The land for the church in Fushekruje is adequate, but by no means lavish in size. It was purchased from one of the first families in Fushekruje, to avoid any future claims from returning Albanians looking to retake their family plots. All of the land around our church belongs to the family we concluded purchase from a few years ago. From the ground it is possible to see at least five different houses belonging to five different members of that same family. If loving one’s neighbor as oneself were ever this necessary, I would struggle to name the time or place. One of the day’s activities was bringing the back-road, used commonly by both family members and the church alike, into proper shape.
The temperature peaked at about 102 degrees in the afternoon, with less humidity than usual. My sister and her family live in Tucson and I never understood a love for heat until a few days ago. As I was walking along the sidewalk of the main road in Fushekruje, a slow wind pushed the hot air over me; it was like taking a hot bath without the being wet or like to drown. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, imagining that I had caught whatever madness possessed the first natives of Arizona to remain there.
Yli, our tile-man, started laying out the tile for the sanctuary on the main floor of the church today. I prefer tile to any other indoor flooring surface. I have watched a few masters of this art, as they work out the pieces to the puzzles we walk on. I haven’t had the privilege of seeing how one performs these tasks with such a limited tool-kit before. In the States, “doing it yourself” is made easy due to sheer accessibility to tools and building materials. Yli is stitching this quilted gown together by hand, I and he is doing a great job.
Tomorrow we will continue to work on walks and walls, entrances and exits. Before we know how it happened we will be worshiping God in the first church building the city of Fushekruje has ever known. Will you come and celebrate with us?
albaniacalling 