Once we got to Albania, we patiently waited for our ministry host to arrive and pick us up. When he did arrive, we packed our bags into the car and walked to our month ten home.
As we were walking to our new place, we passed by this park. It was an ordinary park filled with fountains, a Mari-go-round, and a playground for kids to play on. Something that struck my fancy that I noticed right away though, was the amount of older me sitting around, playing dominos!
I got very excited right away once I saw this, and I made it my mission to want to hang out with them one afternoon and create relationships!
Later on this month our host had talked to us about evangelizing and I quickly spoke up and asked if we could go to the park where the older guys were playing dominos. He hesitated for quite a while and finally agreed as he saw the amount of excitement on my face.
We got to the park and he “forewarned” us, that these were crotchety, old men, who were Muslim, and involved in the communist times. If you get them talking on politics you’ll have full out raged men on your hands. While I headed his warning, I also know that God is bigger. God has given me so much joy, encouragement, and enthusiasm, that it’s hard for people NOT to get on my same level sometimes. The love that is poured out of me because of the Lord is contagious, and I’m wanting to use that fully this month and really step into it.
So that’s what I did, I took an interpreter and a teammate with me, and I approached the men asking if we could watch. They were delighted that Americans were taking notice of them. After two minutes of standing there, the men asked if we wanted to play. We explained we didn’t know how and that we didn’t want to slow them down, and they said, “nonsense, we’ll teach you!”
Naturally they just played the game for us instead of teaching, but the fact that they allowed us in, was HUGE!!! I asked questions about faith, religion, tattoos, family, gambling, and ended with telling them why we were in Albania. Many seemed amused, some scoffed, and some opened up and asked questions. It was AWESOME!!! God used this time for his GLORY! It turned out so well that our host was flabbergasted at the outcome!
He is thinking about incorporating this into a normal evangelism outreach ministry. God gave us an open door, we walked through by faith, and for me the idea to have fun, and he used it and let us have fun and give Him praise!
These types of things, when someone hones in on their God given gifts makes it all the more real as a team that we do have specialties about us and when one of us walks in that, it’s so beautiful! My team had a blast playing games, listening to conversation, and listening to these men.
Being in a relationship with God is so similar to this outreach. You have a talent and just because it’s not a serious gift doesn’t mean God doesn’t want to use it. He wants you to have fun, he wants you to enjoy the creativity he’s given you, he wants to have fun with you. I encourage you to find something you like about yourself, and really walk it out- use it and see where it leads!!!
On another random note– we have five days left in Albania and then we’re off to our final country- Spain! Crazier yet- 38 days until we are not only back on American soil, but I’m back home in Minnesota! Prayers for travels, finishing the ministry strong as we have kids camp for a full three days, and just being really present in Albania, would be great! 🙂
Love you all ! 🙂
