Due to terrible floods in our country, we as Roma community have organized ourselves in order to help as much as we can.
In first days when the rain started I received a phone call from Djurdjevo from our brothers and sisters telling me that because of the rain, area where Roma people live had been flooded. Water started to enter their houses and few of them had serious problems. I went there and saw it myself that there were problems… When I arrived, firemen were already setting pumps to drain the water from houses and yards… They did not allow me to take photos because of state of emergency, but I took a risk and took few photos.
It was hard for me to watch all that, people without hope… Few brothers and sisters asked us for help… As I was going back I was told that the following day I would have a meeting with one of vice-presidents in the Serbian government… It was a privilege to tell this man and representatives of local government about our work. Then we, as community, decided to collect humanitarian aid for the people in need, so just in one day we managed to collect hundred boxes of wardrobe, 300 liters of water, food, hygiene items, etc… All of that was transported to Belgrade on the same day. Next morning the mayor phoned me and asked me to go to Vrbas to help 16 Roma people who were evacuated from Obrenovac.
I thanked God for the opportunity to serve. When I came to Vrbas, I organized medical examination for those people, gave them food, place to stay and everything else they needed. It was very touching to hear what they went through. Together with Dragan and Danijela we also had a privilege to help our brothers and sisters in Belgrade and Mladenovac. It was wonderful to be with them. Then we went to Paracin, bringing there with a truck of drinking water.
Pray for us. We wish you blessings in your life.
Sasa Subotin
