Whenever I agree to do what I feel is right, as opposed to what I in my selfishness would choose, I am blessed. A few days ago, my friend Etmira asked if I would escort her to her church in Durrës on Sunday. It is not entirely unsafe for young women to travel alone, but two are always safer than one in any context. I agreed, and this morning we set out from the college a little after 8AM. By 10AM, we had arrived. In short order every seat in the place was full. While surveying the gathered crowd, I noticed a friend I have not seen since my last visit to Skopje.
My friend Dardajan, has been serving as a missionary in Macedonia since June of 2012. I had not known that Durrës was his home church, or that he was back in Albania for a conference. We gave each other a good, strong hug, and talked a bit before the service began. He sat next to me to translate Pastor Gëzim’s message. After church, Etmira and her family took me out for a coffee. Dardajan also came with his mother, whom I had not met before. At the conclusion of our time at the kafe, my friends and I took the fugon back to Tirana together.
On our way back into the city, we were able to discuss some of the aspects of Albanian culture. I had some theories about the bus and how people on the bus behave towards the man who collects their bus fare. Dardajan’s interpretation of the events I described was different from mine in almost every way. I wonder what kinds of observations he would make during a visit to the States. I wonder what kinds of blessings his observations of my world would bring.
albaniacalling 