Why is there evil in the world? This is the question I found myself mulling as we drove through the Albanian countryside last Wednesday. That morning we had an opportunity that I’m still trying to understand. Several days prior a video had gone viral in Albania that showed an employee of an orphanage in the northern city of Shkoder kicking and sitting on the children (article can be found here-Google translate was used to convert to English). On July 8, the media and other noteworthy people/dignitaries descended on the orphanage to bring attention to the issue and to raise awareness. The husband of our host here in Durres just so happened to go to middle school with a famous Albanian activist/celebrity, and asked if we wanted to go to the orphanage. We hopped in a van and traversed the beautiful Albanian countryside; when we arrived there we found TV cameras and a flurry of people swarming the orphanage. I was so thankful that our team prayed before heading in – we were unsure why we were here or what our purpose was. The minister of social welfare for Albania was there and he gave some remarks before we headed in to meet the kids.
Albanian Minister of Social Welfare speaking [PC Josh Schmutzer]
Inside the orphanage it was chaos – kids running everywhere, balloons flying and popping, a cadre of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, a princess, and a clown entertained while kids blew (and ate) bubbles. An Albanian children’s author was there to give away copies of her most recent book and an artist had the kids arrange their painted handprints on a canvas to be sent to the prime minister.
The violence and aggression of the kids was what struck everyone as we reflected afterwards. Some ran up to me and started hitting me as our first greeting, while others simply tore apart the balloon or rabbit mask they’d just received. I think some of the violence was learned from the staff members that have since been prosecuted, but some of it is the rebellion that comes from being an orphan.
Chaos playing with the kids inside the orphanage [PC Josh Schmutzer]
In the moment I shut down my emotions because I was overwhelmed by the whole situation. But as I reflected with the team that night and they asked me what the emotions were that I had shut down, all I could do was cry. Cry that there are orphans in this world. Cry that the people who are supposed to care for them sometimes actually abuse them.
I don’t know why we were here in Albania at this time; I don’t know if anything will change just because a minister of social welfare and some celebrities spent 30 minutes with these kids.
I’m really not sure how I’m supposed to finish this blog post. I don’t have a quick solution or a catchy slogan or a concise summary of what this day meant. This is just something I experienced here in Albania and I wanted to share it with you…
Love,
Zach
