San Diego, May 21, 2014
As we deal with wildfires and a severe drought here in San Diego County, too much water is the problem for towns and communities in other parts of the world. Right now, massive flooding in eastern Europe is affecting more than a million people and hitting close to home for some San Diegans. Serbia is observing three days of mourning after record flooding killed more than two dozen people.
In just a matter of days, several months worth of rain has poured over parts of Eastern Europe and it's not over. The Balkans are enduring the worst floods since records began 120 years ago. The situation is being exacerbated by the risk of landmines from the Bosnia war resurfacing.
While Serbia appealed for world-wide aid, officials still say food and medical supplies are hard to come by.
"When you have this kind of natural disaster, it taxes every kind of resource," said Vladan Trifunovic, a native Serbian who now resides in San Diego.
Now, St. George and St. Petka Serbian Orthodox Churches in San Diego are working to gather support in the community.
When Father Bratso Krsic of St. George said he first heard the news last week, his heart ached for his parents, brother, sister-in-law and his niece who were caught in the floods.
"I was really devastated of course, and just offering our prayers to God for protection of all people," Father Bratso sighed.
Father Bratso said he learned his family was trapped on the second floor of their home for three days.
"Within 15 to 20 minutes, their house was flooded," Father Bratso said. "They saw the water coming, but nobody expected it would be at that proportion," he said.
Trifunovic has roughly 50 relatives in affected areas.
"You can't describe it, being in the United States," Trifunovic said. "We have so many great benefits. The local fires are a perfect example; you have immediate resources, we know the limitations that they have over there, and they don't have simple things like sand bags prepared," he explained.
While thankfully all of Father Bratso and Trifunovic's family members are safe, they along with members of the church are coming together to put on two fundraisers this weekend.
"They're physically and financially devastated," Trifunovic said.
Donations will provide assistance to families recovering from the floods.
The first fundraiser will be this Saturday at 7 p.m. at St. Petka Serbian Orthodox Church located at 1854 Knob Hill Road in San Marcos. Speakers will be present at the dinner, featuring compelling photographs of the ongoing disaster.
There will be another fundraiser this Sunday at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, located at 3025 Denver Street in San Diego. The lunch will follow the 10:30 a.m. service and is scheduled to begin shortly after noon.
Father Bratso said all donation amounts are welcome at both fundraisers. If you cannot attend either event, the International Orthodox Christian Church Charities (IOCC) has established the Balkans Flood Relief Fund for victims of the floods.
You can log on to www.iocc.org, or call toll free at 1-877-803-IOCC (4622) to make a donation.
