Hi Everyone,
I haven’t posted many pictures from Albania but you guys this is such a beautiful place. I have been really blown away by the how beautiful nature is here. The Lord has been speaking to me so much through it. It’s so incredible. We are a three miles from a pretty untouched beach here in Lezhe. I had the opportunity to go for a run there last weekend and I have a really great time of worship there with our whole squad. I was blown away with the vastness of the sea, the bright blues and greens of the water and sky, the huge mountains in the background that somewhere meet the sea…all I can do is sit in awe and be amazed by the Creators work.
It is hard to believe that I will heading into my third month on the race in a matter of days. We leave LightForce in Albania on Sunday. I want to take the next few minutes and update you about Albania and what is next for us.
Ministry
Our ministry here in Albania has been to assist in the running of camps. That means that we will take on roles from activity directors to kitchen staff to life guarding to security to general ground maintenance.
We got the opportunity to help with three camps while here. The first was a group called Outdoor Ambassadors lead by the Peace Corps. A group of about 80 teens and counselors came from all over Albania came to LightForce to learn about the environment and how to take of the resources that we have. The next group was a smaller group of about 50 that came from a Baptist Church in Albania. This camp was a lot simpler schedule and gave time to get to know more of the staff and a few of the campers. Our last camp will be this next the Friday and Saturday before we leave. This will be a non stop youth camp for the two days they are here. Will going from sun up to past sun down most the whole time.
My personal job this month was in the kitchen. I, with about 13 other people helped to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all campers, staff, and World Racers. We also served each meal and cleaned up after each meal. I have had the pleasure of working with two beautiful women, Flora and Duche. I have been so blessed by them this week and it had been so much fun to love on them and have them love you in return.
Lessons, Challenges, and Goals
This month was full of lessons and challenges. The biggest lesson I learned the month was how to live my life continually in the presence of The Lord. In the midst of the challenges of the month and the things The Lord was showing me I found myself getting tired and overwhelmed. I was spending time with him and that would be enough on certain days but other days I found myself drained no matter how time I spent with Him. I was also starting to feel like I had to spend a certain amount of time with The Lord and do it in a certain way. So eventually my time with The Lord became less and nap time became more. This last week The Lord really released me from that and showed me how I was already doing exactly what I needed to be doing. Spending time with him was really important because those times are for us. It is where we grow together. It is the place where he holds my heart and I can be free with Him. However it is equally important that once I leave that secret place that I remain continually aware of His presence. So whether I am reading, listening to music, or engaging with other people on the squad when I am aware of him always I will hear Him and see the things He wants me to see and do the things He wants me to do. He also reminded me that He can can will use anything to speak with me so it will not always look the same each time. The more I am aware the more I will recognize what His voice sounds like and overtime it will become as familiar to me as my own.
My goals for this next month involve continuing to build the kind of community in my team that The Lord has placed on my heart. To be honest I didn’t do a that great of a job this month in doing that. But in the place of that I have been able to work through the obstacles in my heart that were and are keeping me from doing so.
Moldova/Transnistria
Next month we will be in Transnistria. We will travel on a bus from Lezhe, Albania to the capital of Moldova and then take another bus from Moldova to Transnistria. The country of Transnistria is unrecognized by members of the UN and considered prat of the Republic of Moldova. It lies on a strip of land that sits between Moldova and Ukraine. The predominate languages are Russian, Romanian, and Ukrainian. The main religion there is Catholic.
My team will be will partnering with a local ministry teaching english to all ages this. We will be staying in the church with another team from E squad, Team Ru-ah. I am super excited to enter this country and see what The Lord has for us there. I am so excited to be part of a ministry where we will be able to build relationships with the people we are ministering to.
This month is going to be such a good and growing month. I can feel it. I am excited to be able to partner with Team Ru-ah and to get to know them better. I am excited to teach english. I excited to go in and love on the country and it’s people.
Prayer
There are several ways you can be praying for my team as we move into this next month.
Please pray for our hearts as we prepare to enter into a country that is completely unfamiliar to us and unrecognized by a lot of the world. Join me in praying for the Holy Spirit to lay the ground work for us. That He would already be moving in the hearts of every person we could come in contact with. Pray specifically for our relationship with our ministry contacts. That we would be able to bless them with our work there and help them to further the work that they have been doing for the Kingdom. Pray for all the students we will have in our English classes. Pray for relationships to form quickly and The Lord to provide opportunities for us to share the Gospel with them. Pray that the blessing of The Lord and favor of The Lord will fall on our team that we would radiate Christ everywhere we go and that The Lord would set divine appointments for us everywhere we go.
Pray for our relationships with team Ru-ah. Pray that our two teams would be united for the sake of the Gospel. Pray that we would form deeper bonds and grow in closeness with each other. Pray that as we live and serve together we would challenge each other, speak truth and life to one another, and love each other with the love of Christ. Pray that we would build each other up as Christ builds up the Church and be very intentional in our relationships this month.
Pray for traveling mercies for our squad as we travel to Moldova. We will be traveling by bus from Albania to Moldova. We will have to cross four to five different boarders so pray that border check go smoothly and quickly. This is going to be another long travel day(s) for us so pray for patience and flexibility as we go.
Thank you so much for you prayers. They are so important and they make things happen. I have seen The Lord’s faithfulness and provision over and over again through your prayers.
Fundraising
Currently I have $9, 087.42 in my support account. I order to be able to continue my Race and make it to India I need to have $11,000 in my account by October 1, 2014. I currently have a fundraiser going that if completed will allow me to meet my next deadline.
If 25 people gave $100 in the next two weeks or 100 people participated in my Fundraising Game (click here) I would meet my next financial deadline. If 30 people gave $50 each month for the next 6 months I would be FULLY FUNDED in January. The Lord has done so much in me already in the short time that I have been here. I know he has so much more for me in the coming months. Going home early is not an option.
Please share my blog and story with anyone you think would be interested to know what I am doing. You never know how The Lord will use that. Please be praying for financial support to come in. Your support and prayers have gotten me to where I am and I am so thankful to have them.
