Eyes of hope

These two pictures show myself with two Serb teenagers who just graduated high school and one Albanian who also just graduated. Of course, they went to separate high schools, but they do know each other through the Summer English School that the missionaries here run at the community center. Through this summer program, these teenagers have broken down some walls, become friendly with each other, and will even greet each other on the street.

Roza, the Albanian, related an incident that happened a few months ago. She was walking down the street when she saw Elena, the Serbian, across the street. Roza greeted her and Elena returned the greeting. The group of Serb teenagers that were standing next to Elena said: "Don't talk to her...she's Albanian!" Elena replied: "She's my friend!" Although their friendship does not extend beyond greeting, I believe this is a significantly hopeful story.

The Serbian teenagers were extremely guarded about what they said to me regarding the situation and expressed little hope that anything would change. In fact, "uncertainty" would be a word to describe the state of the Serbians here.. . many are half-expecting to have to move to Serbia. Ironically, although Serbia is vying for Kosovo, Kosovite Serbs are not exactly welcomed to Serbia, being seen as "country cousins".

Roza, on the other hand, was full of optimism and hope about the future, wanting to build relationships and leave the past in the past even though her family had endured many hardships at the hands of the Serb soldiers. Even those that express this hope for the future, however, cannot practically relate how these relationships could be formed between the two groups.

I myself felt tremendous hope as I looked in the eyes of these young woman who were setting off to university. Despite difficult situations, there is an expectancy and enthusiasm that spills out of them, and in their eyes I saw the secret dreams and hopes that are so wonderfully bound up in youth. Hope, I believe, is a grace from God because it allows people to move through the rubble of broken lives towards the kingdom.