Happy Cinco de Mayo to all in this time of transition for
many. College graduations are taking progress and it is interesting to think
that it has been a year since our own walk across the stage. Around this time
last year is when the girls heard the idea about starting this school in
Albania and began to embrace this crazy idea as their own. I was trying to
enjoy the end of my senior year while sifting through different possibilities
for the future. I will be entering this summer as a changed person with a
different perspective and situation than last year. This experience has been
the most challenging and richest year of my life and, after feeling nudged, I
have decided to come back for another year of this adventure.
Coming into this experience as a last minute addition and
after going through a whirlwind of new possibilities, discernment, and efforts
to gain support for this mission, I could not get my head around potential of
staying another year. Part of my discernment suggested that Albania would be a
time of growth and formation but it would not be a long-term call to service. I
was also encouraged to let go of all pre-conceptions of how God would be using
me and to fill the need where I would be placed. Gathering my perspectives, my
approach to service here is that I would return home to pursue other
possibilities unless I felt God leading me to stay. A couple months ago, the
time to make a decision about whether we would be staying or not was
approaching and I had yet to feel such leading, so I was getting excited about
coming home.
One weekend, Jessica called me and asked if she could come
over to share something with me. She talked about the feelings and words that
had been stirring in their apartment and how she believed she had received a sort
of vision for the ministry she would be called to in the future. At first, she
viewed this as an invitation to return to the US next year to pursue this
mission, but Kristi had been receiving feelings for weeks about Jessica as
well. Kristi was able to confirm the things Jess had seen as affirmation, but
Kristi also felt that she was supposed to tell Jess that it was not time for
her to return yet because she was needed here for another year. Following this
experience, Jess told me that she felt comfortable and thought that she would
be staying in Albania.
I was very happy that God had been moving but I could tell
that she had more to say. Like Kristi, she told me that she had been receiving
thoughts about my situation for some time and felt led to tell me that I was
supposed to stay as well. The weight of this conversation fell on me as I
realized my perspective on the coming year was changed by these few words. I
was excited to return home and enjoy the freedom of post-college/pre-marriage
life in the US, but I recognized that this was the leading I was waiting for. She
described how she had been observing me in the way I work and interact with the
students and felt that I could not be replaced next year. Continuing to take in
the vastness of these words, I thought to myself “Owned!” The meaning here was
twofold: whatever ideas I had been entertaining about the near future had been
swiped from me and, as a follower of Christ, I had sacrificed my life to the
Creator meaning that I was in a sense owned and compelled to follow what I
sensed to be His guidance.
It so happened that my situation was closely parallel with
Jessica’s. During my time of reflection in the morning, I had received a sort
of revelation from the Lord about a message that I could bring back to the
church community in the US. Without yet receiving any guidance to overturn my
default stance of returning, I felt that this experience suggested that I
return to the States to begin discovering my life and ministry where I believe
I am called in the long-term. However, shortly after receiving this eye-opener,
I got a call from Jessica and the conversation that I described earlier seemed
to overwrite my leanings in the short-term. I may be called to ministry in the
States, but it was not time to return because I was still needed in Albania.
I knew that I would need some time to process and pray about
what had happened, but over the weeks I grew more comfortable with the decision
to stay. Now, with no new leadings to counter this direct experience, I have
embraced this decision and have become excited for the possibilities of further
growth, learning, and opportunity here at this school. Our last day of school
is on June 15 and we will be staying a few days to wrap things up, but I will
have about 10 days (yet to be planned) before I will meet my parents and
younger sister in Frankfurt as she completes the same choir tour that I went on
with the amazing Christopher Dock Touring Choir six years ago. The plan is to
travel in Switzerland, Italy, and Germany for about three weeks before
returning to the States in the second half of July. I will be remaining in the
States for about 1½ months before returning to Lezha around September 10th.
I have not made many plans for this time but I hope to visit
friends and family, re-charge from a stretching year, prepare for my classes
and responsibilities at LAC next year, sell my car, and find some work to make
money. I would appreciate any help that could be provided for achieving the
last two. If you know someone who could be interested in a 97’ Honda Civic EX
with less than 100,000 miles, all the typical long-term maintenance parts taken
care of, a manual transmission, and in beautiful condition then let me know
because I will be looking to sell it in August or September. I am also open to
hearing about any kind of temporary work opportunities that would allow me to
do something different and make some money while I am home. Please continue to
pray for me during this time of transition as I attempt to take advantage of my
short time at home before returning for another year service in Lezha.
After Easter Sunday, we had one day to rest, write a blog
post, and pack before leaving early in the morning for the Tirana airport to
catch a plane to Italy. This 5-day race through Italy was planned as the
school’s Spring Break trip and we had a group of seven students come along with
the Shahini’s and us teachers. It was exciting to be visiting the beautiful and
historically rich Italy, getting a break from school, and to interact with a
group of our students in a different context. Unfortunately, it was forecasted
to rain at every one of our destinations and I got quite sick for the span of
the trip. However, since we were traveling in a pre-planned tour with a bus and
we did not have a large group of students to be responsible for, I was able to
take advantage of and enjoy all of our visits while resting on the bus and in the
hotels. Our fears of heavy showers ruining our vacation were never realized as
the rain held off until the last day in Rome and we were able to follow through
on all of our plans with some surprisingly beautiful days.
The trip began by flying into Venice, which was exciting for
most of the students because it was their first time on a plane. We connected
with our tour group, bus, and guide and made our way into the historic city.
The only public transportation within Venice is by boat so we hopped on a water
taxi to head to the Rialto Bride before walking through the heart of the city
to the beautiful Piazza de San Marco. The basilica was gorgeous and represented
Venice well as a collision point of east and west. During the late middle ages,
Venice emerged as a naval power and served as the entry point for eastern goods
into Europe. In fact, the face of the basilica is covered by rich mosaics
depicting the acquisition and transportation of the body of Saint Mark from
Ottoman lands to be buried in the basilica because Mark is the patron Saint and
protector of the sea. Inside the basilica, the architecture reminded me of the
Aya Sofia in Istanbul with the same structure seen in the dome with the walls
and ceiling covered by golden mosaics. The artwork, floor, and aura had an
eastern flavor while maintaining its identity in the Renaissance and western
Catholicism. As with every gorgeous basilica that I entered during this trip, I
felt rushed by our rapid schedule in an atmosphere where I would have loved to
reflect and relax.
While walking the square, I began to have a virtual sort of
déjà vu as I realized I had been here before in a way that has been made
possible only recently in our 21st century world. One of my favorite video game
series in college was Assassin’s Creed, which has games set in the Holy Land
and Renaissance Italy. Having visited the Holy Land I had been struck by this
indirect identity with a historic site before, but it was much stronger in
Italy because the sites were well-preserved and were depicted in the game based
on programmer’s observations of the modern cities. As I looked around the city
my mind flashed back to the more epic and violent traversing of the city I had done
in the game. I had climbed the basilica and that tower; I had jumped from this
bridge to commandeer a gondola; I had struck down many who resisted my
discovery of the mysteries driving the storyline in the very streets I was
walking. This virtual déjà vu certainly has its limits but it was very
interesting to actually visit places I had explored and seen through a personal
perspective before.
Most of the group took a break to eat lunch in a nearby
restaurant, while I satisfied my need to experience and explore when given the
chance. I walked over the bridges of the promenade and looked across the
channel to view another grand part of the city isolated on its own island. The
magnificent winged lion, the symbol of Venice, was seen in prominent positions
throughout the city reminding me of the historical imperialistic dominance and
vast wealth procured by the city of Venice. Eventually, I ventured down an
alley to look for something cheaper than $20 dollars to eat and I encountered a
maze of obtuse angle turns, channels, and alleyways that was very difficult to
navigate. Without any sort of familiar street organization it was hard to keep
a point of reference and I found myself stumbling across the same locations I
had already been. After re-aligning myself by asking a shopkeeper the correct
direction of San Marco I was able to find my way back to the basilica where the
group was going to gather.
Soon we boarded another water taxi back to the bus and we
headed inland to Padua. We walked through the cobblestone streets of the city
to the Basilica of Saint Antonio. With its brick façade, this church was not
very impressive on the outside, but it uniquely redeemed itself inside. The
central nave was quite simple, but the view of the central altar and apse was
very striking with its delicately tall appearance intricately decorated with
dark hues of blue and red and supported by intense groin vaulting. There were
several richly decorated side chapels offering a more intimate feel and the
side aisles continued around the back of the apse to the gold gilded mausoleum
of Saint Antonio. After departing the basilica we walked a short distance to
the Prato della Valle, which is one of the largest squares in Europe. We
relaxed in the central lawn that is surrounded by a channel with rows of
statues on either side before heading back to the bus late in the afternoon and
heading to our hotel for the night which included eating at a McDonalds.
The next morning we left the hotel around 9:30 and headed into
the heart of Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. Near the bus stop there was
an open square with a Roman amphitheater and some dress-up Roman soldiers who
enjoyed drawing attention to themselves by grabbing women. Then we strolled
down a street of expensive fashion shops and came to the entry to the Capulet
house which was covered in gum and graffiti put there by people hoping to
receive blessings in their relationship. Inside was a small courtyard with a
bronze statue of Juliet that the superstitious suggest gives good luck in love,
but certain areas were noticeably more worn and shiny than others leading to
the conclusion that many think this is the way to get extra good fortune. Next,
we walked through the main square with a clock tower and continued through the
streets and strolled along the river. There was an imposing brick fortress with
a barricaded bridge that used to provide the only entrance into the city.
We then drove southwest and arrived at Pisa. The leaning
tower of Pisa served as the bell tower for the religious complex that also
consists of an impressive monastery, basilica, and baptistery. These buildings
were huge masses of marble built separately among the grass of the open square
standing as the only landmarks within the city. Since you had to pay to go
inside all the buildings none of us did and much of our time was spent trying
to figure out a way to take a good picture with the leaning tower. I decided to
make a scene and try something different by holding up the tower with my feet,
but due largely to my lack of physical ability along with the camera angle, it
was a failed attempt so the girls and I settled for a more conventional pushing
battle. One thing I discovered was that if you stood close to the tower and
looked to the top, the clouds were moving in such a way that it made the tower
look like it was constantly falling on top of you which can be fairly trippy.
That night we drove to a large mall outside or Firenze where we found some
dinner and spent the evening before returning to the hotel.
The third day we spent in the heart of Tuscany starting in Siena.
It was a beautiful morning, which was crucial for enjoying the beauty of this
hilltop city that offered our first views over the Tuscan countryside. We
walked through the streets of the city and I noticed a much different feel.
There were fewer tourists and local life was more evident with carpenters, road
workers, and artisans going about their business and having discussions in
Italian. The city was full of motorbikes navigating the narrow stone streets.
The architecture also had a more down to earth feel as simply constructed
earth-toned houses lined the streets with green shutters and flowers on the
windowsill. The pace of life was noticeably more relaxed as the morning sun
began to seep onto the streets.
After sauntering through the tight streets, the city opened
up into a large square sloping down to the bell tower at the Piazza del Campo.
We were given some free time so I quick glanced at a landmark map and headed
across the city. After a good walk I found a church situated at the top of the
hill with a spectacular view across the valley to the other side of the city
crowned by the gorgeous Cathedral shining at the top. I spent some time taking
in the sights and the moment and then walked through the church before rushing
back to meet the group on time. We then visited the Cathedral that I had seen,
and although I was the only one who paid to go inside, it was well worth it.
The outside was gray marble with green marble stripes and the front was covered
in intricate statues. Walking inside I had to pause near the entrance to take
in the dynamic appearance of the place. The interior was constructed with an alternating
white and blue marble while the walls and ceiling were decorated with beautiful
paintings and sculptures. There were some beautiful side chapels and a library
full of old books and vivid bright colors. The entire duomo was very ornate but
the great variety of tones and textures made it feel more natural and my senses
were not overly bombarded by too much of one thing. The balanced lighting,
sense of space, and the judicious use of gold made this one of my favorite
churches.
Dini was outside waiting for me and since the rest of the
group had not gone inside they had already left. We wondered around the city
slopes for a while and Dini pretended to steal a camera from a group of girl
tourists before we located the rest of the group. We then traveled to the
famous towered village of San Gimignano. The town was full of tourists and
shops near the entrance, but during our free time I walked to the top and found
this vineyard surrounded by old walls and a small tower. From here you could
see both over part of the city with its towers rising to see who will be the
tallest and into the surrounding Tuscan countryside. The earth-toned buildings
with red tile roofs reflecting the sun stood in contrast to the patchwork of
farms and trees and the mountains loomed off in the distance. I would have
loved to relax on the hillside with some local cuisine and wine while the sun
set to watch the landscape slowly fall under the cover of night in true
romantic Tuscan style. However, at the request of some others in the tour
group, we returned to the mall and spent a couple hours shopping which was very
exhausting for me at the climax of my sickness.
The next morning we drove to the top of a hill that provided
a wonderful view of the city of Florence below. This city was the birthplace of
all the greatest Renaissance artists and it remains the cultural center of
Italy today. The skyline of the city is dominated by the Basilica of Saint Mary
di Firenze (of the flower) and that was our first walking stop in the city. The
huge red tile domes and the patterns of green marble give the basilica a
distinctive exterior, but the bland interior was very disappointing. Next stop
was the Piazza della Signoria that was full of statues depicting various
stories of mythology and history including the kidnapping of the Sabine women
and the copy of the David. We then made our way through the streets that were
lined with statues until we reached the river and the bridge with houses built
on the sides.
Soon we were given a big chunk of free time so Kristi,
Jessica, and I decided to locate the museum where the original David by
Michelangelo was located. We were told that the group would not go to see it
because it would take too long, but we were surprised when within a half hour
we were gazing up at the statue. David is holding his sling with a rock inside
and is supposed to be looking with anxiety at Goliath. Due to how famous the
statue is, we took a long time to study and analyze the figure and it was nice
to accomplish something that was on many other people’s bucket list. There was
many other works of art in the museum but the most interesting find was a bowl
designed as a replica of something described in a historical account from Ming
China. When you rubbed the handles the whole bowl vibrated emitting a loud hum
while the water rippled or even danced. For some reason my fingers were very
adept in bringing out the full potential of this bowl which caused people to
wander away from other exhibits and into the small room out of curiosity. We
wandered around the city some more before returning to the bus.
That evening we made an unexpected stop during our drive to
Rome at the hilltop town of Orvieto. We rode a cable car up the slope and
arrived at another gorgeous cathedral that looked like a smaller version of the
one in Siena. Although we only remained here for about 45 minutes, I ran
through the streets exploring and discovered that I really liked the feel of
this town. There were not many tourists and most sections of the town were for locals.
The streets I explored were scarcely populated, picturesque, and contained many
curious places to eat, hangout, or shop. This was the first time we had been
out as night fell and I enjoyed the different atmosphere although again I was
rushed to return to the group.
The final day of the trip it finally began to rain and it
was time for Rome. Our first destination was Saint Peter’s Basilica at the
Vatican. We waited in a very long line outside in the light rain in order to
enter the church, but it was certainly worth the wait. This basilica boasts the
largest interior of any church in the world. Upon entering, it was difficult to
gauge the massive scale. Eventually, the size began to sink in as I found that
it took remarkably longer than expected to walk to a given location and that people
seemed to disappear as they walked away from you. The nave of the church was
huge in itself, but the apse and the wings of the church were large enough to
be their own cathedrals. In fact, each part had its own seating like a separate
church and there was a mass being celebrated in the left wing as if there were
not thousands of tourists to distract the parishioners. Inside were several
famous works of art including: Michelangelo’s Pieta, Rafael’s Transfiguration
of Christ, the baldachin Papal Altar, and the Chair of Saint Peter both by
Bernini. I believe this is the most richly decorated church I have experienced,
but it was not overwhelming at all because of the vast size and variety of
styles, which produced an otherworldly and transcendent feel. The church was so
huge that I felt like I rushed through to see the whole thing and take pictures
but I was still the last of the group to leave the church after a half hour.
After gathering the group, we walked to the Trevi Fountain,
which is apparently one of the most famous fountains in the world. The allure
of the water and art of the fountain was dampened by the steady rain, which
made pondering and picture taking difficult. The teachers and most of the
students went to grab a 30-minute lunch at a small Chinese restaurant which was
the first taste of Chinese for many of them. The next site was certainly one
that I recognized, the Pantheon. This circular structure toped by a dome with a
large open hole in the center featured the largest dome in the world for over a
millennium until it was bested by the basilica in Florence, though still it
remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world today. Having
virtually climbed through the whole in the top and descended to the floor, I
had felt scale of this dome before. Since the Roman acceptance of Christianity,
the Pantheon has functioned as a church, but the main attraction was certainly
its unique construction.
Upon departing, we soon found ourselves standing in a large
square with another fountain that contained an Egyptian obelisk and a separate
fountain stream for the main rivers of the four major continents: Nile
(Africa), Ganges (Asia), Danube (Europe), and the Amazon (the Americas). We
were given a curious amount of free time, so I bolted off again in the
direction that seemed to have the most potential and I found picturesque
streets as well as an important intersection in the city with a bridge that
offered a great view of the Tiber, Saint Peter’s Basilica, and the Castel
Sant’Angelo. I also noticed that Romulus and Remus myth remained such a part of
the identity of the city that they have a bronze plate of the brothers being
nursed by the she-wolf along with the famous S.P.Q.R (Senatus Populus que
Romanus = Senate and the People of Rome) featured on every public trash
container.
As the rain subsided we headed into the anticipated heart of
the ancient city of Rome. We first visited the Italian National Museum and,
since we were given unclear instructions about time limit and the group always
gathered late, I decided to not worry about taking some extra time to see if I
could find a view. I climbed hundreds of steps and ran through an exhibit to
uncover a wrap-around balcony that offered an amazing panorama of the old city.
The Roman Forum was on the hill near the museum while the old central street
was lined with partially preserved structures culminating in the Coliseum. I
spent some time trying to imagine the bustle of life on this street in Ancient
Rome and the noise that would periodically rise from the Coliseum as 50,000
spectators reacted to the bloody spectacle before them. However, I knew I would
be late so I found the group waiting and we walked along the street to the
Coliseum.
To be honest the Coliseum was not as tall or grand as I had
been expecting. It was a massive accomplishment considering it was built over
2,000 years ago, but with all the other things we had seen, this structure did
not surmount its predecessors in the way I anticipated. It was still awesome to
be able to visit this site that is very well preserved, but we did not have
enough time to go inside which was a letdown. I walked all around the structure
to take in the design and ended at the Arch of Constantine. This triumphal arch
was the situated next to a road that still contained the original Roman stones.
I lingered between the Forum, arch, and Coliseum for a minute to take in the
heart of the ancient city from the slopes of Palatine Hill on which the city
was founded before being summoned to the bus for our departure. We drove to the
airport and made our stand in the crowded security lines to take off and
watched as the lights of Rome grew faint marking the end of our 5-day race
through Italy.
This trip was a great opportunity to see so many wonderful
things in Italy. There are certainly disadvantages to traveling in a big tour
group, but having everything provided and planned for you and being able to
move quickly and cheaply from one place to another in a tour bus was crucial to
being able to see what we did with the size of group we had. Although I am
usually a person who likes to visit new places, the fact that I rarely had the
opportunity to explore or take in the feeling of a place and the overwhelming
historical richness and natural beauty of Italy makes me very excited to return
this summer during the trip planned with my parents. I now have a better
understanding of what to expect and what to look for and it will be great to be
able to move at our own pace.
Back at LAC things are moving along and we are trying to
keep up. Our long schedules are beginning to wear a little on all of us and I
feel that my productivity has been slashed. Fortunately, I now have less
deadline work because most of my resources are coming from last semester and I
am simply improving little things here and there while trying to work ahead to
prepare for the mass of new content that will be mine to teach next year.
However, there are a lot of side projects to take care of in preparing for the
end of the year and to begin transitioning for next year. With only six weeks
left of school, I am hoping to recommit myself to spending as much quality time
with the students, in the community, and with the Lord as I can. My busy
schedule has made me feel holed up in school without having the ability to
focus on doing a few things well and I want to lean on Christ to allow Him to
take control of my time and prioritize what needs to be done before summer.
This quarter so far has been more of a normal schedule, so
we have had Bible club three more times. After moving the time to be earlier we
have gotten a larger turnout, but this has also meant that students are often
distracted during discussion. We have had some fun times with them playing a
variety of games and have discussed the spiritual world/the soul, why there is
so much suffering in our world, and the relationship between science and
religion. Discussion is give and take because the students are often very
interested, but they are very easily sidetracked and it can be difficult to
keep them attentive long enough to give a cohesive explanation.
In history class, I just finished my unit on Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam, which I am easily excited about. Like in bible club,
the students were usually very interested, but they are easily distracted by
things that are different from what they thought. Because they know so little
about the religions that are ingrained into their own culture, I think it is
incredibly important for them to understand the basic historical formation and
main beliefs of these faiths. The unique differences and views of salvation can
play a huge role in the way people view the world. I hope that the combination
of this instruction and bible club will help the students become more aware of
the importance of religion in our world and encourage them to ask critical
questions about our faith and their own spiritual formation. Please pray for
progress in this slow process and that God would open their hearts and begin to
work his way into this community.
After Easter, we had a few rainy weeks in Lezha, but the
past 10 days has been beautiful with the warm sun making its return. There has
not been any notable change in the food situation, but I have had some
opportunities to eat some good food. One of these times I was invited by of one
of my students who used to live in Greece to come to his house along with Elvis
(the other Greek) in order to try some Greek food. Both of his parents were
cooks in Greece so the food was amazing and there was so much variety
including: two types of rice, some greens, potatoes, ground beef patties,
chicken, pork, salads, Tzatziki, a special sauce recipe from Crete, bread and
more. We spent some watching motorbike videos and they told me how every boy in
Greece has one that they would race and how when they left their motorbikes in
Greece it was like losing a part of themselves. The students who have lived
somewhere else have shared that it has been difficult for them to come back to
Lezha because there is not much to do besides go out for coffee or play soccer
at a calceto. They have also suggested
that the local culture is not fond of new or foreign ideas, so it can be
stifling to those who have experienced another style of life and had part of
their identity changed.
This past Tuesday, we had off school for Albanian worker’s
day so I went to the beach in Shengjin with the two Greeks. After only a couple
hours of swimming in the dirty water and getting some sun, Elvis invited me to
come to visit with his family at their house on a mountainside. Despite being
unusually exhausted, we climbed the path up to his property where I was
introduced to his family and had a feast placed in front of me. His grandfather
was happy that I was visiting his house because I was the first American he had
ever seen. It began to get a little emotional when he talked about how I
reminded him of his one son who had left to live in the States. He said that I
honored this place because of my appreciative attitude and he wanted an
American to experience something uniquely good about Albanian culture to go
along with the bad. I was very honored to be so welcomed by this family and privileged
to have had such a meaningful interaction with a group of people that I had
never met before and could communicate with only with limited words and
gestures through Elvis.
My time on the mountain with this family gave me a wonderful
picture of a rustic lifestyle that had mostly disappeared from the
industrialized world and stood in strong contrast to the packed living
conditions in Lezha. The homes there were built in the 19th century and were
simple single-story houses built with wood and stone covered in plaster. There
was only three rooms and the ceiling was so low I had to duck down, which would
get old very quickly if you lived there. Elvis told me how he lived there when
he was young and how as many as 20 people had somehow squeezed in that small
house to live together back in the good old days.
What luxuries the house did not supply, the natural surroundings
made up for. There was a mountain stream that provided a non-stop supply of
fresh water. There were patches of gardens, trees, and pasture all worked into
the green slopes of the mountain. We ate cherries, climbed a tree, chased after
sheep, laid in the shade, drank directly from the mountain stream, sat on a
donkey, sipped the local wine, threw sticks, and ate some more cherries. I
thoroughly enjoyed this time because it allowed me to get away from all the
noise and concrete in the small radius where I live my life here to experience
God’s creation and have a genuine interaction with the Albanian culture. As I
sat in the shade to escape the heat and heard traditional Albanian music being
played through a stereo, my mind wandered back to my time with the Bedouin in
the desert of Jordan. Although the landscape was quite different, the
combination of hard work and a slower pace of life in the wild harmonized with
the simple eastern-style melodies to provide a similar experience of simpler
times. I am very thankful to Elvis and his family for their hospitality and I
hope to have the privilege of returning to that special place again.
The return of warmer weather has beckoned a renewed interest
in soccer. Last week we I played for the first time since the advent of winter
and it felt good to run around. Although I had only watched two soccer games
the whole year prior to a few weeks ago, I watched a significant part of four
games within the span of several days. This is because the Champion’s League
finals have been taking place and all the men are glued to the television
screen as the best clubs in Europe battle for dominance. There are so many
things that frustrate me about soccer and I cannot believe that some of the
procedures have not been adapted, but I still find myself getting excited when
there is so much hype surrounding a game and I understand who is playing. Ken
Horst came to visit for a couple days to go over the details of our budget and
stay, and one night he went out with Dini and I to watch one of the games. I
have found myself shouting sometimes during intense parts of a big game when a
goal is scored or big opportunity missed, but Ken (as a long time resident of
Italy) was very excitable and it made the experience more amusing. It is amazing
how all of Europe can be so enthralled by this game, but in the US we remain
largely unacquainted with these contests. The final will be a Spanish-free bout
between Chelsea and Bayern Munchen on May 19.
Things may be coming down to the end for this year, but
there is still much to be done. Please keep each of the staff members in your
prayers as we encounter whatever stressors will fly at us toward the end of the
year. Pray that we are able to maintain order in the school and our classrooms
as summer approaches, that we have clarity to see the big picture, and that we can effectively make the adjustments
that are needed for an expanding school next year. Pray that we would find our
strength and drive in the Lord and that our tired bodies will be invigorated to
take advantage of the rest of our time this year. Pray particularly for VMM and
the school boards efforts to locate and recruit more teachers for next year. We
are going to need many staff additions to be able to adequately handle the
increasing responsibilities while still retaining the time to be a purposeful
mission presence in and outside of school. There are a lot of plans that have
yet to be made and tasks that have yet to be accomplished, so please keep us
particularly in your thoughts during the next month and a half. Thank you for
all of your support and may God bless your efforts wherever you are.
Kalofsh Mire – “Have a good one.”
