This is a happy day at the Center for gypsy kids we have here. It's with the Florida team from summer time. However, what you will read about here is another type of day.

Read on to find out what went on in my (Jamie's) head yesterday when coming home from the Emmanuel Center.

THIS IS NOT WORKING!! Why in the world did we give up our lives for these kids? It was for nothing!! They don't care! They don't respond! They don't respect us one bit! They mock us! Why are we here? I'm so ready to close this down! I am going to those boys' fathers and going to have a word with them about how their boys behaved and what little respect they have showed us! What a waste! We are some of the few people that treat them like human beings, we come and give them food, they get clothes sometimes here, when we see them on the street, we shake their hands and treat them with dignity, we visit their homes. Why in the world did we give up our lives for them?

Then, Jesus whispered in my heart, "You didn't do it for them, you did it for Me."

Yes, that's true. And it did help calm me down. Although, the frustration continued. What a terrible day - actually, the worst yet - there at the center for gypsy kids. I was actually getting somewhere with the younger boy who is 6. He was writing his name, but it was totally backwards, so I was showing him how to write it forwards, and he was really improving. Then, I was teaching an 8 year old girl how to write her 6s the right way and she was also improving. Then, the older teenage boys went out of control. They were so incredibly rude and disrespectful, when I went home, I was ready to call it quits. The Albanian woman who helps us wasn't able to make it that day, so it was just me and Jess (the Aussie lady who's on my team). It was a joke. They were stealing keys and trying to break into other rooms. They were climbing out the window (we're on the 2nd floor), making fun of our accents, physically pushing me out of a room where they weren't supposed to be, knocking over chairs, being extremely loud yelling and knocking things over (which we're in an apartment building and other people can hear us easily). I was demanding that they leave, but they wouldn't. I felt powerless. Finally, we had to call our pastor to come over to help us. Then, when they heard he was coming, they left, making an enormous ruckus as they went. That was a bad enough nightmare and it took a while for me to calm down. Then, after the meeting, I asked a couple of the older girls who are 13 and 14 to come with me to show them something. I wanted to show them a painting I did and ask them to paint with me sometime (the 14 year old is always painting and coloring at the center and I know she loves to). The 14 year old's mother and sister are prostitutes and she hasn't come for months. Suddenly, she's coming again and I want to really form a relationship with her. I really don't want her going down that path. Well, after I showed them, we were trying to make plans for when to paint together, then a couple other kids from the center saw us and asked what we were doing. When they found out, they were all jealous and mad and called me stupid and yelling at me and wouldn't listen to a word I said. I was mad, then too. I had already been telling one of them that I would go to her house and do something special with her and she was happy about it. I asked them why I couldn't do something special with them and these 2 girls, but they wouldn't hear it. I was fuming by the time I got home. I was just thinking, Why in the world do we do this? These kids don't care one bit. All they want to do is take and misbehave.

I hate to say that that's the end of this blog post. There is no resolution... yet. The truth is, sometimes I have no idea what to do. I feel completely inadequate, like my language isn't good enough yet, just powerless. I have sought God about what to do with these kids, but when I feel I have a clear direction, it seems to shut down or the doors close. I don't know. I feel confused sometimes. If you remember, please, please, pray with us for this ministry. It is the most difficult by far. I know that God loves these kids by Jesus' example. Looking at His life here on earth, He loved the most rejected, the most looked down upon. It's one of the things I REALLY love about Him! This ministry also defies society's thinking in that way. Anyways, it's not like I expected this to be a piece of cake, but it reminds me of labor. I knew going into it, it would be extremely painful... and it was! But, knowing it would be so painful didn't make it any less painful if you know what I mean. Knowing this would be so difficult, doesn't make it any easier. That's all. I love you all and thank you for reading. It feels good getting my true feelings out there sometimes. -Jamie

In the beginning of October we went to Montenegro for MTS2 which
stands for missionary training school part 2. It was held for all of the OM
missionaries around our general area. They came from Bosnia, Moldova,
Romania, Albania, and Kosovo. It was a great time of learning and
growing as well as getting to meet and make new friends.
We drove there since it was only around 4 hours from our flat and
we stayed there for 10 days. This is a picture of what the
surrounding area looked like.




This was a boy named Ilir who Kya really bonded with while we
were at MTS. She enjoyed being around him so much that each
morning and after every nap she would wake up asking to go
and play with him right away. Fortunately, he lives in Albania in
a city 2 hours from ours and she will get to see him again during
Christmas as the 3 OM Albanian teams meet for the holidays.




This is right outside the room in our hotel where we would come
together everyday to worship, pray, teach, share, and interact
with one another. The room was a little tight and the food the hotel
served was not so good, but it didn't matter much because the time
we spent there with each other in fellowship and learning and
growing was special.

This water source was right outside the hotel room where
we met (see above) and you could get fresh water from it
whenever you wanted. I think the kids used it much more
than we did.


I put this picture in because it says a lot about who Kya is. After
taking her to go potty at the hotel I ripped off some toilet paper
and it came out uneven. She didn't like that so I tore the rest that
was hanging to make an even cut but I left this one little part on
purpose to see if she would notice. Well, she did. It still was bothering
her. She showed signs of this when she was very little. When she was
around 1 and couldn't talk yet, she woke up one morning in her crib
and was whining about something and pointing over to the corner of
her room. When I took her out and put her on the floor she walked
over to her closet door that was open just a little and pushed it closed
because it was bothering her. At least we shouldn't have to worry a
whole lot about her keeping her room clean but we'll have to see how
extreme she goes with it.



While in Montenegro Jamie and I celebrated our 9th wedding
anniversary. This was a pretty nice restaurant in town that
we went to and the food and service was really good.




These were mozzarella sticks that we ate there. We have not
eaten or even thought of them since we left the States. They
were a pleasant surprise.




When we were driving to Montenegro we ofcourse had to go
across the border of Albania/Montenegro. When you drive
over you need a green card and another document for your
car as well(only in certain countries). Well some of the cars
driving over from Albania didn't know this and they had to
leave their vehicles at the border for 10 days. They took a
taxi to get to the hotel which is about an hour drive but could
not fit all their bags. So I offered to drive back to the border
that first night with an English guy named Neil to retrieve
the bags that were left. We left around 8 or so and the drive
back to the border was a little hairy because the road was
super narrow in many spots and very dark and in the
mountains as well. And there was not much of a shoulder or
none at all sometimes so when someone is coming at you with
their brights on it was quite challenging sometimes to stay on
the road. I should tell you that neither Neil or I had been with
them when they were driving so we only knew where to find the cars
from what they told us. Anyways, after searching for like an hour
we could not find them. We left after some guy started yelling
something at us from inside this van. I walked over to it and around
the back and to my surprise he was holding a semi-automatic gun
and telling me (in Albanian) not to come any closer. I am still not sure
whether he was a guard in that area or if he was just living there by
himself. Anyways, that was our cue to go. We never did find the cars
that night and got back after midnight. Thankfully, they were still
where the guys left them 10 days later after the MTS ended.

We have not blogged for a while because we were gone almost the whole
month of October. We went to Montenegro for what they call MTS2 which
means missionary training school and then we were off to Italy for a family
vacation. Well, I have waited over a year to get this picture but it was well
worth it. It is a picture of Jamie eating at McDonalds. The reason why I
say this is because in the States she ragged on anyone of our friends who
would eat there (including our pastor) and she said that even if she was
starving she would not never eat there. I told them before I left that when
we are overseas as missionaries there will come a day where my wife will
eat there and when it does I am spreading the news and letting everyone
back home know about it! So, here it is. The proof is in the....cheesburger!
One reason it took so long is because there is no Micky D's in Albania.
Sorry Honey. I love you, but you knew this day would come if you ate there.

Believe it or not, this was actually the first time that either of our girls
have been there. Needless to say, they liked it.

We had the opportunity to attend a Retreat at the beginning of
September that was especially for missionaries that live and serve
here in Albania. This was the last night and since we were close
to the beach we made a little bonfire and roasted some
marshmallows. They were a special treat brought from the
States and Kya (in the yellow) was very exited about eating them.

Since we were right by the sea there were turtles hanging
around the property. Kadence was taking a liking to them and she
would have taken him home with us if it was up to her.
Now, a pet turtle, that would be something here in Albania!

This is Kya, well, being.....Kya. If you have kids or you are around
them you know they can get very silly at times. Kya can be
very funny and she was cracking us up here with her facial expressions.
Who does she take after?

We just had two new girls join our O.M. Lushnje team. Tracy is
an Aussie and Lynette is from Canada, eh? One of the first
nights they were here we all got together and did a B-B-Q
and had them initiated. This is a grill that we bought in the
summer with chicken and pork sizzling on top. The coal is much
different and much harder than in the States. In the States,
you can just throw some lighter fluid on the charcoal and poof!
you have a B-B-Q. Here, they come in big chunks that you
need to break up and put pieces of wood or fire starters throughout
the coal and keep working and fanning it until it turns white,
which usually takes a good 20-25 minutes of work. Anyways,
after doing it 3-4 times I thinks I have it down now.

During Tracy and Lynette's "initiation" that night, one of the things
we had them do was that we blindfolded them and gave them a few
of the traditional Albanian drinks. Lynette, the one on the right, had
the worse of the two drinks. It is called raki, and it is a very strong
alcoholic drink they make here. It will definitely clear your sinuses
right up!! Tracy, on the left, had something called thalle. It is a drink
made from yogurt and many Albanians love it but we could do without
it. And yes, both of those drinks taste terrible,
at least to most foreigners.

We will always be posting pics and videos of our kids because
the grandparents and family want to see them.
As we have said before, Kya and Kadence love to look at books
and many times they do it together.
Kya is usually the "teacher" and Kadence the "pupil".

Little girls growing up

Hello all...
Here's a little snidbit into the girls growing up.
Kadence is "reading" her latest favorite book here "Goodnight Moon".
I thought I'd translate what she's saying. : )

"Goodnight jumping over...
Goodnight light and red balloon
Goodnight bears, goodnight chairs
Goodnight mittens...
Goodnight clocks, goodnight socks
Goodnight house, goodnight mouse"

We love it when she reads like this!!

Kya just had her first swimming lesson! We have a friend who is another missionary in a city called Durres that's about 45 minutes away. She is trained to give lessons and was so kind to volunteer her services. There is an open pool there, but it does cost money, so we don't know how often we'll do it. It was the first time we went to a pool here in Albania. So so nice. Here's a few short videos of our time there.

And at last, her reward for her cooperation - ice cream (as she yells)! : )

We had fast food afterwards and I ordered a "hamburger". I'm sure you're asking the same thing I did. Where's the meat? It's in there. It's just about a 2 1/2 inch skinny circle. It's hiding under the fries, cucumber and tomato.

Until next time, wonderful friends and family...

This is a picture of the Korean team with some of us OMers as
well. They came here for a week, all 32 of them, and we had
a jam packed schedule that was tiring but very exiting.

Here they are performing some taekwondo on the streets of
of our city Lushnje. We are at Luna park, a park that is in
the center of Lushnje and a very popular hangout spot,
especially during the Summer months.

They also brought over an interpretive dance. As you can see,
they were a very talented group of youth. South Koreans seem
to put a lot into whatever they do and it shows.

This is at the Emmanuel Center with the kids. Both the Florida
and Korean team brought over fun things like face painting and
animal balloons. The kids loved it and the people on the teams
really enjoyed the time together with them.

This is in a village called Grabian. A new Bible study had just
been started here a week before we did this street evangelism.
Steve Shapiro, the fearless leader of the Florida team is laying
out the Gospel message. You go boy!!

Steve, the multitalented Florida team leader, also took part
in doing a drama with the rest of the guys and gals from
the team. It was a powerful one and I believe God really
used it to help plant spiritual seeds in the hearts of many.
(a clip of the drama below)

Winter vs. Summer

So, I thought it would be fun to examine
the
differences
between
winter
and
summer here.
From silly things you don't think about to other things you wouldn't think you could "live" without. : )

S = Summer W = Winter

*Remember, in winter, it has gotten as low as 42 degrees and in summer,
as high as 100 degrees inside our flat.

Concerning food:

BUTTER in S if left out of the fridge, will melt. To soften it, after being in the fridge, just put it out in the sun for 5 minutes. In W, even when left out on the countertop every day, it will never get to spreading consistency.

CHOCOLATE in S will also melt, so you have to keep it in the fridge always. In W, it's good, but just kinda hard.

PRODUCE in S goes bad very fast! Like, within a day or two if not kept in the fridge. In W, fruits and veggies stay good for a week or two at least when left out. It's great!

WATER in S = never enough! At times, I find it necessary to keep a big bottle of water in the freezer, (no ice makers, just trays) because at the rate we drink it, it hardly gets cold if we keep it in the fridge. It's just not in there long enough. In W, we could probably go a whole day without drinking and not even notice.

COOKING in S means making the kitchen even hotter than it already is! Food takes a good while to cool down to eat it sometimes. In W, the food cools down almost immediately. It's impossible to keep even warm for more than a few minutes.

ICE CREAM in S is a must (and very cultural). In W, nobody eats it... except us foreigners on a special occasion!

Concerning household duties:

LAUNDRY in S is easy. Many items dry within a couple hours (we hang it outside to dry). The only thing is because the sun is intense, it can fade the clothes pretty fast. In W, I have literally felt my hands go numb when taking it down and folding it when it's gotten really cold. Plus, it's usually hard to tell when it's dry (because the coldness can make it still feel wet). It can take days to dry many times.

CLEANING the ceilings are for different reasons. In S, it's dust cobwebs that form where the walls meet the ceiling from the dust that comes in the windows and doors (which are always open of course). In W, it's mold that grows on our bedroom and bathroom ceiling from the humidity.

Concerning comforts:

BATHING is refreshing in S and necessary very often due to the amount you sweat. In W, it's almost traumatizing : ). It means putting a space heater in the bathroom for 10-20 minutes to warm it up. You are cold the entire time, but with the heater, it's bearable, just something you definitely do not look forward to!

SLEEPING in S is difficult! We have fans (portable ones, I've seen maybe only 2 ceiling fans my whole time here) going on all of us throughout the night, but still very uncomfortable. In W, it means 3 blankets and your regular winter clothes (which can consist of 3 layers) - sometimes with even your winter coat and gloves. It usually takes 15 minutes under all that to stop being cold. And some mornings you wake up to see your breath. Also, I remain in a very tight fetal position all night long.

POWER OUTAGES in S means, "Oh no! No fans!" In W, it means, "Oh no! No space heaters!"

BUGS in S are plentiful! I don't think there's a day goes by without a bee coming inside along with many flies and mosquitoes (no screens here). Sometimes bees can almost cover some produce as well when you go to buy it at the market - especially grapes. We have also seen some really weird looking and BIG bugs here! In W, this is one very good thing! No bugs at all!

WEATHER in S means blue skies and more blue skies. It's very dry and sunny and won't rain for many weeks in a row, sometimes all summer. In W, it's gray skies every day for months seemingly. Much raining and humidity, which means a lot of mud! We've also experienced hail many times here already (not necessarily in just one season, though).

So, those are some interesting extreme differences in our last year we've experienced concerning W and S. For me (Jamie) it was my first winter ever having grown up in S. Florida and lived there my whole life. Very interesting...