Her name is ZiZa and meeting and spending time with her has been one of my favorite parts about Serbia.
She just has this heart to serve and love people. The first time we met her as a team she made us palichinka, which is crepes. I remember we were helping Karl and Julie move and we came back with another load of furniture to move in and when we pulled there she was, this sweet older woman just waiting patiently at the door to their apartment with a an full of palichinka. We ran her upstairs so that she can sit inside. Me and the rest of the guys were running up and down to the car to unload but every time we came up she was their talking to Haley and Aubrey though signs because she spoke very little English and she would say something along the lines of “Bravo young men!” every time we would come up.
After we finished moving we started eating! And we ate and ate. She loved serving us palichinka, and she actually tricked Haley into asking for one more! ZiZa said, “Yosh yedem” and asked Haley to say it back. Haley said it and ZiZa gave her another palichinka! Yosh yedem means one more in Serbian. We all had more than our full of palichinka that day!
The next time we saw her we went to her house and she made us more desserts, big surprise! But this time we were able to communicate with her though Karl and Julie. She told us about her story and her hardships, and I was blown away by how faithful she has been and still is to this day. It was so powerful to hear how through every challenge that ZiZa faced she remained faithful and was able to see God through the toughest of times. It makes me look back at my life and some of the hardships that I have faced. God has been there with me the whole time even when I was so mad at God for putting me through these trials but he was their bye my side the whole time.
ZiZa found out that I was 20 years old the second time I saw her, so now she calls me her baby! I have an incredible grandma at home and I love her so much, and now I have a Serbian grandma too!
This is ZiZa and me!
This is ZiZa and Team Kaleo
Thanks for checking in!
Jack Baker
