Albania Winter 2000

February 7

     The horizon in Kasalle is dotted with tiny wooden shacks with very few standing out from among the landscape. Five years ago Kasalle was a barren knob etched out on the dry foothills north of Tirana. Today it is a loosely attached configuration of displaced people who have migrated here in an attempt at a better life.  
     We walked towards one of the very few white colored houses and found Josef with his family digging a foundation for their new home. Showing up just in time for an Albanian coffee break, our group met Josef with a shovel in his hand and his shirt removed standing beside his foundation trenches-straight as an arrow, precision dug (with no level or

 string in sight).  Josef greeted us with the usual Albanian customs and turned to one of his seven children to empty the old house of chairs and stools to accommodate his newly arrived guests.   
     What you won't see in the picture is the mountain back drop, the freshly dug mounds of reddish soil, and the lose mingling of Americans and Albanians toasting each other with a Greek orange drink instead of muddish, Turkish coffee. What the picture does show is Sarah and Josef surrounded by children watching Josef accepting his seed packet. And closer detail will show the History of Jesus booklet that we give with every seed distribution. Since this was not our first visit to this migrated family from northern Albania, we felt more at ease in our ministry presentation than in a formal living room setting, plus they have received the Gospel as warmly as anyone in this village. Sarah and I were pleased in this setting to encourage them again in the good news of Jesus Christ. 

    Winter 2000 Index