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The youngest of her four children was only six months old when she fled.

It was winter in the Balkans, and war had forced Valentina’s* family to leave everything behind. She and her children traveled on foot to neighboring Albania, joining thousands of other refugees from armed conflict in the Balkans.

Looking back, she remembers God’s protection during that journey. Despite the cold and difficult circumstances, none of her children became sick.

When the family returned to the Balkans, they discovered that their home had been burned to the ground.

They didn’t even have a spoon left.

Valentina’s family pitched a refugee tent in the yard where their house had once stood. They lived there until December, when a Christian organization from England helped them build a two-room home.

More than 25 years have passed since the Balkan War. Valentina’s children have grown up, and she has become a teacher.

Recently, she told her story to Emma, a TMS Global cross-cultural worker (CCW) who has been developing relationships with educators in the Balkans. Emma was preparing to host a course to help teachers understand trauma and its effects on the children in their classrooms.

Valentina asked if she could participate. “I want to come to this so that I know how to not pass that on to future generations.”

Building Relationships Over Coffee

Valentina is not alone.

Through the Balkan Education Project, an organization she founded, Emma connects with teachers in the Balkans and provides opportunities for professional development and support.

In the Balkans, that almost always means meeting for coffee. Emma spends time with teachers, hearing about their classrooms, and getting to know them personally.

Sometimes, conversations have turned to the war and the experiences teachers have carried into adulthood. Just like Valentina.

Understanding Trauma

This month, the Balkan Education Project, TMS Global, and the Kosovo Leadership Development Initiative will host a three-day training in trauma-competent care.

The gathering will primarily serve teachers, helping them understand how trauma can affect both children and adults.

A child who has experienced trauma may react to ordinary classroom situations in ways a teacher doesn’t immediately understand. Teachers who have experienced trauma themselves may also find that certain situations bring back painful memories or emotions.

The training will also give teachers an opportunity to reflect on their own experiences.

Emma explained that people in the Balkans often keep painful experiences within their immediate families.

“Trust is a really hard thing,” she said.

Emma hopes participants will feel comfortable sharing their experiences without worrying that their stories will be repeated outside the room.

Several participants are also working toward certification to facilitate the training themselves. That could allow trauma-competent care training to continue beyond this month’s gathering.

Looking Ahead

Emma and her colleagues also pray that these relationships will create opportunities to talk about the Christian faith that motivates their work.

For Valentina, the upcoming training offers a chance to address something she has carried since the war. She wants to make sure her trauma ends with her.

When you support TMS Global, you help cross-cultural workers like Emma spend time with teachers, hear their stories, and offer practical support. These activities help build relationships that make room for the gospel to move among least-reached people.

Thank you.

*Names and details have been changed for security and privacy.