It’s now been over a month that I’ve been in Albania. And now life has more of a schedule so it’s a good time for an update.

Week day mornings are dedicated for school work. I now have online school through SFCC and that takes up a majority of my class time but I’ve also been focusing on self leadership activities and figuring out what I want to do when I come home. I’ve actually enjoyed figuring these things out and digging into myself more and figuring out what I want my purpose and missions statement to be.

We split into teams of 4-6 to go to different churches for ministry. My team goes to a town about 5 minutes away called Katjel, we’ve joined their kids and youth ministry. We’ve had a translator a few times and a few kids speak really good English. So far ministry has just been establishing relationships with the kids, some kids want to learn English as well and that’s a big way that we can be helping. Yesterday we went to the church and just ended up playing volleyball with the kids there. I talked to one girl who was 16 and had really good English. She said “I love when Americans are here they’re so nice. The Albanians who are older than us don’t talk to us at all. But when Americans are here they are so nice to us.” Even just creating friendship and caring about the kids can be a great testimony. It’s been hard to feel like I’ve been much help in the ministry aspect but it starts with relationship and that’s where we’re at now.

We’re also living at a church so there is ministry and a church service here to help with when we’re not at our personal ministry. This last weekend the church hosted a youth camp for about 3 hours each day. Some people shared testimonies and did small sermons and then we did small groups and played games with them. It again was important in the building relationships part. A lot of kids in Albania are Muslim and haven’t felt the love of God. Something we’re focusing on is showing them that love and encouraging them to experience it for themselves.

At their Saturday church service I got asked to share my testimony. I said yes and was genuinely prepared for it which I wasn’t expecting. Usually I would want to say no and I would be nervous while waiting to go up there in front of the crowd. But I was barely nervous and I did it with gladness. In ways like that, boldness and courage, I can clearly see God growing me. I used to be a really shy and quiet person and I’ve always wanted that to change. I can identify ways God is changing that now. 

Along with school and ministry we have a good amount of free time each day. There’s been many 45 minute walks to the store and volleyball and card games and movie nights. Along with bonding with kids in our own ministries we’re still bonding as a team as well.

And personally, this week was eye opening. We had a team meeting a few days ago reiterating the purpose of this trip. We’re here because at this point in time we didn’t want normal college. We have time and encouragement to figure ourselves out and look into what God wants our futures to be. We have unlimited resources and programs and people to talk to about anything we are interested in. We’re challenged to figure out a missions statement and possible career paths and figure out what our skills and desires are. I’m at a very open place in my life with barely any plans. But part of the point of being here and this being a "gapless" gap year, is deep diving into myself and what my values are and what my purpose is. I’ve been living without feeling a purpose for a long time. It’s an open spot for God to work in me and through me.

I would love prayer for ministry. For boldness to talk to the kids and ask questions about what they believe and also prayer that we can be good representations of Christ and can love them. Pray too for the church that we’re living at, their church service is fairly small and the pastor, Ardit, wants to see growth very badly.

God has been showing up this month and His goodness is immeasurable.