Her story stands out from the usual ones, carrying a deep message of respect and acceptance.
Through her example, we learn how to bridge differences and build mutual understanding, regardless of origin and faith.
In Visoko, near Sarajevo, lives Nana Ziba, a woman with an incredible life experience.
She spent four years abroad, in Austria, where circumstances led her to live in the house of an Orthodox priest. At no point was she prevented from practicing her faith.
Nana Ziba, originally from Rogatica, moved with her family and bought a house in Visoko, in the Dobrinje neighborhood. Although she lived in Austria for four years, she could never fully adjust to that way of life, so she returned to BiH.
“I lived in the priest’s house. No one forbade me from wearing my traditional clothing, my headscarf, or my Muslim attire. I spent four years with the priest.”
Nana still fondly remembers her time in the priest’s house and the way he treated her.
“The priest told me, ‘Mother, you follow your customs, and I will follow mine. When I prayed, the priest said, ‘Wise, mother, you do yours, and I will do mine.’ He respected my faith, and I respected his. We didn’t interfere with each other’s customs; I even had support from him. I never felt threatened or discriminated against.”
Their coexistence was filled with mutual care and support, which brought Nana great joy. Although she lacked nothing in the priest’s house, she missed her homeland, friends, and her native Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“When the priest would return from the liturgy, he would tell my husband, ‘Grandfather, make us some coffee, Nana is praying, and we’ll sit down and talk.'”
This story is an example of how respect for others, their faith, and customs can create bridges of understanding and peace. Regardless of which God we pray to, it is important to love our own and respect others’. Only then can we progress as human beings, reports Stil.
Source: Nezavisne
