This last month has been an entirely unexpected joy that has come to a close all too soon. For those who like a scene setting, our story is written in is a busy French-imitation café. The sun, now far past its zenith, lazily begins to set for in the horizon, illuminating a calmly bustling Mediterranean city. Here, shortly before a bittersweet farewell and a mini-debrief to recapitulate what I am about to share, I sit amidst unintelligible consternation at the passage of time.
Only a month ago I was in this same café preparing to leave Tirana, the capital city of Albania. We had only been notified a few days earlier that our host had fallen through for some unknown reason and that we would spend this time in ATL as an all guys team. Normally, our host provides us with lodging and thusly a location, they set our ministry schedule, and sometimes they even provide structure to our dining logistics. In a time of ATL (Ask The Lord), we look to the Father to provide all of that for us and guide us in all of these aspects. I was not looking forward to this last month for a number of reasons, namely that I’m a man who likes a plan and there was quite literally no plan, all we had was a last-minute Airbnb for three nights so that we could plan the next month. I was also not particularly excited for ministry (all male ministry), much of my life I had been surrounded by women and it was somewhat disconcerting to be in a space with only men. Both of these things perturbed me but God very much changed my heart over the course of the next four weeks.
Upon our arrival to Tirana, we spent a lot of time in prayer asking God where He wanted us to go and what He wanted us to do. I had felt a strong calling to the sea through the Hebrew words “hayom hatikhon” (the Mediterranean Sea) and Jaden was given the word flamingo which led to the discovery of a city near a flamingo reserve on the lower coast of Albania, on the Adriatic Sea. Knowing then that the Lord was calling us there, we set to trying to find lodging and wouldn’t you know it, the Lord provided us with an amazing place to stay. He led us to an Airbnb where the host gave us a substantial discount with two adjoined apartments for less than the price of one. Not only that, but our host had a connection with a driver who chauffeured us there for a measly price. Once we arrived, we were greeted with a massive space and high ceilings that even facilitated a loft bed for myself.
In our time there, we immediately set to abstaining from a lot of preferable things and diving into giving the first fruits of our day to the Lord in prayer and worship. We set out within the beautiful, coastal community to attempt to make connections and in spite of the tourist town being off-season, the Lord gave us a lot of people to love and serve! One of the first was with one of the two protestant churches in the city. They had a body of ~140 yet their space had room for less than half of them so they were in the midst of renovating a new, larger space to accommodate their growth. We had the blessing to be able to assist in construction and to encourage the pastor and his family as he also pursued his third degree, this time in theology so that he could better lead the church.
We found our next major connection by wandering around the city until we saw a building with a large image of a triangular American flag, saying, “ American Corner Vlora.” Being an American, I was intrigued, we went inside to find that it was an extension of the US Embassy in Tirana that was teaching English, technological literacy, and driving the children of the community towards serving their neighbors and chasing their passions. We had the special opportunity to join their English Like a Pro presentations where the youth would research a topic in depth and present on it in English. There presenters ranging from 12-18 and they displayed not only an impressive fluency but a fiery passion for things like A.I. within society or effects of social media on society. There we met also met a peace corps volunteer and provide a sense of community for them as they are sent out individually without any partners (a fact I only found out in that moment).
Throughout this time, I delt with a lot mental and spiritual exhaustion. We were constantly pressing into and seeking the Lord, just asking Him to speak to us and I felt like I didn’t receive a single thing after leaving Tirana. I was starting to struggle with this feeling that He just didn’t speak to me and that all the time I spent in prayer was becoming less potent and less valuable as a result. Even after edifying conversations with my fearless leader and good friend Banks Johnson, I still struggled to feel like a child of His when He wasn’t speaking to me. Eventually He led me to know that much of His communication with me was non-verbal and that He was leading me and guiding me with these existential signs and instances, such as discovering the American Corner. He spoke to me as I sought Him in my circumstances, when He gave me a ministry opportunity in a place that seemed devoid of them, I knew that there was where He wanted me to go. To me, it’s like a parent pointing out something to their child, something that they otherwise just aren’t paying attention to and that they need guidance in order to see and pursue. It is an image that is a bit more pertinent to myself than I might like it to be but the humbling aspect of this total dependance on the Father was exactly what I needed. I needed to know that I couldn’t do it on my own and to be reduced to needing Him so that in instances where I can chase things on my own, I would know that if I truly do seek first the kingdom, He will provide.
