Last Thursday we packed up our packs and gave our final teary-eyed goodbyes to the Pastor family. They kindly had connected us up with a missionary couple, Tim and Ellie, who had a very spacious passenger van and a generous heart to drive us all the way to Lezhe, Albania. This next month we have our whole squad of 50 people together working on a summer camp slash pig farm. It definitely feels good to be surrounded by more people that speak a similar language and be close to our extended team families.
Our road trip would have been a 5 hour leisure trip around some twisty, narrow, dirt roads that hugged the edges of cliff drop-offs but we came across some brake problems. I would say it was a good thing we pull off to have a mechanic check them before driving through the endless and mountainous roads. We eventually crossed the border with another stamp in the passport. I have to say, I’ve become a border crossing junkie just for the stamps …
We knew we were in a different country when we stopped for the bathroom in a random restaurant in the middle of the countryside. We walked in and after trying to explain our need for a toilet the waiter cracked the door open to a hole in the ground.. a squatty potty. We soon learned that almost everywhere in Lezhe, all they use is squatty potties. Needless to say, over the course of this past week, we all got used to it.
We arrived late Thursday evening and were greeted with hugs and body searches. Rumor quickly spread about our team getting a team tattoo together on our last day in Macedonia. Which may or may not have been true. Our home for the next month is on a very clean plot of land with scattered palm trees. With the beach only being a 3 mile walk away our compound could easily pass as a little beach resort. Until you walk behind our shared bunked room of 28 girls, there lies pig pen. We learned that pigs can sound like t-rexs and can give off a glorious smell around the clock. Our guard dogs, Bob and Larry, also are fed baby pigs for lunch right in front us. It’s been a rough month trying to get our bodies used to the Albanian water too. I would say its safe to say that this month is another step towards complete abandonment with limited food quantity, no mirrors anywhere, clothes needing to be hand washed and no wifi. I feel like each month we will lose another comfort. I know that this month will be harder on the squad but in the end I feel like we’ll reach a deeper level of dependency on each other and on the Holy Spirit.
Our ministry this month is with our new British friend, George, the director and owner of the camp. We will be designated to different areas around the camp ground as kitchen aid, activity directors, security, sport directors, lifeguards, nurses etc. Everyone is eager to start on Monday. We will be working alongside the Peace Corp with the kids coming through. We not allow to be direct with sharing the Gospel but if asked why we were in Albania or what we do, then we can share our personal stories. Pray for opportunities to share, for them to see Jesus and not just a bunch of crazy young adults and for them to feel loved in a new way. Continue to keep our squad in your prayers with team unity, vulnerability with each other, boldness to speak up and to step outside of comfort zones. Believing for an incredible month. Ill update you all after camp!
xo,
Kirst
