Leadership Training

       Until July 9, when camps start and American teams from Illinois, California, and Washington come, Bethany and I get the opportunity to invest in the youth here. So everyday, we are having girls over, getting coffee with them, or planning hikes, beach days and bike rides for the youth group. During this time, we have gotten to build quick relationships and I am looking forward to how these will continue to develop.

Making dessert (a Friday night tradition)

Painting Nails 

I missed out on taking a group picture, but I got the bikes! We planned a youth group bike ride to a nearby village, that turned out to have gross lake water so we just ended up coming back to Pogradec and swimming. It was a long, fun day that left many people with crazy sunburns!

       The girl I wrote about in the last post, has continued to ask some heavy questions about Christianity vs Islam and there is another boy in the youth group who grew up in a Muslim household, that has helped her. In explaining his testimony, he said that sometimes he doesn't know how to explain what happened, other than that Christ changed his life and then he went on to share the gospel. She is asking the pastor here many questions and she is amazed that he is willing and able to answer her questions and give her the time of day, because in her experience with Muslim leaders, they have not done so. Please continue to pray for her!

     Yesterday we started a training for about 20 kids in the youth group. Well, Bethany and I didn't start it, but we are there to help. The students had to commit to being available everyday and on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, they are going through a fundamentals of the faith workbook. Most of these kids who are saved, have only been saved for at most, a year. They have exemplified such a hunger to know more and already after one day, many have done their "homework" and are so excited about it. Bethany and I did ours too and it probably took us a lot longer than them. We decided to translate the entire chapter (thank you Google translate!) and then answer the questions. It was a great way to get familiar with Albanian words :). On that note, Bethany and I have taken a few language classes, because when we have gone to get groceries we have had trouble asking "How much is this?" and then being able to give them the proper amount of lek, so having those few lessons has made a great difference! I can count to 10 and ask a few questions and say "cow," "snake," and "eagle." :) Hoping to learn more! The girls love to teach us, but they talk so fast and many of the Albanian letters (36 of them!!) sound similar to American ears.

One of my favorite things to do is go grocery shopping. It goes like this:
We go to the bakery for bread
than down the next street we go to the meat market
and then we go a few doors down to a little market for fruit
and finally, we go to another market for spices and cheese
and do it all again the next day, because we can only carry one days worth of food.
I have come to love it.

What to pray for:
-The training. I will provide more details as we have more training, but this is an incredible chance for these kids not only to study the Word, but also to be put in a position of leadership, something they would not get anywhere else because of the lack of job opportunities here. They are being trained to run VBS camps, MC at big events, crowd control and how to face paint. Please pray that their parents would continue to support them in this, that they would have fun while doing this and ultimately that would more about their Savior and the promises of his Word.
-Pray for the upcoming camps. We are doing a lot of preparation right now and in Albania, things seem to take just a little bit longer to accomplish, please pray for renewed strength for the leaders of the church and for us. It is a joy to prepare, but we are also excited for camps to start!

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be here. I wake up every morning and cannot believe I am here seeing the God of the universe work in the lives of people in a very different culture.
I have taken much joy in the comfort of the promise offered in Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." We serve a faithful God!

-Kate

As I am sitting to write this update, I am overwhelmed with how much has already happened in the past 6 days here in Pogradec. Bethany and I arrived on Thursday and the Cramer's showed us the place we will stay at for the summer. 

The house is owned by a sweet older woman who is allowing us to rent the second floor, which is where she usually stays. It is furnished and there is a little kitchen. We have gotten used to sleeping in an Albanian bed, hanging our clothes on a clothesline and making food for our guests with whatever silverware we can find. Yesterday we made chocolate chip cookies for the girls bible study with a small fork and a spoon. :) 

Yesterday, Bethany and I had the opportunity to go to coffee with a few girls who we have come to love. Two of them have been regularly attending Kristine's Bible study and youth group and the other one has been very intrigued. She is from a Muslim family. Her father is a Muslim, yet has told her she has the freedom to choose what she wants. During our time at coffee, she asked some questions and at one point said "If I was an atheist this would be easier because then I wouldn't have to completely turn around and change." She asks many questions and every day that we see her, she has a new questions. In those that we don't know we have the chance to point her to the pastor of the youth group here, who has a background with Muslim belief. This girl is only 14, yet she is so desiring to know the truth. In Kristine's Bible Study on Tuesday, she was listening intently to what Kristine was sharing on John 13, where Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. Afterwards, she told me she couldn't believe that Jesus was so kind and humble, but still God. Please pray for her and the other girls, who each have stories and hearts to know God.

Some are easier to speak with because they speak great English, for others, there is another girl who will translate. Through both means, the Word of God is being shared.

               Here is a picture of the girls we get to hang out with every day.

I am writing this and still amazed at how quickly the Lord has allowed us to invest in these girls and how open they have been. 

Often, when I come to update the blog, I am overwhelmed with the many different things to share and how to convey accurately and appropriately the various opportunities and stories that occur each day. So I am going to work to write less, but more frequently.

Can you pray for the girls here, that they would continue to ask questions and that ultimately, they would come to know their Savior? 
Can you pray for the youth at the church that know God? Pray that they would desire to become leaders and share the gospel with the many kids here in Pogradec.  

This is a sweet friend, who has been faithful to translate for us and those that don't speak much English. She has an incredible story and is learning that God can use her gift of translation to share the gospel with many people. She is also growing in an understanding of who Jesus is and how he lived while he walked the earth. She wants her friends to believe so badly, but she is finding the importance of studying God's word, sharing it with them, and praying for them. This is a picture from the hike we took recently with the youth group. Behind us is Lake Ohrid and Pogradec.  

Thank you for your support and your prayers!
Kate

Training and now off to Albania!

I am currently sitting at Hotel Malenovice in Malenovice, Czech Republic. We (110 other interns and 100 plus JV staff members, serving in 14 different countries) have now been here for 5 days. I could go on and on about how incredible this time has been. I see how necessary this time is for each intern to prepare their hearts and minds for the summer ahead. Not only have we gotten to learn about how to run English camps, the history and purpose of Josiah Venture, but we also have had time to sit, rest, go before the Lord in worship, prayer and fellowship. If you can't already tell, I am so thankful for this time.

Here is a picture of the hotel, owned by Josiah Venture. Through this hotel they have been able to house many people throughout the year and host conferences.

Last night Dave Patty, the president of Josiah Venture, shared how this organization has grown and how they received this hotel. God has blessed the obedience and open hearts of a young couple's (the Patty's) desire to reach the youth in central and eastern Europe after the fall of Communism. Did you know that less than 1% of eastern and central Europeans are evangelical Christians? If you are interested in learning more about Josiah Venture; their history, the countries they serve in and their values, please go visit their website HERE

In effort to organize the many thoughts I have, I am going to simply list a few of the things that have happened and that I have learned.

- In being here, surrounded by people representing 17 different cultures, I have been given a glimpse into the big God we serve. The people here are different in a variety of ways. They come from different backgrounds, have completely different cultural norms, different food preferences, different quirks and yet they are here. Some are here for the summer some are serving full time. The one thing that unites these people is that they have "the same mind, the same love" by being united in Christ. (Philippians 2) We are here because Christ has saved us and called us to share the good news with the nations. Whether or not the Lord allows me to live overseas in my future, I pray that I would never be too far removed from people of various nations.
- Here is a picture of Bethany and I with our new friends from Estonia. We have been able to share sweet times of talking about how the Lord saved us, how we were brought here and what our countries are like.

- The amazing race was an awesome chance to see the city of Prague, meet a ton of people and also be worn out and speed by any jet lag. Here is my team. We got second place out of 22 teams!

How can you pray for Bethany and I? 
-  Pray that we would be faithful in the  small tasks the Lord provides us with.
- We are doing 6 camps, English and volleyball this summer (more details to come). Would you pray for the hearts of the youth who will hear the message of Jesus for the first time? Pray that they would be soft, open and excited to their Heavenly Father and that they would have the opportunity to be involved in the local church in Albania.
- Pray for the leaders of the youth in Albania. They are the ones who day to day will be living life with the kids that come to camp. Pray for their strength, their initiative to disciple the students, and their personal relationship's with the Lord.

We will arrive in Albania tonight and in Pogradec tomorrow morning! We are SO excited!!

- Kate