Jadranka Malinovic (on website)

In the 1990s, a war was brewing in many parts of the former Yugoslavia. The six different republics in the country were continually entrenched in struggles for power and supremacy. Bitterness was ingrained in the society, and the Malinovic family, living in Bosnia, didn’t understand why. The Malinovics stood firmly for peace. Even as Muslim and Christian hatred came to a head in the early 1990s, they refused to participate or join a side. Jadranka, mother and wife, stated simply, “We didn’t want war. We didn’t believe in divisions.” In the end, the stance for peace was as dangerous as entering the conflict itself.

The Malinovic family owned businesses in Yugoslavia. They ran two grocery stores and a coffee shop and at one point they owned a disco. The Malinovic family did not believe that war would occur; they didn’t think it would come to that. But as they realized that severe conflict was inevitable, Jadranka realized, “We would have to fight for our lives.”

Jadranka and her family endured many years of war, though they refused to participate. Mass murder, ethnic cleansing and destruction suffocated the region. Even after the fighting concluded, living in Bosnia was “almost as bad as war itself.” Criminals were running crooked operations, demanding money to “protect” shops and businesses. As business owners, the Malinovic family faced these demands frequently, but refused to pay. They would not give in to the mob. Because they would not pay, Jadranka’s husband had to flee Bosnia for two years. Bosnia was in ruins.

Towards the end of the 1990s, Jandranka’s husbandreturned to Bosnia. With the family reunited, they knew they must leave lest they be separated again. They went to the U.S. embassy and filed to come to America. In 2001, they were told that they could move to Minnesota and they grabbed the chance. No longer would they constantly live in fear.

The family arrived in Minnesota in July of 2001. None spoke English. Knowing this, the Minnesota Council of Churches Refugee Services arranged to have a Serbo-Croatian speaker schedule the first few appointments and meetings for the family. Refugee Services partnered with the Mayflower Community Congregational Church to provide clothes, school supplies and furniture. The familyalso received mattresses and a television.

“I can’t explain how thankful I am because they gave us everything. We had nothing,” said Jadranka. The whole family enrolled in ESL classes immediately. Jadranka and her husband began working with an Employment Counselor.

Their employment counselor helped Jandranka and her husband look for positions that provided a living wage. After a couple of months, Jadranka began working in maintenanceat her apartment complex. Her husband found a full-time position as a shuttle driver for aToyota dealership.

Though both Jadranka and her husband were employed, they continued to work with their employment counselor. Jadranka needed a better job and they required transportation. He applied for a car for the family, and they were granted one in November of 2001. In April of 2002, Jadranka found a full-time position at Costco. She also began work as a cake decorator on the side. In the following years, Jadranka completed in Certified Nursing Training and worked at a nursing home part-time.

Currently, Jadranka is working at Costco. Her husband is continuing to work for Toyota. Their son is enrolled at NormandaleCommunity College and working part time at a Byerly’s store. Their daughter is attending high school and volunteering on the side. They’re happy to be in Minnesota and “hope to never move again.” In the future, Jadranka wants to become a Certified Nurse and possibly go into education. She also hopes for a day when former Yugoslavians will leave behind the anger and prejudice that forced the nation to become seven different countries. Jadranka wonders that “even in America there are people who are filled with bitterness. I just don’t understand why.”