Day Five
We had a really early start this morning as we needed to meet the people from Genesis project at the Bosnian border at 8am! They had arranged our paperwork and would help us through customs.

This was our coldest morning so far, the window I used to get in and out of the Land Rover had frozen shut, and there were icicles just above my face when I woke up! Although it was very cold there was no more fresh snow and we were able to get away promptly. We made it through to the Croatian/Bosnian border in good time and were queuing to go through customs just before 8am. We then proceeded on to the customs compound, coming across a broken down British Army EUFOR Land Rover on the way. Stuart (our mechanical support) got them back on the road again and they were grateful, so we were pleased to see more British working in the customs yard. This was not really to prove as helpful as we first imagined though as it turned out EUFOR had been spot checking standards at the borders for almost three weeks. This rather invasive checking by British troops seemed to have upset the Bosnian customs officials and as a result my vehicle and another in our convoy were searched thoroughly and we were in the customs yard about five hours in total before being allowed to continue.

Once clear we followed Diana from the Genesis project back to their offices and unloaded some of the kit from each trailer (and my 101!) that was to be distributed by Genesis after we’d left. They had ordered a Balkan take away meal for us, and had remembered that I didn’t eat meat so I had a special mushroom version, very nice.

After unloading we proceeded to BLMF (army base) where we would get accommodation and somewhere to work from for the next few days. They were expecting us and made us more than welcome. We collected bedding and unloaded our vehicles.

Day Six
Reasonable start at 8am. Despite the ice in the radiator having turned to slush my Land Rover put some of the army vehicles to shame. While they were all getting tow starts down the main road, my 101 was ticking over nicely. Absolutely everything in it was frozen solid though, including my Redbull and tinned fruit. After good cooked breakfast in the mess we headed off to the children’s hospital to deliver computers, special needs keyboards and supplies such as cardboard, pens, pencils etc.

The reception was very warm, and we were taken inside and introduced to the children. They had put together a performance for us of readings and singing. They also presented Neil with a large framed collage with all the childrens names on it. The facility is the only one which caters for children with Motor Neurone Disease, and other degenerative disorders, Cerebral Palsy etc. in the whole of the Bosnian Serb Republik. Despite the lack of facilities, the people were fantastic and the performance from the children had obviously taken hours of time and an enormous amount of effort, it was quite moving.

After the production we were all given hand made tie’s as gifts and I started setting up the computers. We were running late, so the others set off to go to the psychiatric clinic while I stayed to finish off setting up the PC’s and equipment we supplied to the hospital. Speaking through a translator was an interesting experience, and not as easy as I first imagined, especially when the second guy who stayed with me at the hospital to finish the computers didn’t actually speak English as one of his languages! Using signs and mimes we did manage to understand each other though, and when I asked to go to the psychiatric clinic he did manage to say “you follow, I passat, passat...” so off we went charging through the snowy little streets of Banja Luka, with him in his VW Passat and me following in the 101.

We turned up at the clinic which was quite depressing. The roof has just collapsed under the weight of the snow causing a whole area to be closed. The building was erected as a temporary measure before the war and never got replaced. There are only two other clinics in Republika Srpska, and these are worse. This is made doubly worse because, as a result of the war, mental problems have become more common. We installed a computer, and unloaded the other aid (bedding, blankets etc.) and had brandy with the Director, who explained the needs of the clinic and asked us for some more aid through the interpreters. We left the clinic and went back to Genesis project office where they had prepared a huge selection of local food again for us. We got a phone call at the Genesis office, someone had just seen us on the 5 o’clock Bosnian TV news at the childrens hospital. The report was very positive and they are going to try and record it if it comes on again.

Day Seven
We went to a school further south today, a Primary school in Krupa na Vrbasu and delivered 50 boxes of gifts to the children (these are shoe boxes that school children in England have put toys and gifts into and then wrapped up in paper). They were very grateful for these. We also installed two more computers and looked at a problem on the one they already had. We then continued on to another primary school in city Sipovo.

The hospital we visited yesterday and Genesis project were very happy that our trip had made national news, as it meant that they had not only received the only computer equipment of that type available in the whole of Republika Serbia, but also they believed the media coverage would help them in other ways. It was also featured in two newspapers, which they had photocopied and translated for us when we met them for dinner in the evening. The BARF organisation and their Genesis partner demonstrate how such little effort by a few people can do so much good I guess.

To see the children opening their presents was fantastic. This is something Neil had organised with a school in England. Some of them couldn’t understand that the stuff was for them and that they didn’t have to give it back when we left, others hardly opened the boxes but just hid them or put them in their bags so nobody could take them. We were one box short so Barry had to run all they way back to the vans to get a spare one, and one little lad who thought he wasn’t getting one sat quietly watching all the others, but didn’t say a word. He was really happy when another one arrived just for him.

We’re off to another school in the morning, and then going back to have a sort out at the Genesis office before we leave the following day.

See you all soon, Rob

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