Judith Jenya: Peacebuilding, Healing & the Miracle of a Croatian Summer Camp!

The Power of Peace: How Judith Jenya Turned a Vision Into a Miracle for Children of War!

What would you do if you saw the devastating effects of war on children and knew you had to help—even if you didn't yet know how?

For Judith Jenya, the answer was simple: she started.

A peace activist, author, artist, poet, and founder of the Global Children's Organization, Judith has spent her life creating spaces for healing, connection, and hope. Her work has reached children affected by conflict in places including Bosnia, Croatia, Northern Ireland, Los Angeles, and Northern New Mexico. She has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and recognized with numerous awards for her work in peacebuilding and healing.

Seeing the Impact of War on Children

Judith traveled to Croatia and began visiting displaced-person centers, refugee camps, and orphanages.
What she saw shocked her.
She had witnessed poverty before. She had worked on humanitarian projects. But she had never seen the consequences of war so directly.
The buildings were damaged.
But, as Judith describes it, the people were damaged too.
That realization shifted something inside her.
She knew she had to find a way to help the children.
The question was: How?

The Unexpected Answer: A Summer Camp

At an orphanage in Split, Croatia, Judith met a director who was openly frustrated with humanitarian organizations.
People came through, he explained, took photographs, and left.
When Judith asked him what children affected by the war most needed, his answer surprised her.
A summer camp.

A 500-Year-Old Monastery Became a Place of Healing
The camp was held in a 15th-century Franciscan monastery on a small island.
The monastery had originally been built by monks from Venice.
It sat beside a centuries-old olive grove.
And remarkably, it had escaped the destruction of the war.
It was almost as though the entire place had been waiting for them.

When Life Changes Because You Say Yes
There's a beautiful idea at the heart of Judith's story: you don't always know which decision is going to change the rest of your life.

If you're interested in other stories of kindness, generosity and people changing the world, consider listening to these other episodes!

Araceli Kopiloff talks about what it looks like to suffer tragic loss, and then orienting herself to lifting others up. An astonishing tale of selflessness and generosity, you can listen on Apple HERE, on Spotify HERE!

Keeping in line with the idea of saying "yes," this episode with Rand Timmerman, is all about Rand being present to his brother and saying "yes" to supporting him while walking The Appalachian Trail. Rand has his own vision during that walk, that will fill you with wonder! Listen on Apple HERE, and Spotify HERE!

Finally, Drew Ann Long has created "Caroline's Cart," and her miracle is her special needs daughter, Caroline. Drew said "yes" when confronted by what her daughter needed in the world, and she wasn't about to let anyone stop her from helping those who need it! Listen on Apple HERE and Spotify HERE!

To check out Judith's website: click here!
To view some of her paintings, click here!
Her book, "Memories Do Not Burn: A Memoir, Bringing Hope and Resilience to Children of War" can be found here!
If you want to read the forward by Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben, Ph.D., click here!
And to keep track of Judith and her event calendar, click here!

I'm pretty sure in the dictionary if you were to look up the word "unstoppable," you would find Judith's picture!

And listeners, to check out my website, Byte Sized Blessings, click here!

As always, SUBSCRIBE, FOLLOW AND RATE AND REVIEW...THESE ARE YOUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS.

Your bit of beauty this week is a video about the village where Judith lives...San Miguel de Allende. Called "the world's best city," it's truly a place of enchantment!