Sarah and her new friend Amira from Iraq chatted as they baked chocolate chip cookies in Hope Community's kitchen. "But now I'm here in Bosnia, and I can rest."

The light of relief in Amira's smile reflected the hope we felt about this opening day at Hope Community and our dreams for its future in our community.

This dream became a reality.

We had 14 guests from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Russia, and Morocco on opening day. I looked around at my family and teammates scattered around with our guests, playing ping pong and chess, drinking coffee, chatting, and laughing. That evening, my daughter would tell me how impressed she'd been when she got to practice gymnastics with someone who spoke six languages and had trained as a gymnast as a kid.

Later in our dedication service, I talked about Hope Community's vision to function as a welcoming "rest stop," a place of peace and hope on the long, weary journeys of our displaced friends and neighbors passing through. An Iraqi friend who attended the service commented that she had never encountered joy and gratitude in worship as she did in this celebration service. We, too, felt God with us as this dream became a reality.

A Hub of Welcome

In the two months since Hope Community opened its doors, we've welcomed over two hundred guests from fourteen countries, most from Syria, Iran, and Iraq.

At this point, we've got regulars, including one new friend from Russia who walks over twenty minutes from camp to come to be with us every time the doors are open. He's taught me all about being a YouTube influencer and often works on his content at the Center. A man in exile, he has made himself at home with us, and we honored him by celebrating his birthday as a community during this first month, with joy and laughter spilling over.

That welcome extends beyond our displaced friends to the local community, who are both invited in and who help empower us to extend welcome. When school was in session, high schoolers from the local school stopped by to eat their lunches at our tables and have a cup of something hot to drink. Our neighbor who lives by the Center blessed us with a large bag of sweets and kind words for our child. We also feel honored by partnerships with the local churches and ministries who have partnered with us in the vision and establishment of Hope Community.

Connecting With Coffee and Smiles

To the smell of baking cookies and banana bread and freshly brewed coffee, over games of ping-pong and volleyball, we get to know people. Some are here longer, and some are just passing through. Some speak many languages, and others connect with smiles and Google Translate. Some just want to sit quietly with a cup of tea or coffee, relishing a chance to rest.

Above: The IAFR Sarajevo Team at Hope Community

An Unexpected Gift for Many

What has impressed us the most over the past four weeks is the peace of God's presence at Hope Community. Several guests have commented that they feel relaxed, which is an unexpected gift for many. We know the Holy Spirit is present in each conversation and interaction, and we pray for many more opportunities to welcome our friends into the hope we have in Christ.

Learn More about our work in Sarajevo!