His name is Hadi. He’s nine years old with thick black hair and a big smile. The woman in charge helped him sort through a small box of children’s jackets until he found one that fit. He chose a white Puma windbreaker. When he stole a glimpse of himself in the wall mirror, he flashed that smile and stood a little straighter.

Hadi and his family are from Afghanistan. They now live in a reception center for refugees outside Sarajevo. They took two buses into the city to visit Kompas, a non‐profit, Bosnian‐run refugee aid organization where Andy and I volunteered today. Hadi’s parents were looking for clothes and, if they’re lucky, some shoes that fit.

Tea and Tic-Tac-Toe

After his family found a few items they needed, I took Hadi and his parents to the next room to have a cup of tea, to rest a bit before the long bus ride back to the refugee camp. They sat down on the rough furniture—just pallets, really, with thin cushions on top, and I turned on the kettle for hot water.

As his family drank tea, Hadi and I played tic‐tac‐toe. We had no language in common, but as soon as I drew the grid on the paper, he understood. We looked through pictures in a Disney coloring book from the shelf—he recognized Lightning McQueen right away. He drew a picture (above) and then sat, hugging the resident cat until it was time to leave.

Meanwhile, Andy was in the clothing distribution room chatting with four Afghan men. They shared some of their story with him while they devoured the apples and bananas we had brought to share.

One man had been journeying for nine months. Three of the four had met in Greece, bonded by their common experience, and had stuck together. They, too, came next door for a cup of coffee after choosing their clothing. They charged their phones and sat awhile.

This was our first day volunteering at Kompas, which was started by Bosnian university students. Of the estimated 4,000 refugees in Bosnia today, Andy and I interacted with about twenty of them.

What did we accomplish?

What did we accomplish? We offered a welcoming smile, a listening ear, a willing hand. We handed out fresh fruit and served coffee. We had some conversations and entertained a child. We were present in the lives of people who have lost place in the world.

It may appear to be a small start in this new ministry, but these things carry weight in the kingdom of God.

The ancient words of the prophet Zechariah come to mind.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...” - Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

We do not move mountains in one giant heave, but in small steps of faithfulness and daily acts of love and kindness.

Winter is coming

Ninety percent of the displaced population in Bosnia is currently from Afghanistan. Many tell us they were previously in Turkey but were compelled to flee as Turkey began deporting Afghans back to Afghanistan in July.

They now have a sense of urgency to get moving westward before winter arrives in Bosnia. Many are spending less than 2-weeks in the country as they press forward on the refugee highway.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the work in Sarajevo

Many thanks to our IAFR partners who make it possible for teammates like Andy and Sarah show up in the lives of asylum seekers and refugees!