Albania Team 2004 -- Fourth Report

12 Oct. 2004

Hello All
Our trip continues to be amazing. Here is the latest:

Monday was a work day. It started off after breakfast with a frantic, hectic drive in our van (Eli rented a van for us with the same driver we had last year--Fatmir). Monday morning traffic in Tirana is crazy...no freeways..just surface streets and people everywhere...and phantom construction projects...and red lights that aren't obeyed....and traffic officers who seem to bring more confussion! It is great fun!

We went to CCL--Center for Christian Leadership.. The Bible college with 14 students from Albania and Romania. They study here during the week and go home (except for the Romanians) to their churches on the weekend to work, and to transmit what they learn to the pastor and leaders in their churches.

I lead devotions...taught on the mission of the church--Eli translated...She says if she doesn't like what I say, or she thinks the students need to hear something else, she just changes it.....i think she is kidding.

We toured the facilites...a different building than last year...much nicer.

Then we were off to Iba, the village south of Tirana where Eli's brother Memli is the pastor. We worked there morning through mid day...hanging cabinets, working on computers. The church building looks great...new windows, new ceiling, new interior doors! Pray for Memli...he works hard and sometimes it gets discouraging.

We headed back to Tirana and got caught in a huge rain, thunder and lightening storm---lots of water everywhere...again...traffic was crazy.

We went back to CLL -- Chas worked on electronics and computers, David taught a class on PowerPoint.

We ate dinner at the Stephen Center and then took a public bus to the north end of Tiranna, and into the suburb of Tiranna, and then walked through a village...with mud everywhere because of the rain to Meml and Luiza Mema's home. We had a wonderful evening drinking Turkish coffee and raki and sampling wonderful Albanian foods but most of all enjoying Albanian hospitality.

Memli is growing a very unique church...not stressing buildings or meetings, but rather relationships....it is quite contrary to the western church, and to many churches in Tiranna (Kurt's editorial: I think what Memli is doing, just might be the face of some new churches in North America).

Albanians are incredible hospitable people...I forgot to tell you about a village festival we went to visit on Saturday. We got a bit lost looking for it, so Eli went to a house and asked for directions...the woman in the house not only pointed in the right direction, but hoped in our van and said..I will show you the way!

Except for the blood feuds...I will tell you about that sometime...Albanians all get along so well...Christians and Muslims...during WWII, they took care of the Jewish population even during the Nazi invasion....which they fought off by themselves!

Tuesday--another great day...
Had breakfast with Von Golder, the pastor of the church we visited on Saturday night--Disciples of Jesus. He is a wonderful man. Giving the church over to the Albanians. Resisting making the church, a western church, letting it be an Albanian church. Von works hard to train up leaders and impact his city. He has a huge heart for God and for the people of Albania.

We went to the ancient city of Berat...a 2 1/2 hour drive. Visited a castle from the middle ages...rode bumper cars in the downtown area. Ate a gyros lunch.

We are back in Tiranna....Desi is here at the Internet Cafe with us...we are off to dinner...wondering what the evening holds

Tomorrow is another intense work day at CCL and Kurt is going out to Piqin to preach at two churches there--churches full of young people.

More coming soon. Thanks for your partnership, and your prayers

For the team, Kurt Fredrickson