Hey everyone!
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a blog, and I can’t wait to update you guys on how things have been here in Albania.
First off, I can’t believe how fast this trip is going. I’m already almost 6 months in, which means that I only have about 3 months until l am back home. I know I say that time is flying every time I write a blog, but it’s true and continues to surprise me.
Anyways, now unto my time in Albania. Just like last time, I am still so in love with this country and the people who live here. The people I have met have made this place so special and I can honestly say that I will leave here with genuine friendships. Getting to know the youth and young adults, hanging out with them, hearing their stories, and talking about the Lord with them has been so amazing and has helped me grow in my understanding of how big, amazing, and worthy God actually is. Obviously I won’t be able to ever grasp that with my basic human mind, but I’m getting closer and closer the more I get to know His people from around the world. It continues to blow my mind and grow my love for God when I hear people who live in different countries with completely different stories than me talk about their faith and how the same God has shown up for them in their lives. I hope that that never ceases to bring me joy and awe.
One of my favorite things about being here so far has been watching God use me to help bring His children closer to Him. One of our first days being here, we made a friend with a lady who owns a thrift store here. Her shop was on our way to ministry when we were living in the first house we were at, so we saw her almost every day for about a week when we stopped by to say hi. She’s a cultural Muslim, so she isn’t practicing it, and she’s open to any religion. We felt like God was giving us this opportunity to introduce her to Him, so we started inviting her to church and have met with her for coffee a few times. It has been such a cool opportunity because as we become better friends with her, she tells us how she knows that God sent us to her because she really needed us, and how she can tell the difference between us and our hearts versus her friends who aren’t believers. Also, she told us that she is going to keep going to church after we leave because she loves the atmosphere there, all of the people have the same genuine kindness that we have, she loves what the pastor talks about, and she feels safe and loved there. God has given me the chance to watch someone actively meet and fall in love with Him, and it has been one of the coolest things that I have been a part of on this trip so far. Talking about how God is actively chasing after her brings me an incredible amount of joy that I start laughing and jumping around. I feel like that’s the kind of joy David had when he would dance around in worship.
Recently, I have been noticing how God is teaching and growing me in all of my circumstances, which is really cool and honestly an answer to prayer. I had this fear that either I wouldn’t grow on this trip or I wouldn’t be able to see it for myself, and thankfully that was kind of a dumb fear, because I have seen God show up and teach me something in literally every single difficult thing I have gone through in the past few weeks. And not even in the difficult stuff either, I see Him show up in the celebratory ministry moments and in the ones where I’m in the wrong and He kindly shows me how I can learn and grow from my response or attitude to something that might have happened. It’s been really amazing, because at the same time as I’m learning and growing, I’m also seeing for myself that you really do grow closer to God, produce more fruit, and see Him more when you are actively seeking Him out and spending more genuine time with Him. I’ve been told that’s how this whole thing works basically my entire life, but I feel like for the first time, I am actually living it. I never want this to stop, and I can’t wait to continue to grow even closer to Him throughout the rest of my life.
My team is leaving for Guatemala in 8 days, and as sad as I am to be leaving this place, I am really looking forward to what God has in store for me and my team in this next and final country. I am so grateful for this experience so far, and I couldn’t have done it without your prayers and financial support that you guys have given me. I truly truly am so thankful.
As I continue this trip, I ask that you would be in prayer for the following…
– leaving Albania in the way that God has planned and with the right heart posture
– my new friends who are figuring out their faith and that God would encounter them (and for me to lift them up to God and not put all the pressure of their faith on myself)
– the church we are partnering with here, ICF Tirana, as well as their youth and young adults programs, would to continue to grow and reach more of the community
– my plans for after this trip, figuring out what God has for me next
– guatemala and all that God has planned, that I would walk in what He has laid out for me
– I am still not fully funded, so prayers for people to have it on their hearts to donate and help me
Thank you so much for reading and supporting me through this journey. If you or anyone you know are interested in helping support me financially, here is the link to my fundraiser.
Love, Gabi
Enjoy some pictures of me, my team, and our new friends in Albania so far!
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