I just got back from spending 3 weeks in Albania with my church family from The Woodlands, TX. What an amazing opportunity we had as we loved on children many of which would have been overlooked, played countless hours of Dutch Blitz, bonded with people on our team we had just met for the first time, solved all the world’s problems over coffee, played volleyball, soccer and football with college students, and had deep spiritual conversations with these same students! Many trusted Him with their lives and everyone heard the truth. A lot happened during these three weeks and I am grateful that I got to be a part of them. Lives were changed both on the Albanian and American side, relationships were built, and hearts pressed into Him.
Albania is a beautiful country filled with warm and welcoming people. God is moving in people’s hearts there in a way that is truly refreshing to witness, a people hungry for life. We put on two different camps during this time, a VBS camp in a small impoverished village called Hamallaj, and in partnership with CRU we organized an English camp for college students in Vlore. Out of the 33+ students that came 8 of them came to have a relationship with Christ!! This is the 3rd year we have done the VBS camp and 8 years (or so) we have put on this English Camp.
VBS Camp:
*Here is my group!!
*Everytime we let them go in the water was an experience…most don’t know how to swim 🙂
*We got to witness two of our own team members get baptized!!!
*Traditional Albanian dance
*We handed out certificates to each student based on different character traits we saw displayed in them.
*Everyone loves to dance
*This little guy, Matteo, was a handful!
English Camp:
*We interviewed each student to place them into the appropriate level class.
*Professor Caroline loved to use different teaching methods to grab her students attention!
*She incorporated Christ wherever she could.
*Intermediate class
*Beginner class
*One night we did a “Life Maps” where each student drew out a picture of major points in their life. We used this as a way to share our testimony with them.
*Of course we had more dancing, both American style with two-step, and line dancing, and Traditional Albanian.
*It wouldn’t be complete without teaching them how to roast marshmallows over a fire!
*John, our fearless worship and Karaoke leader!
*Yes, it was a difficult place to do ministry.
