I want you imagine you are walking down a road. You have been away from home for 5 months. You have seen things that broke your heart, made you angry, and filled you with insurmountable joy.
You are weary from the road you have already walked, the thousands of miles your feet have taken you. You are grateful for where the Lord has taken you and apprehensive for the road ahead. In short, you are tired.
And here you find yourself, walking down this road, the blazing Albanian sun in your face, 50+ pounds of gear on your body, and a ukulele haphazardly attatched to your right shoulder. As the sweat starts to drip down the back of your neck, you find yourself needing to check your attitude.
This is how I walked into my month in Albania. I was grumpy, weary, and empty. Montenegro was spiritually draining, and I was apprehensive about what the remainder of my time in Eastern Europe would hold.
Frankly, all my knowledge of Albania was gained through Liam Neeson movies. I didn’t expect much else.
But I was wrong. From my first day in Albania, I found a home here.
I met Lule, the church cook and my Albanian grandmother, who force feeds me soup and rubs my back in a way that only a grandma can do.
I met Vera, my coteacher, translator, sister, and friend who welcomed me with open arms into her home and ministry.
I met Xhoni, my goofy little brother who went camping in the rain with me and smiled while doing it, and helped me cut chicken while cooking dinner.
I met Ergest and Sokol, Albanian pastors that have watched Christianity blossom in Albania and have become walking examples of unity in the body.
I met countless strangers, who showed me such sacrificial love and hospitality that I have never experienced anywhere else.
I met children who smile in the face of terrible circumstances.
I met a city full of God’s joy and hope.
And today, I got to celebrate with all of them.
You see, today is the 25th anniversary of Christianity being legal in Albania.
25 years ago, Albania was subject to a communist dictator that declared he was god. The name of Jesus was not allowed to pass the borders.
Christians all over the world cried for God to set these people free. 25 years ago today, those prayers were answered.
Today, I got to celebrate with the Albanian church as we worshiped publicly in a park at the center of Tirana. Hundreds and hundreds of people came together as one body and one spirit to sing praises to the only true savior.
You could feel the importance of the moment. It was the sound of years of persecutuon and bondage being shaken off. It was the sound of freedom.
No more will the voice of the Lord be silenced. No more will Christians go unheard.
In Albania, I have found hope, strength, and unity in the body of Christ in such a way as I have never seen before. Jesus is ALIVE and He is here!
I walked into this month carrying a heavy burden in my spirit, and this month has been such a breath of fresh air. I have been able to be a part of a revival that is sweeping throughout this country, and what a humbling experience that has been.
I walked into this country broken, and I will be leaving whole.
I walked into this country expecting to find unending darkness, but instead I have been enshrouded in light. The hot sun that shines down on me daily is a reminder of how far the Lord has taken me, and how far He will take these people.
Albania is a country of hope. You can feel it in the very heartbeat of this city. The love of Jesus cannot be stopped. It is only beginning.
