With my year of mission at an end, it is time to sup together with my new friends and colleagues. It is remarkable to me how much can happen in a year; how many friendships, strong friendships, can be formed, and how much history can be written in the faces of you and those you love. Tuesday night, the Plagenhoefs took me out for a special dinner. Their son Joel, as always, was an active and imaginative stitch to be around. He is the very image of my best friend Dave in the States. We talked about the sheep he likes to visit with his dad, where he has traveled in his life as an MK (missionary kid), and the kinds of food he likes. If I could describe the Plagenhoefs in one word, that word would be: strong.
Today I was taken out to lunch in Bloku by Cleon from the International Church. Robin joined us a little later on. They were more than courteous, letting me into their lives and offering many words of appreciation and encouragement. I admire both Cleon and Robin. It is good to be friends with people you admire.
This evening, at 5PM, a group of my friends and I were set to meet at a cafe on the 21st floor of the Tirana Business Center. Due to racial profiling, two of us were denied access to the elevator, and so the 11 of us took our business to another place. I think the guard expected us to leave the two behind. Angelica, the friend of mine who had put the gathering together, argued with the security person for a few minutes, and I think we would eventually had been allowed the enjoy ourselves as is any person’s right; but life is only getting shorter by the moment and has always been far too short to argue with slow-witted high-school graduate who is carrying a gun. We eventually settled in on the outdoor patio of a fourth-story cafe nearby, and the venue was just as nice as we could have asked for.
In all of these gatherings, the celebration was us: my friends and I, respect, love, admiration, encouragement and joy. These last days have been a celebration of friendship and the connections that God calls us to make.
albaniacalling 