I loved Kosovo! Yes this may come as a shock as I was hesitant to move from Asia to Europe and the male dominated culture threw me for a loop. But, I came to love our contact and the people there. I have spent the last 3 days looking at photos and videos from the month because I miss my Kosovo friends. Words cannot express my sadness to move on and the reality that I will likely not ever return, but I hope one day God leads me back to this beautiful country and these beautiful people.
(The team! Nesha in Green, Erjon hiding behind her, Geni far right with 3 kids and wife.)
I was super sad to leave my contacts. I mean it, I actually cried on the bus as we left Gjilan. Geni and Soni are a true example of living out their faith in a family environment. I watched as they delighted in their children and brought the youth of the city into their homes. Many believers shared about how Geni is a spiritual father to them and how the church has become their family. Geni was a great teacher and continuously pointed us towards the Lord and doing His will. Erjon has lived in Kosovo for 4 months. He left his family and a job as a lawyer to become a missionary. His story shows what it looks like to leave everything in order to serve the Lord. This month we were able to encourage Erjon and learn about obedience from him. He lives out the verse in Luke 9:23, where Jesus calls His disciples to “deny yourself, pick up your cross daily, and follow Him.” During the month, the four girls lived with Nesha. She is very generous with what she has and has watched the Lord provide numerous times. She, like Erjon, has left her family to follow the Lord. She will do anything to share the gospel with the people she meets and joyfully battles persecution. It was amazing to work alongside these four believers. They brought us into their team and saw us as equal participates in their ministry. I learned a lot about serving as a long-term missionary and what it takes to live in a foreign land. (Not sure if I have what it takes, but they definitely do.)
I think one of the biggest reasons why I loved my month in Kosovo, was because I felt respected. Yes, often times the World Race recognizes the fact that I am an adult, but I am still under the leadership of my contact. Often times, I feel like a student or helper to my ministry contact. I’m not saying that is a bad thing; I have enjoyed all of my contacts thus far. But I felt empowered this month by Geni. I felt like an equal participant in the ministry. There was no distinction between long-term and short-term missionary. There was no discounting of ideas because we are younger than them, or less experienced. Geni saw us as a team of eleven. Geni even said at the end of the month, “I feel like I am sending part of my team to Montenegro.” He took full responsibility for us and took us into his family [FOREVER]. I loved the respect he showed us.
Thank you Geni, Soni, Erjon, and Nesha! My month spent in Kosovo was definitely a highlight of my year and will be remembered.
Part 2 coming soon…
