Christian refugee workers and ministry leaders from around the world visited a mosque in Sarajevo this month to learn from local Muslims about Islam, the refugee crisis, and the opportunities and challenges that occur when doing humanitarian work and talking about faith. Here’s what we can all learn from their conversation.

In mid-December, an NGO in Bosnia and Herzegovina that we partner with called Small Steps hosted over 100 youth from around the country for a celebration concluding a 2-year program, “Encouraging Children to Accept Differences.” Over these last two years, the kids have gotten to know each other while participating in nonviolent communication workshops and traveling to neighboring municipalities to spend time with youth of other ethnic and religious backgrounds.

It's difficult to describe a place like Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The entire Balkan region is fascinatingly complex, deeply unsettled, and yet distinctly charming. We’ve fallen in love with the beautiful normalcy of BiH’s ethno-religious diversity, the incredible people who live here, and their wisdom and relentless courage.