My name is Vicica Dodig, I am from Medjugorje. It grew both here and in Germany. In 1986 in Medjugorje, during the testimony of the visionary Vicka, I had a profound experience of peace. It was a peace that only God could give. Until then, I considered myself a good Christian, went to church every Sunday, we fasted as a family, we prayed every day. But it was a traditional faith without the experience of the living God. Before this experience, God was for me an image created by my grandmother: an old man with a rough book where he writes all my sins and woe to me as soon as I stand before him. Then I started looking for God – and met Father Slavko, who convinced me to become a guide for pilgrims, later a translator. It was 34 years ago. I am also a representative of the center for German-speaking pilgrims. I have two sons: one in heaven, the other on earth. I am a single mother: my marriage is annulled by the church. I try to live according to the messages of the Mother of God.

I knew Father Slavko Barbarych by appearance even before the apparitions began. He once said that if he had not become a Franciscan, he would certainly have been a professional football player. He liked sports. My father was also an athlete, they had known Father Slavko since school, so I had the opportunity to get to know him. Rather, it was a relationship based on respect for priests, on how I was brought up. I always greeted him: “Glory to Jesus Christ. But then, when the apparitions began, I also became interested in Medjugorje, experienced the first conversion, thought about becoming a guide for pilgrims, so I had the opportunity to get to know him better. I remembered a sentence he often used when he was with my father or athletes: “A healthy body is a healthy mind.” It was very important for him. He always supported talented people as much as he could. Doing sports is a talent that God gave you. What fascinated me about this educated Franciscan, who spoke seven languages ​​and had a doctorate, was that he was normal and interested in sports. As a young girl, I was very impressed by him, began to observe him more and wanted to know him better. The fact that I became a guide was his initiative. Why? I always caught the eye, did something, translated something, because I knew German. One day he came to our house and placed a pile of various books about half a meter high on the table, saying: “Tell Vicky to study this.” When I returned home, my mother told me Father Slavko’s words. I took the first book – “Key to the Bible”, said to myself: “Okay.” The second book is “The Message of the Mother of God”, hence the Catechism … Why should I study this? I went to Father Slavko and asked: “What is this for?” He replied: “The same for the exams!” and – was surprised that I did not know that I would be a guide. I was sure that I would do it. His typical trait was that he didn’t ask if you wanted to do something or not. Somehow he assumed that you would see, notice a problem or a need – and react. He simply expected a person who is a Christian to see the problem and respond. And he expected this from me: “You speak two foreign languages, you had such an opportunity. Please respond to the need. You, who are at home here, know the place, have faith, will be a better guide than a stranger. The Mother of God especially chose this particular parish, and you should answer.”

At first I fought against it, but when I started, I experienced his closeness exceptionally in the sense that Father Slavko was ready to help me in whatever way he could. And this was also his typical trait. He always helped everyone. He always stopped at a person who had a problem, although even then, in 1986-1987, he had little time. He put everything aside and made time for the person who needed it. One day we were talking in front of the church when a group of pilgrims approached. He pushed me forward and said: “I don’t have time, she will tell you everything,” and left. They started asking me questions, but I couldn’t answer them. It would be better to sink underground. The next day, I bought all the books in German in the souvenir shops (then there were already two of them) and started reading. But there was a problem. Something different was written in each book. What is the truth? So I ran after Father Slavko to tell him what was true. It was like that every time I came across something I couldn’t handle. I ran after him, he answered me quickly, because he was always in a hurry, but he knew that he had to answer me so that I would be calm and able to continue reading…

This way in which he approached me shaped me. There were different periods in my life, there were heavy falls, but he never allowed me to stay lying down. Injury, fall, sin are natural for every person. One day he said to me: “Vicitsa, no one can become a saint unless he is a sinner. “With the exception of the Virgin Mary, we are all sinners and on the path to holiness. It’s okay to fall, but it’s not okay to stay lying down. He often told me, especially when I was having a hard time: “You have no right to stay lying down. Scream, argue with God, do whatever you want, but most importantly, stand up. “With the exception of the Virgin Mary, we are all sinners and on the path to holiness. It’s okay to fall, but it’s not okay to stay lying down. He often told me, especially when I was having a hard time: “You have no right to stay lying down. Scream, argue with God, do whatever you want, but most importantly, stand up!” Sometimes things happen in life when everyone turns away from you, and I remember that Father Slavko was the one who always hugged when others turned away. He always found in a person that which gives him value. He said, “If God sees that you are precious, who are you to doubt? Who am I to judge you when God does not judge you?” Get up, get on your knees, ask for forgiveness and move on. That was my relationship with him. He also had some human traits that made him human and brought him closer to us. What I liked about him was that even though he was educated and had a deep faith, he remained normal and could approach people without making any difference. He never allowed his wisdom to separate him from others. It was his virtue.