Saturday is a day like any other in Albania. In the countryside where people live on pasture lands there seems not to be a concept of a weekend, as such. Sunday is the day for going to the beach or spending the entire day with family. Taking two of every seven days off has not become institutionalized here, nor has the eight hour work day. Today was a Saturday and officially the first of two days known as Tiranafest; a celebration of Albanian culture, and business with an overarching theme of Evangelical Christianity.
In a nearby park there were many vendors with prepared food for sale. Corn-on-the-cob made scalding hot over red-hot coals is pronounced “meester.” The man I encountered for this photo made me swear that I was only taking his picture to be shown outside of Albania. I could not begin to wrap my mind around the logic of that request, but it seems that the internet is a fair place for display. The kernels of the corn, when it is prepared in this fashion, come off the husk easily and with no mess. It is a terrific summer food.
A nearby pavilion was open to show the many agricultural products of Albania. I was told that the hall itself is where parliament holds its meetings. There was a woman within who immediately took my attention. One of the symbols of socialism is a character I will here name the “fearless woman.” The Fearless Woman appears in artwork throughout the nation; striding forward with her eyes on the horizon. The spirit captured by the artist who wrought this particular image of the Fearless Woman is one of indomitable strength. She is a shoeless, peasant queen blessed under the double-eagle which is crowned by the five-pointed star.
The show this evening included performances by many well known, Albanian entertainers. The crowd responded in a manner which revealed a love not only for the individuals on stage, but also for Albania and Kosovo. There are many here who would like nothing better than to see the two countries united under the same banner. That would of course destabilize an already tenuous peace with the nation of Serbia, so it is unlikely to happen. Entertainers have the luxury of making statements of any kind without thought for consequences. The crowd loved it.
Chimmey and his wife Homa were two of the people I stood with during the concert. It has been good for my heart to have both of them so close at hand throughout my missionary experience. Chimmey is the guard and maintenance man at the school; his wife cares for the grounds outside. They each live a life of unabashed hospitality; fine examples of the Albanian culture’s finest attribute. We have grown to love each other over the last 5 month. This truth is one more example of my call to be here. The baseline of Call is continuous while the peaks and lows are constant reminders that the world is a broken place. Friendship, like finding gold minted just for you, has been a much needed reassurance for me. God’s fingerprints can be found in every friendship.
albaniacalling 