Ready, Set, Go!

1st Summer Team from Grace Church of the Valley in Kingsburg! 

This morning 12 Americans raced around Pogradec in an attempt to win "The Amazing Race," Albanian style. 

They were stared at, probably laughed at, and definitely embarrassed themselves. 

Just a day in the life of the Cramers :) 

I would include the details of the race, but we have 3 more teams coming for this cultural experience so I have to keep it a secret. 

Here they are learning a little traditional Albanian dance. 

What was neat about this Amazing Race was that we had the Albanian kids in our Summer Project help out with it. 

These kids have committed to studying "Fundamentals of the Faith," and to helping with camps, teams and other ministry events this summer. Our goal is that when we begin a Sunday Service this fall, they are in many ways the "backbone" of the church. So we are preparing them this summer to serve in the church and learn what it means to be  part of the body of Christ. 

They had a blast today and it is neat to see them bond and work together. We are coming to know them and love them more and more. Especially as we learn their stories, their families and their hearts. 

This spiritual preparation has been so exciting to be a part of and their has also been a lot of "physical" preparation for camp.

Up until about 5 minutes ago, there was no water or electricity at our campground.... 

Yes that's right. 100+ people about to go to Camp on Monday with no electricity or water. 

The water pipe was broken but we didn't know where. 400 meters from the source to the camp site and no idea where the problem was. 

Cory went Rambo and tried to search for it with some guys covered from head to toe and wearing rubber boots. Swamp. Bees. What a stud. I wish I had a pic. 

The electricity was damaged in the winter and getting it fixed has been a huge ordeal. 

But, there will be showers and lights in the end! 

The kids from the summer project went to the campground this week to get it ready. 

They spent a lot of time picking up trash...

And we have definitely upgraded this year...

We have bathrooms! 

And a stage!

 And a tent!

And just to keep the main thing the main thing.

 Why do we do this? 

Why do we ask American churches to send teams? 

Why do we spend time and money and energy to camp in the forest? 

Why do we teach English and play Kijabe-Can-Can? 

Why do we spend our nights trying to swat the mosquitoes away?

Why do we spend the early hours of the morning sweating and trying to hide from the sun? 

Why do we eat bread all week? 

Why do we spend hours with kids who don't speak our language? 

Because God uses it. He truly does. 

The time away. 

The focus on His Word.

The hearts of the American teams to serve and give. 

It's not the ultimate culmination of ministry here in Albania for us. It's just the beginning. 

It's just the seed planting. Some of the seeds do fall on rocky soil. Some of the seeds are eaten by the birds. But some of the seeds do fall onto good soil and the roots do begin to grow. And we will spend the rest of the year, and the rest of our years watching and working to make the seeds grow. 

Please pray for this first camp next week. 

And pray for Cory as he teaches in youth group tonight from Matthew 6:19-21, 

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither most nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in an steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also." 

And in the midst of all this, Shiloh just 'doo-doos' which is "draw" in Shiloh.