This is the last blog from the Albania team as we all arrived home safe last night around 1am! so we are all shattered!
Our last days in Lushnje were great! The Daycare project "Way of Hope" continued well with our numbers rising a little to 9 with one little girl coming back to us.
On Thursday afternoon, however, the team were told that Marika, the 50 yr old lady who was in a wheelchair & had come to most days of the centre, had died very peacefully in her home. This was such a shock to all of us! The pastor spoke with her family & they said they were to grateful for everything we had done for Marika & they were so pleased she had the opportunity to take part in our program. Her sister described how she had been smiling & laughing a lot those past two weeks. For Marika our project gave her a glimpse of a better life as she was often left at home in bed while her sisters went to work. With us Marika took part in the activities she was able to but was also very happy to watch what was going on, she just loved being with people. Marika also came with us on our trip to Appolloni, where her mother came from, and so had a very full & happy two weeks with us! please remember Marika's family in your prayers & thank God for the testimony of this family!
Friday morning in the centre we did something a little different! We began the session with the usual lessons of arts or sports but then after the break we invited all their parents to a graduation type ceremony. At the service we sang some of the songs the young people had been learning & watched a film clip of the past few weeks & saw lots of pictures! It was wonderful watching the young people see themselves & see the joy that brought to their parents. We then awarded each young person a certificate to simply say thank you for taking part & gave each family a photograph of their child taking part in the activities!
After this Mervyn spoke to encourage the Church & the parents to pursue the local government to keep this project up & running in some form or other. Mervyn also pointed out that none of what we achieved in those two weeks could have been done without God's love & support!
The parents then had a chance to tell us what they thought about the project. Three parents shared & we were so encouraged by the kind words they said to us. The surprising thing was, though, that these parents are so passionate about keeping something going, they have seen their children have a better life & seen the improvements in each of them, growning in confidence & learning many new skills, and that is only in a short space of time!
Please pray for guidance for the future of the project, pray the Church in Lushnje will continue on this work, even if only once a month for a start!
Pray the government will see the need their is, not only for a Daycare facility, but for a school for these young people, where they can get the chances in life they
deserve!
finally, thank you for all your support & prayers!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sunday, 22 June 2008
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Music, Crafts, Games and ICE CREAM!
hello from Lushnje!
Today we had our 7 faithful young people @ the Daycare program! We had a great time! Today they learnt to play bowls & some of them are EXCELLENT @ it!
One highlight of the day was @ the end, instead of doing a relaxation time, we took the young people in small groups to go buy ice cream! For many of them it was one of the first times they had been out in the community so it was such a priviledge to do this! The smiles on their faces has made the whole project worthwhile! :) Some of the parents came for a walk with us & they were so happy & proud of their children. One young man, Blerim, brought his mum along today for the first time & when she saw him having so much fun & learning new things she was so proud that she cried! These young people are having the time of their lives!
Please pray something can continue for them here & that God would reveal his plans for this project!
Today we had our 7 faithful young people @ the Daycare program! We had a great time! Today they learnt to play bowls & some of them are EXCELLENT @ it!
One highlight of the day was @ the end, instead of doing a relaxation time, we took the young people in small groups to go buy ice cream! For many of them it was one of the first times they had been out in the community so it was such a priviledge to do this! The smiles on their faces has made the whole project worthwhile! :) Some of the parents came for a walk with us & they were so happy & proud of their children. One young man, Blerim, brought his mum along today for the first time & when she saw him having so much fun & learning new things she was so proud that she cried! These young people are having the time of their lives!
Please pray something can continue for them here & that God would reveal his plans for this project!
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Albanian team update Tues 17th June
Hello again from Lushnje!
We are able to update the blog more frequently now we are teaching English in the afternoons because in each classroom there is a rather nice computer :)
Today at the Daycare we had approx 7 young people and their families. Today was much more settled & we all felt it went a lot better! The young people are loving the activities, especially bowling, music and making things in art! We are just noticing with so many of them that they are becoming more and more confident about themselves and being in social situations, which is what it is all about!
The team are all still feeling rather tired as we are teaching for approx 4 hrs each, apart from Mervyn who gets to go home @ 3 and sleep! (lucky duck)The teaching is great fun and is a real opportunity to tell a lot of the young people who attend the English school about ourselves and why we are in Albania!
Please continue to pray for us & all the work we are doing. we are very excited about Friday at the Daycare as we hope to present each young person with a certificate or something they can keep to remind them of their time with us & that they completed the 2 week program. We also hope to take them for a walk to a coffee shop or to get some ice cream!
God Bless
We are able to update the blog more frequently now we are teaching English in the afternoons because in each classroom there is a rather nice computer :)
Today at the Daycare we had approx 7 young people and their families. Today was much more settled & we all felt it went a lot better! The young people are loving the activities, especially bowling, music and making things in art! We are just noticing with so many of them that they are becoming more and more confident about themselves and being in social situations, which is what it is all about!
The team are all still feeling rather tired as we are teaching for approx 4 hrs each, apart from Mervyn who gets to go home @ 3 and sleep! (lucky duck)The teaching is great fun and is a real opportunity to tell a lot of the young people who attend the English school about ourselves and why we are in Albania!
Please continue to pray for us & all the work we are doing. we are very excited about Friday at the Daycare as we hope to present each young person with a certificate or something they can keep to remind them of their time with us & that they completed the 2 week program. We also hope to take them for a walk to a coffee shop or to get some ice cream!
God Bless
Monday, 16 June 2008
16th June update from Lushnje
Hello again from Lushnje!
Sunday night the team went to Church & Laura & Claire did an excellent job of giving their testimonies! The team also sang a song & Gordy preached! It was a real encouragement to see two of the families from the Daycare project at Church in the evening. Neither had ever been before!
This morning was very difficult for the whole team as there were only 7 at the daycare facility! Because of the small numbers at the very start the young people were all put in the same group for music which although they enjoyed, it was not as good as previous mornings. Because of this change in routine many of the young people felt unsettled & anxious for the rest of the morning resulting in some challenging behaviour. Please pray that our numbers would improve!
This afternoon the team have turned into English teachers in the Victory School! We are mostly in pairs but Mervyn is on his own. Some of our experience of teaching is limited so this is another challenge for us as a team. We are sheduled to teach from Monday - Wednesday 2.00 - 6.00 or 7.00 so pray for ENERGY!!!
Overall, we are all happy & even ate potatoes for lunch (very rare in Albanian culture) :)
Please continue to pray for the Daycare centre, that numbers would pick up, and that we would get fresh inspiration of what to do with them, so them and us don't get bored!
Sunday night the team went to Church & Laura & Claire did an excellent job of giving their testimonies! The team also sang a song & Gordy preached! It was a real encouragement to see two of the families from the Daycare project at Church in the evening. Neither had ever been before!
This morning was very difficult for the whole team as there were only 7 at the daycare facility! Because of the small numbers at the very start the young people were all put in the same group for music which although they enjoyed, it was not as good as previous mornings. Because of this change in routine many of the young people felt unsettled & anxious for the rest of the morning resulting in some challenging behaviour. Please pray that our numbers would improve!
This afternoon the team have turned into English teachers in the Victory School! We are mostly in pairs but Mervyn is on his own. Some of our experience of teaching is limited so this is another challenge for us as a team. We are sheduled to teach from Monday - Wednesday 2.00 - 6.00 or 7.00 so pray for ENERGY!!!
Overall, we are all happy & even ate potatoes for lunch (very rare in Albanian culture) :)
Please continue to pray for the Daycare centre, that numbers would pick up, and that we would get fresh inspiration of what to do with them, so them and us don't get bored!
Sunday, 15 June 2008
Mir Ditta from Albania! 15th June 08
hey!
hope everything is good with you all at home!
The team are all doing very well, we're getting sleepy & a bit pink from the Sun but overall everything is good!
On Saturday we took a group of young people, their carers, some volunteers and some teens from the Church to Appolloni. The sun was shining and we had a great time playing frisbee and just taking them for walks. One young guy who has been attending our camp, Egli (15) really loved taking pictures with our cameras so you'll see his handiwork when we get home! It was great taking this group out somewhere as for some of them this is the first time anyone has ever made an effort to take them on a trip! So thanks be to God for providing the opportunity!
On Sunday morning the team travelled to Durres, about an hr from Lushnje, to take part in the Church service there. The team sang a song & Gordy preached. This afternoon we've just been relaxing, enjoying the sun and Laura & Claire have been preparing to give their testimonies in Church tonight at 6.
Please continue to pray for the team & all the work we are doing here!
God Bless
xxxx
hope everything is good with you all at home!
The team are all doing very well, we're getting sleepy & a bit pink from the Sun but overall everything is good!
On Saturday we took a group of young people, their carers, some volunteers and some teens from the Church to Appolloni. The sun was shining and we had a great time playing frisbee and just taking them for walks. One young guy who has been attending our camp, Egli (15) really loved taking pictures with our cameras so you'll see his handiwork when we get home! It was great taking this group out somewhere as for some of them this is the first time anyone has ever made an effort to take them on a trip! So thanks be to God for providing the opportunity!
On Sunday morning the team travelled to Durres, about an hr from Lushnje, to take part in the Church service there. The team sang a song & Gordy preached. This afternoon we've just been relaxing, enjoying the sun and Laura & Claire have been preparing to give their testimonies in Church tonight at 6.
Please continue to pray for the team & all the work we are doing here!
God Bless
xxxx
Friday, 13 June 2008
Albanian Team Update 13th June 08
Hello from Albania! Sorry we haven't written every day, we've just been very busy & sleepy!
Over the past number of days numbers at the morning Daycare dropped to between 9 - 12 which, at first, was a real disappointment. The plus side of this is that we have been able to have give one-on-one attention to those who really need it and can benefit from it! The reason a lot of people haven't come back is because they were lead to believe, somehow, that Doctors would be present and would give out medication. So, some were disappointed when they found out this wasn't the case! Helena, Kathryn & Laura have all been VERY busy using their Uni training to talk one-to-one with parents giving them helpful suggestions of massage & other excerises to improve their children's quality of life.
Overall, we are really seeing a difference in the people coming along each day. Our youngest is a little girl named Santi, who is 5 and our oldest is Marika, who is 50! We have split everyone into groups based on their ages & overall ability. One guy in particular, Blerim, is really enjoying the camp & we are seeing just how capable he really is and trying to get his father to encourage him too! The young people & adults constantly have a smile on their faces, which is such a pleasure to watch!
The team have also visited one 18yr old boy with cerebral palsy at his home, as he is bed ridden and was unable to attend the camp. This young boy lives in awful conditions with very dangerous stairs leading up to his house, making mobility impossible.Laura, Helena & Mervyn met with Daniel & his family and again gave them practical tips to benefit & improve his quality of life. They are going back to this family again later in the week so please pray for this.
This evening some of the team are going to meet a lady called Marika (50) who has also been house bound since she was 3. She does get around in a wheelchair sometimes, but it is an awful wheelchair with NO support at all for her head, legs or body. The team are going to her house to teach her family about proper positioning and overall health care for this lady, so again pray that they would take on board what they are being shown.
Thursday afternoon the team were able to get away for a few hours to a town called Kruja, about an hour away from Lushnje, up on the mountains. it was soooooooo beautiful and just a wonderful chance to get a change of scenary and relax for a while.
Tomorrow (SAT) we are hoping to take a group of the young people and their carers to Appolloni, an ancient Greek ruin, so we are looking forward to spending some extra time with them away from the Daycare setting.
Please pray for....
...visiting various families in their homes, that they would understand & use some of the tips being given
...numbers would remain steady at the Daycare
...parents wouldn't be disappointed that no doctors are here
...The meeting between Mervyn & Berti regarding future vision
...team health & energy!
Over the past number of days numbers at the morning Daycare dropped to between 9 - 12 which, at first, was a real disappointment. The plus side of this is that we have been able to have give one-on-one attention to those who really need it and can benefit from it! The reason a lot of people haven't come back is because they were lead to believe, somehow, that Doctors would be present and would give out medication. So, some were disappointed when they found out this wasn't the case! Helena, Kathryn & Laura have all been VERY busy using their Uni training to talk one-to-one with parents giving them helpful suggestions of massage & other excerises to improve their children's quality of life.
Overall, we are really seeing a difference in the people coming along each day. Our youngest is a little girl named Santi, who is 5 and our oldest is Marika, who is 50! We have split everyone into groups based on their ages & overall ability. One guy in particular, Blerim, is really enjoying the camp & we are seeing just how capable he really is and trying to get his father to encourage him too! The young people & adults constantly have a smile on their faces, which is such a pleasure to watch!
The team have also visited one 18yr old boy with cerebral palsy at his home, as he is bed ridden and was unable to attend the camp. This young boy lives in awful conditions with very dangerous stairs leading up to his house, making mobility impossible.Laura, Helena & Mervyn met with Daniel & his family and again gave them practical tips to benefit & improve his quality of life. They are going back to this family again later in the week so please pray for this.
This evening some of the team are going to meet a lady called Marika (50) who has also been house bound since she was 3. She does get around in a wheelchair sometimes, but it is an awful wheelchair with NO support at all for her head, legs or body. The team are going to her house to teach her family about proper positioning and overall health care for this lady, so again pray that they would take on board what they are being shown.
Thursday afternoon the team were able to get away for a few hours to a town called Kruja, about an hour away from Lushnje, up on the mountains. it was soooooooo beautiful and just a wonderful chance to get a change of scenary and relax for a while.
Tomorrow (SAT) we are hoping to take a group of the young people and their carers to Appolloni, an ancient Greek ruin, so we are looking forward to spending some extra time with them away from the Daycare setting.
Please pray for....
...visiting various families in their homes, that they would understand & use some of the tips being given
...numbers would remain steady at the Daycare
...parents wouldn't be disappointed that no doctors are here
...The meeting between Mervyn & Berti regarding future vision
...team health & energy!
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
Albanian Team Update - 10th June 08
Hello from Albania!
We arrived safe and sound on Saturday to good old irish fashioned weather...rain rain rain, so the trip to Lushnje was a little hairy at times :) However, this did give us a chance to catch up on our sleep as the we weren't too hot! (some of the team even complained they were cold!)
Sunday - we spent as a team, getting to know eachother, having a walk in the surrounding area and planning our program for the week before we went to the Way of Peace Church in the evening. At Church the team sang two songs in English for the Church, Helena & Kathryn gave their testimonies and Gordy preached. It is a wonderful experience to hear people sing God's praises in another language! It definitly reminds us that we are part of such a big picture when it comes to Church!
Monday - First thing Monday morning we went to the Way of Peace Church to begin meeting potential candidates for our learning disability project we are running. As a team we were overwhelmed by the amazing response as 25 people registered to attend. On the Monday morning some of the team met with each candidate and his/her carer for an informal interview to see whether they would be right for this pilot project or not. Some of these people had not been out of their homes for a number of years! One highlight of this was seeing a young man's father break down in tears as he was so grateful someone was taking a positive interest in his son! One thing we did notice that we were not fully expecting was the amount of children and teens who turned up for the project but we were not going to send them away so the project is changing slightly to meet their needs. Throughout the interviews we were so sure God's hand is on this project!
Tuesday - Today was the first official day of the project and we had 14 teens, adults and children, a brilliant turn out! Since this was the first day, of course we came up against some challenges, especially a young boy who is a delight but, a chatterbox & tends to disrupt groups. The arts & crafts lesson was also difficult & too structured for some of the little ones, so we learn from our mistakes and will change this for tomorrow! Everything else went well & overall it was an exciting first day!
Please pray for....
...continued good health for the team overall
...that we would make an impact in the lives of the young people, children and adults lives.
...us as we try to communicate & build relationships despite a definite language barrier.
We arrived safe and sound on Saturday to good old irish fashioned weather...rain rain rain, so the trip to Lushnje was a little hairy at times :) However, this did give us a chance to catch up on our sleep as the we weren't too hot! (some of the team even complained they were cold!)
Sunday - we spent as a team, getting to know eachother, having a walk in the surrounding area and planning our program for the week before we went to the Way of Peace Church in the evening. At Church the team sang two songs in English for the Church, Helena & Kathryn gave their testimonies and Gordy preached. It is a wonderful experience to hear people sing God's praises in another language! It definitly reminds us that we are part of such a big picture when it comes to Church!
Monday - First thing Monday morning we went to the Way of Peace Church to begin meeting potential candidates for our learning disability project we are running. As a team we were overwhelmed by the amazing response as 25 people registered to attend. On the Monday morning some of the team met with each candidate and his/her carer for an informal interview to see whether they would be right for this pilot project or not. Some of these people had not been out of their homes for a number of years! One highlight of this was seeing a young man's father break down in tears as he was so grateful someone was taking a positive interest in his son! One thing we did notice that we were not fully expecting was the amount of children and teens who turned up for the project but we were not going to send them away so the project is changing slightly to meet their needs. Throughout the interviews we were so sure God's hand is on this project!
Tuesday - Today was the first official day of the project and we had 14 teens, adults and children, a brilliant turn out! Since this was the first day, of course we came up against some challenges, especially a young boy who is a delight but, a chatterbox & tends to disrupt groups. The arts & crafts lesson was also difficult & too structured for some of the little ones, so we learn from our mistakes and will change this for tomorrow! Everything else went well & overall it was an exciting first day!
Please pray for....
...continued good health for the team overall
...that we would make an impact in the lives of the young people, children and adults lives.
...us as we try to communicate & build relationships despite a definite language barrier.
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