Camp Videos

I know, I know- I'm sooo behind on videos! I have a million to work on from the music/art tour...and we have another tour coming up in a few weeks again! Yikes...

But here's a few from camp.

Making tortillas from scratch- the girls loved it!

A compilation of the low ropes activities- hilarious!

Beautiful girls- fun camp...

To God be all glory and honor!

The Sweet Life!

Lovin' my job! I get to hang out and play at camp!! Jealous- well, you should be... This past week we had an incredible camp with 8 girls. We couldn't have asked for a better group! We did so many fun things, talked about their worth in God, beauty, and purity, watched a movie in our PJ's in the tent, ate delicious food, and just pretty much had an amazing time. Keep scrolling down to see what the week looked like. 

Craft models (ribbon hairbands).

All the crafts (and yes, there was a boy- actually 4- at camp!).

Get to know you game:

Answer the question your thumb lands on.

Girls from my girls' group! Yay...

Ice cream sundaes- woohoo for sugar!

Ah-mazing food every meal!

Using the Bird's Nest-

built by this group.

Low ropes course-

team building activities.

Super fun and challenging for the girls.

Modeling their hairbands :)

We divided into 2 groups and had a puzzle competition.

Only the puzzles were near impossible...

stupid old pieces that fit everywhere!

My group that...um, well, lost...

Wish I had this array of food each morning for breakfast!

Hanging out at craft time.

We discovered that some of the leaders indeed had trust issues!

Lesson time-

Love this picture!

I got to teach on God's view of beauty and Him as the Creator and lessons I've learned along the way. It was really fun!

This is my look alike...just younger!

Girls from our girls' group :)

Workers at the coffeeshop next door to my house.

My next door neighbor-

how I met her here.

Such a blessing that she came. She kept saying:

"I've never heard any of this before!"

Please join us in praying for her and all these other girls!

Beautiful young ladies!

Thanks for taking the time to look through all those.

Please let their pictures remain on your heart and mind in the coming weeks. These young women have tough decisions to make and live out. Pray also for us as we love on and minister to them!

*camp videos coming soon*

Who Are You?

There's something I've been wrestling with, chewing on, and trying to figure out for a number of months now. I guess the short version would be to sum it up in identity. However, I am not good at short versions- especially on my blog! :) So, I'll expound a bit more...

These past 3 years I've been living out one of my dreams- to move overseas, love on people, grow with God, and see Him exalted among the nations. It's been a huge passion of mine since I can remember. The title for such a profession is normally referred to as a missionary. About 10 months into my time here, I was asked to lead the team that my organization had here. I did so for a little over a year and a half. During that time, I had the title of team leader. I've worn many other hats during my time here: foreigner, English teacher, aid worker, neighbor, Albanian student, friend, writer, etc. But not only that, I've had tons of other things that defined me in the past: waitress, secretary, psych student, RA, church member, daughter, sister, student, etc. We all have hundreds of things we're good at, we partake in, we study, we work at, or whatever in this life time. We pursue and maybe accomplish dreams. We fail. We climb mountains. We stay in the valley. We run. We sit. We could be defined by those things- in fact, isn't that one of the first things that someone asks you when they meet you? "What do you do? Where do you work? What are you studying..." Why? Well, we want to categorize people. If they don't fit into our perfectly made up boxes it makes us feels slightly uncomfortable to be around them. Did you ever meet someone that answered one of those questions out of the normal way? "What do you do for a living?" "Well, I am a vocational lover." (that's from one of the past team members I had over here) Odd answer- makes you feel weird, interested, or maybe a bit upset that you know they are wanting to draw you into something deeper by forcing another question.

But I'm tired of being defined by titles, jobs, or things. God started me on a journey this past spring to attempt to remove all other titles other than: Follower of Jesus (could also be His Disciple). Everything else is totally secondary! I've not lived the past 3 years (or pretty much ever...) like that, and I've faced the severe consequences and stress of the decisions I've made and the weights I've shouldered to carry. The only weight He gives to carry is to follow Him. To pursue Him above all else. Thus, when He says: "My yoke is light, and my burden easy," He really means it in truth. But we, as people, pick up hundreds of other things to add on...And then complain that He's given us too much to bear.

So, this summer has been one of the best times in my life. Why? Well, not because it's been easy and full of sunshine, rainbows, and butterflies, but because it's been filled with Him. I'm not saying that the past years before, over here, haven't been filled with Him- they've just been clouded up with so much other junk and pressures I knowingly and unknowingly placed on my shoulders. I was important. I was doing great things for God. I was needed by others. I was going places... And all those things and thoughts landed me in one of the worst places I've ever been this past winter: wondering where God was and why He allowed me to be in the place I was. When I came back here, after being in the US this spring, I knew it was going to be rough. I was leaving at the end of the summer, thus stripping myself of nearly all titles I'd been given or given myself. I became a nobody. That is, I became what I should have been all along: A Follower of God and nothing else.

As the summer draws to a close, there is a tension in my heart. Why did it take so long to learn all this? Why do I have to now leave as I'm finally understanding and getting what it means to live on mission? I've had some of the most amazing conversations and things I've been a part of this summer. Things I've dreamed of doing for the past 3 years. What a huge gift from my Beautiful Father to be here and be a part of all this right now.

The longing inside my heart to stay is great. But it's time to move on. To go back home to America... I have so much more peace as I'm preparing to go there- not cuz I have a job lined up, an apartment to move into, or smooth sailing in any arena. But because I know who I am and who I'm following as I go forth. And most days that's enough for my restless, wandering heart!

Traffic Chaos!

About once a day or so my roommate and I have the privilege of hearing loud honking and angry yelling outside. Many times it draws my attention outward, and I go out on the balcony to witness the chaos below. It's still humorous for me- even after living in this flat for over a year. Driving here takes much talent and isn't for the faint hearted... Watch below for more details.

Fly Away!

This video was taken yesterday at the end of our carnival for teens. It's the first one I'm uploading, because it seriously cracks me up on so many levels. Example: the little guy at the beginning that is embarrassed for being caught looking down his pants. However, I can't blame him- he'd been through a gross mud pit, a soapy slip and slide, and a ton of other yuck stuff! And then the random boys kicking each other in the bottoms. Watch closely for other funny things! I love these kids...!

Sorry it ends so abruptly, I can't remember what happened, but some sort of chaos near me, and I had to turn of the camera quick- ha! Oh, and click on the video once to watch in on my blog. Click twice to watch it bigger on Youtube. :)

My Day..

She nearly left, but one of the band members talked her into staying for the carnival we had for local teens today. I'm thinking at this moment she regretted that decision...

Her team- after the mud pit!

Pretty gross. Was glad I was managing the apple bobbing!

There's an amazing painter on the team with the band this time.

She paints while they sing.

Beautiful...simply beautiful!!

You Know...

you've had a long, really hot day when you arrive home and your undershirt looks a bit like this:

Yeah...that's a bit gross, but it's all I got for now! ;-)

Camp, kid's carnivals, and music/art tours are in full swing- yes, those are all happening at the same time! It's been a lot of fun and I'm rejoicing in God for His love and faithfulness during these long, hot days. I'll be back sometime with all the fun pictures and videos I've been taking... One of these days!

*Oh, and yes, I am laying on my bed, eating candy again- why do you ask? ;-)

Missing Someone...

...and the family that goes with him!

A Few Pictures

Feeling a bit more rested...after nearly 10 + hours of sleep last night combined with a nap today! I wanted to upload a few pictures from this past week, before I tackle the job of video editing. So, in simpler terms and less work, here's a glimpse at this past week:

Fire twirling on the main road in a village.

An attempt to attract people to come to the show.

She's really talented (from Switzerland).

This is her second time here, and she plans on 

returning 2 more times this summer.

The theme was on: Love!

They sang some popular, secular songs and

some songs they'd written about God's love.

The songs also were accompanied with a few dances (with a message) and a drama about the love of the Father in the parable of the prodigal son (only it was a daughter here).

The mornings were spent with a group from a 

church plant in another city. Most of my team attends and is on staff at this church. This was the group that served together at the kid's club.

A few members of my team and I.

The first day of the club: 800 children.

Second day: 1,200 kids.

Third: Somewhere around 1,500!

It was a bit of organized chaos...

Keep praying for their hearts and the Gospel they heard!

And lastly (for now):

Back to the band and the show they did on the main street in my city. We have: France, South Africa, Canada, and New Zealand represented in that shot!

Thanks for praying for these things prior to and even now, for the hearts and lives that were impacted (known and unknown to us). You guys are just as much involved here

 as I or any other person is!

Sneak Peek...

This week has been insane! It's 8:30pm on Thursday night and I'm trying to kill time to not go to sleep yet (when that's all I and my body are desiring right now...). So, lucky for my blog, I'm going to spend the forever amount of time it takes to upload 2 videos to give you a glance at what I've been doing this week. I'll post more later on- when I've regained my mind again! :) Until then...I'm just going to lay here on my bed, eating candy (all discipline and resolve have flown out the window right now), and wait for these things to upload.

The kid's club that had over 1,500 kids in attendance that I helped out at a few days this week. You should be careful whenever you volunteer to do anything of that nature- especially when it's with wild, unruly Kosovar kids and you're working the gift table...!

My team helped host a band from Turkey as they were touring the nation of Kosovo. They were here for almost 2 weeks, and did many performances. I was part of 4 of those this past week. The one in the clip here was on the main street in my city a few nights ago. It was a good time, and we hope to have more of these in the near future.

And now it's 9pm...I think I'm going to call it a night! I'll be back in the coming days, but until then: big hugs- miss you guys!

A Friend's Blog

Since this week is slammed, and I have no time to update or write anything, I thought I'd direct you to a friend's blog to enjoy his latest posts. His name is Dom, and he has great thoughts!

Happy reading:
Dom's Blog!

The Week Ahead

Do you guys remember when I posted about this? Well, this week is going to be a bit of that same thing. Today my team and I are headed to another village with a co-worker of ours (from another city) and the group he has visiting from Turkey. And then tomorrow we'll be doing a show on the main street of my city. We've prayed a lot leading up to this event, however there is still a high risk in doing it out in the open like this (we'd previously done it in the art theatre and high school). Please join us in praying for God's name to be lifted high and glorified in the coming days and weeks as this tour happens.

I'll post some pictures and videos when I have them and have some time (soon, I hope!).
Thanks!!

PS: Nearly forgot...It's the 4th of July!!! Happy Independence Day to all my American friends out there. I'm doing nothing to celebrate, but I promise I'll be joining in the happiness in my heart :) Eat some good BBQ and watch some fireworks for me!