When in Albania…

When you attend training camp, the mantra of the week is “Have no expectations.” I can honestly say I had no expectations about Albania, because I knew absolutely nothing about this country. Yet somehow, I am still frequently surprised and amused by what my life here has become. To shed some light on the situation, let me take you through a typical day here at Lightforce International, the children’s camp (sans children) that we are helping to prepare for the summer season.

7:00 a.m. – Your alarm goes off. Maybe you hit snooze once, or perhaps you get right up (especially if you are on breakfast duty). Breathe deep the smell of your wool blankets as you make your bed, and put on your work clothes for the third (or 4th or 5th) day in a row.

7:30 a.m. – Breakfast time again! The familiar sight of hard-boiled eggs, homemade bread with fresh cheese, milk straight from the cow, and instant coffee greets you. If it’s an extra-special day, the jam on your table is prune instead of cherry. Have a fun breakfast with your team and get ready for a long, yet fulfilling day.

8:00 a.m. – Devos with the host! Every day of May, we study a new chapter of Proverbs. After Devos, pray with your team. Then, you have a break until work starts. Personally, I use this as quiet time, though it is also a popular work out and shower block.

9:30 a.m. – Your ministry day begins, and boy is it adventurous! As you walk outside, the wonderful warmth of sunshine promises a day of tanning and birdsong. Relish the sweetly overpowering smell of sheep and pigs, your co-inhabitants of the property.

Floating Team: You may be doing yardwork, scrubbing metal with wire brushes, prepping areas for work, or jumping in wherever possible. Also, kitchen, cleaning, and guard duty are jobs that cannot be overlooked.

Whitewash Team: Your job is to paint anything white you see with a broom (yes, a broom) and limewash (the consistency of water). And boy, should you be excited, because you get to be best friends with the pigs! This might involve chasing down runaway pigs, getting trapped in a stall, or holding a baby pig just a few days old. It also means painting sheep enclosures, dorm rooms, and several other surfaces.

Painting Team: This is my team. If it is black or brown, we paint it. Unfortunately, I always seem to paint myself, as well. Tables, fences, grates, gates, doors… You name it, we paint it. Start the morning by finding the perfect balance of oil-based paint and gasoline. End it by hearing the laughter of Frock, the maintenance man, as he gives you gasoline soaked rags to scrub the multiple paint spots off of your arms, legs, face, hair, etc (don’t worry Daddy, I don’t actually wash my face with gasoline). It’s a fun job. It’s a hard job. And once or twice, due to flannels, bandanas, black nails, and the ever present smell of gasoline, my team has confused me with an auto mechanic. But I have lots of time with my squadmates, my Jesus, and my own thoughts. Also, more than once, I’ve gotten to wrangle runaway chickens, pigs, and sheep. So that’s a plus.

Clean up at 12… Scrub those paint spots!

12:30 – 2:00 p.m. – Lunch break! Chances are, you’re eating stew. It probably includes cabbage and a meat with just a few flecks of bones. Gotta love that home cooked flavor. And more bread. And, of course, during this time, we have a daily meeting of the hammock track.

2:00 – Back to work! Lather, rinse, repeat.

5:00 – Clean up time again! If you’re quick, you can make a fast trip to the market around the corner or dash to the hotel next door for Internet. If you’re Speedy Gonzalez, you can do that AND get a hot shower.

6:00 – Dinner time, thanks once again to the beautiful and wonderful women who cook for us each day. Our beloved Albanian fairy Godmothers, who excel in the art of stew-making. This time, it’s potato! Or a large pile of rice or noodles, covered in meat sauce. And more bread.

After dinner, a multitude of options lay before you. There is still daylight enough to go about town, and the allure of a hot shower always remains. The Albanian sunset from the back porch offers a splendid backdrop for squad fellowship. The game room and gym usually remain open for a time. Team time and feedback, of course, are a must and much needed experience. Perhaps it is a worship night, or maybe just the kind of evening where you lay in your hammock, write a blog, and wait for the splendid array of stars to make their nightly appearance.

And that’s not even touching weekend trips across borders (Fun side note… This blog was posted from Kosovo) or to the Adriatic Sea!

Albania has turned out to be a beautiful, exciting, and challenging country. For all the expectations I did not have, I am somehow still surprised by this place and what God is doing here on a daily basis. Please pray for my squad and team, as we continue through this month of manual labor and discovering God’s blessings in unexpected places.