My trip
I guess since I have been home for over a week I should tell you a little bit about my trip before I go on my next one. (I leave on Wednesday for Alabama for Amber's wedding)
Wow, it was just fun! I could not have asked for a better time (except maybe not soo hot). I got to spend sooo much time with Randa, I got to be involved in VBS, I got to sing in church with Randa, I was able to spend two days by the Adriatic and Ionian Sea, I found out some history about Skanderberg :), I was able to meet so many new people, and I was just plain spoiled.
I can't even think where to begin. I biggest thing was just being able to be there; being to final see what Randa has been telling me about for the past year and a half. Everyone has asked if it was what I expected and to be honest I really had no expectations. I had like a blank scene, I just couldn't even imagine what it was going to be like. So I would have to say it was sooo much more than I ever thought it would be.
The Fiocchi family is such a great family. You could definitely tell that they heart is with the Lord and the Albanian people. They just opened their home and made me feel like I had been there before. Eventhough I really didn't spend much time at the house because we always were going this way or that, I was so glad to get to spend time with the family. Little Sofia is so cute, I could have brought her home with me.
Ok, well you know me I could ramble for ever. I'll just tell you a little of what I did.
I arrived in Tirana half way through the week. So on Thursday morning it was time to start preparing for VBT. Friday and Saturday mornings were spend climbing up the stairs to apartment buildings and passing out fliers. It wasn't bad except that it was over 90 degrees and we were climbing over 5 flights of stairs. Randa and I did have time to hit some shopping places and a little bit of the town, but it was just too much to take in at once.
The first full week I was there was VBT and teen time. VBT started first thing in the morning. I was an assistant teacher for the 2nd and 3rd grade class. The theme for the week was I Kthyer ne Krisht! (Turned Around). It was a great week. We about 190 children enrolled throughout the week and of them 56 came to know the Lord as their personal Savior. It was just a great time, not only because I got to do what I love (teach children), but because I got to meet so many new people. Well, if i wasn't meeting enough during VBT we had Teen time in the evenings. Alpha and Express were the team names, and I am proud to say that I was an Alpha (even though we lost). We had fun just doing some simple challenges, saying verses (I was able to say them in English but I did say one in Albanian), and listening to God's word. 8 teens excepted Christ in their hearts. On Thursday we took to teens up the mountain. We road on some cable cars till we reached Dajti. It was so beautiful just being able to see the land and the mountains. Once we were on top we played some volleyball and soccer and had a challenge.
To finish the week, we spent the whole day Saturday with the teens. Randa and I went with the winning team went up to Cruja. It was like a castle/museum place. I got to learn more about Skanderberg and some Albanian history. Randa and I also toured some old house and saw how they use to do things. The weird part about it all is that they were talking about dates in the early 1400's and I just thought it was weird because America wasn't even discovered yet. Well anyway it was interesting to see more of the traditional stuff. Then after we got back near home, Randa and I decided to meet up with our team at church to play some volleyball.
Sunday was church. Randa and I helped with special music. We sang a duet in the morning and then I sang in the evening. To top the day off we went out for coffee with Eva just before heading back to church to watch the World Cup projected on the wall. Yes, I watched the world cup. I have never actually watched a soccer game on TV, but now I can say that I did. Most of the guys were glad that Italy won.
Monday morning started our little vacation with Ari and Majlinda to Vlore. It was beautiful. We spent most of the time in the water, but we did enjoy the scenery around the hotel. At night it was so nice to walk along the beach. I definitely took a lot of pictures while we were there. Everything was perfect until Ari decided to push me into the Adriatic while we were on our way home and I fell with my arm stuck between two rocks. Ok, well Ari didn't push me, I just slipped on some seaweed stuff. Anyway, I cut my arm from the wrist the entire way up my arm and my skirt was covered in mud, but I lived. I would have to say that is the only time that I have ever used a car wash to clean my arm :). On Tuesday afternoon we started our treks home. We stopped in Durres and I got to see a coliseum. They say that if Paul would have gone through Albania he would have preached there. It was pretty cool. It was just weird standing in there and thinking about everything that might have gone on in there. After that we went and saw an old market place that they have excavated and found different columns and things. They believe that Titus may have been martyred there. It was just neat to see the castle wall and all these different things because we don't really have that much history here in America.
Well the trip is almost over. Wednesday was another shopping day and a day just to spend having fun with the Fiocchi family.
Then Thursday came, the day before I had to leave. Randa and I had planned on just relaxing and doing just a little bit of this and that, but we ended up going out for coffee with Majlinda, Eva, Cimi, and Niku in the morning. But things did not stop at just coffee. We ended up then going down to the lake (we actually rented a boat and were chauffeured around the lake by the guys :} it wasn't quite Venice but close enough), going out for lunch, and just walking all around town. It was something I never expected to do, but it was something that I will never forget. It was one of the best days that we had had.
Then Friday morning I flew home :(
The trip was just an amazing time for me. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to go. Ok, well if you are still reading this post, call me because I have a couple more hours of stories that I could tell you.
Wow, it was just fun! I could not have asked for a better time (except maybe not soo hot). I got to spend sooo much time with Randa, I got to be involved in VBS, I got to sing in church with Randa, I was able to spend two days by the Adriatic and Ionian Sea, I found out some history about Skanderberg :), I was able to meet so many new people, and I was just plain spoiled.
I can't even think where to begin. I biggest thing was just being able to be there; being to final see what Randa has been telling me about for the past year and a half. Everyone has asked if it was what I expected and to be honest I really had no expectations. I had like a blank scene, I just couldn't even imagine what it was going to be like. So I would have to say it was sooo much more than I ever thought it would be.
The Fiocchi family is such a great family. You could definitely tell that they heart is with the Lord and the Albanian people. They just opened their home and made me feel like I had been there before. Eventhough I really didn't spend much time at the house because we always were going this way or that, I was so glad to get to spend time with the family. Little Sofia is so cute, I could have brought her home with me.
Ok, well you know me I could ramble for ever. I'll just tell you a little of what I did.
I arrived in Tirana half way through the week. So on Thursday morning it was time to start preparing for VBT. Friday and Saturday mornings were spend climbing up the stairs to apartment buildings and passing out fliers. It wasn't bad except that it was over 90 degrees and we were climbing over 5 flights of stairs. Randa and I did have time to hit some shopping places and a little bit of the town, but it was just too much to take in at once.
The first full week I was there was VBT and teen time. VBT started first thing in the morning. I was an assistant teacher for the 2nd and 3rd grade class. The theme for the week was I Kthyer ne Krisht! (Turned Around). It was a great week. We about 190 children enrolled throughout the week and of them 56 came to know the Lord as their personal Savior. It was just a great time, not only because I got to do what I love (teach children), but because I got to meet so many new people. Well, if i wasn't meeting enough during VBT we had Teen time in the evenings. Alpha and Express were the team names, and I am proud to say that I was an Alpha (even though we lost). We had fun just doing some simple challenges, saying verses (I was able to say them in English but I did say one in Albanian), and listening to God's word. 8 teens excepted Christ in their hearts. On Thursday we took to teens up the mountain. We road on some cable cars till we reached Dajti. It was so beautiful just being able to see the land and the mountains. Once we were on top we played some volleyball and soccer and had a challenge.
To finish the week, we spent the whole day Saturday with the teens. Randa and I went with the winning team went up to Cruja. It was like a castle/museum place. I got to learn more about Skanderberg and some Albanian history. Randa and I also toured some old house and saw how they use to do things. The weird part about it all is that they were talking about dates in the early 1400's and I just thought it was weird because America wasn't even discovered yet. Well anyway it was interesting to see more of the traditional stuff. Then after we got back near home, Randa and I decided to meet up with our team at church to play some volleyball.
Sunday was church. Randa and I helped with special music. We sang a duet in the morning and then I sang in the evening. To top the day off we went out for coffee with Eva just before heading back to church to watch the World Cup projected on the wall. Yes, I watched the world cup. I have never actually watched a soccer game on TV, but now I can say that I did. Most of the guys were glad that Italy won.
Monday morning started our little vacation with Ari and Majlinda to Vlore. It was beautiful. We spent most of the time in the water, but we did enjoy the scenery around the hotel. At night it was so nice to walk along the beach. I definitely took a lot of pictures while we were there. Everything was perfect until Ari decided to push me into the Adriatic while we were on our way home and I fell with my arm stuck between two rocks. Ok, well Ari didn't push me, I just slipped on some seaweed stuff. Anyway, I cut my arm from the wrist the entire way up my arm and my skirt was covered in mud, but I lived. I would have to say that is the only time that I have ever used a car wash to clean my arm :). On Tuesday afternoon we started our treks home. We stopped in Durres and I got to see a coliseum. They say that if Paul would have gone through Albania he would have preached there. It was pretty cool. It was just weird standing in there and thinking about everything that might have gone on in there. After that we went and saw an old market place that they have excavated and found different columns and things. They believe that Titus may have been martyred there. It was just neat to see the castle wall and all these different things because we don't really have that much history here in America.
Well the trip is almost over. Wednesday was another shopping day and a day just to spend having fun with the Fiocchi family.
Then Thursday came, the day before I had to leave. Randa and I had planned on just relaxing and doing just a little bit of this and that, but we ended up going out for coffee with Majlinda, Eva, Cimi, and Niku in the morning. But things did not stop at just coffee. We ended up then going down to the lake (we actually rented a boat and were chauffeured around the lake by the guys :} it wasn't quite Venice but close enough), going out for lunch, and just walking all around town. It was something I never expected to do, but it was something that I will never forget. It was one of the best days that we had had.
Then Friday morning I flew home :(
The trip was just an amazing time for me. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to go. Ok, well if you are still reading this post, call me because I have a couple more hours of stories that I could tell you.
posted by Lynds :) @ 10:38 PM
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