Livno

EuroCup report: Croatia won on Monday night, 1 to zip over Austria. The ensuing partying lasted for hours afterwards. Thursday is the next round as Croatia is up against Germany. Everyone says Germany is the stronger team so if underdog Croatia wins on Thursday, the party may last all weekend. . .

Now what can I tell you about Livno? As we made our way to this town over the past two weeks, whenever we would announce our eventual desitination, we consistently got the same incredulous response from folks: Livno?! Why are you going to Livno?? I think it would be like an international visitor traveling to the US in order to spend two weeks in Yadkinville (no offense against your home turf, Mom.) Our hosts joke that everyone is trying to leave Livno and we have deliberately come. These hosts are a most fascinating NGO called Youth Centre Livno, which we discovered as researched where we might live for a few weeks, be part of a community, learn in depth about this part of the world and hopefully contribute in some way. The philosophy we attempt to follow in the Caldwell program on these international service ventures is to seek out whenever possible organizations that are grassroots, born in the local community rather than from the efforts of an external group. It is about trying to engender an understanding of the difference between serving and helping and fixing. From a service point of view, we come into communities in a spirit of reciprocity. .. aware that we are the ones most likely to be served and most greatly changed by the communities that graciously welcome us and allow us to work alongside them. We do not come assuming to have answers to others' issues or needs, but with a spirit of working "alongside."

So. . . Youth Centre Livno is one of the finest examples of this grassroots value system I have encountered. It all began with three local guys who grew up together in Livno, who as they say (in what I have come to see as their laidback and self-deferential style) "were bored." Secondarily, they will admit that "they wanted to do something for Livno." Clearly a bright trio (Andija, Zoran, and Marko) two of them law students. .. they began a non profit ten years ago after finishing their studies, to address environmental issues (they have a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund for some of their projects) and to create positive options for local youth. T-shirted and somewhat scruffy with a dump of an office (with a prominent dartboard and a big dog named Floppi) they are nonetheless greatly efficient and productive (without neglecting the required amount of Bosnian time each day having coffee. ..) and are clearly known and respected in this town.

Our students are working on two different projects: one at a local school where they are creating and installing a new entrance mural (a formidable task in a week and a half of work time) and the other with a local organization that provides enrichment activities and family support for developmentally disabled kids. Yesterday was our first introduction to the sites and the projects and they have since been formulating plans, gathering materials and working to get their efforts off the ground. My role in all of this? I sign for the credit card that buys the supplies (my only real indispensible role). Otherwise, each site has a student team leader and I float between them as a volunteer and do my best to be out of the way of them taking ownership of their projects. The best by product for me of doing this kind of work for so long is my comfort level with the chaos and stress they encounter and not trying to fix it for them (believe me, I wasnt always at this place. .. but now I rather savor watching them struggle, because I know thats where the learning will come). We have a regular and somewhat rigorous reflection structure (both written and oral) which allows the opportunity to pose to them the questions and challenge and support to move through the feelings and understandings that this all offers to them. We also have an added bonus on this trip which raises the bar on all this learning: we have brought along a videographer and Art's good questions and camera will also keep them on their toes. We anticipate a documentary at the end of all this. .. but that level of a promised by-product makes me nervous. .. what will happen in the next two weeks is an unknown.
Stay tuned.