I went to Bosnia to try and find a little boy who was retarded to bring back to the United States for help. His mother was unable to care for him and they were right in the middle of the bombing in Mostar. I went into the area two times to try and help Admir, his younger brother and his mother and father. The last time I went in, the family had been sent back across the river where bombs where now being dropped. I lost Admir, then found Jonathan in Croatia.

If I was ever touched by an angel, it is when I found Jonathan who was ill in a Croatian hospital. Because of so many reason, Jonathan was not able to live with his natural mother and father who I am sure loved him very much. I know that his grandmother and grandfather loved Jonathan... so does his aunt. Croatia is a very new country and because of war, resources are extremely limited so Jonathan was sent to an orphanage to spend the rest of his life. There were no other options for him.

By the grace of God, I found Jonathan who was ill in a Croatian hospital. Standing over his crib in the hospital I promised him that I would help him no matter how long it took.

I called Linn and Jim Heider from Bosnia telling them of Jonathan who was in a Croatia hospital, missing lower extremities of his arms and legs. I asked them if they wanted him and they did. So, I started the long, difficult process of helping Jonathan to the waiting arms of Linn, Jim and there three older children. The Heiders also wanted to adopt another child from Croatia who had the same disabilities as Jonathan. (Who they decided they would name "Christian.")

The department of Social Service in Croatia was very happy that the Hieders would take him... but it was all stopped when the head of the Croatian orphanage in Zagreb appealed the discision for Christian to leave the orphanage. She wanted him to stay in the orphanage for the rest of his life because she liked him and didn't want him to leave. It was a very sad time for the Heiders when the news came that Christian couldn't come to be with them... but God in His goodness, opened up for another child to come who was just like Jonathan. His name is Brennen. The Heiders wanted Jonathan to grow up with a child just like him... so they could help one another.

Christian

Jonathan and Brennen

In Croatia found Ziliana, a young girl who had been in the orphanage since she was born. Her mother had been in the orphanage before her. Ziliana seemed so lost, she had a learning disablility and no one seemed to want her, she reminded me of so many lost people I've seen in my life. I was determined that I would help her too. When I met her, she ran behind me because a boy was chasing her and trying to hit her.

I found a wonderful family for her who also had three older children. I told them of the difficulties Ziliana had because she was older and in the orphanage a long time... but they wanted her anyway. Debbie and Jeff took on a very difficult task of taking such a wounded child into their home to try help rebuild her a life. They didn't give up when it was extremely hard to cope to her dysfuntional ways... and to help her over come so many obsticles.

Two families who reached out to help two children and made a difference in their lives. So many lost children in this world. I can feel good that these two children are loved. No matter what will happen in my own life, nothing will take away how good I feel that through the grace of God I was abile to help these two children find love.

Srecko, a Croatian was severly wounded in Bosnia where he lived. I found out about him and brought him to the United States for medical care. I found a hospital who would help him in Green Bay, Wisconsin as well as doctors, place to live and people who would help him while he was there. He came to the United States on a stretcher via the US military medical plane, then was transported to Green Bay. I learned a lot from Srecko who I helped for over a year and a half. I found him and Dusko, another wounded soldier from Bosnia, a tutor to teach them English. Now Srecko is my translator for my continued work in Bosnia.

My experiences in Croatia are many and they will never be forgotten... -Sr. Pauline Quinn op

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Bosnia & Croatia