Albania Recap! (11/28/2021)

***Blog Originally published on (11/28/2021)***

Month 2 Country: Albania

Dates: September 18th- October 25th  (September 18-28th was part of training and debrief held in Durrës and the rest of my time was in Shkodër, Albania)

Currency: Lek (ALL)

Language: Albanian

City: Durrës and Shkodër

Ministry: ATL (Ask the Lord)

Hosts: No hosts (ATL)

The word the Lord gave me for this country: DIRECTION

2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ”

I recognize that I can only be steadfast in the Lord because He is faithful and steadfast to me all the time. I am praying that the Lord would direct the hearts of my squad, my team, and the people who we meet to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ!

What made me feel alive this month?

• Helping with Cornerstone church and meeting believers here in the city of Shkodër and caring deeply about the people we have met. Connecting with them through our shared love for Jesus. Showing up at church for the second Sunday after only being “apart” of this church for a total of 1 week and stopping and realizing that I really love these people the Lord invited us to partner with for the time we are here in Shkodër. 

• Seeing God move and direct us during our stay. The Lord spoke some specific things over our stay in Albania and it was so cool to see the way that the Lord showed up and fulfilled what He had been speaking to us. 

(My team getting ready to pass out baby food to the Roma communities)

What was difficult about this month? Why was it difficult?

• Struggling with boldness due to fear, insecurity, and silence

What broke my heart this month? Why?

• Watching people in bondage through drugs, depression, and false religion

• Hearing women express how they are content because Islam gives them their hope and knowing that it is only through Jesus that they can truly have Hope. Sitting next to these women and wanting them to deeply understand this truth about hope, Jesus’ sacrifice, and God’s steadfast for them. 

• Going to orphanages and meeting children who are hungry for attention and affection. Watching these children crave love and see their desire to be loved by a family. 

(Madison and I with one of the boys from the orphanage who had a birthday in October)

What am I thankful for?

God is so good to us… for His direction and guidance, for Cornerstone church, the amazing ministry’s here, opportunity to use art to encourage, opportunity to bake at the church, Women’s event and decorating for fall at the church, Fall in general here in Albania, meeting with people and engaging in conversations with them, joy, so many opportunities to be involved in this church in the relatively short time, trip to the Rozafa castle, fall leaves, the many opportunities to partner with Hope for the World, the kindness and hospitality of people who opened their homes to my team to let us stay with them. 

(Fall in Shkodër)

 

 

(Rozafa Castle)

What things do I want to make sure to remember (funny stories, big moments, small memories)

• The hospitality of our Polish friends D. and J. who shared their lunch with us and it led to a beautiful evening and opportunity to meet with people from around the world.

• Culture of Albania (they greet women with hugs and men with handshakes) their hospitality and friendliness of this culture is beautiful. 

• The people who we got to meet at Cornerstone church→ They welcomed us into their church family and opened their homes to us to stay with them for a time. Their kindness to us was so incredible!

• The orphanages and development center (in particular 3 siblings who we got to celebrate their October birthdays and get to spend some extra time with)

• The last 10 days I was in Albania, I got to stay with a Brazilian missionary from Cornerstone church. She knows Portuguese and Spanish and is working on English and Albanian. She was so kind to me and I got the opportunity to practice my Spanish with her. Who knew I would be speaking Spanish with a Brazilian in Albania?

• Fall Comes with a Tea Party Women's event at the church

• Learning how to make Byrëk (a traditional Albanian dish) from the the Pastor's wife, Ervisa. 

 

Reflecting on this month, what do I want to change for next month?

• I don’t want to live believing any lies or allowing insecurities to limit me from speaking in a country. I want to be Bold and be grounded in the Truth of my identity in Christ. 

Cultural differences of Albania (small and big)

• Hospitality culture/ coffee culture

• Everyone knows multiple languages here

• Beans are very hard to find

• Friendliness of Albanians, especially compared to Romania

• You invite, you pay

(View near the center of Shkodër)

What have I been reading? The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Song on Repeat this month? Maranatha by Dalton Thomas

Some of my favorite foods I have tried in Albania? Donner in Durrës (German food much like shawarma), this dark chocolate brand called Schgotten, Gelato, local Albanian dishes- stuffed bell peppers with rice and cinnamon, stuffed eggplant, spicy sausage, amazing fluffy bread, Byrëk, Sufflage, & petulla.

(Stuffed Eggplant and Cinnamon Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers)

Month 2 in Albania was amazing and I loved the people and connections that we got to make here! 

My team is currently in Uzhhorod, Ukraine! We have been here for almost 2 weeks and we are getting to build connections in this city and partner with various churches in this region. Hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving! I am so grateful for all of your love and support of this amazing and challenging journey. 

-Elizabeth