Straight Rows

Card Making

2009-12-03T18:59:00.000-08:00

When the Vermont/Texas team came to Albania a few weeks ago, one of the projects that was initiated was teaching several of the young ladies how to make greeting cards. Now the ladies are busy making cards for the Christmas and New Year's season. I believe they are trying to fill orders for over 200 cards. You can see some of their samples in the photos.

Flag Day

2009-11-27T00:43:00.000-08:00

There's two things a successful photographer should never do: try to duplicate Iwo Jima and have your subjects turn their backs to the camera. I think in this case we'll be given latitude for both.

I'm helping raise the flag for the Darshen school. This flag is representative of the relationship between the school and America. It is a gift from Jake who lives in Texas, and as the saying goes, "Everything's bigger in Texas." At the school they call him Big Jake, which I think is appropriate because of the big-ness of his heart.

The flag originally was to be hung on a standard within the school but because of its size, it now uniquely adorns the south wall of the upper hallway. Every visitor and every student can't miss it. Many thanks to Jake and Renee` for the tangible representation of this relationship.

P.S. The school principal requested an American flag during Jake's last visit. It was my privilege to deliver it. And, by the way, it did not fly over the Alamo.

Pre-Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T12:11:00.000-08:00

By now, most of you have had or will have your big Thanksgiving meal for 2009. Since Albania is several hours ahead of you we have had our quiet Thanksgiving meal in the shadow of highrises on a dark, Tirana night. You probably will be within view of little Pilgrim statues holding their iconic basket of gifts from the fall harvest. The closest proximity to us are candles that we hope we don't have to light because of black out. Notice our 'turkey'. It's a chicken that rests squarely in a tin foil pan, a Kentucky casserole, and dressing made by our African guest are the only three semblences of a traditional feast. I might add there are very few festive moods to our Muslim background, no football games, no parades, no leftovers on Thursday night. Our only revel is in the fact that with little chickens there's little over eating.

From all of us to all of you, Happy Thanksgiving and be mindful of how good the Lord has been to us.

Tiana, David, and Cydil

P.S. It's easy to clean up when you eat the carry-out chicken directly from the pan.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

2009-11-24T14:19:00.000-08:00

A lot of you will be going to Grandma's house this week. You'll get to share in all the goodies: Food, tradition, and family. It's a natural thing to want to be included in holiday family tradition. Grandmas make anything special, especially when families get together.

I've wanted to visit Grandma's house this week in the village of Vlashaj. Flora has garnished respect from me over the years because she lives on the high corner of the village and always monitored traffic, separating dogs from donkeys. She is a grandma, one who has made her family stronger in time of trouble, happier in times of sadness, and wiser when her knowledge guided the family through low spots. She will, without knowing it, stand over her family on this Thanksgiving.

Age has taken its toll. Every day from her little chair by the front gate she would wave or shake her walking stick to let you know that we'd better say "hi" and give her a hug or you would fall under the rain of strong Albanian phrases. Sadly, these days she's been reduced to the back kitchen to sit by the cooking stove and stays warm all day to help with her arthritis and diminished legs. I was brought over to her, she was told who was there to visit her and did the proper response that guests in Albania do, I bowed low, and then promptly gave her a hearty hug. The work that she's done in the village, the commission handed her to steer her family and the guidance that came from a much younger frame allows me to give this lady respect.

"Cheese" It

2009-11-23T07:37:00.001-08:00

Cydil had the opportunity to bring much kaboom, flash and crackle to the village. It reminded everyone of the big explosion. Planters is so thankful to have Cydil's talent on board for a personal photo shoot for many of the inhabitants of the village. Most dressed up in their finest and we haven't seen that many teeth in a long time. We've got one great picture of model, Mandi, being photographed by Cydil being photographed by Mom. The light explosions were simultaneous and it looked like the fourth of July in the end of November in Vlashaj.

Great Week

2009-11-19T03:49:00.000-08:00

Last week Planters hosted a team from Calvary Bible Church from Rutland, Vermont with two members from San Antonio, Texas. What a tremendous week it was. This team had several objectives for their time in Albania. There were special events for the children, women and men, and also several of the ladies spent time training several ladies in the village several crafts to start them on a new cottage business. The team members were Carol and Joyce, Len and Lynne, and Jake and Renee.

Great Time for All

2009-07-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

One of the many hightlights of our time spent in Albania was the night for the ladies reception. I just want to let you SEE some of the events that took place. Also, I just want to say many, many thanks to the special ladies from Florida, Diane, Sue and Candice who spent hours of planning and shared lots of love to make the ladies night such a special event.

Summer Events

2009-06-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

June 11 -18 marked several remarkable events. One of which being, a series of ladies meetings. The ladies team from The Family Church of Gainesville, FL, planned a study of the book of Ruth to share with the women of Vlashi. Through a drama depicting the relationship of Naomi and Ruth and Boaz the story of redemption was illustrated to the village ladies. The response from the women was awesome. It was met with great enthusiasm.

Easter Celebration in Albania capital city of Tirana

2009-04-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some great pictures of the Easter celebration that was held on Sunday. The evangelical organization sponsored the march with all of the city churches. It is a wonderful display to all of their country to show that Christianity is alive, well, and is here to stay. To put a face or should I say, a thousand faces to the Christian church tells the government that Albania is not only Muslim but Christian as well! Enjoy the story of photos.

It was a village visit day

2009-04-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Mandi and Xhina go to Darshen on Tuesdays. (FYI--a mountain village about an hours drive east of Tirana) Mandi took some great pictures of their home visit. The pictures speak for themselves. These girls do most of the work for the family since their Dad passed away 3 years ago. They are about 19 years old. In the picture of Migena washing clothes notice the pile of sticks behind her. They will be used to warm the pot for her hot water wash cycle. Mandi's wife, Xhina, is the one with the jacket wrapped around her waist.
Don't you just love the picture of the men playing dominos? Notice their glasses are empty.(for now) By the way, the picture was not taken after working hours....try 11:00 a.m.
The picture of the black pot is just what you think it is. They are making the Albanian adult beverage called raki (rocky).
This village is so authentic. The stone house is how they lived many years ago. Not too many things have changed in this village the last hundred years.

Children's Activities

2009-03-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

We love to see the ministry center just humming with activity. Arjan sent some pictures of the youth during their special celebration on Friday. The girls and guys discipleship groups combined for a social time playing games and just getting together.

Ladies Night

2009-03-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

Friday evening was ladies night in Vlashi. All of the ladies were invited to view the Mary Magdelene movie plus singing and folk dancing. Genti and Shpresa said ladies came for the evening that had never been in the center before. Hearts were encouraged and challenged. May God open these lives that have never understood the message of love for them. Genti and Shpresa were able to also distribute some items from World Vision.

Busy Days

2009-02-24T18:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy time for us these past two weeks. David was in Albania with Joe Bachman for the first week of February buying cows for the heifer project for the explosion affected farmers in the village of Gerdec. There will be some pictures of this in the near future.
It has been our treat to have Arjan as our guest. This is his first visit to the States. He has been on a whirlwind trip to FL with us in the past 9 days where we were attending a missions conference. Here are some pictures of our work to present our "Albanian home" for the village day at the conference. It was a great day and we lost count of all of the Turkish coffee that Arjan made for our visitors....way over 100 cups!! Shpresa spent most of her time greeting visitors and also demonstrating Albanian folk dancing.

It's a Beauty Shop!!

2009-01-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

I love the smile that comes to my mind when things happen that are unexpected! Djusha's beauty shop is one of those events. She just opened a week or so ago. Her shop just happens to be in the old house that we got possession of this fall. Our plans were to simply tear the old house down and start making plans for a new community center. This also happens to be where the kindergarten is meeting. It is wonderful that a greater purpose for something that we considered useless can be of service to others that have need. Djusha knows that it is just a temporary location but wanted to use it to get her business established. Djusha learned hair styling from classes in our girls' training center. We are also thrilled that she has realized her need for a savior. This is what it is all about.

Making something useful out of something old

2008-12-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

The property that we recently acquired has some old buildings and mainly an old village house. Our plan will be to someday just remove all the buildings and start a new structure. But in the meanwhile, since the village kindergarten building has not been repaired from the explosion, they asked to relocate in the old house. They are using two rooms in the house. And then, we received another request to use the other two rooms in the house for a hairdressing salon. Djusha, who took hairdressing at the Planters training center, wants to open up her own salon in the village. We can't wait to show you pictures of this new enterprise in the village. It really pleases us to see her desire to use her new skills.

Women's Meeting

2008-12-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

It was a great time getting to share with several of the ladies in the village who recently have accepted Christ. Just to understand and to learn what struggles they are dealing with in their "new life" is so special. They commented that the peace and joy they have experienced in their walk is something they never have had before. I think we could have talked all day if we had the time. The picture doesn't include Noci who left early to take care of her little boy who was at home.

Monday News

2008-12-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

Today was a day off for most business and schools. It is a muslim feast day and so we thought it best not to do any home visits when families are getting together for a special day. We took the opportunity to get some more paper work done and meeting with friends for coffee.

Notes of Interest

2008-12-07T05:35:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning during our children's meeting, this little guy, Kevi, came with his homemade bow. Arjan, the leader of Vlashi village, is so great with these little ones. He has been working with Planters for 10 years. This is such a blessing!

We were able to visit Vera in her shop last evening. She loves to have people stop in and just chat with her. She is doing great but like so many of the rest of us would enjoy having business a little bit more healthy. Her shop carries a wide array of merchandise but her main focus is to carry American made products. (don't we all wish that to be the case when we are shopping) Getting the merchandise into her shop is one of her biggest challenges.

Albania at its Finest

2008-12-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

There is seldom a visitor that comes to Albania that doesn't say home visits are the highlight. We just got back to our computer after two days in the village where we were visiting everyone again. We just want to share with you some photos of our hosts. David sure seems to have a way with the "elder" group in the village. The baby, Pamela, was just born in August and was considered to be in danger and was delivered early. She looks and acts very healthy now. Djusha who is in the picture with both of us has just accepted Christ. She has been attending our girls' training center classes. There is more to tell of this story in a later blog post. The rain showers have followed us everywhere since we came. Thankfully, it isn't a bone chillin' rain. In fact, the air is more balmy than not.

Thursday is Kasalle Village Meeting

2008-12-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

We were about to lose heart after working 5 hours and 3 techs to get our internet going. It was a joyous time to see "Google" again. We really don't want to know what happened to the cable line from here to there. It was something like "community sharing" I think.
This morning we had a staff meeting with Genti and Shpresa and then this afternoon we took off for the village with Arjan's team to Kasalle. Today's story was Nicodemus. The children were very attentive listening but what really touched my heart was their singing that rang out from the building. I just stepped out to take a picture of the view from the balcony of the building where we meet. With the background sound of music of "Oh Be Careful Little Ears What you Hear", I couldn't help but reflect of the contrast of worlds as I snapped a picture of a mosque and a Catholic church just within a good throwing distance from us to them. Will these little minds someday be able to understand the meaning of all of this? Just like Nicodemus...hopefully they will ask the question of what it means to be "born again".

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2008-11-30T17:51:00.000-08:00

It is that time again. Tomorrow we will be leaving to return to Albania to mainly get end of the year business done. Sounds like no fun to me. Anyway, we are looking forward to seeing everyone once again. The main thing is to get lots of pictures taken for some new blog posts so that all of you can enjoy the latest news. Next entry will be written from Tirana.

Pastor's Meeting

2008-10-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

This week the Pastor's Alliance of Tirana held their meeting at our center in Vlashi. It was a great opportunity to share our work with a group of leaders in a format that is difficult to just duplicate anytime. They were able to see firsthand what we do in the village.

School Time

2008-10-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

It was just last month that Planters finally got the keys for the newly acquired property that has been in the works for over a year now. The family finished their new home and recently moved and so we have the key to use the property as we need. Little did we realize that the community kindergarten would be interested in using the facility for their classes. They previously have been meeting in our main building but now they can have more space and their "own place". Here are some pictures of the new tables and chairs the children will be using.

Summer Camp

2008-08-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

Last week there were 6 youth from Vlashi that went to church camp in northern Albania. Genti and Shpresa organized these youth to attend the camp with other members from the church in Tirana plus with some visiting young people from Germany. Here are some pictures that Genti emailed today. Planters had a scholarship program for these youth so they would be able to stay for the week.

Summer Visit

2008-07-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

Diane, from Florida, arrives with luggage missing.
packing gift bags for the home visits

on the village trails going to the home visits

Bukeria wouldn't let us leave without a gift of flowers from her front garden. She had a baby girl two days later.

having a Bible study with Bartha (center)

getting together with the girls from the girls training center

My intentions were to have this news sent while I was in Albania but there was trouble getting reconnected with the internet server. Also, most of my time was spent in the village and there is no internet in the village. I did arrive home in Illinois last night and so today I'm pretending it was last week and this is the news that I would have written then.

Village Summer Pics

2008-06-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

Village School Games

2008-05-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

Last week Mandi organized a school game field day for several of the mountain villages. Darshen has a great game field and so the schools of Selbe and Shkalle joined for a day of fun and competetion hosted by Darshen. Games of volleyball and soccer were played. The winning school was Shkalle. The second place school was Darshen.

Springtime on the farm

2008-05-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

Planting corn has been a sparce activity these days. Either it is too cold or too wet to put the planter in the ground. Now that we have turned May's calendar page over, time is not on the farmer's side anymore. The corn must go in even though conditions are not optimual. I took a picture of David as I delivered lunch to the field today. I also got to ride a couple of rounds with him and was introduced to his new on board "computer" touch screen monitor that tells him about anything he would like to know about the seeds that are going in the ground. David was getting concerned about row 2. It was planting doubles every once in a while.

Saying Goodbye

2008-05-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

Goodbyes are never what we enjoy when it comes to very good friends. Lela and her son Xhulio (Julio) left Vlashi to go live in Italy with husband and Dad. They have been waiting for eight years to get papers for living there. They were the neighbors across the street from Genti and Shpresa. They were the neighbors that became the closest of commrades. Lela was a young woman who was distant and difficult to ever see smiling. Things changed after she met Shpresa. Little by little, mostly through their sons developing friendship, did the friendship grow and Lela began to trust Shpresa. After a short two years, Lela and Shpresa depended on one another from carrying for the other's son to guarding the house and to knowing what made each other laugh or cry. Lela left this past Sunday and will be missed by many of the young ladies in the village. We can be thrilled with one thing for sure. She has accepted Christ as her Savior. Our prayer is that she will find another good friend like Shpresa that will continue the mentoring and help Lela to live out her faith in her new home.

Kindergarten Class

2008-04-18T06:06:00.000-07:00

The village kindergarten moved in last week. So far it seems to be working out well for them. I like the one picture of the gender segragation. It starts at an early age.

Genti also wrote news that one of the Albanian TV channels, Top Channel, was holding a news special featuring the evangelicals and their aid to the people in Gerdec, the village where the explosion took place. VUSH, the evangelical consortium, asked to hold this interview at our ministry center in Vlashi. We'll update you as to what went on with this meeting.

Just a Bit of News

2008-04-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

Arjan sent some pictures this week of some of the clean up going still going on at the ministry center in Vlashi. The box that Mersin and Anselmo are carrying is filled with broken glass from windows and glass doors from inside the building. The broken slats of wood are off storage doors in the loft area on the second floor of the center. There are four doors that are going to have to be repaired.

Also, today I was reading from one of the articles listed on our side bar of "related articles" that said investigators that worked on 911 wreckage sites and also the team that worked at Oklahoma City are currently in Albania working at the blast site.

Lastly, in another article that I was reading, Albania was all excited since NATO has extended to them an invitation to join. Only now, they are in a mild panic because they realize they must clean up their "extralegal" affairs --where up to 90% of business and property assets are part of the black or gray economy.

Monday in Gerdec: location of explosion

2008-04-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

(Notice the temporary housing in the background)

Today we received an email attachment from Genti showing what a group of them did and experienced in Gerdec, the closest village to the explosion of three weeks ago. Genti mentioned that Mandi and his family, Olti and Anselmo (from Vlashi), and himself went to help distribute aid to the families that experienced complete devastation from the blast.

Distributions

2008-04-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

Today we found out that several families in Vlashi village have relatives that lived in the village that took the direct hit from the explosion. Their homes are completely gone and they are not going to be able to use their land because of the contamination. Genti and Shpresa took boxes of food to the families of Vlashi that now have the extra burden to house and to feed their relatives from Gerdec.

The other news is that the kindergarten in Vlashi will be moving into our ministry center on Monday. Their building was destroyed from the concussion. Next week hopefully we will have pictures to show you.

We talked with Mandi on the phone this week and he said that there was so much snow in the mountain pass that they were unable to go to Darshen this week. We guess spring hasn't completely come everywhere yet.

"Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again Some Other Day"

2008-03-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

(Shpresa, tour guide, tells the history of the amphitheatre.)
Eating our picnic lunch inside at the center.

This was a day to be full of photo ops, great insights, sharing past history lessons, and much conversation. We had scheduled to go to Durres to visit a 1st century amphitheatre and to go for a picnic on the Adriatic with several of the ladies of the village. But the rain detoured our great plans. With great optimistism we loaded up the two vehicles and headed for Durres, but upon arriving, the rain still had not subsided. Therefore we ended up running for shelter anytime we could inside the amphitheatre and thus our pictures are terrible. For several of the ladies this was their first exposure to this great site. (It is only 15 kilometers from where they live) What a privilege it was to share with the ladies that this site tells us that Albania was a Christian nation before it was Muslim. As Americans we owe a debt to the martyrs that gave their lives here for this was a prelude for the gospel being spread throughout Europe and thus to the west. It was so great to see the smiles that came on their faces when they realized that we appreciated their country for giving us our faith. A certain twist that they had never heard before. When we left, soaked and cold, we decided to stop for a hot coffee in a warm and cozy coffee bar to decide what our next strategy would be. It was concluded the rain had settled in for the day and we might as well take our picnic lunch inside back at the center in Vlashi. Even though we didn't get to enjoy Durres as we anticipated, it was worth it all just to share the day with the ladies and to let them know their country has played a part in our spiritual heritage.

Hair Salon

2008-03-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

Since the news of the explosion has taken precedence the last few blogs, we haven't gotten posted some of the last activities of the Florida team. On the last day in the village, Kayla, Kristi, and Joanetta had their hair done by Duska and Susha. These girls have been learning hair styling at the training center this past year. It was a great experience for interaction between the team and the girls in the village. Can you imagine how much a village girl would be impressed that a girl from America would let her do her hair?

just an update on repairs

2008-03-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is the village kindergarten with one side of the building gone.

We have received an email from Genti and from Mandi telling us that repairs have been underway this week. The ceiling that was completely destroyed has been replaced. The walls in Genti's house took a hit and from the pictures you will see some of the cracks. The painter has been contacted and will be patching the cracks and then repainting. They are working on getting the glass back in the windows and doors but many of the windows will need to be completely reordered and replaced. Mandi said it took a long time to get the second floor door opened. From the sounds of things they may have used a torch to get it opened. (Astrit, Mandi's welding friend opened it!) We haven't mentioned yet that in both 3rd floors of the ministry center and of Genti's home, the side storage doors were blown off and destroyed. It will take some time to make new ones since they were hand made. But, all in all, the center was cleaned up and classes were able to be held this week. One other interesting bit...after reviewing a video that David took the day after the explosion, he has on tape the soccer ball that was left in the yard. It looks like a smashed soda can. All the air was sucked out of it! Sorry that we don't have a still picture of it to show you.

Some Effects

2008-03-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

(click on images to enlarge)

I'm safely home (David) and I want to show you a few pictures of my last couple of days in Albania. We had just said goodbye to the team from FL and were regrouping the ministry for my departure. Most of you know, by now, of the experience we encountered in Vlashi on Saturday. I won't go over those details but would rather show you a few pictures. Mandi and I had just come from a house visit when the detonations started. The tall, white plume of smoke is directly following the mile high red fireball and concussion. You can see the damage to PSF's house where Genti, Shpresa, and their children live. I apologize for not having more pictures of the broken and twisted windows and doors in the ministry center. Many things were so strangely damaged....the wood stove doors were blown open and ashes blown out of the stove, doors taken right off their hinges and flung to the floor, doors jammed and twisted shut and are unable to be opened, and yet other rooms were left untouched. It will be awhile before we know completely what the extent of the damage will be. We have been overwhelmed by the concern of so many of you that have already offered to help in any way that is needed. At this moment prayer for recovery from all the trauma and shock is needed the most. Even I am finding it difficult to focus and stay on task.

Assessment and Recovery

2008-03-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

The international media is reporting widespread devestation in the vicinity immediatly surrounding Gerdec. Contacted by phone today, David confirms that the worst of the disaster is certainly within the village of Gerdec itself.

"The entire village of Gerdec is a vacuum. There is nothing left."

He added however that the devestation was not limited to that one particular location. The succession of blasts was strong enough to shatter windows eight miles away. Vehicles travelling along the main highway between Durres and Tirana at the time of the blast had their windshields shattered. Shock tremors were felt in Tirane.

"Mandi and I were in the village (of Vlashi) inside one of the homes when we heard the first explosions. It sounded like gunfire. We knew it was something more significant because of the color of the smoke rising from the blast site. It was black, like buring diesel fuel. We thought a plane might have gone down."

David and Mandi moved out into the street for better vantage.

"Then I saw the color of fire burst into the air....a mile into the air. The immediacy of the blast and the following shockwave knocked us to the ground. It was nothing less than apocalyptic."

"We had no idea at the time what was happening....we just knew we had to get back to the city."

He described how Shpresa called out for Genti, who had been filming the explosion from their second floor, to join her outside of the house. After a brief assessment of their home, the Proseku family joined David and Mandi and the rest of the Bright Star team in the van.

"The Autostrata was jambed with traffic and had threatened to close because of its proximity to the blast site, so we had to take the old route back to Tirana."

David says that the scene in Vlashi was grim today. He and Mandi had toured the village with a local commissioner. The Vlashi ministry center and the Proseku home sustained damage to interior walls and ceilings as well as exterior door and window frames. Many other homes in the village were not as fortunate.

"There are people here who will not eat or sleep tonight. Some have lost everything- food shelter, peace, security. The blast yesterday took it all away."

David's greatest concern now is for the village community in general and for the people in particular.

"They've lost the will to eat, sleep, even speak. This singular occurance has yeilded a deep psycological scar. I witnessed it in face after face today."

David also commented on the physical injuries on a broader scale. He said that there are a great deal of wounded. The blast spared no one in its path and the stories of the horror are as grim as they are frightful. Most were wounded from flying shrapnel and broken glass. The hospitals in Tirana and Durres are teeming with injured persons. They have set up blood drives in many public locations and the response to this has been overwhelming.

"It's been really encouarging to see the human response to the tragedy, particularly in Tirana. There has even been a contingent from the Albanian govenment lining up to give blood." David says.

David noted that the Albanian government was stretched to its limit. Officials were doing all they could to dispel the fears of another explosion. It is unclear how many charged explosives
are left.

When asked what might be the greated prayer concerns, he says,

"Many people are hurting here now. Pray that we might have compassion on all who were affected here. There is a human need here now that was not here before. Pray that we might be used in the lives of all of those who live in the village. Pray for peace for this community."

2008-03-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Stephen Waggoner for finding this footage on YouTube. The footage below was shot by Genti Proseku the Pastor who works with Planters Seed foundation in Vlashi, Albania. It was shot from his house and at the end you can see the damage the explosion caused even from his distance. Please pray for PSF and the country as they respond to this crisis.

David is still in the country and is scheduled to fly out on Monday. He was in Vlashi when the explosion occurred and is OK but is understandable shaken. Sarah just flew back to the States on Wednesday. Pray for the vanOrmans as they are apart during this time. Their daughter Cydil Waggoner is trying to keep current information on http://waggoner.blogspot.com

First Full Day

2008-03-08T14:15:00.000-08:00

Saturday's are generally pretty busy let alone when they come on the date such as today, March 8. This is a special celebration for all women in Albania. This triumphs all other days because it is the only day that tradition is set aside and women actually get to "party" on their own and in their own way. Therefore, we decided for our newly arrived guests to experience "the culture" and attend the village women's day party at the local restaurant in true Albanian fashion. It was full of loud music, folk dancing, and more eating than one can possibly consume in a day.

While the girls were at the village women's party, the guys decided to have their own kind of "man" thing.....a hunting expedition up the village mountain trail. (Sounds rather cultural, doesn't it?) Let your imagination go and you will be able to read between the lines and also, what lies behind the photos.

All in all, it was a great day of learning and full of plenty of experiences.

New Team

2008-03-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

It's always fun to have company....especially company who comes to work and help. Friday afternoon a team from the Gainesville, Florida, Family Church arrived to encourage our Albanian team of workers, to develop relationships with the young girls in the village, and to be witnesses of Christ's love to the children through interaction of sports and games.

They seem to be a hardy bunch and are of a great determined purpose. They remind me of an Aesop fable that says, "In all armies (mission's trips) it is unity of will and purpose which assures victory over the enemy." We are enjoying them mightly.

Busy, busy, busy

2008-02-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Today was a scurry of activity all up and down the main street in Vlashi. Joe had tons of fun in the tractor leveling out the new gravel for the street. He did a great job and no one can recognize it as the old street in front of the ministry center. I captured a picture or two of other little busy helpers doing their special contribution for today's work. I am also including some pictures of Hannah. She had a big birthday yesterday and also she has had fun handing out special treats to the children. Tomorrow will be our last day since we are leaving early on Sunday morning. I am so amazed how fast time flies over here.

Visiting

2008-01-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

Hands down, home visits are the favorite activity of our guests. It has been our privilege to go on many home visits during the past several days. Today we were in Darshen and it was a bit chilly but yet a beautiful sunny day for a January visit. The pictures taken were a mix of activities with a rare scene of one set of sisters making the raki (Albanian moonshine) for their family. We checked on the local livestock (David standing alongside the cow shed) and also I included a picture of today's children meeting time with Xhina telling the story of Abraham and Isaac. The last picture is of Genti and Shpresa modeling a traditional wedding costume. One of the ladies in Vlashi is starting a business of selling the traditonal costumes to brides of today that wish to celebrate their hertiage with a newly handmade wedding dress. (By the way, just the wedding dress sells for 350 Euros) It takes the seamstress about 2 weeks to make just the dress. If anyone is interested in buying one she is taking orders!

2008-01-26T14:15:00.000-08:00

It's great to be back and visiting the work here in Albania. Since arriving on Thursday afternoon, we have been making arrangements to get some work projects in order. Hopefully, Monday we will begin work in Vlashi to reconstruct a drainage ditch to re-route the rain water that comes down from the hills behind the village. Joe and Judy Bachman from Roanoke, Illinois are visiting with us and Joe will oversee the construct that will take place. Today, Joe and Judy visited the English and computer classes. The weather has been great with the sun shining and temperatures in the mid 60's. Let's hope this continues still the project is completed.

Last Post from Tirana

2007-12-22T07:26:00.001-08:00

This will be my last post from Tirana for awhile. I will be going home in order to celebrate Christmas with family. Lindsey and I will leave on the early morning flights and so will probably not go to bed tonight.
It has been a great time these past days that have been filled full of many activities. We have been so blessed to have the workers that we do and at this time of year we are so grateful for this wonderful blessing from God to know that things are going well and that the ministry goes forth on a daily and weekly basis from village to village. Please keep these devoted workers in your prayers. They face a spiritual battle continually.
Bye for now.

A Little Bit of Everything

2007-12-22T06:16:00.000-08:00

I was not able to get anything posted yesterday because the internet server was acting up and it was not available. So I am going to include some photos of last night's service in the village and also a picture of a home visit that we made to one of the girls from the training center who is getting married tomorrow. Some of our guests that were here last March may remember Viktoria, the young lady who had 24 hours to make a decision whether or not to marry the guy that her parents had picked out for her. After saying yes, he has been in Italy for several years and at our visit, last March with her, she was having grave doubts about their relationship and future. Well, yesterday I heard she indeed was marrying this weekend and would now have the wedding ceremony and then he would be off again to Italy and she will be now living with her new in-laws. What does one say to all of this? In the picture she is showing us her gifts to her new family. I really enjoy learning all about such different customs when it comes to marriage.

This morning was the annual Christmas program with the children. It was vintage with the drama, puppet show, special music and reception time. I included a picture of the team. Some of you will notice some new faces. One girl in the middle is Arjan's wife and she is a professional musician and was helping out today and the girl on the right is new and is taking the place of Klara for several months while she is taking some time off.

Kasalle visit

2007-12-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

We had a great time in Kasalle this afternoon. The children were very excited knowing that Christmas celebrating was in the air. We had a drama illustrating the story of the "Three Trees" and a recitation by three little ones. There also were refreshments and gifts! The last picture is of one of the latest constructed homes in the village.

Mountain Events

2007-12-19T13:14:00.000-08:00

"Off to the mountain we will go...." was our motto for the day. It included spending time with a special visitor, Marinela who is in town comg back from her new home in South Africa, doing the children's meeting in the village and having a great home visit with some special ladies. As planned, we also, passed out the gifts bags to the children. The children enjoyed making a treat by decorating a graham cracker and loading it with candies. I didn't know that Marinela was going to come to the village with us and so when she joined us, we spent all the trip up the mountain catching up on her latest events including her new status as "Mommy to be". She worked with us for several years and now is teaching flute to students and also playing professional flute for symphony performances. Lindsey had quite a day seeing all the sights and experiencing village life in the mountains. She told me that she took 104 pictures today. (I apologize for these thoughts sounding so random.)

It's the time of giving

2007-12-18T13:14:00.000-08:00

This is the last week of children's meetings and so we spent well over 4 hours packaging bags of goodies to give the children. Lindsey, our guest from Tennessee, brought 3 suitcases of gifts to give to the village children. Tomorrow we are going to the mountain village of Darshen and are looking forward to having a great Christmas party.

I think we counted around 120 bags.

Conversation and Crafts

2007-12-17T23:40:00.000-08:00

We were in the village from Sunday to last evening. It was about as close to camping without sleeping outdoors. We were without water, lights for six hours and limited gas for cooking. We made it but was glad to see Tirana again and to get cleaned up and fed. These inconvienences are minor compared to the great time we had visiting with the women and young ladies in the village. We went to five homes to visit and we had a "craft party" with the girls. It was so much fun learning more about the village ways and having the opportunity to share the love of Christ that we have in our hearts for these people. Tomorrow is the mountain village day and I hope to have many pictures for you.

Can You Believe It....Snow in Tirana???

2007-12-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it was snowing tonight in Tirana. We went to Saturday night church and stopped to eat a bowl of soup and coming out of the restaurant....there as big as you please, the snowflakes were falling. It was another case of never go out the door without your camera. I was so glad I had my camera. Vera said that it has been 10 years since there has been snow in Tirana. I know it is suppose to be snowing today in Illinois and this is nothing in comparison to six inches, but it was extra special to be walking down the street with the snowflakes falling all around. It made home seem not so far away.

Friday evening in the village

2007-12-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

Yes, the baton was handed off and so now David is on the farm in Illinois and I am here in Albania. I arrived yesterday and thought I had landed in another world. I had left an ice storm and came here to nearly 50 degree weather and sunshine. This is going to be a real quick time in order to get back to join the family for Christmas. There is a host of activities to accomplish before then and so I will try to track all of it and share with you the latest events of the ministry. At noon today Mandi and I went back to the airport to pick up our visitor, Lindsey from Tennesee. This is her first trip to Albania and so it is fun to hear her comments and perspective of this unique country. Then latter we went to Vlashi to check out the Friday classes and activities. The ministry was busy with many English students. We were so grateful to have the electricity come on just as the sun was setting and didn't have to hold classes by candle light.

Travelers

2007-11-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday David and Vera checked in their bags and headed back to Albania. It has been fun to have our good friend, Vera, here visiting us for two weeks. David will be spending his time visiting the villages and meeting with Planters staff workers. There is no big project on tap for this trip but plans for upcoming projects will be discussed. It has been eight months since David has been in Albania and so he is anxious to see everyone again and to see the new activities that are going on.

Big Event

2007-10-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 12, was the first official service for the village of Vlashi. Invitations had been distributed throughout the village but still it was a muslim holiday that day and it wasn't a slam dunk for success. Many prayers were said and the Lord blessed abundantly. Afterward, there was a time of refreshments for all. Please continue to remember Friday's in prayer for this service that will be held each week.

Leaving

2007-10-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

Days fly by when you're having fun...so they say. Well, anyway, we kept Mandi pretty busy and he learned a lot about the farm. I'm not exactly sure what was his favorite job but I can tell you that he didn't wash the windows on the combine even though David begged him. His new food that he tried was fried chicken. He didn't think it bad at all. It was great having Mandi here for the visit and having him speak to three diffferent church groups.

"In America"

2007-09-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

What does an Albanian do when he come to America? We are privileged to have Mandi spending some time with us. During the last 10 days he has been helping on the farm and also speaking for some church groups. Sorry that our pictures are only farm pictures. We must work on getting some church pictures.

Final Wrap Up

2007-09-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

(The three young girls attend the Girl's Training Center. The other two ladies are their Moms.)

(visiting Fatmira and her mother-in-law)

(arriving at O'Hare in Chicago. Vera also came to the US to visit her relatives in Detroit. We're hoping she can make it to Green Valley sometime soon)

The last few days of my stay in Albania got rather hectic and I'm sorry there was not better news coming from my way. But I will just share some of the last days photos and I think I saved the best activity to the last--that is home visits. Also, I don't know if many of you had heard that Mandi was able to get a visa and came back with me to Illinois. He has several churches to share what his responsibilites are in Albania and in between times, David is going to set him in a tractor seat and see if Mandi can drive as good as he does in Tirana. Pictures of that will be forth coming.

Saturday in Vlashi

2007-09-08T05:56:00.001-07:00

(notice the green trees to the left and then the brown burnt trees on the upper right)

Saturday isn't Saturday in Vlashi without the children meeting at the ministry center. So, I've included some pictures of today's meeting. Each week in this village there are about 35 children that attend. Today I really cut it close. I had just enough candy for everyone. Not one piece left over. Yesterday afternoon is the regular time for the older children's discipleship meeting. I've included the picture of them with Klara and Arjan, the leaders. This is a small representation of the usual group. This was the first week back after summer vacation time and several forgot to come. Also, I got a picture of the nearby hill where they had a fire that could have become dangerous to several of the homes of children that come to our meetings. It is very similar to the situation in Greece. The temperature has been hot for many weeks and there has been no rain for two months. Any kind of spark can get out of hand within minutes. Since I came on Tuesday, we've had two nights of rains and cool temperatures. We've brought out the sweaters. I guess my sleeveless shirts will go home clean and still folded.

Bits and Tidbits

2007-09-06T12:39:00.000-07:00

I always like it when special and unusual things happen when we come to Albania. Two days again at approximately 7:35 a.m. there was an earthquake with a magnatitude of about 6...significant anyway. And low and behold the center of the quake was in Mimenas, Albania (one half mile from Vlashi). I was in Vlashi this afternoon for meetings and took a picture of the ceiling in the health clinic. The cracks were very noticeable. Shpresa said she was just waking and said the bed was really shaking and the glass picture on the wall fell and broke. Others in Tirana said they felt movement. I'd have to say that I was still suffering from jet lag and didn't notice much unusual.

Next item or tidbit is about the main activity of the day-children's meeting in Kasalle. Here is a picture of the team preparing to leave. Each meeting the equipment is loaded in the jeep and they travel about one hour to the village to teach the children. On the way home and near the village we saw this bride getting in the car. Mandi stopped the jeep, got out and asked if we could take her picture. This is copy of what brides years ago would have worn.

Lastly, I couldn't resist taking a picture of this cow chewing her cud (which is a sign of great contentment) and proudly showing off her hair ribbon and bow! (should I say a sign of great love and affection of her owner)

Visit to Darshen

2007-09-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

It was drizzling when we left the city this morning but when we climbed higher up the mountain the fog and rain started to set in. This picture isn't the best (sorry Cydil) but I hope you can tell that we are traveling on a one lane road that weaves itself around the mountain. Here we are pulled over in a wide part waiting for the oncoming car to pass.

This is today's group of children. The girls don't come in the summer because they must stay home and work. Generally, there will be about 25 children each week when they come after school. This building is a vacated house that is located near the school. We rent it per week.

Darshen's homes date back several generations and look like something out of a "Robin Hood" movie. They are so cool. The roofs are made of slate and the walls are of stone. If you ever had the urge to live in something ethnically Albanian, here is where you should go. We visited two homes of several children that attend our meetings.

(David, this picture is for you. You know what I think of all your "lady and her cow " pictures. But anyway, the great thing is I gave this lady a choice of where she would like her picture taken -in front of her pretty flowers or with her cow. Of course, you know her answer!) Why do you always have to be sooo right all of the time, David?)

(I need to make a correction for yesterday's entry. Those were not shocks of wheat. It was shocks of corn. What was I thinking? It's not time for wheat harvest! So much for the country girl. In all fairness, it has been awhile since I've seen corn in "shocks". After all, this is my first time to be in Albania in September.)

I've been told there has been no rain for nearly two months and so what happens all night and then this morning as we head to the mountain village for the children's meeting....it rains. Taking pictures is right up there on my "to do list" and rain doesn't mix with photography. We didn't let the rain dampen our spirits and we had a great time anyway. I'm just going to caption the photos for brevity.

Arrived

2007-09-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

Coming down late this morning from the Albanian sky, out of my window I saw all of these polka dots in the fields. After thinking about it for a moment, I realized that it was shocks of wheat standing in the fields. I will try to get a close up picture of them for you later in the week. What contrast it reminds me of life there and of life here. The fields of harvest are so great. Talking and discussing those spiritual fields was what I did later this afternoon in a coffee bar with Genti and Shpresa. I caught up on all the latest happenings in the village and we made plans for the upcoming days. I love their contagious smiles! It demonstrates their contagious christianity as well.

Staying in Touch

2007-08-31T10:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry there is no picture for this post, but I didn't want to continually disappoint you by not having a post for so long. Things in Albania almost come to a standstill for the month of August (not much different than the Iraqi government) and therefore there have been no transmissions at this time. Nevertheless, I wanted to let you know that I will be making a quick trip to Albania on Labor Day, Sept. 3, and will mainly doing some business matters and also including many visits, which is the best reason for going to Albania! I will try to send an update regularly during my time over there. Please stay in touch.

"Jesus" Movie

2007-08-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

For many summers, Campus Crusade has done great evangelistic campaigns all over Albania. One of their most effective tools they have used is the "Jesus" movie. But this summer they used a revised and updated version and made it available to be used in Albania. Genti sent these pictures that he took when the "Jesus" movie was shown in the village of Vlashi. He was really pleased with the response of the villagers in their attendance and attention throughout the entire showing.

Wheat Harvest

2007-07-31T14:42:00.000-07:00

In the summer when we are harvesting wheat I can't help but always think of the verse in Matthew where Jesus refers to the condition of lost souls by comparing them to the fields that are "ripe unto harvest". All the time during winter and spring the wheat fields are so very green and lush. But as the plant begins to put on its head of grain and it starts to develop, that lush green hue starts to lighten, turning a gorgeous yellow. Then as it dries and is nearing cutting time, that yellow gets even lighter and lighter and becomes near to white. With the mindset of a farmer, harvest time is a compeling time. It is a gratitfying time. May our thoughts and desires of the "harvest of souls" be likewise.

Summer Days

2007-07-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

Albania would feel slighted if summer would go by without temps in the triple digits. And so, this will not be one of those "slighted summers". Genti just emailed and said the weather has been so hot that life has mostly come to a stand still. Unfortunately, that is not where it ends. Water also has become critical. Out in the village they are getting one hour of water every other day with very little pressure. Life without water in hot temperatures becomes almost unbearable. The level of stress reaches high levels.

Arjan sent some pictures of recent meetings in Kasalle with the children. Arjan is now taking over the position of Eldina. He is still continuing his former work in Vlashi. We are so grateful for his willingness to add more to his schedule. PSF is so blessed to have such quality workers.

The girls training center has stopped classes for the month of August. Genti and Shpresa emailed and said that Nertila is getting married this weekend. We will miss her gracious spirit and eagerness to learn. She will be living in Italy. Does this sound like a repeat after repeat of the stories of the lives of the girls in Vlashi? Shpresa has been visiting Nertila's home this week and she mentioned that already visitors are coming to give their well wishes and also the dancing and feasting are gearing up.

It's a New Look

2007-06-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

(before)

(After)

One of the main things I was planning on getting done last week when I was in Albania, was to get the ministry center in Vlashi painted. But due to a combination of events, that didn't happen. One of the problems was the fact that it rained every afternoon I was there. (very unusual for it to rain every day in the summertime) This put the painter behind schedule and he was delayed from his current job as well. About all I could do was to pick out the color of the paint and have it all ready for him when he could get to it. Today I received a photo from Genti showing how nice it looks. Now I can't wait till I go back to see it!

What Do You Do When You Run out of Time?

2007-06-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

(no I'm not standing on the steps)

Bartha is about my age and is such a warm and friendly lady.

Nurka (in the middle) attends the girls training classes and is learning so much. On the right is her mother.

When you are out of time and still much left to get done.....you do five home visits in one day and then drop dead! (mainly from all of the sugar you've consumed from all of the treats the hostesses have required the guests to eat) This is why I'm now writing this all in past tense and from my computer in Illinois. My "To Get Done" list was a bit zealous and consequently I ran out of time to do my blogging of all the events that happened last week. Therefore I will be dragging them out over the next week or so to get you all up-to-date on what took place. These pictures are of three of the homes we visited on Monday, my last day in the village. It was such a blessing talking with these great women. Spiritual issues were the main questions in their minds and what a joy to let them know that it is only through faith that we can experience the peace and contentment that God wants us so desperately to enjoy. We are still in the "season of planting." The fields are being prepared for a harvest in the near future.

The President Has Arrived

2007-06-10T03:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't ever heard Tirana so quiet as today. The only noise that is constantly present is the dull hum of jets flying way high above the city. It never leaves and goes away. Seeing on the TV of Air Force One landing on the airport tarmack that we are so familar was a thrill. Sorry the picture is so distorted but it was the only way to give the general idea that it did happen. The news only gave bits and pieces of the where abouts of Bush and so Vera, our good friend, and I ventured out in search of a glimpse of what we might see. We were disappointed to learn that our main access to see anything of Bush was blocked and they were not letting anyone pass through the main boulevard to the buildings where meetings were going to be held. Thinking that we were sure of one street they would have to pass we began walking through the winding park paths over to the next main road called Elbasoni. The police were kind to let us wait near them since we told them all we wanted was a picture of the motorcade. I'm sorry my pictures are so poor because our vision was for just a short way and I had no prelude of what vehicle was coming into view. It was just a small window of opportunity for a clear shot of vision. Seeing the motorcade on TV of all the supporting vehicles is one thing but in a foreign country I was interested to see if there would be any differences. I was impressed by the military escort and several amored vehicles. Unfortunately they were passing too fast for my camera to respond and they passed out of my picture frame too quickly. So my pictures mainly captured the flags on the hood of the vehicle and also the seal on the other black suburban. It seems there will be no opportunity for any people to see Bush out of the vehicles. I just included the picture of the Sheraton Hotel that is nearby our place. Just for you to get a bit of perspective, it is full of our government security forces and has been closed to the public for the last week. This is another example of our wonderful tax dollars at work!

Friday afternoon class

2007-06-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

(How many Albanian men does it take to hang a tapestry?)

job well done

Friday is the day for Beginner I and Grammar I English classes and also the guys and girls discipleship classes. I stopped in their classes this afternoon and took some pictures. Some of the students were absent due to this being the time for their school exams.

Also, anytime we are in the village there is usually some sort of project to complete. Today it was to put up the cross tapestry that I brought over.

Kasalle's Children Meeting

2007-06-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

This afternoon our jeep jolted along the winding and bumpy road as we entered the village of Kasalle. It is such an uplifting experience to go and to see the joyful children and to see them learning their early steps of faith. Here are just a few of the many pictures that I took of the "little ones" that came today.

Great Event Coming

2007-06-07T01:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Shpresa told me that a sayiny, "An Albanian loves Albania as much as they love America". I don't know how true that may be, but I do know that Albania is pulling out the red carpet (at least the red flags) for President Bush's visit on Sunday. I just came back from taking these pictures three blocks from our apartment. I'm sure there will be more to show you come this weekend. While I was taking the pictures of the flags across the street I thought everyone might enjoy seeing Albania's clone of McDonalds. We don't go there very often. All I need to say is that it is hard to duplicate McDonalds and come close.

A Sign of the Times

2007-06-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that our neighborhood has developed one more trait of a big metropolitan city-no street parking. With all of our new nearby high rises besides all of the new trading business that these buildings bring with them, street parking is a premium. So what has happened is that our leisure system of at-will parking for our "old apartment" site is now being sucked-up by the new neighborhood foreigners. Therefore during our time away this spring, our apartment car owners went together to come up with a system whereby to save their precious parking places. In the picture you are to notice the "parking arm" that is activated by the "special" key that only is available to our building car owners.

It Feels So Good to be Back

2007-06-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

The journey is always long but we know that before we leave Green Valley. It was just a few hours ago when I looked out the plane window and viewed the mountains and sea with the short strip of coastal farmlands between the two that is all so familiar and comforting to see once again. This time though, new places greeted me....the new airport facility. WOW! is all I can say. These pictures do not do it justice. But one thing was still the same, and that was the long foreigner line at the Passport Control booth. I watched and listened to one "not so patient" traveler comment to the official that a 30 minute line was not exactly what he would consider appropriate. Amused,I thought to myself and reflected about how far this has come in comparison to the old sheep barn of a short 12 years ago. I also must comment on the little things that make me laugh and chuckle under by breathe. It's the transit or sign for connecting flights....like travelers are flying into Tirana to make a connecting flight to go somewhere else? Or maybe it is just the great optimism for the future of this great facility! Anyway, I made the journey alone and for that I am sad to leave David with his corn fields in Illinois. I will be taking many pictures to keep everyone informed what is going on here. I'm looking forward to a great week.

Visiting the Library Boat

2007-05-22T09:16:00.001-07:00

On Friday, the 18th, it was "Women's Night" on the Ship Logos II. This ship is the second largest mobile library in the world. It is now docked at the port in Durres, Albania. Shpresa, Genti and Mandi took 18 women and 11 children to see this library. That specific evening there was a coordinated effort with the christian churches in Albania to put together a special evening of activities on the boat. Included in these activities was a service of worship. Genti emailed and mentioned how much the ladies of Vlashi enjoyed this time and even now want to come to Genti's church to sing those songs again.

Visiting the Library Boat

2007-05-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

On the Homefront

2007-05-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

During these days of spring our activities on the "homefront" involve our tentmaking occupation of farming but there is not a day goes by that the activities in Albania are not in our mind and hearts. It is during these times that much of our planning, praying, and practical "behind the scenes" mission's work gets down for Planters. Sarah does most of the daily emailing and bookkeeping for Planters and David plans and creates ideas for projects while keeping the planter straight going through the fields on the prairie. We couldn't resist getting a planter picture on the blog named Straight Rows.

2007-05-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

There hardly is a day that goes by where the gate is not opened to some group or activity for the Vlashi villagers. Most of the time it involves either a meeting or an instructional class that is in session. But other times the gate is open just for pure social events such as what is pictured here-a good old fashion game of dominos or a good round of volleyball. Planters counts it as a goal accomplished to have a constant stream of visitors. To us, that means the villagers feel welcomed and comfortable to come through the gate and they feel right at home participating in the ongoing activity.

Saying Goodbye

2007-05-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

In most types of work or ministry, there are always times of saying goodbye to colleagues, friends, and graduates. And in our case, saying goodbye to a brother and sister that have been attending our program's weekly meetings for nearly six years, was a bittersweet event. Margreta and Mateo have been living in Vlashi for the last four years with their Grandmother. Their father has been living and working in Italy and their mother passed away four years ago. It was only recently that their father was able to obtain the paperwork that would allow Margreta and Mateo to now live with him in Italy. We will really miss them but yet it is great to know they will now get to be with their father. It will be such a change in life for them but we pray they will continue to live the faith they have learned these past few years. "Goodbye, Margareta and Mateo and you are in our prayers." (pictured are Genti, Mateo, & Mateo's father)

Movie Time

2007-04-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

It was movie time in the village last Friday evening. The outdoor screen was set up,chairs placed in the front court of the ministry center and everyone was invited to watch "The Chronicles of Narnia" in Albanian. It was a good crowd and there was great weather for all to enjoy themselves.

Getting Together

2007-04-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

This past week there was a "football" competition between the village guys and the city guys. There is nothing better an Albanian boy enjoys more than a football match. So you can imagine that no one had to twist the arms of these players into getting together. Genti has been telling us how warm the weather has been this past month and therefore evenings of playing around would be great. For the record, the city boys beat the village boys by just a point or two. I don't think this will be the last time they have a match. Just as a note: for those of you who have never been to Albania, playing fields like the one in the picture are very popular. They are privately operated and teams rent them to play their games.

"Goodwill" village style

2007-04-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

We received a shipment of clothes from the humanitarian aid center for the Albanian Christian churches. This doesn't happen very often because it is difficult to keep everyone satisfied and to hand out the goods fairly and also it takes a lot of time and work to put everything together. Shpresa, Fatmira and Lela bagged around 90 bags of clothing to hand out to the families in Vlashi. When the families came to receive their bag, they also were given a Bible. Our prayer is that the Bibles will be the treasure for the family and not the bag of clothes. May there be much fruit produced from this outreach to the village.

Three Days Left

2007-04-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

It doesn't take many Americans to guess what happens in three days from now. Yes, Uncle Sam comes calling for his annual paycheck. Even though Planters is a non-for-profit organization, it must still file a government form-990. And so yesterday, we were at the bookkeepers getting the paperwork in order and making sure everything was in order for our report to be submitted. It is always such a relief to complete this project and to know that it is behind you for another year. Working with two and in some cases three currencies sometimes becomes a nightmare and trying to keep track of exchange rates through it all is a challenge. As Planters continues to grow and acquires more property overseas, this process is more and more valuable and the responsiblity becomes more grave. Being good stewards of what God has given to Planters is something we don't take lightly. Nevertheless, we continue to marvel at God's goodness and faithfulness to the ministry and for this we are so ever grateful and full of praise!

Easter Story

2007-04-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

Genti and Shpresa, the directors of the girl's center in Vlashi, just sent us an email giving us an update of the events of Easter in Albania. There were 7 young teens from Vlashi that attended Easter services at Genti's church in Tirana. Mandi took them and brought them back to the village. Many thanks to Mandi for taking his time to serve in this way. Genti also mentioned that Olti is trying to find a teacher from the University that will be able to give him some additional English lessons to help him in preparing for his entrance exam that he will be taking this summer for the University. Pray for finding the right teacher and also for financing. Shpresa is preparing lessons for some Bible topics for the girls. Pray she will find guidance in using topics that are of great interest and that will meet the needs for the girls. The last weeks' lessons in English have been learning body parts. Notice the picture that illustrates their practicing.

What Happens Next

2007-03-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

In case some of you were wondering, what do we do when we are not in Albania, here will be some news of what is done on a continual basis that is necessary for the work of Planters. One of the first things we really enjoy is putting all of our pictures in a useful format. That means to copy about 500 pictures on a DVD and have them ready to use for a future power point, newsletter, or any other media presentation. Besides, David needs to get his memory sticks cleaned off now that he is confident that his pictures are safely preserved.

Saying Goodbye

2007-03-20T01:08:00.000-07:00

All of us have now packed our bags, made the journey over the blue sea of the Atlantic, and returned back to the schedule of normal life duties. We have so much to praise the Lord for all of his abundant blessings and answers to prayer. Although some of us have brought more back with us than we would have liked, namely coughs and running noses, our health was flawless and schedules were not interrupted. The planned events were more than successful with results exceeding our expectations. The time we spent with the workers, Mandi and Xhina, Genti and Shpresa, Arjan, Eldina, Klara, Mersin, Nori, and Lela was extremely rewarding. As usual, words can seldom express the feelings of leaving these dear ones behind to be on the front line of the dark battle. But now our role takes a course that stands invisible-- alongside. Through our prayers we join in with this dark battle supporting our commrades, lifting up their efforts. We must never forget the people whose souls depend on our prayers.

Florida Team Finishing Up

2007-03-17T22:49:00.001-07:00

It is early Sunday morning and the last team members are now flying back to the west. The last two days were great getting to know the village lifestyle and connecting in special ways. Friday evening we hosted a reception for the village. Part of the activities was an exchange in traditional folk dances. In the picture, some of the team members were trying their foot work out in the Albanian folk dance. We Americans, also displayed one of our folk dances, "The Virginia Reel", to the Albanians. We felt like we had stepped back in time as we clapped and stomped our feet to the music of "Turkey in the Straw". The Albanians laughed and it must have been funny to see us "swinging our partners" left and right. One of the other activities was to do a community improvement project. Randy Reid, the county manager for the Gainsville, Fl, area, had two signs made with the village name to put up on the main village road. In the picture is Connie (Randy's wife) with the mayor of Vlashaj. I also wanted to add another picture of a home visit with the team.

Too Tired for Photos

2007-03-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

We are now on day 5 of none stop activity and tonight we are too tired for photos. We did a bit of historical perspective on the country of Albania and saw the country's most popular historical site of Kruja. From there we went to the children's meeting at Kasalle. The children performed a drama for us which was very well done. It was extremely touching to witness their enthusiasm inspite of the living conditions. The children's desire to learn is so refreshing. Then this evening we really enjoyed having a dinner guest, Alfred Nurja, otherwise known to us as "Tall Freddie". He joined Planters Seed way back in the mid-nineties and went to the village visits with us. Now he has gone on to much larger pastures and currently is working as translator for the American ambassador. He entertained us with his stories and perspective from the "insider" view. We are now busy packing up things to take to the village where we will be until Saturday evening. The team will be leaving in the early evening. The next day and a half are packed with many events and we will get that info off to you upon returning back to the computer and internet. This is it until then.

At the Heart of it All

2007-03-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Probably the heart of it all is doing visits in the Albanian home. What a wonderful time we had going to three houses today in the village. Questions and answers were flying everywhere and delicious treats were the common bond that connected the hostess with her guests. Later in the afternoon we got to meet with the girls and Connie did a great cooking lesson on preparing cookies. Jenn also showed the girls how to make gospel braclets along with giving the message of the meaning for each bead that was used. Here are added some pictures that were taken yesterday that didn't get included because the day was too long and time ran out to get them on the blog. The pictures of the puppets were taken while practicing along the roadside.

Day on the mountain

2007-03-14T01:36:00.000-07:00

It was a whirlwind of events for our day visiting the people in the village of Darshen. The following photos are of visiting the school, a home visit and children playing games for the weekly children's meeting. We had a beautiful day with a lunch and puppet practice along the mountain road.

Vlashi Visits

2007-03-12T14:54:00.000-07:00

We began our day's visits to the village kindergarten. Diane, a teacher, brought her puppet, Ellie the Elephant to tell the Bible story to the children. Next the group made their first home visit. Photo books are always a hit for conversation and interest for all. We ended the afternoon with a tea reception with the girls that attend the vocational training classes. It was a time of introductions and questions with the girls and sharing ideas for their futures. Many new things were learned about village customs and living.

Florida Team Arrives

2007-03-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

It was an airport day with the arrival of the team from Gainsville, Florida. They will be spending a short week with us visiting the villages and participating in the weekly activities that go on here. We will try to do our best to keep a daily entry for each day's events. It was about 4:00 before we made it back to the ministry center in Tirana. After getting acclimated to the set-up of where everyone would be staying and going over short details of the two day's journey, we then jumped in with a visit to our neighbor Vera's home. She is a wonderful way to get initiated into the genuine way of hospitality of the Albanian style and practice. She had many treats that were enjoyed by all. Most of all her history and life-story kept everyone enlightened in regards to the past situations that existed just a short 20 years ago. As Americans we couldn't help but say, "We had no idea what was going on." Her praise through her past is that it paved the way for her to believe in the only truth and hope for her eternal future.

Spring Cleaning

2007-03-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

As a general rule Albanians clean every Sunday morning. The loud thuds from the rugs as they surrender their last weeks residue of dust and foot traffic give in to the persistent beat of a forceful housekeeper. There's no doubt that these homes are kept weekly.

Americans, on the other hand, tend to do their house cleanings seasonally and our spring cleaning at the ministry center in Vlashi has been thrown into full steam ahead. With piles of papers and bits of boards it was time to have a roaring good fire in the back yard. I had to play a bit of Mark Twain to get the boys to help with the cleaning process. "I bet you guys can't build a fire and make smoke." This challenge was a bit more than some of them could stand and before long I had columns of boys marching with armfuls of trash towards the selected spot. A few got wise to the adoptive process and heckled from the sidelines but for the most part as the picture shows, there still is a bit of pride in a young boy's life

March 8 - Women's Day Celebration

2007-03-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

Today was the day for great celebrating for the women of Albania. This is one day of the year that the woman gets to leave the home and get out and kick up some heel! The saying is: "Ha,pi,hopa"! (eat, drink and dance) That is what is illustrated in today's photos. I was invited to attend the celebration of the women of Vlashi and nearby village of Maminas. In the village restaurant there must have been about 200 women. Did they ever have a good time! The dancing pictures are showing some of their traditional style of dancing. My main surprise was the wide range of ages that joined in the festivities. The photos can never tell you the volume of the music or show the real expressions of laughter and gaiety. It will be a day that I'll never forget.

Just Three of the Legs for Better Living

2007-03-07T22:03:00.000-08:00

During Communism the only stable commodity besides depression was Albania's bread. It seems around every corner one can find a bread store. Not only adding stability to the menu of its people, sixteen years ago it added some of the basic nutrition that people needed. We have one down the street that sells a very decent European style of bread, muffins, and rolls. One thing lacking in its bread is the Albanian preservatives. So you have to buy little and often. I stepped into a transaction with a gentleman who has obviously eaten more bread than I.
Another aspect of Albanian advancing life, is of its health care. Sarah gets checked out by our village nurse, good friend Fatmira. Our supporters chipped in and enabled us to equip the village office, nuts to bolts, I should say needles to tongue depressors.
The third leg of the new Albanian standard of living is the influx of capital. It comes in many ways but the most personal to us are the dollars carried over and exchanged into Albanian "leke" for our purchasing needs. Yesterday we had Mandi help us in the counting of the money for the downpayment for the latest property purchase in Vlashi.

Made in China

2007-03-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

Everybody in America is touched by the country of China. Indirectly, we come in contact with many goods the Chinese produce. A trip to Walmart can give the average American 29 products from China in his shopping cart. In fact, many of the essential facets of our daily life are satisfied by this country.
We have come in contact with a direct link to China through our visit last night to a restaurant in our neighborhood and met a waitress from, you guessed it, China. Grace Wang had some extra time and was able to sit down with us and share a bit of her history. She is an exchange student who is studying the Albanian language and wants to become a librarian. We were impressed how well she can speak Albanian and then she mentioned she studied Albanian in China for 2 years. This fact really surprised us not knowing of any country in the world that offers Albanian as a language choice for study. The photo also includes our friend Vera, who was joining us for dinner.

Remodeling in the Village

2007-03-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

Our day began with a stop at the paint store to take to the village for our painter named Schpot(what a great name for a painter)! He will be "sprucing" up our meeting room in the ministry center in Vlashi. While Schpot was working in the main room, we also had the cabinet workers installing the kitchen in the classroom that will be used in the cooking and nutrition classes. It was a busy place to be today. I can't wait to get the water functioning and the supplies in place so that it will be ready for use next week when we have a guest demonstrator coming with the Florida team. I think we will be learning how to make Minestrone Soup, Moo Goo chicken, and Ranger Cookies. Be sure for plenty of pictures for this event.

Sunday's Scenes

2007-03-04T10:49:00.000-08:00

Well, the travelers arrived safe and sound and were even a bit early. There was a big crowd at the airport and so our picture had to be taken on the run. It was one of those fortunate trips where all the bags arrived too!. The picture of the building is where we go to church when we are in Tirana. It has a bit of interesting history to it. This is where the former Communist dictator, Enver Hoxha, had his offices and claimed his country to be completely athestic. Now there is a computer and English school run at this facility as well as church offices and Sunday services. I was able to attend the early service before heading out to the airport. Today was a first for me...Mandi let me drive to the airport. It wasn't too bad. Mandi gave me pointers on how to weave and wiggle through 4 lanes of merging cars and buses to get through the roundabouts. Anyway, there were not scraps or scratches and I just got honked at once! Oh, and by the way, it was around 70 degrees here today. For those who left in the snow, it was quite a change.

All in a Day

2007-03-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

Saturday is always a busy day in the village. I will tell the story mainly through the photos. It was hard to decide which ones to choose and narrow down. I'm afraid there will be many and so I will try to just give captions for them.

1. computer class with teacher Mersin

2. Grammar II English class

3. Grammar II English class (Anseida learning irregular verb endings)

4. one of the little children coloring during the meeting today

5. donkey traffic on main street in the village

6. drawing up the sketch for cabinets for the sewing supplies with Freddie and Mandi at the cabinet store

7. shoe store down the street

Relationships

2007-03-02T10:16:00.000-08:00

This best part of being in Albania is the privilege to talk with people and to encourage them and to share what Christ has been doing in our lives. This morning Eldina, one of our team leaders, and I took the time to have"a coffee" (tea in this case). Eldina has been part of Planters for around 10 years now. God has blessed Planters with individuals that have been committed to the work and have remained faithful. We praise God for this so much. Later today I was in the village and saw the Center alive with activites. There were English classes in session. They were taking a test on antonyms and so I didn't interrupt the class with a picture. Volleyball games were playing in the front yard and a discipleship class was celebrating a birthday with some refreshments. I am including some pictures of the kids. What a wonderful feeling it is when we get to see the plan of God in action and His ministry being carried forth.

Kasalle Kid's Club

2007-03-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

Thursday is the day for the team to have the children's meeting in Kasalle. The pictures should tell the story of several of the activites. For the younger children's meeting there must have been around 50 little ones all crammed body to body sitting on a wooden bench turned on its side. The room is just ruff cement and there are no closed in windows. They meet in an unfinished building every week. The older children (the group picture) had their Bible study in the book of Matthew, chapter 26, which tells the story of Jesus' betrayal and trial, and the younger ones learned about the cloud of fire over the tabernacle for the Israelites in the desert. The village where the children live(as you can see in the pictures) is sparse and rather primitive. God really warms my heart when I hear them singing, "Our God is an Awesome God" with smiles on their faces.