Unsung heroes Albania (part 2)
We then got on a bus to Tirana, the capital. Finding out where the bus was and which one was challenging, but hurray we have Drew who is Mr.Navigator and has done this kind of thing before. The girls would not survive without him haha. (Another random thing to know about Albania in July is it is there vacation time. Most American missionaries go home to raise money and see family during that time since the kids
are out of school. So the fact that God pathed the way for us to meet such awesome people doing His work is really amazing.)
(Random George W.Bush St in Tirana lol)
We made it and started walking. We didn't know exactly where we were going but we walked past a girl who knew a little English and showed us where the campus crusades office was. We met with Aldo Rustemi first. He has ministry with youth. He is a neat fellow. He really cares about not just reaching the youth but discipling them. (Random fact, was he has been to the states once-and happened to go to Avery's church, also there were 2 American guys with him and they went to the same school and know the same people-…It's a small world after all!-ha). The other man we met with from Campus Crusades was Elton Manelli who is church planting. It was a blessing to meet these two and I believe it wasn't an accident.
(Aldo and his wife who do high school ministry) (Elton and Olta's family who are church planting)
Then we were off and headed to the Albanian Encouragement Project(AEP). This is a place that most Evangelical Missionaries are with. They have conferences twice a year and also do practical things to help them. It is really neat because it helps them all to know each other and stay connected to others who are going through the same thing. When I was in Romania on my last trip and saw how many discouraged missionaries there were I was thinking that something like this would be priceless! To have a way to have support all around you-how cool!
(our team with Fey-president of AEP)
Anyways, we got to the office finally, and wouldn't you know-it was closed. So we went to a cafe to regroup. Got some internet to look up other ministries and also look up the number to call AEP. We were trying to find the hope center online. I met 2 christian girls at our camp and one had come to Christ through the hope center-which is a place that has a Bible club and also helps kids get into college. Unfortunately, we couldn't find it for anything.
Made a call to Fey, the president of AEP and she agreed to meet us for dinner! It was so neat to meet her and hear her heart. She had been a missionary alongside her husband for years in Albania. She just became president of AEP, so she is getting to know all the missionaries around. She is what we call an uber contact. She can see who needs teams to serve them and who is discouraged and let us know down the road. She is going to help us contact all the members-so pray God opens and shuts doors where He wants. Anyways, she was so encouraging and we ate at a restaurant made by missionaries and it had Mexican food! It was my birthday the next day and all I wanted was Mexican food-which is no where to be found in Albania! Am I Jesus' favorite or what????? He loves to bless me! Man I love Him!
(Mexican food!!!!-Jesus' birthday present to me!)(An awesome girl we met who is here with world vision-she is helping to develop the country and also is working to help stop human trafficking! Such an inspiration!)
Finally, that night I get an email and guess who it's from? The man who is over the hope center! WHAT? God is so good. Apparently I had emailed him before somehow. Not only is he over the hope center but he and his wife also have worked with orphans since communism fell in the early 90's. They work with 8 homes, over 400 children ages babies through teens! They also work with a handicapped facility with 90 handicapped, physically and mentally, and have a work with 60 elderly! What don't these people do???
(Roger and Cherie Mullins-the missionaries I've been describing)
Anyways, I feel like getting connected with them is a God thing! There are exactly what we call Unsung Heroes. They do not have many resources. They are in need of funding for several projects, but are just trusting the Lord to provide as He has been 🙂 I am so excited about them, because as you all know, my heart is with orphans! I dork out at the thought of just loving on babies and kids who are forgotten about, maybe by some, but not by their Heavenly Daddy.
