As I’m reflecting back on our time in Albania, I’m remembering the many sweet moments my team and I got to experience during these 7 weeks.
Our first 3 weeks were spent in Arras, a small village outside the city of Peshkopi, Albania. My team had gotten settled and plugged into this little village as I returned onto the field after being back in the U.S. for a week. I remember the night I arrived back in Albania and was reunited with my team. I was greeted with big hugs, “welcome back” cards, and some of my favorite snacks. I realized I had missed this life so much while I had gone back home briefly, and I was eager to jump right back in.
My first full day there, one of the guys in the village, Victor, and a few of his buddies built a volleyball net for us in the front yard of the guesthouse we were staying at. My little volleyball player self was so excited, and also honored that they spent a few solid hours building this net with 2 big sticks and a cow strap across the top.
Each day, all of the village neighbors would come over, excited to play a few games of volleyball with us… even in the 30-40 degree weather. My hands and toes were frozen, but my heart was happy and full.
These 3 weeks were full of so many fun memories. We celebrated Summer Day, an annual Albanian holiday signifying the beginning of spring, where we participated in various Albanian traditions and helped make an Albanian dish called Fli (which takes about 2-3 hours of tedious work to make).
We got to know a few women in the village and visit some of their homes to get to know them, tell them that they are loved, known and seen by God, and also share the good news of Jesus with them. We learned a new card game called train, and we played this game almost every night. We got to know and spend time with a sweet family at a local church, the family we were living with, and also many new friends we met in the village. I will always look back on Arras and remember the love and joy felt and experienced these 3 weeks and how God used us to bring His light into this little village.
Peshkopi Amin.
We headed out from Arras and made our way to spend the next 3 weeks with a local church, New Heights Elbasan, in Elbasan, Albania. We got the chance to go into some of the surrounding villages and run a few medical clinics where we checked peoples blood pressure and blood sugar and got to pray for them.
At the church, we got to sit in on some of the English classes that are provided there and meet many of the young students. We got to run a few events at the church for the youth as well as participate in Sunday services as well.
I had the joy of meeting and becoming friends with a 13 year old girl named Alvia.
Alvia was a big part of my experience in Elbasan these 3 weeks. We developed a sweet friendship and most often you could catch us meeting up for some type of dessert or yummy food. She showed me some of her favorite spots around town. I got to know more about her life, her family and her upbringing. She desired to know me as a friend, and I desired for her to know Jesus as a friend. My last night in Elbasan, I got to share with her the gospel and the joy and peace I have in knowing Jesus. I’m not sure all the ways the Lord will work in Alvia’s life in the future, but I’m praying he sends more people to Alvia and to this city.
Albania was full of memories, laughs, joy and growth. We got to experience sweet hospitality, kindness and love. The Lord taught me a lot about boldness, stepping into confidence, and urgency to share the gospel with a nation hungry for the answer to all of their questions: Jesus.
