Flash Back to Day Camp

Here's another little clip from my summer! This is from day camp, back in June. I had talked about how God gave me the song, "Your Light Will Shine," to teach the kids and how it has become a prayer for me.  This video is of the kids singing and dancing to that song! This isn't  from the official,  little program we did for the parents. This video is from the day before when did we a run-through of all the songs. The sound isn't super good because we had some issues with the CD player,

but everything else is fine.

It was really good to watch this video again and be reminded of the great things God has done this summer. We had such a wonderful group of children come to our day camp! It has opened up doors for us to build relationships with the kids and invite them to Sunday School. Last Sunday, we had fourteen kids! Some weeks we have had even more. Many of the kids in this video are ones that consistently come to Sunday School and other activities at the community center. Enjoy, friends!

English Camp Clip!

Here is a little clip from English Camp. Every morning Deb would call off the different team colors to come to the front of the gym to sing our camp songs and watch the daily skit.

They would get so excited! Enjoy!

English Camp!

The very next day after Leadership Camp, Hannah and I were asked to help with an English Camp in Lipljan (I speeled the town name wrong in pervious posts), just twenty minutes outside of Prishtina. Hannah and I arrived on July 14th and returned home on July 25th. The camp was a total of seven days. It was all held at the Better Life Center. One of the things that is unique about Lipljan is that it is one of the few towns or cities left with a fairly high percentage of Serbians. A main focus that the employees have in Lipljan is trying to unite and renew the relationships between the Albanian and Serbians. They believe that the English Camp is just one stepping stone in that direction. English is the only common language between the Albanians and the Serbians. Therefore, helping them learn better English will help the two parties better be able to communicate with one another and thus, develop better relationships with one another.

Everyday was filled to the max! The team met for breakfast and devos at 7am. English Camp went from 9am to 12pm, followed by lunch. From 1:30pm on, we had the pleasure of visiting the homes of our students. At 5pm, myself and three others had skit practice for the next day. At 6pm we had dinner, debrief and a time of prayer. Finally at 7:30pm, we had some free time. By then I was usually exhausted! Robin and I were the two English teachers. All together, there was about 80 kids. They were split up into six groups. Robins taught three and I taught three each day. A lot of free times were spent preparing for lessons. Everything was so well organized and planned!

The theme this year was the Olympics! The crafts, songs, games and English lessons all revolved around this. For our skits, three of us played athletes in different sports. "Muscles Mike" was a weight lifter. "Awesome Allison" was a fencing player. And I, "Jolly Joy," was a gymnast. The skits were always humorous to say the least!

The last day of camp was the Parents' Program, where the kids got to show their parents the songs and vocab they had been learning during the week. Robin and I put simple skits together for each group to perform, using the new vocab from the week. At the end of the program, Mark (an employee here) presented The Story to all the children and families. Wow. What a powerful time! They had a table with The Book and other related materials for anyone who wanted one. All of The Books were gone by the end, including the only Serbian Book. All together, about ten Books were given out, including some families who requested one during home visits. Also, serveral children's Books and smaller materials were taken. God is so good!

Once again, this week was rejuvinating and healing to my soul. It was a cold glass of water being poured over my dry spirit. Over and over again God reminds me that His timing is perfect. Our team was amazing! One couple were former employees who worked in Haiti. They lived there for about twenty-six years. Two other couples are full-time employees in Lipljan. Another couple was retired and from Philly and has been volunteering in Kosova for eight years now. These couples poured and poured into Hannah and I.  If we ever needed to cry, they were there. If we ever needed advice, they were there. If we ever needed to just talk, they were there. If we ever needed prayer, they were there. I don't know what I would have done without them. They came in our lives at the most perfect time. I have still been going through the adjustment phase and sometimes I get pretty discouraged. Everyone on the team was so encouraging and understanding. I needed them more than they will ever know.

The kids lined up early every morning for camp

Getting excited!

A Roma (Gypsy) woman often collected pop bottles laying around for extra money

 Local signs

Stray dogs are a normality in Kosovo

Teaching English to one of my groups

Reviewing the name of countries and the sports they are known for

One of my favorite groups :)

All coming together to sing songs

"Jolly Joy" strikes a pose!

"Muscles Mike" lifts a 100 kilos!

Team work!

Last day with the Green Team :(

Better Life Center

Parents Program

Siblings came to watch the program 

Some of my kids :)

(From left to right: Etrit, Edrea, me, Erza, Edon and Lis)

Etrit and I

(He was often a sassy little thing but he was honestly one of my favorites!)

Parents and kids gather around the table to get The Book or other materials

Hannah and I

The whole staff

Mark, with his Albanian translator and Serbian translator, sharing The Story with students and their families at the end of the Parents' Program

Leadership Camp!

Leadership Camp was amazing to say the least. I came in with the attitude that I was going to pour every drop I had into the students. But in the end, I think I was the one who walked out more renewed and filled.  God's timing is so perfect. That has been a constant theme the past three weeks.

The camp was located in Rugove, Kosova. So beautiful! The place we stayed at was a restaurant and camp.  All together there were about forty-five of us. Students were broken up into six different small groups. Each of them were given a team color. Travis and I were the leaders for the green team. The purpose of the camp was to teach and illustrate servant leadership, something very contrary to the culture here. The theme of the week was entitled, "Thriving in the Information Age." They had an amzing guest speaker. Everyday students had the chance to hear two lectures and ask questions. Following the lectures were small groups times where they could ask further questions and then take part in a team building exercise or activity. These tied in with the lecture. They dealt with issues such as communication, serving, listening, synergism or respect. In the evenings we had fun group games that were usually silly or crazy. One night we had different food competitions. Another night we did "Minute to Win It" and another night we had a dance competition, which my team of course won! :)

This camp so good for my soul. This was the first time since I got here that I really felt myself. The culture here tends to not be as loud, especially in public. I've really had to work at not laughing as obnoxiously loud as I usually do or just talking as loud in general. That's been a challenge for me. When I got up to Rugove, I forgot how fun and crazy camp can be, which then reminded me how perfect of an environment it would be to be loud! I cannot tell you how much I screamed and laughed as loud as I wanted! I had a sore throat by the end of the week! It was so awesome! I was also able to develop some great relationships with students that are going to college in Prishtina, where I'm living. We all exchanged numbers and will be having coffee soon. I was sad to see the week come to an end though.

On Wednesday we all took the "big hike" up the mountain to a small but beautiful lake, where we had lunch and relaxed. It was so incredibly beautiful! I had to chance to just stop and marvel at God's creativity and beauty. It was too wonderful to take in. To see such huge mountains and know they have a creator, reminded me of God's indescribable power. I wish you could have all been there. It was a long hike though! I didn't think I was going to make it for a little while! It took about two hours to get to the top.


Thank you so much for your prayers! The week was truly a success! I'm sure I'll think of more to share later!

 The whole gang! (staff, students and translators)

Our view everyday. So beautiful!

The Green Team!

Great view on the hike!

The lake we had lunch at while on the hike

Traditional Albanian dancing

Lecture time

One of the many team building activities: "trust walk"

Mustaches!!! :)

Yay!!!

The sun setting in the mountains

I'm Back!!!

I am OFFICIALLy back in Prishtina! And that means I also have internet back too! Whoo-hoo! I have so much to share! I am just amazed at all that God has done! What an incredible two and a half weeks! I will talk about each camp in seperate posts along with some pictures.

I was able to call my mom a couple of days ago and she informed me that College Park is having a rumage sale this weekend and is donating all the proceeds to my work here! Wow. I am speechless. "Thank you" does not cut it. I cannot express in words how extremely blessed I feel to have such an amazing family in God. It is my prayer that you are blessed just as much as you have blessed me.  Thank you so much for partnering with me in what God is doing in Kosova.

Liplyan Camp

So, it turns out that it's not VBS that I am helping with. It's an English camp! I am still really pumped about everything though! I get to teach three groups of about 16 kids each day. The camp goes from 9am-12pm and then in the afternoons we get to visit the kids' families. Albanians are so hospitable! There are volunteers from all over the States and also from Cananda that came to help with this camp. The team is amazing! Our team is about 18 people -- 8 of which are four couples who are in their late fifties or older. I cannot tell you how much I have grown to respect them. It's amazing to think that they are half way across the world serving God and do it inspite of their age. They have been so encouraging and wise. I am so blessed. I have lots to tell but I am in an "internet cafe" where I am being charged per minute that I am on. I unfortunately do not have internet at my host home. But I will try to write as often as I can! Love you all!

Back!

WOW! What an amazing week! I have so much to tell you! However, I need to get to bed! (lol) Just tonight I was asked if I would help with a VBS in Liplyan for children this upcoming week. However, orientation starts tomorrow at 8am! I just got back from Leadership Camp (12am). I have been running around trying to re-pack and do laundry before I go to bed! I am so tired! Anyways, I hope that I will have internet where I will be staying so that I can share all the amazing things God did this past week! I will try my best to keep you all posted!

Natën e mirë!

Night Before Camp

Doing some late night packing before I leave early in the morning for camp! A lot of the students are heading on the same bus to Peja at about 8:30am. Then from there we will head up the mountain! I'm really excited and still a little nervous. Sometimes there is no explanation for my emotions. Having training yesterday helped some. I was able to meet with the rest of the staff, translators, and guest speaker of the week.

I will be an "assistant leader" this week. I will lead discussion groups, games, activities, small groups, and so forth. All of the students are college aged. They had to apply and have an interview to be accepted into this camp. It's a pretty good deal. I am so blessed to be a part of it!  It's going to be a busy but amazing week! I continue to pray and ask God to use me -- to be my mouth, my feet, my hands, my actions.

On Wednesday we will hike up the mountain and have lunch by a lake up there. I am particularly excited about this! I have never been true "hiking." Say a prayer for me! :)

Once again, I won't have internet all week but I will write once I get back on Friday! See you then! God is good!

Some thoughts...

We finally got our internet back! Praise the Lord!

I have training for Leadership Camp all day tomorrow and I will leave early Monday morning. I'm not sure why but I have been feeling really anxious about the camp. I'm hoping that training tomorrow helps ease my nerves a little.

Today, six of us went prayer walking around the city. We went right at 1 o'clock, the time that Muslims gather to worship in the mosques. It was powerful to see the faces and hear the voices of the people we were praying for. Often I just sit in my room alone and pray for the Albanian people. But it was a whole other experience to add my senses into my conversation with God. The Spirit moved today. I wish you could have been there.

I've been reading in James lately. I felt like that was what God wanted me to read ever since I got here. I keep reading it over and over. I want the Word to be written on my heart and on my mind. I was just thinking of one specific verse just now:

"But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave on the sea, blown and tossed by the wind" (1:6).

Oh how I doubt. Often I feel that trying to gain better faith is like scraping the bottom of a barrel. I've been asking myself lately why God chose me to come here and why He ever thought I could make a difference. Who I am, that I could possibly offer anything to these people? I am just as much as a sinner as they are. Oh you of little faith. I remember being told as a child that faith the size of a mustard seed could move mountains. The fan blew the pages of my Bible the other day and it landed on the passage in Hebrews that reminded me that it is impossible to please God without faith. There are not enough grains in the sand that could count how many times I have become a wave in the sea, being tossed around by the wind. When I pray, when I ask, I am told that I must believe; I cannot doubt. The truth is, I can't make a difference here. I can't. I have nothing to offer other than a few ballet dance steps and a crash course on English. Nothing that would radically change a person's life.

But, God can.

God can offer a whole lot more. He can heal these peoeple, who have faced war and loss. He can save them from sin and death. He can restore families that were once lost. He can give peace that surpassing all understanding. He can give hope to the hopeless. He can give freedom from addictions and strongholds.  He can cover their lives with love that fulfills and satisfies the soul. He can bring salvation that no other source or power can give.

He can be the God of these people. He can be the Lord of this nation.


And...He can give me faith, when all mine has run out. There is no one like our God.

Prishtina

New Opprotunities

Hey Friends!

Sorry for not writing on my blog lately. We have ran into several "bumps" the past several days. Our electricity has gone out three times and our water twice in the past forty-eight hours. Our internet also hasn't been working for the past three days. It's been a little tricky to do things without electricity or sometimes water. But we've been getting by just fine! :) It seems like this is a pretty normal problem here. I was in a grocery store a few weeks back and the power went out about three times in a 45 minute period. Anyways, I was able to get a hold of an internet source for just a little bit and wanted to make sure I got to write to you all!

God opened a new door for me this week! Hannah, one of my roommates, will be teaching English to the Roma (Gypsies) twice a week until the beginning of August. I was asked if I would continue teaching them after she leaves, which I gladly accepted. The classes will be held in one of their little communities about ten or fifteen minutes from our apartment. The majority of the students will be high school girls. We are both excited and anxious about this awesome opportunity! Be in prayer for Hannah, who only has a limited experience in teaching. Her and I have been working on lesson plans together. I have full confidence that she will do just fine! :)  Tomorrow her and I will have our English class at Oaza and I will leave for Leadership Camp in just a few days. Pray, pray, pray for these students -- that God would open their hearts and minds to His truth.

Sunday School

We are beginning a new week! Everyone is back into the regular weekly routine. I have my two ballet classes on Wednesday, our English class on Thursday, coffee house on Friday and church on Sunday. One new thing that we started yesterday was Sunday School for kids. Every child was given a permission slip for their parents to sign. I'm no entirely sure what the law states, but I have been told that it is illegal for someone to share or proselytize to children under 18. We will mainly be teaching about the Old Testament in our class. Yesterday we talked about the Fall of Man. Hannah, Rachel, Travis and I acted out the story in the Garden of Eden. I was Eve, Hannah was Adam, Rachel was the snake, and Travis was the narrator and God. I was really excited to draw a mustache on Hannah! Hahaha. We brought a plant from our apartment to be the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and we stopped by the market to buy pears to represent the fruit. I also created a pretty scary looking snake out of a thick rope and red foam. The children all seemed to like our little drama. Most of them have heard the story before. Islam shares a lot of our Old Testament stories. After our drama, we allowed the kids to come up and act it out. I think they enjoyed this more! We had about 16 kids total that came. Next week we will talk about Noah and the Art.

I've been restling with this idea of how to share with the kids here. It's been a discussion I've had with several different people this past week. There is a large percentage of people in Kosova under the age of 18 and my soul is troubled to think of that percentage being ellimated from my "sharing circle." Again, talking about God in general or Old Testament stories is completely acceptable. It's anything beyond that that isn't OK. I continue to seek the Lord for direction and wisdom in this matter. It's been on my heart a lot.

A group shot from day camp (not all the kids were present)