IT WAS HIS OPANCI THAT SAVED HIM FROM THE FIRE. “We lost everything in the fire. My brothers ran through the flames to save the calves. God, I was shaking so badly!”

“It was one of the scariest days of my life. The house was empty, and my brothers were nearby watching the sheep. Suddenly, the fire broke out, and they ran straight into the flames to get the calves out of the basement. The older one got caught in the fire—his legs were burned, and he spent 23 days in the hospital. I called the firefighters, but I was shaking so much the phone kept slipping from my hands. I couldn’t pull myself together. Smoke was everywhere. That house was like a memory frozen in time… and in what felt like a living nightmare, everything burned down,” said fifteen-year-old Anđela, a bright and deeply emotional girl with fragile health.

The Mišković family home in the village of Konjuhe, near Andrijevica, with its breathtaking view of the Komovi mountains, burned to the ground last year. Thank God, no one was hurt, but they lost everything they had. Even though the house wasn’t fully livable, it was still far better than the old stone one they had to move back into—a house that had been shifted and cracked by earthquakes.

“The last earthquake was in Albania a few years ago, but we felt it here too. Our walls cracked and started separating from the roof—some parts of the ceiling were about to collapse. And it was in that old house that I was saved only because of my opanci. If I had been wearing sneakers, I never would’ve gotten my pants off in time after they caught fire. I would’ve been completely burned. I still have scars on my legs. We were worried about the calves, so we didn’t think—we just ran in. But honestly, what scared us more was the cheese upstairs—that’s what we sold to survive,” said brave 14-year-old Stojan, one of the heroes of this story.

Alongside Anđela and Stojan, there are also Srđan (12) and the oldest, Anastasija (17). We found Srđan right after he had broken his leg, while Stojan had to undergo an appendectomy shortly after our first visit. Beyond those “temporary” issues, little Anđela faces ongoing health struggles—she has a very dangerous brain vein malformation, and due to growth problems, she receives hormone therapy.

“Unfortunately, I can’t be in the sun too much or do anything too tiring—I have to take good care of my health. But my brothers, aside from their current problems, thank God, are healthy. They’re real boys, always helping and doing whatever they can, even chopping wood since they were eight. We have four cows, five young cattle, a calf, a horse, thirty sheep, two domestic pigs and three Vietnamese ones, chickens, geese, fish… We’ve also taken in lots of dogs and cats because I feel so sorry when I see them abandoned—grandpa gets a little annoyed, but he always gives in because he loves me. I couldn’t imagine living in a city, without the meadows and fields full of vegetables,” Anđela said.

The greatest hardship these children face is growing up without their mother, Jovanka, who has multiple sclerosis and has been immobile for a long time. For the past three years, she has been in Tivat, where she receives care.

“I always dreamed of studying medicine so I could find a cure for my mother, and I imagined us having a house without stairs so we could bring her in with a wheelchair. A home where she would be cared for and loved, where she’d never lack anything, and we’d always be by her side. Sadly, she’s now in the worst stages of the illness, and her mental health is deeply affected,” said the prematurely grown-up girl, now fully aware of how cruel life can be.

The little Miškovićs live with their grandfather Mile, who is 89 years old, their father Ognjen, who has some issues of his own, their uncle Zoran, who is away most of the year due to work, and one more hero of this story—their aunt Natalija. She returned from Čačak over fifteen years ago, leaving behind her older children to take care of the youngest Miškovićs and run the household. Because of health and other problems…

“She’s the one who raised us and got us through school. I would’ve died, 100 percent, if she hadn’t taken me to get checked and they hadn’t discovered that vein. She’s been with us our whole lives—like a second mother and father, our greatest support. She wants to raise us into good people, to be capable of living on our own one day, to have our own wallet—to teach us, first and foremost, not to cheat, not to lie, and not to steal. Whatever the future brings, I’ll always be there for her. I told her that—because she sacrificed everything for us. Especially now that her health is starting to give out too,” Anđela added through tears.

In addition to the cracks, a major problem in the house, as they say, is the “chaotic” bathroom and the lack of closets and beds (one of which was even chewed up by mice!), as well as the severe dampness that’s ruining their clothes.

“The walls are always getting moldy—constantly! It even sticks to our hair. My late grandma used to jokingly call me Moldy because of it,” said the youngest, cheerful Srđan, who showed us all the farm chores they take care of.

The modest assistance they receive from the state, unfortunately, isn’t enough to support a family of this size—let alone rebuild their home. In closing, Anđela shared how much her Orthodox faith and her identity as a Serb mean to her.

“We’re all Serbs here, and that makes us happy. We’re part of the Serbian people, no matter where we live!”

With those words, she practically captured the very mission of the humanitarian organization Serbs for Serbs, which provides help across the Balkans—wherever the Serbian people live. It was on her initiative that the family reached out for support. We invite you to join our new campaign for these wonderful children and young heroes—Srđan, Stojan, Anđela, and Anastasija. Donate to help the Mišković family near Andrijevica build their new home!

YOU CAN DONATE THROUGH THE DONATION PLATFORM: www.srbizasrbe.org/donacije

SERBIA
1. SMS to 7763 (200 RSD)2. Account: 160-279491-71, Banka Intesa
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2. Check to: Serbs for Serbs Canada, 635 The Queensway, Lower Level, Toronto, ON, M8Y 3B3
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IBAN:CH57 0900 0000 6133 5679 5
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4. Account: 5226 1060 858

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3. Account: 1503 83 80483

AUSTRALIA
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Account No: 878615
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PayID Type: ABN
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Check to Serbs for Serbs Inc, 18 Mantle Ave, North Richmond NSW 2754, Australia

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