Albania ~ Day 53

I can hardly believe where the time has gone, over half way through my time in Albania now!

Last weekend was the National Sisters Conference in Shkodra (in the north of Albania) which went real well! There were a group of 10 of us who went from our church and it was great to meet women from different churches all over Albania. The theme of the weekend was encouragement, and each church had 5 minutes to read a poem/sing a song/read Bible verses etc that were about encouragement. On Saturday evening we played some games and they had us all looking incredibly silly with 'Just Dance'!

On Monday morning I went bowling with Grade 5 as a treat, because their teacher was leaving later in the week. We all had a great time and it was nice getting to meet some of the students I'd not worked with. The place where we went even opened an hour early just for us!

On Wednesday I was sent on a school trip with Grade 2 to Kruja. We went and looked round an old house there that showed us different tools people used to use and some traditional Albanian clothes. It was fascinating and the house was 249 years old!

A view of Kruja

Mount Kruja

School continues to be amazing. I'm learning a lot about myself and about school life from the other side. It's such a fantastic experience and I can't wait to start university in September and put some of the things I've learnt into practice.

My helper for the children's meeting!

Yesterday I really pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I took the children's meeting (the talk part of it) and ended up giving my testimony and telling the parable of the lost sheep to 30 people! It was also the last one before the summer so I wanted to be able to send them away with something they would remember, hopefully I did. I never thought that I would be able to do that.  But... once I got up there, I actually really enjoyed it! God has definitely given me more confidence since I started doing FirstServe and I can hardly believe all of the things I've done.

Please pray for some of the boys who had been coming to the children's meeting. They are now hanging out with some Muslims who are persuading them not to come to the meeting. It's a great shame, please pray that they will come back after the summer.

'I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?' ~ Psalm ch 71 v 16-19 (NIV)