Plugging Away

2 weeks has come and gone.

I'm not sure when or how this happened.

Between taking care of this little girl....

And getting ready for this little girl....

31 weeks tomorrow! 

the days and weeks just go by.

Cory and I spent our Valentines dinner talking about the last 8 months in Albania. What we have learned. What we have felt. How we have changed.

We both concluded that what we "feel" more than anything, is humbled.

In many ways, to dive into a new culture is to have whatever "identity" you had, ripped from you.

Our personalities are different...because we can't talk.

Our "gifts" are "masked?"....because we can't speak.

Our confidence is a bit shaken...because we say things like "I like to eat my parents," and "These girls are my brothers." The other day, instead of telling someone I was brushing my teeth, Cory said "Kristine is a tooth brush."

So...everything is a little...off, for lack of a better word.

I daily realize that I am incapable of discipling girls like I want to. I cannot invest in their lives in the way I am accustomed to.

And so I throw parties and make cupcakes, to show them that I love them.

I had a Valentines Day Party last week.

I tried to make pink cookies, but they just turned out flesh colored.

I also tried to make Dark Chocolate Salted caramels but they were more like chocolate covered brown sugar cubes.

I think I should stop.

Anyways, we played games, and laughed and ate and made Valentines. It was a crazy, screaming whirlwind.

At the very end I told them that God loves them with the most real, true, deep love that makes every other love pale in comparison. He wants their love and He wants their lives.

And that was all I could do.

And so it's humbling, because you feel like you aren't giving God what you used to be capable of. You are doing easy, seemingly meaningless things. But I suppose that's what faithfulness is. And I at least want to faithful, even if it doesn't look like much.

And so, with great motivation, we plug away at Albanian.

It is also humbling to realize what I think is of value to God.

In all reality,  he doesn't care how I serve Him if my heart isn't right.

Right now, the students are busy with "The Winter Challenge." It is a six week "challenge" where they are given different tasks to do as a team. They are playing games such as "Bigger or Better," creating skits, and making dessert for the entire youth group.

In recent weeks, our little meeting room, has been PACKED out. Dozens of people standing.

There were probably 120 kids last Friday. And as I looked around I realized that on that particular night, there were only 3 "staff" there. 2 of whom speak enough Albanian to converse comfortably with 2 year olds...yes that's Cory and I.

So, the harvest is plentiful. Anybody want to be a worker? www.josiahventure.com

We realize that after this "challenge" is over, there were probably be empty seats in the room again.

This Winter Challenge is meant to be an evangelistic tool and even one that bonds the group we already have.

And we were saying the other night that all of the work that goes into one event, is worth it even if only one kid gets involved in a bible study or gets involved in church and eventually gives his life to Christ.

Because from "The Christmas Carol" drama we have girls like this.

From summer camp we have boys and girls like these ones.

And all the hard work put into what seems meaningless suddenly becomes meaningful.

All of those kids on Friday night heard the story of the 99 sheep. Or the lost sheep. Or the 100 sheep?

Anyways, ultimately they heard that they are precious to Jesus and that He is the true Good Shepherd of their souls.

So pray, for the new students involved in this Winter Challenge.

A guy that Cory has been discipling, told him on Friday night that he couldn't escape his love for the Bible. He knows that God is tugging on his heart to use him for ministry, but he is apprehensive about how dramatically this changes his life. Pray for this young man.

And our ultimate prayer is that from these students getting saved, leaders would rise up among them to lead this little church here in Pogradec. We pray that the next generation would be one of God fearing Albanian believers in this place.