Masquerade

We have had a very full couple of weeks. And yes it is always full, but I feel like we have packed an extra amount into the last 3 weeks. 

We kicked off our Sfida ("challenge" in Albanian) which I wrote about last year HERE. 

We had a Masquerade Ball which was hilarious and I spent a lot of the week preparing for it. 

Sometimes I find myself asking, why am I doing this? I was trying to make centerpieces but the options are just minimal. 

I literally walked around Pogradec for an hour and a half looking for candles. No one had them. 

And for what? Like is this really the best way to spend my time? 

But this is one of the biggest outreaches we do. The "Sfida." It draws in SO MANY new kids that would never come to church otherwise. Every week they have multiple "challenges" that they have to do and then at youth group they always have some kind of presentation like a skit in English, or a dance or...whatever else we think will make us laugh ;) 

We then gear the message at youth group to be a bit more Evangelistic. 

Cory preached on Saturday about the problem of sin and how it separates us from God. 

The Sfida lasts for 6 weeks. So every week for six weeks these kids are constantly together and slowly they get drawn into the life of the church. They hear a focused gospel message for 6 weeks straight, come to church on Sunday and many of them come to faith in Christ. 

BUT, you gotta make it great. Like if you're going to do an Outreach don't make it lame right? Because they will associate the church with that. 

I'm not talking about being seeker friendly or watering down the truth. 

But don't be boring. And do things with excellence even if its a Masquerade Ball.

And it's crazy to think about how the little things make a difference. But I really think they do. 

So it feels worth it. Spending hours to find candle sticks and spray paint coke bottles. I also had a blast with my Bible study girls preparing for it. 

Not only that but the Sfida funnels a ton of girls into Bible study. We have had between 15-20 the last few weeks. 

On Friday we finished 1st John and discussed the reality that Jesus is God's Son with girls who have never heard this before. 

I am always touched when girls who have been in Bible study the last year and a half begin to "take over" the Bible Study in a sense. They jump in and share with the new girls what the Bible is, how to find the chapters and verses as we read, and what the gospel really is. They always make sure that they are caught up and understand what is going on. 

And I just kind of sit back and watch, amazed that a year and a half ago, those girls had never heard the gospel or read the Bible. 

We talked about having "eyes to see" and "ears to hear" and what that really means. And I feel like I have seen that in a whole new way since being in Albania. Watching God enlighten hearts to His truth in a place that is very godless is a privilege. 

Coming up...

Women's Day Event
Stranded in Tirana
Visit from a Friend
Packed out on Sunday

My Little Fam and a Question for You

I was looking at pictures on my phone of the last two weeks since I posted a blog because they always help me remember what has been happening in my life.

My phone is full of the girls, Cory and ministry events. I know I always share bits and pieces about the 3 of them (Cory, Shiloh and Taliah) but I thought I would go a little more in depth especially for my own documentation. 

So if you are not interested in the day to day happenings of two little girls and their Daddy, don't read on because this will bore you :) BUT skip to the END because I have a question. 

Taliah drew the short straw and she gets to go first. 

We are beginning to feel like this girl is "coming alive." Shiloh just came into the world with such an intense proclamation of her presence that it has taken us some time to get used the fact that Taliah is simply a different person. She is sweet. Oh so sweet and happy and giggly. She wants to be either tickled, held or to crawl around and find herself in the oven door or the balcony door window. She loves her sister and her daddy. When they come into the room she lights up. She is still a peanut for her age (10 months) and I couldn't believe it the other night when I was still putting 6 month pajamas on her! She is also a whiner, as we say. Like for no reason. She doesn't cry, just whines. And Cory's dad always says that he was like that when he was little so I blame him for that. The are plenty of things Cory blames on me for Shiloh. Taliah is saying "mammamam" but not to me I don't think. She loves to clap and loves music. She does not need as much sleep as Shiloh did which is constantly confusing and sometimes frustrating. Taliah has 2 bottom teeth and the top one coming in. She HATES to have her face touched. How dare you even try to wipe her nose or check for teeth or wipe the food off her mouth? She starts to spaz out and of course, whine. I can't believe she will be ONE in less than two months. Here she is doing her favorite thing, pulling herself up, standing, and smiling. 

Shiloh Belle. 

I don't know where to begin with this one. I am AMAZED at her vocabulary. I had no idea 2 year olds could talk this much. I no longer feel "alone" when I am home all day because Shiloh and I definitely chat it up. Our latest hobbies are painting nails, baking for bible studies and making "crapps" (crafts). She is a machine at going on the potty and that was so much less of a pain than I thought it would be. I am SO thankful and I think it will make the summer so much easier. 

Here are her "crapps" on the fridge. 

Shiloh is a schedule nazi. She knows when we do everything every day. The other night Cory and I decided we would let her stay up a little bit and watch a movie and have popcorn. So we told her like it was a really fun exciting thing and she said "I go to bed," with a frown on her face like "C'mon what is wrong with you guys." We were both somewhat offended. That's what we get for being fun. Or I guess that's what we've created. 

She is also incredible at reasoning with us.

"Shiloh its time to turn that off." 

"One more minute?" And she says it with her little finger by her face. 

"Ok one more minute and then we have to turn it off." 

"One more minute, four more times??" Where did she even come up with that? 

She knows who all of her possessions are from even if I only told her once and she always states that it is from that person when she's sees it. 

She has turned a big corner I feel, with the kids from church. There are some that she doesn't know, or that bother her on purpose, but other than that she knows many of the students by name and loves them. Especially the kids in Cory and I's bible study. I am very thankful for this and thankful for how they love her and play with her and make it fun when they come over. 

I notice that she wants to do everything I do. Especially with Lamby. Is there somewhere you need to draw the line with stuffed animals? Cory is a little more concerned about it than I am. He calls Lamby our third child. Here is Lamby eating some fish and watermelon. 

Lamby also likes to go on walks in her stroller to Macedonia, Tirana, and Korca. She is a very well traveled little lamb. 

We are still constantly working on her temper. I always remember how in the hospital the day she was born the nurses turned around with big eyes as they were trying to change Shiloh's diaper, they looked at Cory and I and one of them said "Which one of you has a temper??" 

I will let you decide which one of us that is.

But, the point being, I believe that will always be something she will struggle with and we are daily working with her on that. 

The other day she said to Cory, "I don't want to be mad," with a really sweet, genuine look on her face. Almost like, why does this happen to me? Let me tell you sweetheart, I just don't know either. 

Here she is in her princess dress. She told me that she was so pretty, like mommy. 

Oh. My. Goodness. 

And this man.

 I'm going to state the facts without gagging you with sappiness. He is exactly where he is supposed to be. I am constantly amazed at how his gifts, talents, passion, personality, and drive are used here in Albania. He is so focused and his mission is so clear. And that is to build up the church here in Pogradec. He wants to be used and he wants to make a mark. He is constantly challenging me in his purposeful love for people, his commitment to serving, and his wisdom in decisions whether they be for ministry or for our family. He never puts us on the back burner and always makes times for me and for his girls. They adore him and every time we aren't with him Shiloh wants to talk about where he is and what he is doing. He works hard at everything he does whether that be establishing a music ministry at church, discipling his boys, planning for the summer, finding a home for us, communicating with family, friends and supporters, studying for a sermon, planning a church event, fixing up our constantly broken house, taking care of our finances or walking around town paying the bills. His plate is very full and he does an incredible job at organizing his time and schedule and also helping me. 

What I have been most thankful for lately is the fact that he views the ministry I do here as important and valuable. He watches the girls for an hour every morning so I can study Albanian. He knows it is important to me that I learn this language. He makes sure to work from home on the days I have bible study so that the babies aren't disruptive. He listens to me process and think through what I am experiencing and how I should view it. And I also help him with planning different events and summer, communicating with supporters, churches and prospective teams, and thinking through ministry goals and plans. 

I am thankful that we "work" together. Our roles our different. Our responsibilities are not the same. Our priorities vary. But in many senses we are "pulling together" we are working towards the same goal. And I think that is an incredible blessing that not every gets to experience. 

So there you have it. There is a little update on the people I love most in this world. 

And now a question...

I feel often lately like it is difficult to think about or decide what to write about. I really want to keep up with this blog though. 

So my idea is, that if any of you have thoughts or ideas on what I could write about, send them my way. 

Maybe you wonder something specifically about being a missionary, or being a mom or being a missionary mom. Or about Albania as a country, a people and a culture. Or about living overseas or I don't know anything. 

I would appreciate your ideas. So send me a message or comment on the Facebook post. 

Happy Tuesday! 

Happy Tuesday

A random update on the last week...

--Potty training is going...ok. I would say ok. 

She needs to learn to tell us she has to go potty BEFORE she starts to go rather than after she starts...

Also I have to teach her that while it is OK for her to pull her pants down at our house, it's not really appropriate when we are at our friends house, or on walk...in front of all the men playing dominos. Yes that happened. 

--Some new girls (sisters) came to my Bible study. One of my girls invited them and they have since come to youth group, church on Sunday, and to my house everyday. I told them their mom should come to the Women's Bible study and that we could walk over together on Saturday. They all (sisters, mother, baby brother) showed up to my house an hour and half early. I was in the middle of making breakfast, there were toys all over the kitchen, I'm sure Shiloh was half naked and I wasn't super presentable myself. There was a man coming over to install something and I had a list of things I wanted to do before bible study. I was shocked. But I knew I couldn't turn them away so we sat in my kitchen and chatted for a long time. I think I said everything I am capable of saying in Albanian. There were dishes in my sink and toys all over my floor and I just sat their smiling and talking like a 3 year old. But I was again reminded that people are important. 

And I need to be welcoming when I am not ready and hospitable when I don't feel like it. 

---Cory and I have been doing our Albanian lessons together since we moved here. This last week we started doing them separately. It seems to be better for our day and instead of getting distracted by the girls we are able to take turns and focus. 

It is fascinating to me how our brains work with languages. For example, I was at Women's bible study on Saturday and as Melodie was talking I realized I knew every word she was saying. I understand everything. But, I would never be able to reproduce it. Right now, there is no way I could sit down and say all of that even though I know all the words and I know exactly what is being said. 

I am at the point where I know longer feel encouraged simply that I understand. I want to speak and I want to be able to say whatever I want. It's so weird to have a limited vocabulary and to be unable to express yourself to people. 

And I feel in someways that I understand exactly how Shiloh is developing. She knows and understands everything and she is able to say a lot. But not everything. And it can also be frustrating being unable to communicate what you want to communicate. Of course, Shiloh screams and drops to the floor when she isn't understood, which is unacceptable, but sometimes I want to do just that. 

----Every week there are new people at church and new kids in Sunday School. Before we grow out of the church itself, I think we will grow out of the kids room. This Sunday was the first Sunday where I felt like they all sang together. Normally it is just me butchering the songs by myself. The worst part of this is that they can hear me in the service when the music finishes. It was a blast to watch them all get into it. I'm excited to see how the children's ministry grows and what comes from it. 

----I love this little family of mine more than anything. I feel privileged to be working and serving alongside my incredible husband. 

Potty Training

Potty training. 

It has nothing to do with missions or ministry or cross cultural experiences. 

But it is happening today and I don't want to forget it. 

Because I am first and foremost a wife and mom. And I don't want to leave that out of this blog. 

I have cloth diapers. I have shared that before. 

This means that before I wash the diapers every other night I have to spray the poop off. 

I'm sorry to be graphic but how do your really say that politely? 

And last night, as I was spraying the poop off, I just decided I was done. 

I have been dreading potty training because I know it requires a lot of time and energy and ingenuity. I didn't feel ready.

But last night I just decided enough is enough. 

Shiloh can clearly can communicate, and I know she can comprehend the concept. 

So this morning I put Shiloh's first pair of panties on. She was very excited about. 

She started downing juice and I told her every time she went pee on the potty she could have a candy. 

We set a timer and she started going every ten minutes. 

About an hour into to, she peed all over the kitchen floor. 

She was extremely startled and didn't like what had happened. 

From there it was pretty much clear sailing and she continued to go every 10 minutes. 

Or every 2 minutes is more like it. Once she caught on that she could have a chocolate chip every time she went pee, she decided she should go as frequently as possible. Who can blame her? 

I didn't want to dampen her excitement so I just went with it. 

We had a few mishaps: 

Taliah crawled over to the potty and stuck her hand in some fresh pee. 

I dropped a wipe in the potty and Shiloh wanted to sit back down again. She decided she didn't want the wipe in the potty, picked up it up and threw it, flinging pee all over the floor. 

She also dropped one of my scarves in the potty. 

Why weren't you dumping the pee out every time you ask? 

I don't know that's a good question. 

I was making cookies for boys bible study and feeding Taliah and cleaning my house so dumping out the pee every 10 minutes seemed excessive.

Especially when it was like 1 teaspoons worth. 

The victory of the day was the poop. I've never been so excited about her poop, or any poop for that matter. 

She goes every morning at the same time. That time came and went. I was getting more and more nervous. 

She is really good at tooting so I kept trying to tell her to toot. That was not working. 

But finally about 3 hours later, she told me she had to go, and she went. 

You know you're a mom when you take a picture of it. I'll spare you all. Suffice it to say, it was worth taking a picture of.  

So, when you wonder what missionary moms do all day, you have to remember that in addition to ministry, and language, and cultural experiences, there is the normal mom stuff. 

There is the potty training and the feeding and the playing and the bathing and the changing and the disciplining and the walking and the teaching and the training. 

And I've been thinking lately about how I can have the tendency to allow my children to simply exist around my schedule. And by this I mean, I can occupy them without actually giving them attention. 

I can be very task oriented instead of relationally oriented. I am a Martha, not a Mary. 

So as long as my children are "occupied" I feel like I am winning because I can "get stuff done." (I mean obviously I spend time with them, but it is not my tendency)

But I've been convicted lately that this is not the goal. To simply occupy them. 

It can be hard to balance ministry and motherhood. Especially when you are in the midst of a very exciting ministry. 

But every time I set my tasks aside, and spend focused time with my kids, I am reminded of the incredible necessity. 

And I don't want to miss it. I know they grow up so fast and I want to be a part of it. I can't believe Shiloh is already walking around in Frozen panties. How did that even happen? 

This in no way means I can't be involved in ministry or anything else but there does need to be some kind of healthy tension which I am working on somehow putting into a blog. Maybe soon I will be able to explain my thoughts on that clearly. 

But for now, here are some pictures of Potty training day 1: 

And here is my disaster of a house, but at least I won't be spraying Shiloh's poop tonight. 

Exciting Stuff

So much of our ministry here the last year has been "making ourselves known" in a sense. 

We have bible studies and youth group weekly. 

But we have also focused a ton on reaching out to the community and creating a name for Kisha Ungjillore Pogradec. 

So often here, we have seen how drawing people into the community of the church is a way that Christ draws them to himself. 

Many of our students have come for events, or plays, or day trips and then, as they get drawn into the life of the church, they get saved. Then we watch their lives change. 

This doesn't mean that the church service is watered down, or the outreach is more important the maturing the saved. But it does mean that we spend time on outreach because of the fruit we have seen from it. 

And that seems obvious. This is a church plant. There aren't other churches really to pull Christians from. We are building from the ground up. We are watching people get saved before our eyes. 

And this is truly a privilege. 

Last week the women's bible study had 20 women. I don't really know how to describe how huge or exciting this is. 

This bible study is only a year and a half old. Our church is 3 months old. 

The culture here is one that gives women "less" freedom I would say. It's not easy for them to get away from their house for "fun," or for something that doesn't necessarily benefit their home. For women to make time to come to bible study means that they want to be there. Or at least the relationship is important to them. There can always be wayward motives, but we truly talk about the Bible for an hour, and they are all interacting and thinking. 

Most of these women have little to no Biblical background. Melodie is going through Genesis to give them a foundation. Each week they ask great questions and wrestle with controversial topics. 

For Christmas, Melodie had a dinner for them at a nearby hotel/restaurant. When I walked into the room where it was being held, I thought I was in the wrong place. There were so many women there I couldn't believe it! 

When Melodie stood up and prayed, it was truly amazing to think that a year a half ago none of that existed.

Some of the women were new but most of them were women who had relationships with Melodie. 

She has visited their homes, assisted them with their newborns, walked with them in difficult circumstances, and simply been a friend to them. 

And I was just, and still am blown away by the impact that relationship has. And I feel privileged to watch this happen and privileged to learn from Melodie. And as these women continue to come to bible study, and to church, and as they continue to get saved, I get so excited to think about what God will do in their lives, in their families lives, and in the lives of so many people in this city. 




I also had a little Christmas party with my girls. You can pray for this group of girls this semester. The majority of them are going to college next year. And I'm not exactly sure where that will leave our group. 

You can pray that I would invest in them well and that as they move on in live, the truth of scripture would grow deep in their hearts. 




Right after this, we had a Christmas Program on the 25th and 26th. 

The program presented the Christmas story through monologues. Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, a wiseman, a shepherd, and the inn keeper. 

And Cory sang 5 Christmas songs in Albanian. I was so proud of him. That is no easy task. 



After the program we had cake and drinks and met a lot of new parents and friends. 

And again, I felt so overwhelmed.

Being a part of the beginning of something is really exciting. There is something about watching this church start and grow that is just unbelievable. Especially in a place where it doesn't really exist. 

And this is what I mean by outreach. There were probably 500 people that came in those two days. 500 people that heard the story of Christmas. 500 people who have never grown up celebrating Christmas, or even really knowing what it was about. 

Obviously, not all of them will come to church, not all of them will get saved. But they know of church, they know the Christmas story, and they know us. 



Last week, we started AWANA. Or a form of it anyways. Everything here in Albania, requires a bit of "modification" for lack of a better word. 

95 kids came and sang their hearts out. Erion told the story of Christ's death through the perspective of Barabas and the kids were hooked. Afterward, we gave out Operation Christmas Child presents. They were thrilled. 

As I was looking out at all the kids, I kept thinking, some of these kids are the future of the church. One day they will be the leaders within it. 

And I'm excited to find out which ones they are. I'm excited to see which ones get saved. Which ones bring their parents and siblings and friends. Which ones grow in the knowledge of Christ. 

And as our current students helped and sang and danced, it was so fun to watch. You could tell that they were actually having a blast. They were excited too. Like they understood that this is something they are needed for and this is something that will be awesome to watch unfold. 



I've talked about numbers a lot in this blog. Do numbers really matter? 

No. Yes. 

Numbers don't "matter." One life, one profession of faith, one person growing. That is exciting. 

But as that one shares their faith with their family and friends, and then 2 and then 4, and all of a sudden you have 70 faithful people at church, that is AMAZING. 

More than anything, through the numbers, I can communicate to you what we are witnessing. 

We are watching as God slowly is changing lives. And I believe that one day, these lives will change, in many ways, the culture of this little city. 

So I'm thankful. And again, I am privileged. 

There is still growth and change that is needed, but it is exciting to be beginning in a place where the harvest sure does seem plentiful.