known me since I was 13. He is known by many people around here and is their friend. 

She ended saying: "Ray is a really good man"