Armed with carpenter tools, sleeping bags, gifts of coffee beans, thirteen Minnesotans joined thirty others from throughout the United States at JFK airport for a 38-hour trip to our destination. O ur purpose was to help restore a sense of hope, faith and a little assistance to a nation ravaged by war.
Refugees are everywhere, without possessions or a place to go.
O ur journey took us from Zagreb through southern Croatia to northeastern Bosnia, crossing Serb territory at the small village of Brcko, which also lay in ruins. A rmed guards entered the bus requesting our passports, refusing entry to a TV crew from Texas. The TV crew arrived by car later entering at a more lenient checkpoint. After a short search we were allowed to continue on to our destination of Boderiste, about 3 miles from the border. T he village of 250 families has been reduced to about two-thirds.