LAC Update

This is summary update of how the ministry at LAC is moving forward, my role in things, and some specific prayers that you can lift up to God. These were part of a general update that I wrote for my church newsletter, so I figured I would share them more fully with you.

The LAC community continues to expand and now serves about 50 students at the high school level in grades 9-12. We have five full-time, American teachers to provide instruction for the basic American curriculum and one full-time Albanian language and literature teacher. Jessica Hedrick teaches Earth Science, English, and Career class. Caleb Benner teaches social studies. Justin Rittenhouse teaches mathematics. Kaitlyn Bontrager, from Ohio, is teaching English along with some art and ESL classes. Ermal Zylaj, an Albanian-American from New York City, is teaching Chemistry and Physics.

Under the leadership of Mrs. Shahini and her husband Dini, our family includes four full-time Albanian faculty filling the positions of receptionist, administrative assistant, janitor, and cook along with several part-time teachers who fill in the gaps. As we move into the second semester of our second year, LAC continues to establish itself as a strong academic program through the formation of defined 4-year curriculum, applicable written policy, a consistent facility, and more experienced faculty.

In addition to our high academic goals for students, we believe that we have been called to make an impact on the spiritual life of each student. Emerging from centuries of atheism and isolation under communism, most the Albanian people lack an understanding of faith and have not truly encountered Jesus Christ. By modeling a consistent and loving approach to the community, we are beginning to break through barriers and reach the students. Last year served as a foundation for building relationships and trust along with a foundational understanding that faith in God is reasonable and critical to living a fulfilled life.

This year, God is moving and providing us more opportunities to talk directly about our faith through our classes, informal interactions, and Bible Club. Many students are approaching us with questions and they are eager to develop their spiritual understanding. We have begun to pray with students, teach them about the characteristics of God, and mentor them toward a personal encounter with Jesus. Several students and parents have begun to attend our small Mennonite Church that will soon outgrow the space that existed there for over 15 years. LAC has been increasing its connections with the local evangelical community by hosting church events and by creating networks of cooperation to support our common mission of bringing the Gospel to the community of Lezha.

I personally am incredibly busy, but I am excited and encouraged by the growth that I see within myself, our community, the classroom, and within our students. We have wrapped up the first semester and are moving confidently into a second semester that is full of possibilities. I am teaching two sections of Civics and my first semester of World History after 1500. My time is dominated by reading, finding materials, analyzing primary sources, creating primary resources, and synthesizing information into PowerPoints that will engage and fulfill all the needs of my students for World History. Rather than using a textbook, I have endeavored to build a social studies curriculum that is more interactive, interesting, and will transform the perspective of students who take the classes. It has been a lot of work and this last class is by far the most daunting, but I am learning a lot and am mostly enjoying the challenge. At the recommendation of VMM, I am also taking an online cross-cultural discipleship course through EMS that is allowing me to wrap my hands around all that I have experienced by interacting with different cultures and personalities.

We have finally reached a consistent time of interaction with about 15 students during Bible club. God has been working through our conversation to draw the students into a pursuit of a spiritual life. One of the students who I have been interacting with has begun to come to our church every week and several others have attended as well. It has been so exciting to be who these students come to for advice and questions and to see them responding by moving toward encountering Christ is amazing. I am continuing to pray asking God if I am supposed to stay for another year, but I have not yet been given a convincing nudge. I am now focusing on pouring myself out during the time that I do have with the students in order to make a lasting impact on their lives and my own. 

Specific Prayer requests for our mission:

1. We are off to a good start with the second semester so it is time for us to begin to discern about next year. Pray for each of the American volunteer faculty who are making the decision whether or not to come back for another year. Pray that we would be able to break through our personal distractions and feelings to hear the will of God so that we may be His hands and feet wherever we are called.

2. As we continue to improve our policies and expectations, please pray for a solid semester of instruction that would cement our reputation in the community as being committed to academic excellence.

3. Pray that the Lord would be moving within our building everyday opening the hearts and minds of our students to the Gospel. May our interactions be guided by Spirit allowing us to build followers of Christ among the increasingly inquisitive student body.

4. Pray for health and wisdom for Klementina Shahini as she continues to shape and lead with the support of her staff, administrative council, and the school board. May decisions be made that continue to transform LAC into a bright light that is embraced by the community more and more every day.

Thank you so much for your continued support. Blessings.