After flying from Atlanta to Amsterdam, from Amsterdam to Turkey, and taking a bus through Turkey, Greece, and Macedonia–a total of 50 long hours, I finally stand on Albanian soil, soaking in all of the beauty that surrounds me. The mountains cover the horizon as the sky brilliantly bursts forth with colors of orange and red. Night falls and the stars begin to explode across the heavens. I am overwhelmed by the words that are spoken over me, and God’s love continues to tear down the walls I have built around my unsure heart. Questions invade my mind, but answers do not come and I am made to trust and find my security in Jesus rather than understanding.
From where I stand, I hear Albanian children laughing, filling spaces in my heart of which I was unaware. High fives fill my days and I am finding that love is a universal language. I see beauty in all of these faces. Something is different here. It’s not the language or the food or the culture. It is the love. The love shown here is pure and innocent, without pretense.
From where I stand, my nose crinkles from the smell of pigs that may very well be my dinner soon, but the baby piglets are precious, I must say. The scorching sun beats down upon my body as I apply sunscreen for the fourth time today. My freckles are out full force, and to my delight, I am gaining more daily.
From where I stand, clothes are washed by hand and left to dry out on the line. Farm life has always been something I have cherished, and I am thoroughly enjoying my time here. Each morning, we have fresh eggs and goat cheese with bread and jam. Doors and windows are left open to let the cool breeze flow. We have been blessed to have a bed to sleep in for our first month on the field. Seven bunk beds pushed together to form one long bed force us into humility, grace, and preferring one another. I am usually one to like my space, but this limited amount of it is something that I am really enjoying, for it seems to create a sense of unity that all of those tents fail to do.
From where I stand, I am expectant, waiting on a miracle. I am being healed and restored, but these things require stretching and molding and growing, each of which hold their own unique pain. I am fully willing, however. I will go where God wants me to, do whatever He asks of me, no matter the cost.
HERE I STAND.
