Just last week my mobilizer informed my team that we will be living in ALBANIA for the first 3 months of the trip!!! How awesome is that?
When I first opened the email revealing our first country, I automatically Google searched Albania. The images showed me beautiful clear-blue beaches, huge mountains, rolling hills, and just all over beauty. Of course, that made me super excited. When I think of Europe, I normally don’t think of poverty stricken areas, but little did I know, so many people are stuggling and hurting in this country that I will be living in. Just today I was researching Albania and what kind of living conditons they live in and I came across this excerpt from a website,
“Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe. The effects of the transition from a centralized economy in a rigid communist state to a free market economy in a democratic republic have weighed heavily on Albania’s people, and particularly on its poor people. Despite the economy’s robust growth in recent years, almost one quarter of the population lives below the poverty level of US$2 a day. The poorest of the poor, who comprise about 5 per cent of the population, struggle to put adequate food on the table each day” (Rural Povert Portal).
Here I am sitting in my comfortable room typing this, about ready to eat a warm big dinner, while some of the people in this country are living on $2 a day…thats $14 dollars a week and roughly about $730 a year. Can you imagine only spending $14 on yourself a week? Think about our gas money, and money we spend when going out to eat or to a movie. These people would think we are crazy. Some of us spend $730 in a week, thinking its mind blowing to know people can survive [barely] on that little of money in a year.
As I kept reading I saw that almost half the poor people in Albania are under 21 years of age, and larger families tend to be poorer. The effects of poverty among women and young people in Albania are closely related to the problem of human trafficking across national borders.
Long story short……the only way I can get to Albania to try and change some of these statistics is with the help from you. I currently have about $3,000 raised towards my trip, leaving me with $10,800 more to go. That number to me is as overwhelming as it gets. God is awesome guys and I know He will provide. If ANY of you want to help me not only serve in Albania, but also the Philippines, and South Africa, and feel that God is calling you to donate towards my trip, you would be doing something seriously lifechanging. If you are not in a financial postion to donate, prayers are so so so needed as well.
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
THANK YOU
