During our break between semesters with students, I went to Albania for New Years and stayed with my friend Ermenita. The project with the orphanage went really well. We raised money to buy them a dryer for all their clothes (dryers are not very common in Albania) and also to help pay to heat the building through the winter and to help pay a doctor to come see the children. There are about 16 kids at the orphanage. All of them are under the age of about 3 years old. We had a Christmas party for them and had Santa come visit them and give them presents. Their faces just lit up when they saw him. But what was also so cool to see was the way they interacted with each other. They were like brothers and sisters, always looking for each other and making sure everyone was OK. I also loved just watching how much joy they had just being in a big play room with slides and toys. They were so content.
The volunteers for the project and the director of the orphanage.
Worship at the Albanian church of Christ.
A lake near Ermenita's house and only 10 minutes from the Macedonian boarder!
When I got back to Florence I spent a few days with Ermenita before she moved to New York. Then I went to a city near Florence called Ferrara. Another Avanti worker, Andrea, is living and working with the Church there. I went to spend some time with her and the Italian family she lives with. It was great to go and work on my Italian. I also really enjoyed being with the Church there and seeing Andrea's work.
We have begun classes here at the Bible school. I will have a few new students this semester. I will also be helping at a daycare every Tuesday and I plan on spending time at a local retirement home. I am really looking forward to spending more time with my students. One of them is planning on helping me cook for our Monday night Bible study. That should be good since I don't really cook. Other than grilled cheese and pancakes. But that doesn't count. I have notice that cooking is a really good way to spend time with the people here. There is a lady who is a student of Debbie (Director) who has been coming to Church and has been helping Debbie cook for the Bible study on Mondays.
Feeding the homeless people has been going very well. We go every Sunday night and help some other volunteers. It is cool seeing the same people every week and learning about them. This semester we are going to give an opportunity for the Harding students who are studying in Florence to come and help us. We are also setting up a place for our students to contribute food if they want to. Many of them are asking about things they can give. That is one thing I have noticed after being here. The students are so willing to give and very welcoming.
We have two new people, Peter and Melissa, who just arrived last week. They will be starting language school and have a few students. I am really excited to have them here. It's good to have a new and fresh perspective on things. They are both very hard workers.
Overall things have been going well. I am feeling more adjusted and transitioned. All the Avanti workers were talking the other day about everything. Everyone feels like there is a lot of good things happening with students. It was mentioned how there seems to be some hearts really opening up and people beginning to really think about faith and life and what all this means. I am excited to see what will happen this semester. There have been some hard things, some difficult conversations we have had with students. Satan definitely does try to attack in so many different ways, but I really do believe God is working here. I heard a quote recently that has really stuck with me. A man was talking about Satan's attacks and he made the comment, "Does Satan have a reason to attack you?" He used the analogy of a guy playing basketball. If a guy is just standing there doing nothing, drinking a coke, hanging around, no one needs to guard him. He is not a threat, but as soon as he has the ball and start going to the goal, that's when he is "guarded." It was such a great analogy that I think really applies to our lives. It is when we are doing work for God, remembering the mission, and telling people about God, that's when we are attacked. This was encouraging in some ways, but also really made me think, does Satan have a reason to attack me? It's just something I have been thinking about a lot lately.
