New Opprotunities, New Doors

It's been a really good past two days. I have been getting back into studying Albanian. My summer schedule was so all over the place that I wasn't able to consistently study and have lessons. I meet now with my tutor three times a week. Learning a second language is so exhausting! I can only handle about an hour or so at a time before my brain turns into oatmeal. Albanian is not easy to say the least! I really want to put a lot of effort into learning it though. I believe that learning to speak the native language of the county you are in shows respect to that culture. Not only that, but I want to understand people! (lol) It can be really frustrating when you feel that you are not a part of the conversation or even the group because you simply can't understand. It's nothing they do intentionally. It just ends up feeling that way.  But thank the Lord that all my close friends speak fluent English! :)

My Albanian tutor and I were talking yesterday and she asked what job I would like to have in the future. I told her that my dream job would be leaving in a third-world country, showing the love of God (whether that be empowering women, teaching English, opening a community center, teaching skills to help families build better incomes, having classes on hope and love, visiting homes, or teaching basic sanitation tips). That's what I have a passion for and that's ultimately what God has called me to do for many years now. She told me that she had seen something very similar to my calling in a movie -- of all things! She said in the movie this man finds God and then sold everything he had to go to African and help the child soldiers in Uganda. The movie is called, "Machine Gun Preacher." She invited me to watch it with her! I hope this movie sparks some good conversations. I'm excited.

I had another English class with the Roma today. More are coming each class! Today I had nine people! (all related in some way or another) It's been going really well. I'm loving the friendships I'm building with them. I have a hunch that some of them may have never been to school, just by the way they learn and speak. They invited me to come celebrate Biram with them, the three day celebration after Ramadan. I will only spend a few hours though. :) They invite family over and they all eat together. This will be a first for me. This weekend I will also get to go to my first Albanian wedding! I'm so excited for all these new opportunities! I'm even more excited for the doors God will open.

The lights come on the towers of all the mosques when it's sundown and people then know that they are allowed to break their fast. This is only for Ramadan of course. This mosque is across from our apartment. This is our view from our balcony.