Heres the scenario from a few weeks back:
I was sitting on the floor down in Rozafa. Eno was being his typical self; screaming because he was over stimulated and wanted out of there. He would come over and sit on my lap and then get up and leave again. He finally came and stayed. He generally loves for me to sing to him but today on accident I bounced him up and down on my legs...
Over the past month I have been trying to teach him the sign for 'more' and trying to get a response from him of comprehension. Up until that point I might have succeeded but I was not looking for those small seemingly insignificant movements of understanding. But today was different!! When teaching him the sign; I would do the sign 'more' with my hands and then I would take his in mine and repeat the sign. He generally would throw a fit but I would simply resign 'more' and then continue with what he wanted.
Anyhow, back to sitting on the floor... I bounced him up and down and then stopped. He took my hands in his and made a clapping motion and then let go and placed his between mine. Without fully thinking through his movements.. I wrote it off and readjusted him and actually just sat there. He took my hands again but this time instead of just 'clapping' them together, he took my fingers and bent them in towards each other and pushed them together a few times and then he let go and placed his hands between mine!!!! I was speechless! He got it and continued to do the sign and then wait for me to respond. From that day on, he communicates he desires 'MORE'!!!!!
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- Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:19-20
September 2008
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Missionary Sites
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April 2008
April 27, 2008
April 25, 2008
Climbing Trees
Spring is finally here! And with spring comes new life and tasty treats growing on the trees. And with tasty treats comes climbing trees (or using wagons)... Boys will be Boys!!!
Brush Your Teeth Little Daniel
Tuesday was Cathy's birthday and then Wednesday was Bob and Cathy's 20th anniversary. Bob took Cathy to dinner so Alicia and I cooked lasagna for Amiee and Daniel! (Might I add.. the four of us ate the entire 9 x 13 pan!) Anyhow, I was put in charge and as a good babysitter... I sent Daniel to bed at the desired time per Bob.. but he refused to go brush his teeth and so his toothbrush and toothpaste came to him:
April 24, 2008
You've Stolen My Heart...
There is one little girl that has stolen my heart... Roksana! She surprised me one day when while walking towards the bathroom, she turned around gave a wave and shouted "BYE!" She generally comes running when I enter the play area; arms out and ready to embrace! Thank goodness God is providing her with a family from the states... I hope to establish a great relationship with them when they come so over the years I can receive updates on how she is growing!!!! Her new family is in for a real treat.. she has a cute smile but man can she knock you on your feet... and I don't mean with her looks!!!
April 23, 2008
NATO INVITATION
I have been in Albania for only almost 3 months and I have seen so many historical events take place... the most recent incident:
ALBANIA'S INVITATION TO JOIN NATO!!!!!
Once again, flags were flown and celebrations were held! It is so neat to see the transformation of history take place. With these steps Albania is becoming a nation recognized by the rest of the world and hopefully these steps will allow the people to obtain visas faster and be accepted by the surrounding nations!! Until the next great event.....
April 17, 2008
Yaaaahhoooo Youth!
Every week I have the privilege to work with a group of committed leaders to see a transformation in Albania's youth. The mission statement is: To see generations of Albanian teens begin an authentic and growing relationship with Jesus Christ that enables them to serve Him passionately, worship Him eagerly, and share Him fearlessly with others! The friendships I have made with this group leave me in awe.. I look forward to hanging out with them each Monday night to play games or watch movies, let alone spending a good portion each Saturday with them. From left to right: Me, Dovi, Egli, Robert, Vise, Gretchen and Robin on the floor. Bob, God bless his soul (that's for you Jenny), was MIA when we took the photo. 
April 16, 2008
Passover Feast
This past Sunday I was invited to take part in a Jewish tradition, a Passover Feast. Our group consisted of single missionary women and single Albania women. I really didn't know anyone else but I am so glad I ventured out of my comfort zone and went! The communion we shared will forever be remembered!
Passover is a celebration of the release of the Israelites as slaves from Egypt (basically the whole book of Exodus.) It is a reminder that we are all slaves to sin and need a redeemer. As Jewish tradition, families take part in this feast every year and there are different roles for many members of the family.
It was said that during the weeks before Passover, the entire house was cleaned and rid of anything containing leaven. This practice gave birth to our custom of "Spring Cleaning." Therefore, everything we ate that night contained no leaven and was kosher.
We began the Passover celebration with the lighting of the Sabbath candles and the traditional hand washing (as a symbol of Jesus washing the disciples feet at the Last Supper). The lighting 
of the candles was a prayer of illumination of the Spirit of God to bring meaning of the Passover celebration to our hearts. A woman of the house would be the one to light the candle. It is done this way because it was though a woman, Eve, that the light of the
world went out through sin but it was also through a woman, Mary, that the Light of the World came back in! After she lights the candle she sways the light towards herself as a picture of drawing Messiah Yeshua (Christ) into her life and home.
The remainder of the celebration revolved around drinking of the Four Cups. With each cup we celebrated the promises of redemption and relationship with our Savior. The first cup was the Cup of Promise. The cup symbolized how God revealed to Moses His plan by which He would redeem the children of Israel. During the drinking and blessing of this cup, we also recognized the fact that Passover is celebrated during the spring time-when the earth becomes green with life. We each had a sprig of parsley on our plates. But there was also a bowl of salt water on the table... this represented the idea that life in Egypt was a life of pain for the children of Israel, a life of suffering and tears. We took the parsley dipped it into the salt water, remembering that life, sometimes even new life, is immersed in tears, and
ate it. In the middle of the table was an extra sprig of parsley in which we took and left in the salt water to remind us of the Egyptian army who drowned in the Red Sea and the tears shed over them.
Then we took a basket containing three sheets of matzoh (unleavened bread). It was the bread of affliction, the poor bread which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. There were three sheets because I believe it represented the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Matzoh comes out with little holes in stripped lines.. it shows a pictu
re of the Messiah... But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). We broke the middle layer piece in half, just as Jesus was broken. We wrapped one half in a cloth and hid it somewhere in the room for the youngest child to find (Messiah's body wrapped for burial and then placed in a tomb, hidden for a time). There is so much meaning to this part but it would take forever for me to write it all out.......... We then remembered that as sweet as our lives are today, there was a time when life was bitter for the Israelites in Egypt. As a result, we only ate maror, bitter herbs... horseradish! We took a piece of matzoh and scooped some horseradish on it to taste the bitterness resulting in compassion for the sorrow they experienced years ago. In addition, we scooped matzoh in a mixture called charoset (chopped apples, honey, nuts and wine) as a reminder of the mortar used in the brick laying done by the slaves. We first dipped the matzoh into the bitter herbs and then the charoset to remind ourselves that even the most bitter of circumstances can be sweetened by the hope we have in God.
The second cup was the Cup of Freedom. During this time we reflected on the plagues God sent upon the land of Egypt and the great cost at which redemption was purchased. Lives were sacrificed to bring about the release of the Israelites as a far greater price was paid for our redemption fro
m sin..done through the death of Christ. We took our little finger and dipped it into our cups and placed a10 drops of wine on our plates representing the 10 plagues.
Then came the time for the eating of the Passover Lamb (although I mentally prepared myself to taste lamb... we ate roast instead!!!) Exodus 12:3, 5-7 describes what the Israelites were to do with the lamb sacrificed. They were to sacrifice a lamb and spread blood along the sides and top of the door frame.. the blood was a sign for them and the houses they were in, for when God saw the blood, He passed over them and didn't allow the destructive plagues touch them when He struck Egypt (Exodus 12:8,11,13). In the mid
dle of the table was a shank-bone of a lamb. It was a reminder of the sacrificial lamb... it cannot be broken, for no bone shall be broken (Exodus 12:46, John 19:36). There was also a roasted egg on the Passover plate. It represented the additional Passover meat if need for a large family. At this time, the youngest child would then go hunt for the matzoh hid earlier. Once it was found we broke it and gave thanks to the Lord for being our sacrifice!!
The third cup was the Cup of Redemption, or Betrothal. This cup represented the blood of the Passover Lamb. This was the cup in which the Messiah identified Himself and the cup in which a bride and groom drink to seal their promise. We are the Bride of Messiah, He will not drink with another, only we who have entered into the marriage covenant with Him.
The fourth and final cup was the Cup of Praise. We gave thanks to the Lord for being our Redeemer, for being so Good, and for His love enduring forever. This completed the Passover fea
st, just as our redemption is forever completed with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
His love for us was so great that throughout history He gives us countless examples of just how much we mean to Him and the extent of his desire to have relation with us. As I mentioned in my last post, I am still grasping this idea... but I hope you think on these things as spring arrives and we see His love in the growth of nature around us.
