Today was another exercise in the mystical and magnificent nature of our God.  I can not remember a time I was as happy as I am at this very moment.  I had thought that my arrival had somehow coincided with the apex of spring, but nature keeps surprising my senses with a multiplication of her bounty both in flora and fauna.  It is as if the landscape is God’s canvas which at first sight appears complete, yet every time it comes into view He has added another dash of purple wild-flower or half-a-dozen bright red poppies; another nest-full of hatched chicks tightly formed around their mother.

Kurt and Stephanie are my handlers here in Sauk, they have been missionaries to Albania for something like 16 years.  Construction in Fushkruje is set to start back up this coming Monday, and I am ready to go.  This afternoon a pastor from Brazil lead the chapel at 11:30.  He is named Pastor Jose, and he has totally mastered the Albanian language.  He invited me to come to his church, and so that is where I will be on the 10th.  This Sunday I will be going to Durres, Pastor Gezim’s church.  

Today I knocked out the second to the last paper I need for graduation.  If you are interested in reading some really well written sociological prose, check out Liquid Modernity by Zygmunt Bauman.  His writing is too dense to summarize, his thought process to full of color to paint with words.  I enjoy him.

For dinner, five of us walked to Sauk, on the way passing the dog I have fallen in love with.  On the way home I picked up a salcicia i vogel for him.  I have found that I need to crush the hot-dog so that the casing is easier for him to chew.  Max, the name my little brother chose, doesn’t have many teeth.  I noticed today that he has kind of a golden brindle coat, and deep hazel eyes.  

I spoke with my father for about an hour last night.  He is such a good man.  I could tell you so many stories about his love for me and our family.  If you are an All Saintser, you are a blessing to my father and I thank you for that.