Greatest Joy

At MTI (the missions training we were at last month in Colorado) we sat down with all the wives and were asked many different questions about what we were scared of, stressed about, cautious of. 

One of the questions was: What do you anticipate giving you the greatest joy in your new life? 

I didn’t have to think for more than half a second. 

As Cory and I have prepared for Albania the last 2 years we have constantly asked ourselves this question: “Why are we doing this?” 

Why are we selling all our stuff? 

Why are we leaving our family? 

Why are we going to a place with minimal health care? 

Why are we asking people to support us in this? 

Why are we so passionate about this in the first place? 

And this story illustrates the reason why…

Last summer at English camp there was a boy who showed up that no one new. He was not a part of the church we were working with. He had no friends at the church. Come to find out he lived in a town 6 hours away. 

His name was Dionis. 

The week before camp started he was walking along the road in the town where he lived. A guy who was working with JV for a couple weeks that summer saw Dionis. He told Dionis he should come to camp next week. He told him he would learn English and learn about the Bible. 

Why not? Dionis thought. 

So he got in the car with his Dad and drove the 6 hours to Pogradec to come to camp. He knew no one. 

But, he had the most outgoing spirit and personality and within a day everyone on the American team was talking about Dionis and how funny he was. 

His English was pretty good too so that helped. He was easy to talk to and easy to befriend. 

He was in my small group every night. In small groups we would discuss that evening’s session. It was a gradual introduction to the gospel. We talked about their hopes and dreams. We talked about if the realization of those hopes and dreams would truly make us happy. We talked about what sin is. We talked about hope. We talked about who Jesus was and what he did. How he lived and how he died. 

Dionis was quiet every night. While he would talk and laugh all day, in the small groups at night he was quiet and withdrawn. 

One night I asked him in small groups, “Dionis why are you so quiet?” He said he did not want to share with everyone and he said “I am Muslim.” I will address this at another time, but when an Albanian says they are Muslim, this could mean 8 different things. I knew from talking to Dionis he had no idea what he meant when he said he was Muslim. 

The next day he told me he would like to talk to Cory and I.

 He told us that he did not understand this gospel we were talking about. He did not know why it was important or why he needed to listen. He had no hopes for his life. He was content with the way things were. 

We started from the beginning, sharing the gospel with him in depth. After saying that we are sinners in need of a Savior and that God sent his only son even when he didn’t have to, Dionis said…

“But why would God do that?” 

Why? 

Why? 

“Why do you think Dionis?” His eyes were big and he looked as if he was reaching back in his brain, wracking it for the answer. 

“I don’t know.” He said. 

But really Dionis, why do you think God would do that.

Shrugging his shoulders he again said, “I don’t know.” 

And Cory said, “Dionis, if you do you something wrong towards your parents, that you shouldn’t do but instead of being mad at you they say, ‘it’s ok Dionis, we forgive you,’ why would they do that?” 

Again, wracking his brain. 

“Because they have to, they’re my parents.” Dionis said.

New example. 

Cory said, “Ok Dionis, if I do something that hurts Kristine, but instead of getting mad at me she says ‘it’s ok Cory, I forgive you,’ why would she do that?” 

Again, wracking his brain. And then, we watched a light bulb go on. 

Literally his eyes lit up and he said with a smile, “Because she loves you.” 

And then it all clicked.

“GOD LOVES ME.” Dionis said. 

Now there are tears in his eyes. “GOD LOVES ME.” He said again with a smile. 

God loves you and that is why he sent his only son to die Dionis. 

Do you believe that Dionis? 

“God loves me.” Dionis said. 

And he prayed. For the first time. He thanked God for dying on the cross for his sins. He thanked God for bringing him to camp.

He later said in his broken English, “I think it is not luck for me to come here but I think it is the purpose that God brought me here to reconnect with him.” 

Dionis has since told us that he is going to a church in is home town and is doing a bible study. He has his own bible, although he was scared to take it at first because his Grandpa is actually a devout Muslim. 

I love this story because it is so clear how God obviously drew this kid from Schkodra to himself. 

I love that the missing piece of the gospel puzzle for Dionis was God’s love. 

I love that he recognized God’s love for him because he saw Christ’s love in the way Cory loves me. 

I loved watching his eyes light up and watching the reality of God’s love pierce his heart. 

When they asked us at MTI: What will be your greatest joy? I thought of Dionis. 

I cannot wait to watch hungry hearts hear truth for the first time. I cannot wait to talk to kids who have never even heard the name “Jesus.”  I cannot wait to see lives changed. 

So when Cory and I ask each other why we are doing this, we think of Dionis. We think of Dionis and the thousands of other Albanian youth who are hungry for the hope and the love that Jesus brings. They are not calloused or embittered to the gospel. They are open and hungry. 

Could we see this happen in America? Absolutely. 

The Lord has simply laid in on our hearts to go to a place where the workers are fewer. 

Matthew 9:37 “Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, therefore pray earnestly tot he Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” 

I cannot wait to share with you more stories like Dionis’.