The Pop-Up Book

We were leaving a worship service in Tirana late last fall when she approached me.

"Hi! Do you know who I am?"

I paused just long enough for her to realize I was stumped.  Thankfully, she shared her name without making me ask.

Immediately I was able to place her as a friend of my parents from more than twenty years ago -- when they had rented the upper level of a villa in Selite.  It was my senior year of university and I was in Albania on my Christmas break.  We had eaten lunch in her home.  Since that winter day in 1996 I think we may have crossed paths only one other time, but her name was more familiar as someone my parents really connected with.

I hadn't realized she had moved to a different church, so the context this November morning had been especially confusing.

Her husband walked up to us and she re-introduced him saying, "Your dad led him to Jesus!"
Wow. Now I knew why they held a special place in Mom and Dad's hearts.

On the spot she asked if we could connect on Facebook.  Of course I agreed, and promised to pass along their greetings to my parents the next time we spoke.

Fast forward about a month and Nathan and I decided to use some time we had each week in Tirana to resume some language study.  I suggested we see if my new friend had availability in her schedule to work with us.  After several Messenger exchanges we started what would be recurring visits to the classroom she had set up below her home for teaching private English courses.  In our case, she was helping us with Albanian conversation and instruction.

Yesterday we were discussing Easter and Easter traditions when she reached behind herself to pull a worn book off the shelf.

She said, "Your parents gave me this book more than twenty years ago.  I want you to know I use this book to tell the life of Jesus from his birth to death and resurrection to every English class I have ever taught since then.  The students never cease to be amazed at the way the pictures pop up!  All I can do is plant seeds and trust God to do the rest."

I immediately whipped out my camera, snapped a photo, and sent it to Mom's phone.

A few hours later Mom messaged me back... "You never know... a word you say or a gift you give can have a profound impact for years and never know it."

I agree.  This little episode has me thinking about my own generosity in years past -- in both gifts and words.  Have I considered the long-term impact beyond my own short-term sacrifice (or in many cases, it may not be a sacrifice at all). I know my parents had no idea how the gift of this children's book would be used to spread the seeds of the Gospel for more than two decades!

I also feel blessed to be able to see the fruits of my parents' time invested in Albanians over all these years. As it becomes more and more challenging for them to travel here, I'm grateful to be able to share the ripples of their impact that continue through reports like this.

And this message is to encourage anyone reading this post who supported the work of Planters over the past 22+ years.  I want to encourage you too, that the resources you invested in the work of the Gospel through Planters goes forth through the next generation!