The male to female
ratio in Albania seems to be about 4 to 1. Although this is potentially
slightly exaggerated, it is definitely the perception here. For the first few
days, it seemed like we were constantly surrounded by men, and I quickly grew
tired of their comments and regularity in staring at us. I felt like I couldn’t
go anywhere to escape the unwanted attention, and I worried about how this
would affect our ministry. However, after a few prayers, my eyes were opened
and I developed some great friendships with many of the guys. I learned that
even if they were attracted to me for the wrong reasons, it was an open door
for a great opportunity. I expectedly discovered that when the guys weren’t
around each other, they were quite respectful and had eager and hungry hearts.
I see so much potential in them, and I have found great joy in covering them in
prayer and encouragement. I also became friends with some of the guys that were
already involved in the ministry, and I greatly appreciated their respect and
honor for women.
This month my heart
truly broke for the young men of Albania. After living on campus for about a
week, I noticed a group of guys who regularly hung out in the Quad (right
outside of the girls dorm). They were always smoking weed, and they didn’t
speak much English, but that didn’t stop them from hollering at us and making
comments. I remember being told not to hang out with them, because they were
“not good guys”, but naturally, I wanted to reach out to them. One of the boys,
Billy, spoke to Jamos one afternoon and told him that they were in fact only in
high school. Billy said that they constantly did drugs because nothing else in
life made them happy. He knew that it wasn’t good for him, but he just didn’t
care. As the days went on, it became clear to me that these boys longed for
something more. They would talk to me every time I walked by, and they always
watched us as we interacted with the students. I wanted so badly to sit down
and talk to them, but every time I tried, it was clear that they only saw me as
a girl, and nothing more. My heart ached as I longed to tell them the great
things this life has to offer, but I knew that being a girl, I was unable to be
the one to deliver that message to them.
What broke my heart
the most about these situations was knowing that there wasn’t much I could do.
I made many great friends this month, but I knew that once I left, they would
have no one else to turn to. I longed to direct them to good Godly men that
they could learn and grow from, but my search for an opportunity was
unsuccessful.
It made me realize
that this wasn’t just Albania; this was reality. Our squad is comprised of 11
guys and 39 girls. Our guys are absolutely amazing, and I am constantly blessed
and honored by each of them, but it saddens me that there are so few. I am
reminded that it is the power of prayer that moves mountains, and praying for
the men of the world is an opportunity that we should never take for granted.
However, I’m thankful for the doors that have been opened, and I am blessed to
remember that there is nothing I can personally do to change the lives and
hearts of God’s children.
That being said, I
leave Albania with a broken heart for the men there, but with hope to continue
praying for them, and with the comfort that our God is bigger than we can
imagine. We were given a chance to plant the seeds, and now I will fight for
their growth and strength by prayer and petition. As I continue to press on to
encourage the men and women of this world, I ask you to do the same, wherever
you may be.
“I will put my laws
in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will
be my people.” Hebrews 8:10
