Albania ~ Day 44

Well this week seems to have gone so quickly that I almost forgot it was time to update my blog!!

Last Saturday I had the children's meeting in the morning, which went really well. We had between 15 and 20 kids, which was great! In after afternoon I went with Maureen up Mount Dajti, which is a mountain in Albania that I can see from my bedroom window! It was so beautiful and peaceful up there, which was a nice change from all the dust and noise in the city! God's creation is SO amazing and looking around at everything He's made really makes me feel so much closer to Him!

Looks like a gateway to
another time

Mount Dajti

God is SO AMAZING!!

Tirana from on Dajti

Tirana again from on Dajti

School has been really good again this week. I got to go with Grade 2 on a litter pick and also to do an observation of the area around GDQ. It's really encouraging when a student asks if you're going to be in a certain lesson, and then when you say no, them wishing you were in every lesson!
    I did a Grade 8 maths test  yesterday, as the children were doing it and I was there so I thought, why not! I think I did okay, but I haven't had it graded so I'm not sure!
    I've been doing work on time with one of the students this week and after I'd been doing that for an hour one day I was trying to count something up and was counting '10...11...12...1...2...3...' ooops.
    We've been playing baseball in P.E. this week and in the first lesson I had to keep double checking what the rules were because I've never played before.

I've been doing more work on the Emmaus courses this week and have nearly got them all onto the website. I only have one more, that I have, to put on, which is great!
    We've been getting all of the crafts we've been doing for the 'sister's conference' together this week as it's this weekend, so hopefully that will go really well.

I don't know how many of you watched the you-tube clip I put the link to last week, but here is another one. So often we complain about things that go on in our lives and we take so much for granted. This guy is truly an inspiration!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4HGQHgeFE


'The grass withers and the flowers fall,but the word of our God endures forever.”' ~ Isaiah ch 40 v 8 (NIV)

Albania ~ Day 36

Looks like it's time to catch you up with what I've been doing over the last week. So...

Both kittens and their mum.

One of the kittens living near me!

Last Thursday I went to a Birthday meal for one of the teachers at GDQ. It was great to get to know some of the staff better and meet some more new people too. I also tried some new food (I won't say what because I want to see the look on my mum's face when she finds out!) Several of us then went out for ice-cream, which was delicious!

We had a fantastic day at GDQ on Friday as it was Sport's Day! I was put in charge of the parachute and we had loads of fun!! The children and teachers all really enjoyed it, and the weather was perfect, which helped a lot!

On Saturday I went to a youth event at one of the other churches in Tirana (getting lost on the way there, oops!). I had a good time and one of the people was kind enough to translate for me. Later I went to the house warming for one of the teachers who has moved in 3 floors up from me! It was another good time with lots of laughing.

I'm rather busy at the moment trying to get all of the Emmaus courses online before the end of the month. We're also busy making things to sell at a sister's conference next weekend.

Cards for the conference.

My contribution so far.

I'm having a good time and getting to know lots of different people. I pray that I will continue to learn move about God and His plans for my life while I'm here and that I will really grow in my relationship with Him.

Sometimes you may feel that God has left you or let you down, but He has shown me time and again that He is always there (even when your family are miles away!). He is still faithful and will pick us up when we fall and give us the strength to go on. He is the Rock on which my life is built and I try to put Him at the center of everything I do. If you believe in Him, He is 'a friend that sticks closer than a brother' (Proverbs ch 18 v 24), He will carry you through life's troubles and rejoice with you in the good times. Let us always remember He holds EVERYTHING in His hands. GOD is in control!

This is fantastic! Please take just a couple minutes to have a look!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE

 'Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
   never will I forsake you.”' ~ Hebrews ch 13 v 5 (NIV)

Albania ~ Day 27

Well, my last twelve days here have been just as exciting as my first couple of weeks in Albania. So, let me fill you in on some of the things I've been doing.

Friday 26th I was back at GDQ. I spent time adding and comparing fractions with one of the students; learning more about resistance, current, voltage etc in science with Grade 6; and I was in charge of the group practicing their volleyball skills in P.E with Kindergarten and Grade 1.

On Saturday we had our children's club in the morning, with about 15 children, and then in the afternoon I went with Enris and another guy from the church to give out flyers for the service on Sunday. I was quite nervous about doing it, but at the same time was glad that I could help in trying to get people to know more or think more about God. It was very hot though which was slightly annoying as we were outside all the time.

On Sunday we had a good time at the church with a good service that seemed to be about disproving various theories that disagree with the Bible. I then had the afternoon to do my study, which was looking at wealth and possessions.

Last week I was only at GDQ twice, on Monday and Thursday, as we had Friday off. I had a great time helping with fractions, straight-line graphs and real life graphs, going over a science lesson with two kids who'd been away and helping with volley ball again in P.E.

Last Monday was also my first day helping one of the students with her piano playing. She is very good and seems naturally gifted with it, which definitely makes my job a little easier. We started going through 'The Entertainer', which is a piece she's wanted to learn for a while.

Wednesday was my day off, as it was a bank holiday in Albania, as the 1st of May. A group of us from the church went for a picnic in the park, which was lovely and it was nice getting to know some of them a bit better.

... or the trees around you?

What do you see when you look at
the sky above you...

Do you see God? I do.

The park was very pretty too and it was nice not being surrounded by buildings for an afternoon.

Last weekend I went to visit a friend, Esther, who lives near a place in Albania called Berat. She's a truly lovely person and I had a wonderful weekend with her and her family. She has 3 fabulous children: 9-year-old twins and a 3 year old.

On Saturday they took me around the castle in Berat and the view was spectacular! I also had time to play with the children, we even watched 'The Story Keepers' which I haven't seen for years!

View from the castle

Another picture of me, for my mum

Look at the mountain!

God's wonderful creation!

I had the most amazing weekend! I'm so glad I was able to see them while I'm here.

Yesterday I was helping at GDQ and then working with Beth on her piano. It was a nice day, everyone at the school is so lovely. We had some rain and thunder yesterday and the bad weather has continued today. But, the rain makes me feel more at home, for some reason!

'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.' ~ John ch 10 v 27 (NKJV)