Once upon a time….
In a far off land, a hero named Scanderbek fought the Islamic Turks to free the land from communistic rule and to keep Christianity in the country of Albania. After his death by Malaria, the Ottoman Empire took control for 500 years, taking the Star of David out of the national flag, and bringing strong communistic and Islamic rule over Albania. It wasn’t until 1990 that Albania declared independance. Today, Scanderbek’s castle still remains in his honor.
Sadly, Albania is now considered an Atheistic country, but because it was so strongly influenced by the Turks, 70% of the population claim Islam as their religion (even though many do not practice). The large number of non-practicing Muslims leaves a tremendous door for conversions to Christianity. It is said that Albania is a missionary’s goldmine and that being an American is a spiritual gift. I’ve found that to be very true. Well, at first people think I am from Holland or Switzerland because of my blond hair, but once they hear America, they are glued in to what I have to say and why I am here. The people of Albania love America and love speaking English. Fashion and movies are important here, as everyone is always dressed in the latest trend of skinny jeans and leather jackets….well, everyone except for me.
Doing the drama “Everything” by Lifehouse. It’s about a girl who is tempted to fall into many types of sin, but God rescues her from taking her own life and pushes back the darkness in her life.
It is difficult to pass by hundreds of people everyday as I jog by, ride the public bus, eat in restaurants, etc. How many people are lost, and how in this world can I speak to all of them, and will they even listen to me!? It’s overwhelming until I remember that Jesus knows their hearts, and the Holy Spirit lives inside me to guide me to reach them. And I know this is a stretch, but I want to believe that if one old man with a strange name and a large beard can change a country for Christ, then a small town Georgian girl can be used too.
Selling Student Life Magazines for 100 Lek ($1 US dollar). These magazines have the gospel inside and students have the chance to win a free Blackberry ell phone or netbook computer!
Alysa and I playing cards and sharing the gospel with two muslim students.
Outside our Campus Crusades group, I haven’t met a single Christian. That is insane because I must have talked to 500 or so people in the past week, as we’ve evangelized to college students. Every day we sell student life magazines with the gospel in the center of them, initiate relationships, and invite our new friends out to coffee (The joke is that we are professional coffee daters!) =) , where we share the gospel and invite them to our Campus Crusades events on Thursday nights….and they actually come!
Singing a song for the Thursday night event! Many non-Christians who we invited while evangelism were in attendance.
I, Princess Lorena, and my princesses friends (with $1 birthday hats) at Scanderbek’s castle! We are a team of seven girls from all over the US; Georgia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Washington, Tennessee, & Pennsylvania. Growing up with a brother, I came in thinking I’d get tired of all the “Girl talk,” but living and doing ministry with these girls is perfect for me!
