Going into my last two months in Albania, I had specific jobs to fulfill apart from the Waggoner's usual weekly ministries. Two of the bigger jobs were teaching English at the Valdeta Trust (a center helping Albanians with disabilities) and Coaching God's Way (an attempt to teach Christian principles through sports). Teaching gave me an opportunity to spend time with the students at the Valdete Trust and get to know them personally. The students live with disabilities in a country that is relatively unfriendly to people with disabilities both in its culture and infrastructure. With the education they are now receiving, they will be able to apply for and get jobs. Through Coaching God's Way, I gained deeper relationships with some of the guys in our village who had not yet interacted with me. The hard part of Coaching God's Way is that I, as the coach, had to really practice the principles I was teaching the kids. Principles like patience, work-ethic, and respectfulness become real to kids when they see them in action while playing sports. 

Students (and staff) at the Valdeta Trust

A proud moment of teaching shooting fundamentals

One of the unexpected joys of my last two months in Albania was the attendance of previously uninvolved young adults in a weekly bible-study. It was amazing to see them whole-heartedly engage and seek truth in the Bible for the first time. 

Christmas season ministries began with a program, Handmade In Albania (click to visit the site), run by the Waggoners that provides a market for women in our village to sell their knitted goods. The women learn business skills and receive %100 of the profit. Please visit the website if you would like to buy any of their products! 

Organizating and cataloging the Knits!

The week of Christmas our church participated in Christmas Shoebox distribution, handed out Christmas cookies (hundreds), and caroled with the kids in our village. On my last Friday, we held a Christmas service, and the congregation gave me their blessing as I prepared to return home.

Reni helping make Christmas cookies!

We had fun decorating the cookies with our bible study group.

Cydil and our caroling crew. (We split up into two groups)

Serving a Mid-Term Service (the fancy term) with World Gospel Mission in Albania taught me a lot. I pray that more than anything I worked for God. I know that God is working there and that I was blessed to help. The Church in Albania is growing and christians are sharing the good news.

1 Kings 9:3

"The Lord said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there."" 

This passage is God's word to Solomon when Solomon dedicated the temple he built for God. It sticks with me as a reminder that God is still building his temple in Albania, and that God's eyes and heart will always be there.

My sendoff with the Waggoners at the airport.