New Roads - a Boom and a Bust and Our First Sr. Conference

Our week started out with us being in Montenegro on Sunday. We needed to get back to Sarajevo on Monday, because Sarajevo was the host city our Senior Conference. A Senior Conference is when all the senior couples in our Mission get together for training and lots of fun. It happens twice a year. So on Monday we needed to get back to help get things together. As we started out it had been raining a lot so we decided to go the longer way, that isn't through the mountains. As we were driving, Google Maps said it had found a shorter way. We have learned when it says that, to always verify it because sometimes it is an idiot. This way looked OK, but we were curious why it hadn't shown up as an option before. 

Well, we should have gotten a clue when it was a one lane road and in a hour and a half all we met was 3 horses and about 20 cows. 

After a drive clear across Montenegro, through the mountain on this tiny road, we made it to the border with Bosnia. When we approached the check station a man came out and said "passport" when we gave them to him he said "problem". Then another man came out and said this crossing is only for local traffic, not international. He said "go back" so we drove back another hour and a half. Oh how we love Google Maps. (Not) Helen said I could swear if I needed to, but I used great self control and abstained.

After our 3 hour border crossing bust we made it to Sarajevo. Total travel time 8 hours ,to go 125 miles.

Our Senior Conference was awesome, there are 22 couples and 3 single Senior missionaries here - so there was lots of fun and time to get to know each other. Since our mission cover five countries this was the first time we met several of the other couples. 

Our conference started with a presentation by our good friend and country advocat, Emir Kaknjašević. He gave a great presentation about the history, culture and his Muslim faith tradition. He has been a wonderful friend of the church for many years. Emir was accompanied by his lovely daughter, Ema. 

It was very rainy all week, so our site seeing was a little wet.

 

On Saturday we decided to head back to Montenegro again. Seems like we live in our car. I woke up in the night last week and didn't even know where I was - that is a scary thought - lol. 

Anyway on our trip back we stopped and visited with our friend Michael, who lives in a refugee facility up in the mountains, which used to be an army training camp. He is such an amazing man.  After we visit with him, it makes me grateful for what I have been blessed with in my life. 

Then we don't know when to stop trying new roads through the mountains. This time we found a new road, but I verified it before we took it. Unbeknown to us, it took us through a National Park that the locals call the Bosnian Alps. It was an awesome trip.

Pictures just don't do it justice!

We hope you all have a great week. Please take the time to reflect on the blessing you have receive from our Lord. We see the struggles of our brothers and sisters, from other countries of the world,  just to survive and take care of themselves and thier families. We have met people that live on three pieces of bread per day. We acknowledge the blessings of God in our lives, and the many comforts and freedoms we have enjoyed. If you live in a place of freedom and comfort, please remember from whom these blessing come.