Two Easters?

Albania is a land of contrasts. It’s a country where a majority self-identify as Muslim, but whose national hero was a Christian. Official national holidays in Albania include Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramada), Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), Mother Teresa Day, Christmas, and TWO Easters!

In fact, to the best of my knowledge, Albania is the only country in the world to recognize both the Catholic and Orthodox dates for Easter as national holidays! 

“The Great Schism” in 1054AD divided the Catholic West from the Orthodox East. For most countries, the division was clear, but Albania was caught in the middle. At various times through the centuries Albania oscillated between Catholic and Orthodox rule. Interestingly, some Albanian church murals dated in the 1600's depict joint Catholic-Orthodox communion services.  Neither church had a complete foothold when the Ottoman Empire took control of the region, so Islam was able to take root much more fully here than in the surrounding countries that were also under Ottoman control. 

   

Until 1582, both Catholic and Orthodox churches celebrated Easter on the same day, but Pope Gregory VIII modified the Julian calendar in 1582 to try to re-align Easter closer to Jewish Passover and to account for the discrepancy between the astronomical calendar and the Julian calendar, by adding ‘leap year’.

While most of Europe gradually followed suit, many predominately Orthodox countries shunned anything considered Catholic, and chose to keep the original system.  Even after Russia and Greece officially began to use the Gregorian Calendar (less than 100 years ago), Orthodox churches continued to celebrate Easter according to the traditional Julian dates.  Protestant churches tend to celebrate Easter on the official date recognized by their countries of residence.  

Here in Albania most Evangelical churches are church plants from the United States and Western Europe, so we typically celebrate on ‘Catholic Easter,’ but we enjoy the chance to wish a “Gezuar Pasket!” to our neighbors on ‘Orthodox Easter’ as well!  This year the dates fall 5 weeks apart, but in 2017 they will be on the same weekend.

If you ask me, a story this big deserves two holidays!

Joining the Club

For thirteen years Nathan and I worked in student ministry for World Gospel Mission at Asbury University.  We were missions mobilizers (a fancy, non-threatening word for 'recruiters'), counselors, event coordinators, disciplers, and more... including the role of big brother/sister (and eventually 'uncle or aunt') to a host of missionary kids who came to college straight from the mission field.

That role was natural for Nathan, having spent a few years himself as a child in Africa.  It was a point of pride that he was included in this 'club.'  For me, it was a bit more stretching.

It didn't take a genius to see that these kids were attracted to each other like metal filings to a magnet.  It was a relationship I couldn't explain.  It didn't matter if they attended the same boarding school or if they grew up on different continents on opposite hemispheres... they clicked with each other in a way unlike almost any other subset on campus and they spent a LOT of time together.

I think until recently I attributed it solely to the shared experience of living in (what was to them) a foreign country, without a set of parents who could just drop in for parents' weekend. Add to that they also may not have gone to prom or taken driver's ed, or held a job before.  They liked different kinds of sports like futbol and rugby and cooked funny smelling foods in our student center's kitchen.

But now, as I watch my own children grow up as MKs, I have a new level of understanding of that tight-knit group of missionary kids at Asbury. I hear Ellie frequently list all of her friends that she has in America, as if needing the reminder that she has friends.  I hear the hurt and disappointment in Reni's voice when realizes that his best American buddies in Tirana (of whom he has two) will not be in Albania this summer for his birthday and it dawns on me that those missionary kids at Asbury are "Ellie and Reni" in 10-12 years. They are kids who didn't fully belong in the country where their family lived, who had only a handful of friends with whom they could speak and relate to fully.  They were now living on a small residential campus and had four years to make up for lost time.  Time when they didn't have friends with whom they could watch rugby matches, share birthday celebrations, pool parties or have sleepovers,

For our Ellie, having friends has been a bit of a challenge, even in America.  You can imagine our delight when we met another family from the States, living in Albania whose daughter just clicked with Ellie.  Just a few weeks apart in age, and sharing the common experience of adoption, they could play contentedly for hours.  Unfortunately, after our move to the village, we lived nearly two hours away from them.  Throw in my inability to drive here, busy schedules, a summer furlough, and well, just life, and visits were few and far between. Then last fall they announced they would be moving back to the States and my heart sunk.  Ellie's one girl friend would be leaving.

Last month I sent a note to see if we could arrange a last sleepover (it would actually only be their second).  Thankfully we found a night that would work and all was set.

I packed a bag with microwave popcorn, movies, a craft project, markers and paper, and special Fruit Loops cereal, Oh, and a bottle of melatonin, just in case. (As the chaperone I may have also thrown in a few treats for mom too.)  It was going to be a fun night for both girls to remember.

We had met for dinner already so we were well into the night when we settled into the apartment.  I let the girls choose a movie and snuggle up with blankets and popcorn.  Ellie's friend kept telling me, "This feels like paradise!"

I thought to myself, How nice that a sleepover can still be simple!

Thankfully the melatonin was not needed.  There was no drama and everyone was in bed by 10:30, happy to get to watch not one, but TWO movies.

Thanks, Jillian, for hanging out with Ellie!  She won't ever forget you!

Out For The Count

Reni -- I don't know how old you will be when you find this blog and read the posts on your own.  Please don't be embarrassed.  We've all been sick.  And most of us don't look nearly this cute when we're under the weather. -- Mom

Thursday morning, just before 5AM, Nathan and I were awoken by the sounds of Reni crying.  We came in his room where he was sitting up in bed clutching his head.  We asked him if he fell out of bed, but he said no, then vomited all over his blanket in his lap.  We cleaned him up, tried to give him some children's fever reducer (which he couldn't keep down), and his head was back on his pillow before you could say 'snap.'

Not much later we were all up and at 'em at our regular time, but moved about the apartment more quietly so he could rest.  Eight o'clock came and went.  Then nine o'clock came and still no sign of our boy.  Highly unusual!  I went in and checked on him.  He had moved around his bed and started when I tried to cover him up with his blanket.  His speech made no sense, but he indicated he wanted out of bed.

We moved him to the couch (he didn't want to be alone) and he was sick again and just as quickly back out like a light.

Our evening plans had been to meet up in Tirana with a missionary family from another city in the country and take their 10-year-old daughter for a sleepover with Ellie so the girls could say 'goodbye' before this family re-located back to the States.  It was clear that even the car ride into Tirana would be too much for our sick boy, so Pam volunteered to stay with him so Nathan could run Ellie and I in to the city and hold the sleepover at the apartment and keep the germs away from the girls.

Ellie had a great time -- but I will post those pics another time.  The next day Nathan sent me this pic of Reni.  He was asking for food, but still unable to keep his eyes open, much less eat.

Doesn't he look pitiful?  It was almost more than I could take, 40 minutes away and unable to drive us back to the village without a vehicle.

Ellie and I came back to the village with Mandi and Arjan for Friday night church.  Reni seemed a bit stronger and even nodded that he wanted to play with the Kindle when I asked.

This seemed a bit more normal and encouraging so I snapped a photo.  But it lasted less than a few minutes and he was out like a light again.  I had bought some electrolyte powdered drink mixes in Tirana at the pharmacy but he refused to take them, even with a bendy straw. ;-)  He proceeded to sleep through Friday night/Saturday morning.

Saturday morning I was sleeping up in our family room loft on the couch when I heard the unmistakable sounds of Reni climbing the stairs (he had taken my spot in bed next to Nathan the night of the sleepover and you can bet I wasn't going to sleep there until those sheets had been changed, ha ha).  Finally, a sign that he might have turned the corner!

His appetite returned Saturday, but in spite of laying low Saturday and Sunday, we found him on the chair fast asleep after an early-evening Sunday Skype call to my parents.

This morning he didn't have school with it being a holiday, but Ellie did.  He dressed up in his spy gear to be on the look out for Ellie's teacher, Ms. Pam.

After Ellie's school (during which Reni joined us for a grocery shopping trip and some study time at the coffee shop), we took Ms. Pam out for lunch in honor of Teacher's Day (a week late) and finished it off with dessert in honor of Summer's Day (even though it's not feeling too summer-ish today in Shqiperi).

Ironically, this afternoon we were supposed to be picking up our pastoral couple from WGM, Frank and Sharon Martin, for their first visit to Albania. Yesterday we got an e-mail from Frank stating that he had been hit hard with the stomach flu.  If it was anything like Reni's illness, I knew that wasn't good.  He asked if they could try to change their tickets and postpone their arrival.  Of course we said, 'yes.'  

Sadly, with it being spring break in much of the States, they were unable to find seats on any subsequent flights and had to cancel their trip to see us (as well as other missionaries in Europe) altogether!  I had been so worried about the rest of our family falling prey to sickness during the days we were to host our guests -- or worse yet, getting them sick -- it had never crossed my mind that they could get sick before they even came! 

Reni, so glad you are better!  Frank, get well soon!!!

Women's Day 2016

You may have seen that Tuesday was International Women's Day!  It's a really big deal here in Albania so we try to do something special for the ladies of our village (and many asked me again how we celebrate in America).  This year Shpresa organized two vans to take a group of us to a hotel on the sea in Durres for pizza.

You know how nice it is just to have a change of scenery.  Even for pizza some of the women got all dolled up with their hair done, pulling out the heels and pantyhose (I was not one of them, ahem).

The restaurant which hosted us was on the top of a 7-story building.  Funny how weird it felt to be up so high!  The glass elevator to the top was an event in and of itself!

Of course it's not a party without dancing, even if it means asking the servers to turn up the volume and move a few tables to make room for us.

Of course, the view was also a treat!

Lots of mothers and daughters!

And sister in the Lord!

Of course, my alternate title is glamour photographer, didn't you know?  Which I don't mind because it means I don't have to worry about twisting an ankle on the dance floor.

But seriously, it's a lot of fun...

And one last pic just to prove I was there.

Special thanks to all the Dads and men who held down the fort for a few hours!