Election week...

Well, I thought I had outsmarted jet lag, but here it is 4 in the morning, and I've been up for about an hour!  Guess I was kidding myself!

I never got back to "fill you in" on my activities.  It always seems like the last days are filled to overflowing as people "hear you're in town," and you madly try to finish up with all the things you aimed to do.  So it was with me... not helped out very much by an errant virus or two.

Goodness, I last left you on Election Day!  A day filled with cautious optimism for me... I wouldn't hear election news until the next day.  The weather was brisk, with blue sky and clouds flitting by.  What a great day for me, as we (not just me) were able to witness to a couple of people who are not Believers while we made hot pads at Rudi's church (see my last post or two). 

A phone call, while we were working at Rudi's church, was from a woman in Greece who said she feared for her life.  We thought, perhaps, she was trafficked and had escaped.  Some of us paused to pray for her safety specifically, and for God's protection and justice for all the women caught in this diabolical web.  It was the first time I felt an evil presence in Albania - there is, apparently, an active mafia that operates in the shadows (as it does everywhere).  It is this mafia that kidnaps and traffics girls and women.  I imagine that the mafia is into other things as well, but several of my friends have spoken about the "lost" girls... girls taken from the north of Albania and trafficked in the south or vice versa.  While it happens that this particular call was bogus, it was a stark reminder of the evil that permeates this world... that mocks God by treating those made in His image as mere objects... wares to be bought and sold.  For too much of human history, there have been people subjected to this unspeakable evil.

Friday at Dee's table

Wednesday dawned wet and gray... portending the news I received from my homeland.  We met with Sabina at the Instituti (CCC), renewed friendships there, got to see Dori's hot pad finished, and then went for a coffee with Sabina.   After catching up on her news... she's been many places with CCC, including Macedonia where she and her husband Dori have worked with groups from our own church to reach the youth there... and then strategized for future trips.  She is attending a church in Porcelani district (straight up Rr. Hoxha Tahsim from the Stephan Center) which has two active women's groups.  So, Sabina arranged for me to meet with the one hosted by Dee, the pastor's wife.  We did that on Friday where the young mothers made hot pads.  While there were no unbelievers there, the women had a great time, and were intent on finishing the hot pad at their next meeting.  Dee and I talked about the potential for doing other projects at their church. 

Leaving Dee's

At Dee's table

Now, remember that I am not a photographer at heart!  I forgot my camera on Wednesday, so took no pictures of Sabina, and the pictures I took Friday at the women's group were an afterthought!  I forgot to take pictures as we were working, so the ones you see here are from the very end as everyone was leaving.

Let's go back to Wednesday, now.  After meeting with Sabina, I headed over to the International Protestant Assembly to check out the seamstress class they were holding.  One of their members, Aida, wanted to teach such a class, and the machines we placed there gave her that opportunity.  Rumor has it those in the class finished drafting a pattern for a skirt and then used it to make their own skirt... Donna, one of the missionaries from Ireland, was reportedly delighted!  So, since I didn't have my camera, Cleon, from Guyana (I think) offered me his and I took a number of photos!  To the left, Aida is showing Shani how to draft a blouse pattern.  Above and to the right, Hebibe is working on her pattern.

Wednesday afternoon was spent doing what I seem to always do there... looking for fabric and other supplies.  I get a tip, and check it out.  The evening was spent with Migena, strategizing on how to proceed with the widows.  A busy day.

Think I'll leave you in election week for the time being; there's lots more that happened, but I'll leave you hanging.  I hear others awakening, and think my concentration may soon be compromised.

Pafshim!

Panoramic view of the square in front of Stephen Center

For Tara

For Rhonda

Every city has a certain energy to it... people bustling about, traffic racing, horns honking.  And every city has its unique personality... London, Vienna, Tokyo, New York.  So it is with Tirane.  There are, of course, the people, cars and horns - but when you look at the people, they are far from homogeneous.  The vehicles, also, are almost as varied as the people - cars, motorcycles, motor bikes, bicycles... and then those unique vehicles that pop up unexpectedly...

Tobacco for sale

But, it isn't the hustle bustle, necessarily, it's the unexpected.  A fully covered woman walking with her husband next to a contemporary teen; a horse drawn cart (with tires) next to a Mercedes; a city worker pushing her cart down the street as after work traffic swerves to avoid her; lose tobacco next to beautiful stacks of fruit in the open air market.

See the woman at the far right

Check out the villa on the hill

What is just outside your yard is unimportant!

A new commercial building

In the suburbs, a beautiful and modern villa complete with an iron gate and intercom next to a red-tiled cottage, a traditionally-clad woman out front working on her vegetables.  Step back a little from the cottage, and find a dump just next to the drive-way of their picturesque cottage...

You can only imagine the luxury behind a well-worn gate, or the lovely apartments above the crumbling staircases.

Next door...

In the suburbs, also, new industrial buildings on gravel roads with giant potholes, next to a family farm.

Driving along, there is suddenly a mosque with a minaret!  But, there are few houses around, and you wonder who attends it!?!  The call to prayer emanates from the minaret anyway... there doesn't seem to be anyone pausing in their toil and rolling out their rug, though.  This phenomenon can be found more often in our own country and was reminiscent of my last trip around Chicago.

Or, a bevy of sellers with their wares all over the sidewalk - probably Roma, selling used clothing, shoes, food, whatever they can find to sell!  And people pawing through their stacks of offerings!

I can show you the sights, but I can't add a "scratch and sniff," or really add the hurried conversations, the soft words or varied languages.  Albanian is a lyrical language, but just today a woman riding a bike called out to my friend and me as we waited for her to pass - "piano," Italian for "slow down."  At the time, we were immobile!

But, you cannot change the hen who struts to the top of the mountain!  Or the stray dog who jauntily wends his way through traffic and pedestrians (usually male, the females more often seem weary). 

Tomorrow is a busy day for me... and I know that I am woefully behind in sharing with you.  I will try to bring you up to date before I hit the great state of California.  My plane leaves Thursday.

Pafshim!

I left you last on Monday's happenings...

Well, that pesky virus has taken hold, and I have a full blown drippy nose, cough and all the rest!  Oh, bother, as Eeyore would say!

At any rate, Monday night we had an opportunity to meet with Dava and Ida... but Ida's son was having a birthday celebration, so she left soon after we met.  You can tell it is November here... during the evenings a cold wind picks up, and blows through you if you stand still.  The tempterature feels good when you are briskly "locomoting," but as we stood there waiting for everyone to join us, the wind chilled us all.  We were waiting for Dafina, a wonderful lady, as well as Dava's niece, people who had expressed an interest in participating.

So, we made our way to Dava's to discuss jewelry-making (Dava's niece had made jewelry in Greece) and to see other hand-made items (Dava showed me her beautiful crocheted pieces).  She is quite talented and anyone interested in buying a crochet piece from her please let me know SOON, and I will bring it back for you.  Oh, bother, I probably should take a few pictures of what she has to offer... after all, you can't see what she has done unless I do!  I'll try to do that today!  It would surely give her a hand up as well as needed encouragement.

At any rate, we worked on knitting jewelry, and got a really good start.  I "hoofed" it home (I do enjoy the walking... but remain especially alert here.  Anyone who knows me knows that I usually find the pothole in my path).  I am racking up "activity points" by the gazillion!

Dori's almost finished

Tuesday was another beautiful day - matched my mood of cautious optimism.  I met Dori at her house, and we made the hot pad project.  She caught right on, and will be introducing it to her church group (the new moms in her group were too busy to meet while I'm here - understandable).   She showed me her completed hot pad the next day when I saw her at the Instituti. 

Rudi's church

Then off to meet with Rudi, Meloye and Lenora along about a dozen women at Rudi's church plant close to the Stephen Center.  It was a really fun time!  We started the hot pad project and enjoyed each other as I tried to work on the machines I brought over.  Well, there's one thing I need to learn SOON... how to fix machines.  One just needed a new fuse in the converter, but I finally gave up on the other one.  I knew the outcome before I took it to the repairman, though...  he plugged it in and it worked perfectly!  C'est le vie! 

At any rate, you can see that everyone seemed engaged, and the sole iron made for lots of interaction.  Many had not handled a sewing machine, so Melodye and I tried to man those.  We will complete the project with Olta or Rudi and they will meet again to finish.  Let's hope there is a chance for the women to become familiar with the machines we brought before our next visit.

The church is located in a tall building of apartments with retail space on the first floor.  It had been occupied by a business, and is well finished.  What a fun time.

Well, I have received a tip that there is a fabric show in one of the hotels downtown, so I am going to see if I can find it... perhaps the walk will clear my head, and we can find vendors for fabric - an unending quest for any quilter.  So, will fill you in on Wednesday and following later, hopefully today (although I had planned to rest today and see if my physiology will banish the virus!).

Pafshim!

OK, here's something to pray for...

OK, I hear the call to prayer for the faithful!  It's 5:25 in the morning, and I've been up for about 2 hours already... I woke up with a sore throat and drippy nose.  I have so much on my plate over the next few days, even though I know a cold is only a bother, I sure would love some prayer from out there that this blasted virus would find something else to do... preferably without involving another person.  Thanks!!

It's been a busy time. 

Monday was a wonderful fall day - clouds flitting by, crisp but warm.  Krystal and I were to check out the "bead" store here, and spend some time together.  I'm trying to find beads for a project I am hoping will work out for the widows. 

Krystal had to stay home (something about a four-legged friend), so I met her teammate, Marcella, and we headed to the store.  It turns out that this is the same store I had visited last time... it is the bead store, the notions store, the store for embroidery floss and whatever you could possibly want.

Well, I must say, the beads were displayed in an interesting way.  There were about 15 women in about 12 feet of space with walls that move and myriads of little plastic drawers, some with three compartments, each with a different type of bead or feather or some other small adornment.  Some of the drawers were probably six feet high (remember I am vertically challenged) and the colors a little different in style from ours.  Gosh, I didn't even think to take a picture (I really am not a photographer at heart!).  Unfortunately, beads and crystals (which are beautiful) were fairly expensive... so I need to keep looking. 

Marcella invited me to her home; she was expecting her housekeeper, Ela.  Apparently, it is fairly common for Ela to come with her daughter, Fatiama, a 12 year old not attending school. 

Marcella and I talked a lot about the Roma culture, and I can't wait to share some of it (although I am sure that there is so much more that I don't yet know... if I ever will).  We spent the afternoon doing crafts with a neighbor, Fatiama and Julee, anothter long-term missionary who stopped by...  we made the necklace that Kathie taught me on our last trip.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it, and Fatiama learned how to crochet.  I doubt if this will blossom into a cottage industry, though, for a variety of reasons.  Marcella, Julee and I talked about vocational and outreach ideas, and agreed to continue to brainstorm.

Well, I think I'll stop here and pick it up later... it's been awhile since the call to prayer, and I can hear the world waking up!

Pafshem! 

*Or, for Mike, "in that universal sign language at which I have become so adept."

A busy day, then a stroll...

Actually, I thought that I had last posted on Friday, but I see that my last post was Thursday.  So, let me bring you up to date.

 Anila (right) seemed to catch on quickly

Everyone is busy!

Friday was a great day, spent primarily at the International Christian Assembly - a wonderful church across from the Iranian (I think) embassy and around the corner from CCC.  We had about ten women who did both the hot pad and the pillow, of all ages, and a few hearty souls stayed until they were essentially done... about four or five hours.  Of course, we didn't begin on time, one of the three machines was malfunctioning (so we only had two), and only one iron.

The malfunctioning machine was sounding just fine after a  cleaning, but I didn't have a chance to clean it until the group was almost gone!  Everyone seemed to enjoy the time together, though, and we are getting together again this coming Friday to complete the pillow and work out the "kinks" for our visit to the prison. 

We have not yet found out how many women will be able to go to the prison, and we have a couple who have not yet done the pillow, so that will be something to work on this week.

After the ICA, we had a chance to meet a variety of people involved with the ministries in Bathore and with the magazine, Ilira - more later.

For Bonnie!

Saturday, the Pashos invited me for lunch and evening church.  It was a good opportunity to catch up with them, see their new home, and deliver some things we carried over.

The day was absolutely spectacular as I set out for the trek.  Because it was so nice, the going was slower than usual; the sidewalks were filled with people and vendors.  I decided to try to highlight some of the things along the way which reminded me that I was not home...  Albania is such a special place!!

First, I wanted to show that pets are becoming more common... I've seen more dogs being walked than before; dogfood is highlighted in more and more stores!  This pet store is for Bonnie... it looked prosperous, and had a couple of dogs (to the left of the steps) as well as cats for sale.  I hate seeing dogs in such small kennels, though.  Compared to the emaciated female dogs with hanging tits and protruding ribs seen along the streets, these look healthy and well fed.

A coffee

 The The first thing you notice along the route is the number of coffee shops with tables along the sidewalk.  People are busy talking and having "a coffee."  Notice, also, the bikes and (you can't tell from the photo) motorcycles parked along the street's edge.

But, you have to be alert!  Danger can lurk along the way.   The sidewalk is not necessarily always in good repair, and dangerous areas rarely marked.

Store fronts can be below the sidewalk, at street level, or above (see the spiral stairs in the back?) going up.  These can protrude into the walkway.

You can get almost anything done - even buy fabric.  The store below on the left is probably a seamstress shop, but this is how fabric is often displayed.

Notice the lack of handrails; it would not be unusual to see the entrance to the tattoo parlor (right) without the glassed in area above its entrance.  Having this kind of protection is becoming more common.

Vendors set up anywhere - farmers from the surrounding villages, or people with a garden in town.  They can be on the sidewalk, an alley, along a fence... wherever there is an open space (to the right). 

Conversations along the way are also common - notice the two men on the left below, one with a bicycle?  I waited for several minutes while they chatted at a bottleneck in the route!

The food stand to the right is fairly stable (outside an open air market)... if you look hard, you can find another vendor in the back who is sitting and "covered," though her eyes are not.

Thursday, for the first time here, there was a woman on the street who was completely "covered."  She had black from the top of her head to her toes, though I assume she could see through her face covering.  There is this reaction in me - it's as if the person under all that material isn't a person at all... just a ghost, or a shadow, or a "negative image," a vacuum.  She was tall and stately, walking with her husband.  I wonder what God thinks of covering up half of those made in His image.

At any rate, finally made it to the Dori and Alban's - they have a new house which is absolutely beautiful!!!  So, I will leave you wondering about that, and will close for now.

Take care!  Pray for the people of Albania! 

Mirupafshem!

It might be easier without photos...

Well, that was an experience - like none other I've had making these blog posts.  I was having trouble with text and photos, they were bouncing around, and I couldn't control the margins or spacing!  But, because I haven't taken a photo either yesterday or today, this post should be easier.

Yesterday I met with Krystal, a Christar missionary to the Roma here and a friend of Linda's.  How energetic!!!  It seemed like I had known her for years, and she understood the vision God has given me, even though my explanations were even more muddled than usual by my jet lag.  She is currently serving several different communities - including two Roma groups - a complex thing to do in this culture.  At any rate, there are many who lack marketable skills in her communities.  While her husband focuses on the men, her focus has been on the children, young girls and women.  Even here in Tirane, among the Roma, the girls get married early - often around 13 - and marriages rarely last a lifetime. 

Most of the children, though required to go to school, don't.  Often, the only "skill" they learn is begging.  Parenting skills are not a priority, "houses" may not have floors or walls, most eat one meal a day, if that.  Does this sound a little chaotic?  It does to me.  The plight of the Roma was much better under Communism - they were literate, and discrimination was officially not allowed.  However, now that the "heavy hand" is gone, people have reverted to age old prejudices and the Roma are ostracized.   Krystal says that even the "Albanian" community is stratified, based on income, I guess.  Enough!

So, another community that could use marketable skills for the women - those deserted or divorced by "husbands" (they are often not legally married at the outset) - most with children.  It sounds like Krystal (and her compatriots) have made inroads into the two Roma communities that they serve, and we strategized on how to introduce something that could blossom into an income for some of her friends.  I will be seeing her and two of her partners on Monday - we will check out beading supplies here, and I'll introduce a "craft" I brought over to give to the widows in Bathore... knitting jewelry.  Depending on their ability, these resulting pieces may be marketed in the US.  In addition, Krystal may have space for some sewing machines and a seamstress.  We'll see..

Today, I met with Suela, Anila and Lisa to check out the facilities at the prison.  It seems we may have a big enough group of Christian women who will commit to monthly visits; there are ten treadle machines (not all in working order) at the prison and random supplies (thread, etc.).  The women in prison appear willing to begin this new venture!  We sat around for an hour or so, and answered questions, discussed the project, talked with staff, and so on.  Suela will talk with the authorities to assure them of our intentions.  So, that was very productive, I thought.  Although we were not allowed to take photos today, I have been assured that we can take some during the class.  For the initial steps in this ministry, I think things went really well.  More later.  One thing I will share, is the sigh of relief when they let us out!

After that, I had an opportunity to strategize with Migena.  Remember Migena?  She is a wonderful woman who has a heart for widows in her country; I met her last spring, along with Kathie and Rhonda (both of whom traveled with me, if you recall).  The stories of many of the widows sound like the Roma above, and, in fact, I suspect many of them are Roma.  At any rate, perhaps you recall that Migena has, single-handedly, begun a ministry to serve some of these women, having had meetings for them monthly for probably the last year, more or less.  She has recently begun monthly food distribution to about thirty families which has been financed through several sources.  It is primarily through her efforts that she has brought quite a few to know the Lord.  For instance, she helped an older widow visit her recently widowed and pregnant daughter in Greece.  Through that relationship, both the mother and daughter, as well as other family members have come to know our Savior.

Recently, Migena organized a meeting for about 25+ widows featuring Martha, an author from the States who traveled here to lead a seminar for Christian leaders.  Martha's visit was facilitated through the efforts of CASMI (Come and Sew Ministries International), a sister ministry headed by my spring-time travel partner, Kathie.  Through their efforts, all of the attendees professed a belief in the Lord at the end of that meeting.  Migena is currently following up with everyone to make sure that they are "plugged in" to a church and to discipleship.

Migena has also worked hard, along with Dava (a widow), and Ida (a seamstress), to begin a ministry to teach widows a marketable skill - sewing.  Through the generosity of a grant from CASMI, they were able to obtain some sewing machines and are busy with weekly classes.  It was due to their ministry in Bathore to the widows there that Ida felt God nudging her move her sewing business to Bathore so that she could not only be closer to the widows she is teaching, but also to model a Christian business!

Recall that I brought with me a way to knit jewelry (above)...  Migena and I discussed the potential for this to become income-producing... there may be a way to market finished items in the States.  And, there were some other potential skills (some that I picked up at the Market) that might translate into income-producing ventures, so we talked a lot about those.  We had lots of ideas, some of which may actually see the "light of day."

So, with Migena, we will have a busy couple of days - visiting the staff of Ilira (a Christian magazine here for women) Evis (the director of the center I visited last spring in Bathore), and others.  God has placed such a heart in Migena, and I am proud to have her as my friend.

OK, I'm going to try to catch a few winks now that it is 4:30.  Pray I can fall asleep, and that this jet lag thing will plague someone else... not me.  Oh, bother, just pray it goes away and doesn't plague anyone!!

Take a gander at the Houston Market...

And I thought I had blunted the jet lag... well, that theory goes by the wayside.  Just couldn't stay up any longer last night, so laid down at around 9:30, thinking that would probably get me through the night, and I could wake up at a respectable hour... well, sort of respectable, like 5 or, with luck, 6.  Forget that!  I woke up at 2:30 am.  There is nobody else up, probably in the whole city... so thought I'd blog for a few minutes before I try to catch a few more winks.

Checking out samples, discussing...

Writing orders...

I thought I'd give you a view of the Houston Quilt Market before this new format (or my funky computer) completely drives me nuts.  I have pictures and text bouncing around at what appears to be random.  And, this blogging thing used to be easy!!

There were 22+ rows of vendor upon vendor.  You can see in the first picture how big the smaller vendors' spaces were, the second picture shows a bigger vendor with people writing orders.  The vendors who would share with me seemed to overwhelmingly say that they had wished this show had followed the election, thinking that the results of the election would have influenced the orders written.  Everyone agreed that people were kind of waiting anxiously before taking another financial risk.

Trying to give perspective... the lights go on forever!

Some vendors had lots of free space...

It didn't seem like the economy was much of a bother for many of the shop-owners, though.  New ideas and products, demonstrations, samples, quilting ideas abounded.   I took photos of lots of quilts - who would have guessed? - and found many ideas that might be translated into projects over here.   We have ideas for marketing, potential vendors if we want to open a store here, and it was generally a very productive time.

My lovely hostess after hours of driving, tromping the show!

Adi and I talked for hours about how a store might work, where it could be, what we would do there, strategies about introducing quilting or sustaining it over here.  Basically, she said we should focus on Tirane for now.  So, will not try to go north, but will still try to visit Morave and Berat.  It always seems like such a really long visit while I'm preparing, and the time goes by so fast, I wonder how I'm going to get it all done while I'm still here.

Well, I'm going to post this - so you can read it before it mysteriously disappears into the clouds somewhere.  I'll catch you up on my activities here in the next blog.