-Christmas In Croatia -
Here in America it was the beginning of winter; December 1995. In Europe it was the beginning of a new life for the refuges of the Bosnian-Serbian War.
The war had recently ended and I'm well on my way for a 3 week trip to Croatia as part of a Humanitarian Mission to deliver food, clothes, toys, love, and the spirit of Christmas to all those who had been up rooted by, and who had run from the war, and the bombing that had taken place on the main land; run to a small sub tropical island about two hours off the coast of Croatia out in the middle of the Adriatic Sea called Otok Hvar.
Never flown before, I'm all by my self. On my way to Croatia.
10+ hours in the air - From Maine to Boston then Boston to Frankfort and on to Croatia.
Once in Croatia I would meet up with my friend Otok Ben Hvar, formerly known as Ben Garcia.
The ferry ride from the city of Split, Croatia to Otok Hvar was filled with excitement!
Once we got to the island and settled into the flat we decorated the balcony railing with Christmas lights and within a few minutes of plugging the lights in people began to arrive from all over the island.
Then they came in droves to oooh and ahhh over the lights.
Low and behold with out any ado the singing began.
A crowd of people began to sing.
They sang familiar songs of Christmas and joy that we all know but they were singing in Croatian language.
It was true magic!
Arriving on the island a few days before Christmas was a wonderful opportunity to visit the schools, churches, and castles with all our gifts in hand.
An opportunity to get familiar with the island, it's people, it's history, it's culture, and it's food, food, oh my, it's wonderful food!
Everywhere we went we carried bags of gifts to pass out to anyone and everyone we would meet.
Being a subtropical island with a mountainous landscape so every where you go is upstairs.
There where roses as big as my face (6-8 inch diameter) in late December, and water so crystal clear you could see old artifacts encrusted with barnacles thirty or forty feet below the surface of the water.
Christmas Day arrived with much pleasure !
With Ben dressed as Santa we gathered our gifts again and headed out to the street and on down to the Piazza in the center of town.
Santa began to ring his bell and the children slowly began to arrive.
Out from between the big stone buildings and all the small cobble stone streets; out to the piazza they came...
At first just a few and then a few more...
with their Mum's and Dad's; Sisters and Brothers; Gram's and Gramp's.
It didn't take long before the whole Piazza was filled with people, gifts, toys and much noise.
Lots of noise!
It was noise of joy I had never heard quite like that before.
The whole piazza was filled with the spirit of Christmas that I've never witnessed like that until that day!
Jesus must have been smiling!
The children, all the people where filled with so much joy and gratitude for the gifts they were given.
They praised us for giving them gifts and joy.
But the gifts and joy truly came from them for us to behold.
Little did they all know the true recipient of extraordinary untangle gifts was me.
My Christmas in Croatia was truly Magical !
I have arrived !
Feeling Blessed,
Wendy Cavers
