Well, today we start our last week here at the Lincoln center, as we leave a week from today (Monday). The majority of our classes ended last week—I have one remaining every day this week at 11 AM, and a few of the others are finishing up one or two classes or tutoring sessions as well. This week also begins a several-weeks-long English camp for kids here at Lincoln 2, which our team will be helping with where needed. The camp consists of games and activities designed to bring fun and exposure to English together. Today some of the team helped teach fun American songs to the kids, like “Father Abraham,” “London Bridge is Falling Down” etc.
The weather has been getting quite hot (although today hasn’t been quite as bad). it's pretty humid and everyone, albanians and americans alike, are worn down by it and make faces and fan themselves. On Saturday we went to the city of Vlorra to the beach, joined by some of the church youth. I’ve never swam in a “sea” before, as opposed to the ocean—it looks and feels like a lake, except for the sticky, salty water (not really any waves in this area) and some little black sea urchins we had to watch out for! Together we all rented a little paddle (peddle) boat—500 Leke (about $5) per hour was not bad for being able to fit at least 5-6 of us on it at one time. We thought about peddling across to Italy, but decided that it would take a few days longer than we have. ;) It was a fun, refreshing, and tiring day, and we enjoyed playing a few games of “mafia” on the mini-bus on the way back to Tirana…followed by the excitement of watching a pre-world cup game (with more of the youth) between the US and England… tied 1-1. Last night we also watched Germany play Australia (one girl on our team is German) last night as we had dinner with Genci (our hosting pastor) and his family. Of course, soccer is a much bigger deal here, and in many countries, than in the states. World Cup is huge (although this was really my own first time watching!)
Laura and I continue to build our friendship with my former student, Erisa. She (as are all or most other students) is very busy at this time of year with intense final tests, papers, and other schoolwork, but we’ve been able to enjoy coffee and a good chat here and there. Including Erisa, we have found that even some who claim Muslim beliefs or heritage are discontent with it, and search out other churches or develop beliefs of their own. Last week Erisa showed me a little card that she’d kept in her wallet for years—a little picture of Jesus with Italian writing on the back (from the Catholic Church). “I don’t know, maybe it brings me fortune,” she said. I got to talk to her just a little about the Bible (we discussed Adam & Eve a little, and how through their choice to disobey came sin and suffering to a formerly perfect world), and in addition to the English Bible she took from church, she asked for a little one to keep in her purse… I happened to have on me a little white Gideon Bible that Eva Turmezei had instructed me to give away. ;)
Mitchell and I (he is helping me with my 11 AM class) have some good chances to talk to our students... they are glad to talk to us, even quite beyond class time. the other day (mitchell wasn't able to make it) we had some free discussion in class (which lasted well beyond class time). a few of them went talked about how the culture here has changed so much... there is a very dramatic contrast between the culture of the older generation and the culture of the younger, with very little connection or even understanding between them. one student talked about how she knows of many people who suffer from depression even though they are always keeping up the perfect exterior. i let them know today that one of my college study areas is bible, one student sorta asked what i had to say about the matter (though it was hard to get a word in edgewise). but i was able to tell a little about the pharisees... i told them how in ancient israel, they were the ones who kept up perfect exteriors, but that when Jesus came as God in flesh, he called them out and said it was the heart that mattered before God, comparing them to the ridiculousness of washing the outside of a cup and not the inside.we talked a good 30 minutes past lesson, 20 minutes past end of class, just about life and different things.
Continue to pray for us as we finish out our trip! i look forward to telling you more when i'm home.
Jessie
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