"If you want to destroy a nation, take away its education. This is what they tried to do. Our schools were closed. We had to make schools ourselves, in a room in someone's house, with some old books." —Erëblir Kadriu, student

In war-torn Kosovo, four teenage Albanians had racial, ethnic and religious classifications working against them. Forced out of their homes, Kujtesa Bejtullahu, Grese Sefaj, Erëblir Kadriu and Ligrid Begolli struggled to put a roof over their heads, let alone find a classroom to learn in.

With the aid of a Lasallian high school in Berkeley, and an ecumenical network of concerned people in the San Francisco Bay Area, the four teenagers were brought to the United States for their senior year of high school.

On the first day of classes, they saw the big cross standing in the middle of the campus and became noticeably nervous. This was an understandable reaction given that these students had never lived outside a region where religious intolerance, in combination with ethnic and national divisions, results in oppression, violence and death.

The Lasallian community made them feel instantly at home. With no one to fear, a safe place to learn and a supportive network of teachers and friends, the teenagers settled into routines, studied hard and soaked up American high school rituals of football games, dances and hanging out. The school year flew by.

After graduation, the Albanians went back to their native Pristina to share what they learned and spread the Lasallian vision of respect and tolerance for all mankind. Their story ends with a happy beginning—all four students made the choice to return to the United States to continue their growth through higher education.

 

"We don't see this at home—different races and different beliefs, all together, studying together, getting along. It's really inspiring, the kind of thing we hope for one day back home." —Ligrid Begolli, student