Hello family and friends from Lezhë, Albania! I am writing you this afternoon during my first free time since I left from Byron Center, MI, USA on July 3rd!
Our journey from Atlanta, Georgia, to Lezhë, Albania totaled approximately 52 hours of actual travel time. During that, we traveled through The Netherlands, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia and Albania. Our bus ride alone was 28 hours in length and our drivers spoke absolutely no English whatsoever.
As a Logistics Leader for our squad of 55, it is a challenge to move that many Americans around from place to place. I think that even in little Grand Rapids, it would be a struggle to instruct and have everyone follow directions accurately, let alone throught the Istanbul airport, across multiple borders, markets and cities. Through the grace of my squad mates as we learn our duties and how to lead most effectively, and by the grace of God, we made it to our ministry site here in Albania with no major issues at all! Except maybe when the bus drivers and police almost left us Logistics people in the pouring rain in a random Macedonian marketplace. But we made it…
This month we are serving with Lightforce International. They have established camps in multiple countries throughout the world, and in Albania the focus is on children’s summer camps. We participate and lead in things such as archery, ropes climbing wall, futball (soccer), bouncy houses, practical teaching of problem solving and much more. The kids are approximately 5-7th graders but vary in each group, and are from the capital city of Tirana, Albania.
Although there’s a big time language barrier between the kids and us, we have a great time and I feel so blessed to be able to provide mentorship and leadership to them. Sometimes they will try and tell us one thing when it means another, but showing them how Godly men and women love one another is so great and I can see the difference as we go through the week.
I have also been blessed to step up in additional leadership opportunities this month, since our squad is all together. Whether helping plan and assist in scheduling and arranging weekend excursions to the local beach, castle or capital city, or handling the direction in maximizing Lightforce’s marketing and social media potential, it has been a huge blessing. Taking on these added responsibilities has been fantastic and an awesome opportunity for me to grow my portfolio, but more-so serve the R squad!
Personally, I am doing fantastic and ask for your continued thoughts and prayers as we go along. Planning for next months ministry is underway and I cannot wait to see how the World Race and our group of amazing men and women in the body of Christ impact the nations as we go!
Until next time…
Mirupafshim (bye in Albanian)
