Hay Deanery.

Hay Deanery
Hay & Llanigon.
Aid to Bosnia & Macedonia.

In response to the suffering of the refugees in the Balkans conflict the parishes of Hay and Llanigon raised funds to provide their own relief to the area.

Journeys were made out in 1996 and 1999 to take aid to the Balklans. The Vicar took part in both these aid missions which were undertaken as part of the Swansea based aid-relief charity, "Lifeline." Sponsorship which made this possible was also provided by Ford of Bristol and B.B.C. Bristol.

"On the right is one of the Muslim Aid Workers, a man of tremendous courage. He had been imprisioned for nearly a year in one of the Serbian 'detention centres'. He was our main guide and spoke little English. Amazingly, after all he had been through, his stock English phrase was, 'No Problem'."

Picture from Bosnia.

"In the centre is a Bosnian Army Major with whom we stayed. His house bears signs of the conflict, as do the other buildings in these pictures. He and the squad he commanded had the responsibility of clearing the anti-personel mines sown by the Serbs in his area. He warned us not to stray from the road. Three of his men were killed in the previous week before we arrived."

Picture from Bosnia.

"In the centre you see us negotiating with Red Cross officials in Sarajevo in order to deliver medical supplies and food to the 'Institute' near the city which cared for the mentally disabled, orphans and the sick. Many suffered from the effects of the conflict. Little money was available and most of the staff had worked there for a number of years without pay."

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