New Apt Tour

A few before and after shots of the
living room and my bedroom:

A video tour of the whole apt:

Reality of the World

In January one of the ladies that was working in my city went on furlough. She had a preschool that needed someone to run it while she was away for a few months. So, in February one of the girls on my team and I took over this program. Before this lady left, we went to visit all the families to begin contact with them. The families were poor, and many had serious economic or social difficulties, ie: father in prison, unemployment, abusive dad, etc. It broke my heart! But one of the girls has quite the interesting set up at home. The mother lives here in this city with her two girls. Her husband lives in a western European country and is married to another woman; trying desperately to get a passport so he can take his family out of Kosova (normal idea here, but interesting way to go about doing it). When we went for a visit the mother was dressed in frumpy clothes, the house was a mess, smoke filled the room, and there was evidence of many cigarettes on the coffee table. One girl was at school, and the other was riding her bike, yes, her bicycle, around the living room- over our feet even! So, this is how our relationship began...

During the last months, it has been pretty interesting with all the families, not just this one. But most interesting of all is this little girl and her family. Her mom is pretty depressed and really searching for fulfillment in external, worldly things. The girl is a spoiled brat that throws temper tantrums all the time. It's a pretty dysfunctional family!

So, enter today; our last day of preschool. The last house we came to drop the children off at was this one. As we drove up, a strange man started to slowly walk out of the house (there are often strange men around...). The little girl's face froze, and she stopped throwing the temper tantrum she was having in the back seat. One of the ladies from the church got out and tried to figure out who the man was while the little girl cowered in the back seat. The man claimed he was her uncle and her mom was out visiting someone who was in the hospital. We had no choice but to leave the little girl with the man. I got chills up my back as I watched him grab her hand and slowly lead her back inside the house. As we were driving back to the preschool, we met the mom a little ways off and she said that the man was her friend and it was alright. I guess it is the simple fact that the stories don't match up, but I feel so unsettled about what took place.

The little girl is four old, and yet she's been exposed to more of this world than I have, in some ways. I can't even imagine what sort of life stands before her if nothing changes. May the God who came to seek and save that which is lost step into this little girl's heart and mind. May He restore and redeem her and her family to Himself. Please, please, please join me in praying for this baby and the other ones that face similar circumstances each day!

Ministry Update

I realize it has been quite a while since I wrote on my blog. Instead of spouting out a list of excuses, I will just apologize. That being said...I have millions of things that I could put on here. What stories I have from the past months! But those will hopefully come later on. Right now I just want to throw up a few pictures and give a little glimpse into my life right now. And hopefully I will come back in a few days (or weeks) and put the rest up...hopefully! ;-)

Here's a few of us girls doing a cleaning project
in a poor area of Peja, my city.

Here's part of the youth group that I took over in January. Summer's coming, so this will sort of fade into the background as teams come. But come Fall it will be revamped and begin again. Please keep me and the 2 other people that are leading it with me in your prayers.

We finally found a house! WooHoo! Praise God!!!
However, the house was bright orange, hot and light pink, and smerf blue... Needed a bit of "calming down" before it was live-able.

Here's the after shot of the kitchen- I love my new house.
Thanks for all of you that prayed for it!

Outside my window are 5 big dumpsters. There are many, many poor people in my city that find their only source of living from digging through them. Please pray for these men and women! May God touch their hearts as He has done ours!

Here's another mosque that is being built not far from my house. Interesting that the government finds money to fund these, but can't help the poor people? I think so as well! May God reign down His love and Light upon the darkness enveloping this land!

My current team. About 3 months ago 2 new girls came. In 1.5 months 2 girls will go. Sort of feels like my team is a revolving door right now. But God is moving powerfully in many of their lives and hearts! Keep them in your prayers.

Without the Lord's touch, we are blind!
Without His grace, we are lost!
Without God's hope, we live in despair!
Without the Almighty's plan, we wander aimlessly!
Without Jesus' love, we are dead!

Don't forget these Truths as you go about your day.
They are the foundation to life!
Start here and go forth...into all the world!