Summer Re-Cap | Camp in Kosovo

Summer is winding down (we resume home school and our other programs next week!), but I can't let the chapter close without recounting our wonderful trip to Kosovo at the end of June for camp.

It's hard to know why I like Kosovo -- if it's because of having friends who minister there or if it's just such a beautiful place (or both)?  If you ask Reni, he would say it's because "they have grass." (Funny the things you miss when you don't have them). 

This was our second over night trip to this little country to the north -- our third time across the border if you count when we were on a trip to northern Albania and experts told us it was actually faster to drive up into Kosovo and back south again (they were right).

We took 6 youth from our village plus our three summer interns (Hannah, Nashana and Jenna).

(Below) We took a selfie while we waited at the border for our Albanian friends to cross.  Turns out the law changed just a few months prior regarding permission for minors between the ages of 16 and 18 and we had some complications to iron out!  Praise God it all worked out and everyone was able to come to camp!

Camp was held at a very large guesthouse on the outskirts of Peja, a city on the western edge of the country, at the base of a mountain range that comprises the border with Montenegro.  Our first night in Peja we actually needed jackets!  It was a wonderful reprieve from the heat!

I know the photo above isn't the greatest -- you can't see any faces and it's kind of dark, but it did my heart good to see Ellie and Reni having a good time as well.  Their friends, the G Family, were hosting the camp, so they got to play with them AND a bunch of cool teenagers who engaged them in games of "chicken", ping pong and soccer/futbol (on real grass!).

The youth from our village got to make some great new friends from 'across the border.'  I read once that Albanians and Kosovars are like brothers, one of which grew up abroad and speaks with a slightly different accent and picked up some different traditions.  They are related and have that understanding that they're 'family', but they have missed out on a lot of shared experiences which makes them different enough.

It was a kick to hear our youth shake their heads in confusion when they didn't understand their Kosovan counterparts whom they thought they should be able to understand, and we all marveled at the different vocabulary used for common household objects.  Probably not unlike the differences between American and British English (hood/trunk, boot/bonnet, anyone?).

Ellie brought her guitar and was thrilled to observe a real worship team up close.  She even got one-on-one instruction from Pastor Jon, who led the group from Georgia.

One day of camp everyone drove up into the Rugove to embark on hiking, climbing and ropes course activities.  I stayed behind with another missionary wife to supervise the kids. 

I'm not exactly sure what Reni and the boys were making, but they thought their creations were valuable and set up a shop for when the rest of the campers returned.

Isn't it funny how some of our favorite memories are the times spent on the 'less exciting' parts of camp?  Like washing dishes for 60 people?  Proud of these guys for stepping up and serving their friends this way!  In the American Church we regularly use the term "servant-leader" as a characteristic of Christ we try to emulate with the help of the Holy Spirit.  It's a counter-cultural concept in the States.  Even more counter-cultural here.  Ask me about it sometime.

Some pics from up in the Rugove!

Photo credit:  Jenna Drucker

Photo credit:  Jenna Drucker

Photo credit:  Jenna Drucker

Incidentally, after the day up in the mountains, Nathan's fitbit said he had climbed 96 flights of stairs... Isn't it breathtakingly beautiful?(see below)

For those who know my folks and the history of their relationship with Albania, you might be interested to know that this camp in the Rugove was the dream of a couple from Iowa who came on one of the two SEND Int'l farmer teams that came to Albania in early 1993.  My dad was on the first, Keith (plaid shirt, far right) was on the 2nd!  Small world!  The dividends from those two short-term trips continue to reap dividends, 23+ years later...

Photo credit:  Jenna Drucker

Some of our youth teaching the 'Mericans the right dance steps...

Photo credit:  Jenna Drucker

I was especially proud of our youth who stepped up and led singing in Shqip!  Most of the songs were new to the Pejan youth... Music was led by the team from Georgia, and they did a fantastic job. Thanks for letting us worship in TWO languages!

Photo credit:  Nashana Jackson

Photo Credit: Nashana Jackson

Above, the "Albanian" crew!  Special thanks to our colleague Mandi who drove the Planters van and hung around camp during the week til it was time to return to the village.  The shirts translate to "Base Camp", the theme of the week.  Our youth were thrilled to keep a souvenir from camp.

Before we knew it, it was time to go back home! I was so glad to catch the moment below.  It's an Albanian "guy" thing when two buddies say 'bye.'  We were so glad to see our youth make new friends and hope that someday maybe we can host them down here in good ol' Shqiperia!

Each of the youth worked or paid about $10 towards the cost of camp (around $50).  If God has blessed you and you want to make a small gift to help cover the balance of a camper's fees, you can give here.  We are working on some ideas for youth to start earning money towards camp fees year-round.  We believe camp is a valuable time for our youth to meet other Believers, to be discipled in their faith and to experience extended times of Christian community. It's also just a special time to get out of the village and be blessed to experience a beautiful piece of God's creation.  Without help, though, few of them would get to experience such a blessing, and we feel it's a worthy investment.

Finally, while we were in Peja, Nathan played some more with the drone.  Enjoy a brief video he shot and get a glimpse of Kosovo!  It has been uploaded in HD for best viewing.