In the 1990s, a war was brewing in many parts of the former Yugoslavia. The six different republics in the country were consistently entrenched in struggles for power and supremacy. Bitterness was ingrained in the society, and the Malinovic family didn’t understand why. They lived in the Bosnian area of Yugoslavia and 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, the mother of the household, stated it simply; “We didn’t want war. We didn’t believe in divisions.” In the end, this stance for peace was as dangerous as entering the conflict themselves.
The Malinovic family owned businesses in Yugoslavia. At one point, they ran two grocery stores and a coffee shop. They owned a disco at one point. Living their lives day to day, the Malinovic family did not believe that any sort of war would occur. They didn’t think it would come to that. But as they realized that severe conflict was inevitable, Jadranka soon found out that they would have to “fight for our lives.”
Jadranka and her family had to endure many years of war and refused to participate. Mass murder, ethnic cleansing and destruction suffocated the region. Even after the fighting concluded, their experiences were “almost as bad as war itself.” Criminals were running crooked operations and demanding money for “protection” of different shops and businesses. As business owners, Malinovic family faced these demands frequently. They refused to pay. They would not give in to the mob. As a result, her husband had to flee from the home for two years. Bosnia was in ruins.
Towards the end of the 1990s, the father was able to return and the Malinovic family knew they must leave. 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 grasped the opportunity. No longer would they feel as if they were constantly living in fear.
The family arrived in Minnesota in July of 2001. Jadranka, along with her husband, son and daughter understood no English. Knowing this, the Minnesota Council of Churches arranged to have a Serbo-Croatian speaker schedule the first few appointments and meetings for the family. Refugee Services staff member Joel Luedtke began working with the family right away. He partnered with the Mayflower Community Congregational Church to provide them with clothes, school supplies and furniture. He also gave them 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 and they began working with Employment Counselor Mike Zaslofsky.
Mike helped the family look for positions that provided a sustainable wage. After a couple of months, Jadranka found work as a maintenance person for her apartment complex. Her husband found a full-time position as a shuttle driver for a Toyota dealership.
They now had a start, but Mike’s work with the Malinovic family was not done. 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 still working at Costco. Her husband is continuing his work with Toyota. Their son is enrolled at Normandale Community 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 7 different countries. Jadranka reports that “even in America there are people who are filled with bitterness. I just don’t understand why.”
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