Thank You to our Leaders

How can we begin to thank the Docis and the Brasovs for making this trip possible? The last 7 months have come and gone in a blur..... was it really only 7 months ago that the trip to Albania was officially planned? I know that short-term missions are really two fold in purpose. One, to serve the people in that country, in our case Albania, and Two, to give us "missionaries" perspective on what God is doing in other parts of the world. This opportunity has really been invaluable to our family and I assume our church body as a whole. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Ylli and Nikki spent so much time organizing lodging, amazing food, and logistics for us to come and serve them, and in hindsight, they really served us! Laura and Adiel also spent hours of time and emotional energy preparing us for the unexpected and making sure that every detail that could be planned was. Both of these families served sacrificially to allow us to have the experience of going to Albania. We are shaped and changed forever because of your service! Thank you!

My Friend Frank

Frank was one of the guards/caretakers at the Albanian Christian Center where we stayed in Tirana. He was about my age and had been an official in the Ministry of Defense (i.e., a Communist). He lost his job when Communist rule ended about 20 years ago. He's been with the Christian Center for the last 3 years, but I don't know what he did during the in-between years. I talked with him during one afternoon and we became fast friends--in spite of his broken English and my non-existent Albanian. Twice he offered to do our laundry and on the last day, he took me out to coffee. Actually, it was cappuccino and a local drink called Raki (pretty strong stuff!). I think he was responsible for the lush gardens around the center. Quite a guy!

Perspective

While in Albania we struggled to feel like we were making a difference or how to handle things not being as we thought they would be. However, I have been reminded that God's ways are not our ways, and only He knows our purpose and impact. In processing some of our experiences yesterday with Katie and Beth we were talking about how all of our men ended up leading the childrens' groups during our camp. This was definitely unexpected for them, yet the children in Albania loved having their American (male) group leaders! Yesterday, God helped me to suddenly make a connection. We were told repeatedly how uninvolved most Albanian men are in childraising. In their culture almost all childcare responsibilities typically fall on the women. And I was struck by the impact of having these American Dads engage these children and be so actively involved in their education, games, crafts and general care for 3 solid days. For many of these children this might have been the first time they experienced men taking an active role in nurturing and developing their faith! What an amazing impact this might have be if the hearts of some of these children were tendered to being actively engaged in relationships in a way that has not been culturally typical! .... "Holy God to whom all praise is due, Lord I stand in awe of You!"

Home!

After a luxurious overnight in London and a seemingly endless flight into Denver, eleven of us are home. We have much to talk about and a few future blogs in-the-making, but that will have to wait until another day. We received an especially warm greeting at DIA--it was terrific!

Final Day

Today was our final day in Albania! We traveled to Kruja to see the castle of Albanians' National Hero, Skanderbeg. This was our first "tourist day," though we feel like we've already seen lots of Albania. But we toured, and then hit the souvenir shops in this little village. Heading to the airport in the next 20 minutes. Thank you all for following us on our journey and being a part of our adventure for Christ!

Sunday, June 20th

Happy Father's Day to all our Dads!

(especially requested to Chuck from Paige!)

Debrief

We had our "debrief" dinner tonight since it was our last night together as a team... tomorrow is departure with some leaving as early as 6am and a group of us at 9:40 tomorrow night. It's so interesting to hear what some would change, skip or not do without as we look to learn from our experiences to plan future family mission trips. I think all of us would agree that it stretched us and gave us the opportunity to serve (even if not in the ways we perhaps planned.) I loved what Michael said tonight, as we talked about the relative luxury of our accommodations, food and experiences in Albania. In talking with Ylli Doci, the leader of the team here, Ylli had said that all missionaries need to be prepared to suffer, but not necessarily required to suffer. Serving Christ in this short-term mission trip has not been suffering at all, it has been a unique pleasure. It has required us to pray, sacrifice, depend on God and be flexible. But here in this wonderful city, surrounded by new believers who are passionate about spreading the gospel, ... we are already looking forward to our next family mission trip!

A Wild Ride!

We had a good day today. Some of us led a parenting seminar while others took care of the kids that belonged to the parents in the seminar. Katie brought tennis rackets and balls and taught quite a few of the kids how to play tennis. Even a few 3-year-old's joined in the tennis lessons (Katie thought this was fantastic). We came back to the Christian Center for lunch and then took a trip to a small village to meet with a Minister's wife who gave us a walking tour of the village. This particular village may have been the most Muslim village in Albania. The Minister and his Wife were there for seven years before they were accepted and are just now beginning to make an impact.

On the way home, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant with a pool (no kidding!). The food was great and the kids thought the pool was great, too. Our bus left us at the restaurant and so we had to take taxis home. That was the beginning of our adventure. Adiel told our taxi driver that we were staying at the Albanian Christian Center. Somehow the driver heard "crystal center". The driver also asked me to talk on the phone to someone who spoke English. I tried, but there was so much noise in the cab with talk on the cb radio, I'm sure that I did not communicate either. To begin with, the driver was a very aggressive: weaving in and out, driving on the wrong side of the road, moving into an opposing lane of traffic, and almost running down any pedestrian in his way. He was very proud and pleased when we arrived and the "crystal center", but I kept saying "yo" -- meaning "no". We said, "Stella Hotel" and "Scanderbag"--both are landmarks close to the center. He was quite perplexed, but hurried on his way in the same manner as before. After about 10 more minutes of crazy driving, we began to see buildings that we recognized. I directed him to the center. As we departed the cab, Katie said, "Praise God, we're alive!"

The Business Community

Yesterday I had the opportunity to develop relationships with a few men of the local business community. Here is some of what I have learned:

There is a fine line between ruthless and amoral. In the business community it can become blurred as a healthy system of bribes keeps things running. Some businessmen are coming to know Christ and it does affect their business dealings positively. Most people in Tiranna want money but don't want to work. Therefore one lucky relative is sent abroad to find work and send $ back home. That $ is typically spent on coffee. Yep. The Espresso Economny. (can I trademark that term?)

There is a large divide between the rich and the poor. Some of the rich are involved with illigimate businesses. Not all but many. At least this is what we are consistently told by the locals. Drugs. Human trafficking and stolen Mercedes seem to be the top 3. Why? After the fall of Communisum there was a spiritual vacuum. For many this has lead to Christ. ( aprox. 15,000 by some estimates). For others this meant acting in a new free society which does not have a moral code. Dog eat Dog. Is everyone this way? Absolutely not! It is a subset of the population but has an impact on all society here. In the wise words of my new fried Arogon "Albania has a strong heart but they are sick".

In addition to being blessed with meeting some amazing people and hearing the most Amazing story of how someone came to know Christ, I was able to share my faith in Christ as a part of a marketing seminar. Something which would never happen in the U.S. After I spent time connecting with some of the locals. One of whom was just recently exposed to Christ in the last 2 years. He wanted to know my faith story and how being a Christian has affected my work. Wow. Very cool.

The Holy Spirit is present here and for that I am grateful.

Humbly
KJ

Simple Things

I love the pace of life in this country. It's so interesting how everything seems simplified, and though we may see plenty of Mercedes Benz on the street, there seems to be the lack of materialism we find in America. Now that we're back in Tirana and have a somewhat lighter schedule, we had time to take the kids on a walk to go get ice cream this afternoon. We played the game of, "name all the things you wouldn't find in America...." The things that my kids initially noticed were more "big city" things, like traffic, graffiti, and lots of stores. So as I was trying to pointing out the differences I saw, I was struck with the simple way many of these people live. I pointed out the laundry that hung outside almost every apartment window.... since no one in this country seems to own a dryer. I pointed out how they sell their fruit in bins on the street and that shoppers go to a different store for fruit then they go to buy meat. This is definitely not the land of Wal-mart or Target. No Big Box stores or shopping sprees. And everyone walks everywhere, so you buy only what you need, and no more than you want to carry for the next 20-30 minute walk. It's fun to get to see life from an alternate perspective, and to realize how differently Americans live from most of the rest of the world.

The Cost of Discipleship

A common theme I have heard from our Albanian friends is that when they first became believers in Christ, their families seem not to care too much. This may be an indication of the role of faith in this culture. The Albanians seem to be a very practical people--concerned more with how to feed and support their families than theological ideas. But when an Albanian decides to marry another Christian or decides to become a Campus Crusade staff member, then the family becomes upset. The young man leading the dance in this photo comes from Kosovo. He comes from a Muslim background. When he told his parents that he was planning to marry a Christian, they were very upset. They would not even come to his wedding. He told me that he was hoping up to the very last minute that they would change their minds and come. It was obvious that this was a heart-breaking thing for him. Fortunately, it often happens that the family softens after awhile--especially after grand children arrive. Beth and I know a little about that;). Faith costs something here and living a life of faith costs even more.

Hope & Thankfullness

We had an interesting discussion last night about everyone's experience thus far. What our expectations were. How God has reset them. How God has used us where we are needed most. This is life as it should be.

Today I find myself filled with Thankfullness for the opportunity to serve. To serve alongside this team. To bond with others from the team whom I haven't known that well.

Today I find myself filled with hope that we can do some pre-evangelism or even evangelism in the business community of Tirana. As one thing seems to be common among all discussions with locals. Corruption presents huge challenges. My hope is that over time the community would see value in honest business. My hope is that we can impart a seed today that there is an alternative to corrupt dealings. That money has a moral dimension. (thanks Adiel!) An idea which will spring up and flourish. God willing.

Our schedule?
9am - Visit the Doci's School. An international Christian school.
10am - Ladies Time / Business Men Meetings. Lasts until about 3pm.
5pm - Seminars on Hospitality/Serving From the Heart and Marketing from The Heart

I pray that throughout the day and our interactions that we would be a light unto this area. That we could forge connections which overtime will bear His fruits.

Humbly,
KJ

Keith

Back to Tirana

This morning we spent a little time in the pool, had lunch in a fancy restaurant, toured the ruins of a second century Roman ampitheater where Titus may have been martyred, and then back to Tirana. We had a wonderful supper and then walked back to our hotel. Of course, we had to stop and have ice cream along the way because it was a one-and-a-half hour walk.

Bringing the Bible To Life

Today we traveled into the city of Durres (we had been staying just to the South), enjoyed a wonderful lunch in a seaside restaurant and then walked to see an ancient amphitheater. This was truly amazing! Built in the early 2nd century it is believed that Titus was killed here. We explored this ancient ruin and stood in awe of the history that we were able to glimpse. One of the highlights was seeing an actual lions den, where they would have kept the lions in between the sport of sending them out to kill the Christians. Our kids were able to really picture what it would have been like for Daniel in the Lion's Den, being let down from a little hole in the ceiling into a black cavern.... there is nothing like having the Bible come to life! And we came away with not only deeper insight but a greater passion for the history of our church and the passion of believers to follow God despite the cost!

Celebrate!

Last night was the closing celebration of the conference. Campus Crusade honored those with 15 years, 10 years and 5 years of service. They also honored Adiel and Nikki as the Albanian founders--it was very special that Adiel was here for this. We took some time for the children to recite their scripture for the week and sing the theme song in both Albanian and English. I don't know whether they do this in Albania, but that's the way we do it in the US. Finally, everyone celebrated with traditional folk dances. Paige, Katie, and Theresa were the best at learning the dances.

The final lesson

Although it wasn't initially panned this way, this morning's lesson was decided to be the last. The day began with teams singing (or maybe shouting) the theme song. Next was the story of the Good Samaritan. First Beth told the story with others tracing out cartoon image of the story on a large piece of paper. Finally, each group had to act out the story in front of the others.

We also had some time doing crafts, playing outside, and a final prayer time with Tarnie.

Half Way

Half way today.... and we've completed our kids camp. The conference ended tonight and for the first time this afternoon we had some time to process. Hind sight is always better and on this end of our kids camp we can see several modifications we wish we could have made in the beginning. Having more translators would have been helpful. Having time to set up before children arrived, or having time to meet and pray as a team sometime during the day. Oh, well, at this point we make the adjustments we can along the way and just keep going. Today many parents came up with verbal thanks and praise for our effort the past few days, which went a long way toward feeling appreciated. This project has been difficult only from the standpoint that we don't have a tangible result. Are we really making a difference? Are we really doing anything that matters? I hope so, but at this point it's just about being faithful with the small tasks and trusting God for the result. Tomorrow is a day of rest and travel for our team back to Tirana. It will be welcomed before we dive into our next community project in the city.

Marshmallow Roast

Tonight we had the pleasure of introducing S'Mores to our Albanian friends. We sang a few choruses--mostly in English (maybe in honor of an American dessert) and then shared S'Mores. We definitely over-prepared for this. We used about one-third of the supplies we brought.

Little Things

Internet connection is spotty at best. Right now I’m sitting at the “Bar Restorant” at the Tropikal Resort. And I’ve tried to connect 4 times today and failed, so now I’m writing my “blog” in word and hoping to paste and post when I’m done.

Today, I’m overwhelmed with the mundane. Serving God feels like it should feel bigger, more significant. When in reality serving God is much more about being faithful with the little things..… Like wiping little runny noses, pushing children on a swing, singing songs, playing a game of Red Rover, or Duck, Duck, Goose. Today, we taught the children about being sons and daughters of The King and they made crowns, decorated flip flops and hopefully learned the story of Jonah, if not for the first time then from a new perspective. Many little things. We ended our evening in a wonderfully American way. Sharing marshmellows (not available in Albania) over a bonfire and introducing our Albanian friends to S'mores!

It seems really hard to gain perspective in the midst of our experience. It could be mundane little things, but I hope that in the faithfulness of little things we are encouraging and blessing the people here. People who are giving their lives to ministry to see the people of Albania come to know Christ!

Fun Facts

In Albania, everyone watches world cup soccer at nights on tv's projectors and flat panels which are brought out onto street corners or in front of cafe's. It really brings a sense of bonding. Internet access is intermittent. Hot water is intermittent. There are no shower walls or doors. Merely a spout from about head height. The roaming wild dogs are generally friendly, but many suffering from the manger other diseases. There is a bunker on our beach. And a razor wire fence but i dont think thekids have noticed it yet. We have a LCD tv in our hotel room but the glass around the light fixtures was broken long ago leaving just the jagged edges. It is a country full of similar paradoxes. Yet one thing is consistent, there is a huge love for God here.

Today I met a girl named Graies (grace). Yesterday she cried a lot. Today I loved on her a lot. She still cried a little but I was happy to hold her in my arms. She was happy to be there. Mostly :)

We are getting ready for our bonfire with the Albanians now and look forward to introducing them to smores.

Best
KJ

Second Lesson

Our second lesson was Tuesday morning. The kids had really bonded with their group leaders. As you can tell, the little girls fell in love with Mitch!

We also took the kids to the playground next door and our kids introduced the Albanias to a game of Red Rover. And the Albanian kids introduced our kids to the circular swing (or whatever they call it).

Michael's team are showing off their newly-made crowns. Most of the kids wore their T-shirts today--they were a big hit.

A bunch of firsts

This was our first lesson with the Albanian Kids. It sure was a long and exhausting day! We had no Albanian translators other than some very smart kids. It was a struggle, but the guys (Jack, Keith, Michael, Mitch, and Blake) were incredible! The first field trip was to the beach. Each team tried to build the best sand castle. I think Blake and his team (pictured here) were the winners. The final activity of the day was Tarnie teaching the kids about prayer--our first prayer session.

BENN

Who is Benn? Benn is the acronym we came up with to remember 4 key ground rules for our team, and for many of us today may have really put us to the test. We spent our first day in Durres and our first afternoon of curriculum with kids for our Crusade Staff Conference here in Albania.
B….as in Be Flexible. We ended up with 18 children under the age of 5, and not a part of our initially planned curriculum. (this was in addition to the 48 older children). Though we came prepared with lots of activities and snacks for our littlest friends, we did not anticipate the logistical challenges of: checking them in, diaper bags, naptimes, and little ones who missed their mommies. Several of us held crying babies for 3-4 hours straight, and forget curriculum, it was all we could do to get through the afternoon!
E….as in Extend Grace. We are really seeking to be an example of Christ and live as a testimony of our faith. Today we had lots of opportunities to extend grace to each other when things were misplaced; to our children when they were antsy during our 2 hour – 5 course mealtimes; and to the Albanians who didn’t necessarily understand or agree with all we had planned.
N…. as in No Complaining. This was probably the hardest today, as the air-conditioning was not working in many of the rooms we were supposed to be using, and it was probably over 100 degrees outside plus a whole lot of humidity. We were under time pressure, low on sleep, high on anxiety over logistics and details, and sweating way more than any of us would like!
N…….as in No Gossiping. Has this been hard for some of us? I have no idea. Blake and I are so tired at night that we barely have time to debrief with each other let alone get caught up in opinions or gossip. I would assume the rest of the team feels the same….we have much bigger things to spend our energy and time on right now, and at the end of the day we all just want to fall into bed as fast as we can! Which is where I'm headed right now!

Day 2 officially over

Well... Not sure how to begin. How about best and worst?

Best: worshiping with the CCC staff in Durres. Although the songs were in Albanian it didn't seem much to matter to us or to the kids. I even started to pick up some Albanian words through the singing because as mentioned yesterday many are the same that we sing in the US. Just an amazing time.

Worst: I was responsible for 6 children this afternoon. 1 of whom was my son Tyler, however we decided to go to the beach and have a sand castle building contest. Communicating with the 4Albanian children was tough. But not that bad. I guess the worst part was my fear that Tarvins (sp?) would be lost. He kept trying to run off and didn't seem at all interested in castles despite our best efforts and whenever I would look away he would bolt. Simply put I would never forgive myself if I lost someone elses child. As I told Mitch my anxiety level was 11 on a scale of 1 to 10. I know seems so petty huh? Tonight I prayed that God would provide safety for the children and peace for the adults tomorrow. Seems like I may need to rely more on Him and less on me as all came through the day with nothing more than a scrape.

Other thoughts. Our Albanian hosts have been very gracious. I have had the opportunity to connect with a number of the CCC. I am blown away by how " on fire" they are for God. All are anxious to share their story with us! It seems that there was a serious spiritual vacuum in this country for so long that since the fall of communiunism al religion, and particularly Christianity has sprung up! Many first time believers are now in their 20's and 30's and share a similar story of hearing about Jesus and craving to learn more. Many had to sever ties with their families when they chose to be Christian and since have brought their family members to Christ. I am in awe of the amazing strength shown by these new believers. We have much that we can learn from them.

Tonight I find myself with mixed feelings. Happy to have been of service. Happy to see God at work. To learn from others. To heartheir stories. In total awe of what is being acompilished here.

Sad because I am blogging from a hotel with a pool and not some remote outpost. Sad because I offered my help to some one today. My expertise. And was politely declined. Ditto for a friend who offered to come along side someone tonight. Sad because during our 3hr meals we ask the questions yet few are asked of us.

The lesson? Someties we are called to lead. Sometimes to serve.

His humble servant.

KJ

Ps it took me ten time longer to post this than it should have. Not because it is a James A Michner novel ( although it feels that it is approaching that length) butbecauseof these HUNGRY MOSQUITOS who apparently.Ike Americian blood! OUCH SLAP UGGH ten typos in two words! GOtta run.

Hi everyone! It has been a beautiful day in Albania! Paige and I went to church with a nice lady named Alma this morning. It was an International church which means they spoke in English and Albanian. They did the same for the singing! One thing I found interesting was the fact that the sermon was about discipline! Maybe God is trying to tell me something since we have been talking about that at Discovery, too! After church, Alma took us to lunch ... I had veal! She showed us around the city... It is very interesting to see and hear about such a different place. After meeting back up with everyone else at the campus crusade office, we came back and ate yummy pizza and relaxed outside.

Tomorrow, we will go to Durres and start our kids program. Please pray that it goes well... We are a little nervous about having that many kids to take care of! Pray that God gives us strength, wisdom, and patience!

Broken windows and BMWs

First impressions of Albania...a juxtaposition of cultures. Brick houses with broken out windows with a new Mercedes out front. Water pipes running along dirt and rock roads with water squirting out at various intervals, yet there is a water shortage in Tirana. Alleys that a bus can barely squeeze down, yet it is officially a street. People walking everywhere, even at 10:30 at night, yet the way the traffic barely hits the moving pedestrians is truly a blend of art & miracle (we honestly fear for our kids as we walk from place to place).
But what will I remember? Tons of friendly people squeezing our kids' cheeks on sidewalks. Amazing ice cream. Reconnecting with the Docis and being thankful for our history and friendship. Open hearts to the good news of Christ. Being in awe that we have the amazing opportunity to partner with these Campus Crusade folks who are making a serious positive impact in the lives for now and eternity around them. I'm honored and privileged to be here!
Laura

At the Christian Center

Here are a couple shots from the Christian Center in Tirana. This is where Ylli's office is along with many other staff offices. There are also 7 or 8 churches that meet there each week.

Touchdown in Tirana

We arrived about 9pm local time last night. We had been traveling for almost 24 hours! We were all pretty tired, but the airport staff were very supportive and helpful--until they informed us that we could not use our cameras in the airport. This has been somewhat of a common theme. Perhaps its a leftover from the communist days.

Historic comes to mind

The word HISTORIC comes to mind I suppose because I am writing a BLOG......computer challenged me.......in ALBANIA!!!!! How grateful I am. We made it through the 20 plus hours of travel with a group of 22, and probably double number of suitcases! God shows up in the details! But even more so, he shows up in the faces and spirits of people all over the world. We got to eat lunch today with a local family. they can remember 20 years ago, being forced to be atheist,not allowed any books or TV from anywhere outside of Albania, And being taken to jail if they spoke of God, another country, or anything in opposition to the Dictator's commands. They are trying to figure out how to rebuild a country......and are thrilled to hear and know the truth of God. The people are friendly, and the drivers are crazy!!!! We hold the kid's hands tightly as we walk down the streets! Tomorrow, we go to Durres where we will lead a VBS for children....now over 60 children...plus the 15 that are in our group of 32. (we met up with the other two families here in Albania). I,m out of my element, and I love it. it's God's plan, which makes a great lesson in trust.........going with the flow, stepping in where ever needed.
I think I speak for us all when I give a big shout out to God.....thankfulness that we are here!
I thank you all for your support and prayers. it,s all being used and felt.........we can't wait to see the faces of these 60 Albanian children!!
Miss you all........bye for now.......
Tarnie

First Impressions

We arrived late last night, after dark, with a very tired and jet lagged team. However, first impressions were plentiful.... even in the dark.

Airport: Incredibly small, only one other airplane that we could see. And this is the only airport for the country. Guards were very skeptical of Americans and I was shocked when I was told to put my camera away, and that I wasn't allowed to take pictures. Driving away from the airport it was easy to picture the communist past that this country has recently come from as we were able to see the gates, fences, barbed wire and concrete buildings that made up the airport.

Accommodations: Wonderfully pleasant! We are staying in a walled compound, and though the surrounding streets may seem rougher than we're used to in the States, we have a beautiful garden area with patio tables and flowers, and a clean room, semi-private bathrooms and air conditioning....it feels almost luxurious compared to what we prepared for!

Tomorrow we head to Durres for the Staff conference and kids program! New accommodations, new people and new experiences await!

Michael and his luggage

Long and exhausting Trip! Especially for Michael--with all his bags

We're Here!

A day late.... But 100% healthy!

Everyone made it to Albania last night some later than others but all in good spirits! Initial impressions are that Albania has changed a lot in the last 5 years and keeps growing every day. We have been blessed with wonderful weather and the people are all very nice! We were all very thankful for a clean bed and hot shower last night.

This morning we all had breakfast together and then split up to attend church with a variety of our hosts. It was fun learning to sing David Crowder in Albanian!! Just goes to show good worship music can transcend all languages. I must admit that as we sang I definitely felt overcome with the holy spirit and it was just amazing.

We then met at the FCC offices and went over our schedule for the next couple of days. Seems that we will have a full agenda.

The kids presently are running around the compound playing just as if at home.

More to come.

God bless!
Keith

How much planning is too much?

We’re packing Iodine pills for potentially unclean water, and pillowcases for potentially unclean sheets. We’re packing our own towels (since we’ve heard we may not have any provided for us) and most of us moms are packing familiar snacks for our kids in the case of a meltdown over unfamiliar foreign food. As a team, we have packed 13 large suitcases filled with supplies for our work in Albania, including clothing, crafts, toys, gifts and snacks for the people we’ll be ministering to. And as we’re finishing up months of planning, praying and preparing the details, I’m still left wondering if I’ll ever be truly spiritually prepared. I’ve had visions of preparing and rehearing my testimony and memorizing scripture, and long intimate talks with my kids on helping them be prepared to share their faith on this trip. However, there are some things that just can’t be scripted and I’m reminded of Beth Moore’s words from a bible study I did last fall, “If we’re not working in the Spirit, then we’re defaulting to the flesh.” So if I had the time to prepare and rehearse my ministry then perhaps I’d be working in my own strength and not relying on God’s power in the moment, which is probably more where He wants me. So I’m choosing to be encouraged and trust that what we have planned and prepared is exactly all that God needs from us ....“do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
Matthew 10:19-20

Packing!

On Memorial Day close to 30 of us got together and enjoyed fellowship, great food, and packing!
We are preparing supplies for our mission work in country - specifically a Vacation Bible School based on Mica 6:8.

Welcome!

As a team from Discovery Church in Broomfield, CO, we are so honored to have you come alongside our adventure this summer as we attempt to love and serve the Albanians that we encounter, young and old!

We would be grateful if you would keep our families in your prayers throughout the duration of this missions outreach. With your prayers and support we know that God can work through us and in us - and we long for both. We each desire to expand our understanding of the Lord and be exposed to how He works among other cultures beyond our own life and neighborhoods here in America. We look forward to sharing with you upon our return some of the lessons that we will take away from our experiences there!

We’ve set up a blog on the following pages to keep an ongoing log of what God is teaching to us and through us and invite you to follow alongside!