So I am laying in my bed, listening to someone who lives above me play classical music on the piano. Yes I am in Albania and LOVING IT! My first time in Europe, but it is great. Haven’t decided which culture/continent I enjoy more yet. South America will be tough to beat.
Today was our first day of campus ministry. In the morning we set up a booth and handed out magazines. My limited Albanian allowed me to say “vitit par” which means: Freshman? We were looking for the first year students so they could fill out a survey and then we can contact them in the future. I learned that Po = Yes and Jo= No. Even though we are white and look similar to Europeans, being Americans, we still stick out. So much for blending in while in this continent.
For lunch we are eating out. Finding good looking restaurants and trying the food. Today we went to a pizza place and ordered a calzone which cost 150 Lek = $1.5. We were unsure what we were ordering, but decided to eat it anyway. It turned out to be a legit calzone, but with cheese and olives and some other vegetable (I think). My first two slices I ate all the olives. The third slice if the olives fell out, I didn’t care. And the fourth slice, I opened the calzone and scrapped all the olives out. I had had enough of those veggies. (but Mom you would have been proud).
After lunch was Family time. We make our way to the Sky Café which is up 6 floors above a bank. There are windows all around and you can look all around Korce. Beautiful. We enjoy our Jesus time and $1.5 cappuccino which I must say was delicious. Then it is back to ministry.
Me and my 150 Lek cappucino overlooking the city of Korce, Albania
The city of Korce, Albania.
Time for dorm time with the students. The first dorm we go to, all four girls are home. We are invited in, one girl makes us some coffee (a little too chunky for my liking) and we begin talking. It’s weird for me using a translator. I am so used to being able to say whatever I want (for the most part). Soon another girl joins us. And then at one time we had a max of 9 girls in this room listening to us speak and preach the gospel. It was great! These girls were raised being culturally Muslim, which means they claim themselves as Muslim but don’t really practice the faith. They also know and somewhat believe Jesus died and rose from the dead. But they still have questions. They are confused and are hesitant to trust the Lord with their life.
This is where we come in to answer questions and share our testimonies. But there is still work to be done. The Lord has really given me a heart for these girls. They are just like me. Same age. Same hobbies. And sitting there talking to the girls, gave me an even greater desire to reach out to them. They are hungry for answers. They are hungry for truth. They are hungry for purpose. And I am so excited to be able to share that with them during my time in Albania. Please keep these girls (and all students on campus) in your prayers and for opportunities to share my life with them and make an impact and be an example that will hopefully lead them closer to Christ.
