I seem to have gotten into a natural rhythm of writing one
post per month because another month has passed and it is April. Time has
certainly not slowed down as I am not quite sure how that time has past
already. It is the end of the third
quarter and the beginning of spring break here at LAC and there is a lot of
action on the horizon. The warmer weather has continued for the most part and
that has created a more comfortable atmosphere in Lezha. The feeling of spring
is setting in bringing an expectation of the coming end of school, travel, and my
return to the United States.
One of the highlights in March was my birthday and the
events associated with it. First of all, the 14th of March is an
Albanian holiday called Summer’s Feast Day. This is interesting in itself
because I have certainly never associated the middle of March with summer and
it also falls before traditional Albanian spring day, which is a subject of
confusion among the locals here. It is a day to go outside for picnics and
celebrate the changing season, so it was decided that we would cancel school
giving me the day off. It was a relaxing day spent sleeping, on the roof
reading, and working. For dinner, the ladies asked me would I would like to eat
and I suggested a Mexican casserole because we have had nothing Mexican day and
my mouth was watering thinking of some of the things my mom made. They made the
effort and combined a bunch of things available here to make something that was
very tasty and certainly in the right neighborhood. At school the next day,
many of the kids dressed like me wearing a tie. This was quite amusing and an
appreciated change of pace from the surprise parties. At lunch they showed the
movie they had put together with pictures and appreciative statements before giving
me some gifts including: Albanian music CD’s, a historical communist party pin,
party mix, and olive oil (per request).
It was decided that the three girls and I would travel to
Prizren, Kosovo that weekend in association with my birthday. This turned out
to be a very relaxing, convenient, and cheap trip because the father of one of
our students insisted on driving us himself and he would spend the night with
some family. It was a surprisingly beautiful two-hour drive through snow capped
mountains and old villages to the town of Kukes near the border where we
stopped to get coffee. We then continued for another half-hour across the
border and into Prizren, where we located a pension to stay for the night. It
was late afternoon by that point and we spent the rest of the night walking
through the historic center of the city along the river stopping to look at old
churches and mosques before grabbing some food and spending time in content
conversation.
By the way, before I continue to describe the trip…As I have
mentioned before, I post my pictures onto albums in Facebook. Now I always
thought this was an ordinary way to display media but I have gotten comments in
the past about how I should put pictures of the places I am describing in my
blog. I describe many places in my writing and it would take up too much
unnecessary space and time to post that many pictures on my blog. So I suggest
opening up my Facebook account in a new tab or window to see pictures of what I
am describing as you read. You could even put the two windows side by side on
your desktop to view both simultaneously. The pictures for this trip to Kosovo
are in the second half of the album titled “Albania 6.” I hope you found this
message helpful and that you enjoy taking in the dual media experience that
modern technology has allowed us to take advantage of and enjoy. Side note – If
you are not my friend on Facebook and you are reading my blog then perhaps you
should shoot me a request, unless you have made the decision to not use social networking.
If you are one of my students, I am sorry but you know that I have decided to
not accept your friendship on Facebook so you will just have to do without the
pictures or ask me to show you them sometime. Now, back to the story.
The next morning, I decided I would set out earlier because
I did not want to miss any of the sights and I tend to enjoy spending time in
churches and other historical settings more than the girls. It did not take me
long to feel comfortable with the fact that we had seen much of the city last
night and there were a few main sites that could easily be covered before we
left that afternoon. However, I did discover two sites that turned out to be my
trip favorites. I had read online that there was a Serbian quarter of the city
that had been destroyed during the war and uprisings as recently as 2004. It
was easy to see this abandoned section from the main path, but I wanted to get
a deeper experience. I decided to build up my courage and cautiously venture
down a questionable path through one of the destroyed streets and into a couple
of the skeleton houses. As I walked through a large gap in the wall evidently
caused by explosives and tip-toed up a partially destroyed staircase to a
series of rooms without any roof, I began to think about the Serbian family
that lived there. It was very interesting to imagine dinner being cooked and
eaten, children sleeping in their rooms, and people walking in the streets
below. However, that life had been destroyed by yet another complicated layer
of conflict that is so characteristic in the history of the Balkans.
After gazing over the city below from the abandoned
buildings, I made my way back to the main path and over to a small church that
was nearby. The old church was constructed of stone and sat high on the
hillside above the city giving it the feeling of a holy refuge. As I walked
through the door I noticed that this church had fallen victim to the violence
as well. Serbians are fervently Orthodox and have often found themselves in
conflict with the majority of Muslim Albanians that make up much of the
population of Kosovo. Today, the many religious differences are often
downplayed in the region in attempt to avoid old rivalries and conflicts. The
Catholic and Muslim populations in Lezha interact without much thought to their
religious differences. As I mentioned earlier, this does make additional sense
within a context where the majority of people are not devoted followers of
their faith and are often not even cognizant of the basic doctrines or history
of their religion. Most of the time people label themself as a Catholic or
Muslim based on their family roots and traditions.
Getting back to the church, the main structure inside was
mostly ruined with the roof blown off and grass and weeds growing among the standing
and fallen pillars. The walls were still intact and were beautifully
constructed giving it a sense of sacred space. After meandering about in the
sun, I entered into fully intact side chapel that seemed like an peaceful place
to pray with its intimate space and high arched ceiling allowing the light to
shine in from windows at the top. I noticed the walls seemed worn and scarred
by past damage, but as my eyes began to adjust to the dimness, I was soon astonished
to notice faint outlines of figures on the walls and ceiling. As my eyes grew
more accustomed to the unlit space, beautiful detail and color began to emerge
and I found myself feeling very blessed to be standing in another painted
Orthodox chapel. I have come to value the sacred and mystical atmosphere that
these spaces provide, but this sanctuary was unique because of the striking
contrast of peace and conflict. The eastern depictions of biblical scenes and
saints beckon within me a sense of awe and serenity, but the scars and burns of
war were noticeably present giving me a new perspective on the layers of faith
and conflict in the region.
After spending some time reflecting on this new perspective,
I made my way back down into the city to join with the girls for the rest of
the day. Having scouted out the sites
ahead of time, I again took on the role of guide as we made our way through the
center of the city and up the path rising to meet the slopes above. We made our way back to the church and I
noticed what a huge difference the sun can make on the appearance of a place
within a few hours. It was almost noon and the sun was blazing down on the city
(we were fortunately blessed again with wonderful weather) bringing out new
details and colors as it reflected off the red tile roofs and silver domed
mosques below. The yard of the church was now kissed with sun and the light
brought out the lovely colors in the stone. The paintings inside the chapel
were much easier to see now that light was pouring in from above, but I was
glad to have come earlier to experience a more mysterious unveiling process
that truly emphasized the hidden beauty of this place. Even the view of the
abandoned Serbian quarter of the city did not seem as questionable and
opposing, but it felt good to have braved the shadowy remains alone in the
morning.
We relaxed in the chapel for a while before continuing up
the path to the Ottoman fortress at the top of the hill overlooking the city.
The outer walls of the fortress remained partially intact but the rest was
ruined structures and piles of stone. I could now see across the entire valley
that Prizren sits in surrounded by snow-capped peaks in all directions. We
decided to spend a couple hours relaxing at the top enjoying the view and the
sun. I found a patch of grass overlooking the city and lay down to finish the
last few chapters of Mere Christianity
by C.S. Lewis. This book is a rich commentary on our faith and at that moment I
found myself, once again, appreciating the timing because after doing some more
specific reading the past few years, this book brought me back to the basics
with a new found clarity and perspective. I realized how beautifully intricate
and yet how simple it is to follow Christ. We often make faith and the church
into something with so many parts and programs that we begin to lose sight of
the simple goal. C.S. Lewis writes, “The
Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little
Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions,
sermons, and even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man
for no other purpose. “(171)
Just as I began to reflect on this simple truth, the
noontime call to prayer resonated from the city below. A different voice echoed
from each of the 26 visible minarets in the city below and they were joined by
bells from several of the churches. I crawled to the edge of the wall and let
my head hang over to catch the wind and the sound from below. In that moment, I
once again felt the complex layers of history and reality in that place. I
found myself presented with another evocative contrast: the goal of our faith
and existence may be simple, but the world is incredibly complex. How do we
present the Gospel in a world that has fallen away from the simple truth?
All I know is that we cannot do it in our own strength.
Starting this school in Lezha has brought me into a much different context than
I have ever experienced in the past. There are many realities that are unique
to each place that cause the people to experience and react to spirituality in
different ways. By our very nature we are somewhat hostile to the simple truth,
but we serve a God who broke through the barriers to become one of us and
defeated the condemning power of sin. His Gospel is not limited to a certain
context, but it is for all people at all times; a universal truth not limited
by culture, race, time, or conflict. As I gazed over the historic city in the
valley separated by a tranquil river and isolated by mighty mountains, I
pondered the complicated uniqueness of each place and how all of the wonderful
detail in the world was created and supervised by my Lord and Savior.
I remained at the edge as quietness fell over the city
again. After my reflections had run their course, I returned to finish my book
as the girls tossed rocks at random objects. In the afternoon we made our way
back down into the center of city to eat lunch in the square. We experienced
the Turkish flavor of the city by getting some kebabs with bread, cheese, and
olives. To finish our time, we relaxed in the sun and conversed for a couple hours before being
picked up by our ride and taken back through the mountains to Lezha.
At school, we have continued to experiment with afterschool
activities with the students. There is usually about 6-12 students who come to Bible club and we play some fun
games before having a time of sharing. The last two times Jessica and Kaitlyn
have shared a version of their testimony as a way to introduce their faith to
the students and to raise questions, which has gone well. Last week the female
teachers also hosted a sleepover for the girls that turned out to be a great
success. There has been some division between the 10th and 11th
grade girls in the past, but both grades came together to for this event. After
nearly an all-night discussion involving the sharing of impressions, stories,
and tears the girls thanked the teachers for allowing them to have this time
together because they grew to like and understand each other.
Since all the girls had planned an event some of the guys
began to wonder if we would do anything. After school, I decided to take a
group of them out for coffee and we had a great time joking around. Some of us
continued to go play basketball, which was an interesting experience that at
times was more like keep-a-way than an actual game. After hanging around the
court, there was a feeling of what do we do now? It became obvious that some of
them did not have anywhere to go for the night so we walked through the city,
got some food, and sat in the park to talk. The night continued to progress and
we played some pool, walked around, and got some fast food before parting ways.
It was nice to spend casual time with the students because we have been limited
in this aspect by our full after-school schedule. I had been acting much
differently throughout the evening than I do in my classroom and several of
them commented on how it was crazy that I was also their teacher. On the way
home, one of the students that I had hung out with in the past told me that I
was so different from the image he had of most Americans. These more informal
opportunities certainly help to open the door to sharing with the students.
This past Saturday we took a field trip with the majority of
our students to Tirana. Three of our students had qualified for the semi-finals
of an international public speaking competition and we went along to support
them. As we expected, we were not allowed to be present during the presentations,
so the teachers chauffeured the students to places they had been asking to go
for months. We went to a center with bowling, pool, and arcade games then
strolling through a large shopping center before eating at a not so fast-food
restaurant for a meal. The transportation was interesting because we had 20
some students all crammed into a half-bus and I was the only American on board
because the Shahini’s and the other teachers were driving in a different car.
The driver blared popular music while the students yelled to each other and
danced in the aisle. There was not much I could do but to find amusement and
accept this situation because the students wanted this to happen for some time.
None of the three students advanced, but they all did well and were satisfied
with their performance. 700 students from Lezha submitted essays for the
competition, 3 out of the 5 representatives came from our school of 30
students, which is an awesome testament to our work. It was great to work with
each of these students to improve their essays and speaking because they made
so much progress and we are very proud of them for representing LAC.
This Easter weekend marked the culmination of the Lenten
season. I was able to remain more committed to spending time with God and I
think that this will continue, but I felt like I only experienced mixed
success. A couple weeks ago, I tried to get into a regular habit of meditation,
but after trying for a few days I felt like it was so forced and I was
frustrated by always being distracted, so it died. I hope to work up renewed
motivation and to develop that aspect of my spiritual life in the near future
because I think it is very important. I think that my reflection has allowed me
to recognize and focus on praying for God to work in different ways in my life
ever shaping my character to be more like His own.
On Good Friday, I went to the Catholic Cathedral to be in a
contemplative atmosphere and to follow the liturgy leading up to the
crucifixion. At the end, the cross with Jesus was processed slowly to the front
where it was placed for people to kiss and to approach Jesus and his sacrifice.
The Eucharist was then offered at the end before the lights went down. Easter
morning we had a 7am service at the church with a lot of praise along with an
interesting drama and song by the women. We then ate some food that had been
prepared for breakfast before I went out with many of the younger crowd for
coffee. Rafael and his wife along with a healthy and happy Paulo returned just
in time for the weekend and it was nice not to worry about playing guitar for
worship.
I learned from my English students that a major religious
tradition here is to have the Easter feast officially blessed. On Saturday
morning, bread, cheese, and garlic is brought to represent the food and is
blessed by a priest. It also seems to be a Catholic requirement to paint eggs
on Easter. When I told one of my students that I had not done so, he gave me a
strange look suggesting I was not being a devout believer. Painted eggs are
handed out by many (almost like Halloween) and there is this tradition where
one person strikes their egg against another person’s and the victor keeps the
one that cracks.
With the 4th quarter beginning next week, it is
time to look toward making preparations for the end of this year and the coming
of next year. We have been getting buy with out busy schedules for the past
months, but now it will really be important to make time to meet with each
other to discuss the many unanswered questions. There are so many preparations
that need to be made for next year a lot of plans that need to be made to
improve the school and the way we function. With nearly a year of experience
under our belt we need to make responsible decisions on how to limit difficulties
we encountered this year from occurring in the future. I know that we will each
be stretched as we try to meet the non-stop demands that will be thrown at us,
but with God’s help we will make it through ready for what is to come. First,
we need to tie the ribbon on the 3rd quarter by finalizing our
grading and entering them into needed report card sheets that I designed for
each student. We will now begin to look for new students for next year and an
important part of this process was the website that I have been working on,
which was just recently published live onto the web. It is an amateur job that
I did with the help of a template and changes will have to be constantly made
to grow and improve it, but it feels good to have created something that I knew
nothing about. I have to specifically thank Mark for all of his support and
expertise that has allowed me to get by on my end as techy. You can visit the
website at:
As the year continues on, I am so thankful for this
opportunity and for all of those who are supporting us. I am continuing to
learn new things nearly every day and having a positive impact on the lives of
these students is irreplaceable. Spending a lot of time alone has allowed me to
notice more how I interact with the outside world. This context is very unique
and all of us are learning about how personalities (with aid from Briggs-Myers
analysis) and gender can play a role in the way we view and react to the world
around us. I am learning so much that I just hope I am able to take it all in
and meaningfully apply it somewhere before it passes on and is forgotten.
Please pray for me as I continue my journey of personal enlightenment and formation
under the Lord’s strength and leadership.
Pray for motivation and wisdom for all of the staff at LAC as we
confront the questions and business that will fly at us toward the end of the
year. Pray that we will be able to
discern God’s plan for this ministry and that He will use each of us incomplete
individuals to accomplish His perfect purpose here. Also, remember David and
the Troyer’s in your prayers. From what I last heard, Milt is still in a long process of recovering from what was likely pneumonia, while David is still very much
struggling with his frustrating nerve condition that shows no sense of
direction. Please pray that they will be able to sense God leading them as they
pick up their lives at home and for a strong healing and encouraging presence over
David who could so easily give into frustration. Thank you all for continuing
to surround this community with your prayers.
Gezuar Pashket! – “Happy Easter”
