SJ13 - Night on Mykonos

The weather, according to most people, was not ideal. It has been overcast and rainy.  We have not had any huge downpours - just enough rain to keep most passengers inside and off the pool deck.  It has been a real damper on the business for the pool bars etc. (pun intended).  Anyway, those of you who know me will not be surprised that this was not a sad thing for me.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching the sea change and roll with the weather. It never got rough, but the changing sun and clouds caused a change in shades and colors as I stood on deck (in the drizzle with a smile a mile wide) and watched it roll by. 

It was a problem, however in getting Mykonos. They never said anything, but we got to the port about an hour later than scheduled. We didn’t get to go ashore until about 7:00. I will post the pics, but you will see that many were hindered by darkness.  It was undoubtedly beautiful, but not the bright colors and turquoise water we expected to see reflecting the sun, because even in Greece, the sun sets at night.

Mykonos is famous for it’s ancient windmills, which you can see here by night. It is also famous for it’s white houses and shops with colorful doors.  Those were a little more difficult to see in their glory by the flash of a camera.  However, I am very thankful to have a good camera.  Most of the shots below and which will be posted on FB were taken without a flash.  Some are truly remarkable. 

We wish we could have visited the Church of Paraportiani.  Unfortunately we arrived to the island too late and it was closed. As we walked by, admiring and taking photos, I overheard a guide talking about the interesting construction of this church.  He called it the "iceberg church." I am sure that is not an official name of any kind, but the description seemed to fit.  This photo here, as I understand,  is of the only visible part of this structure.  There are actually five chapels here which are all connected. Most of the structure is not visible because it is underground and behind walls, which from the outside seem to house nothing extraordinary or impressive.  The Church of Paraportiani was constructed beginning in 1425 and was not completed until into the 17th century..

We loved our short time in Mykonos and look forward to Ephesus (Kusadasi, Turkey) and Patmos tomorrow!

SJ12 - Last day in Lushnje - a great day with the church

Today's post will be quick because my internet connection is pretty spotty right now. Today was a terrific day of worship and celebration with the church in Lushnje.  I was blessed to preach and Tom lead singing. It was great to experience this with him.  His legacy in Albania was so clear today.  Tami and I are very proud of him and what God has done through his work over the past 13 years.

When Tom first came to Lushnje around 2002, he came alone to a city where there was no church. He did not speak a single word of Albanan, but he knew there was a need.  Over this past week we met people all over the country who have been touched by him and are faithful followers of Jesus today, largely because of his influence. We worshipped this morning with a church of 45 people, all of whom came to be connected to the chruch, and many fully commited to Christ because of Tom's faithful ministry.

For many years it seemed that the work in Lushnje was a revolving door. Many - mostly young people - would come to know the Lord through their relationship with Tom. After awhile they would go to university or move to another town or even leave the country. It seemed that there might never be any Albanian nationals who felt called to commit themselves to full time ministry in the church at Lushnje.  Now, finally Tom is blessed to have Olti and Sojana as partners in ministry with him.  They are both studying and growing in faith and knowledge.  They could have easily moved to a larger, more prominent city or taken more lucrative work elsewhere, but they feel called to this work. They have been drawn to Christ and mentored by Tom.  They have committed their lives to Christ here and are currently a tremendous blessing to the church, especially to the teens.  We are so happy we got to meet them over this past week and share in great conversations about life and ministry. Please be in prayer for them as they seek full funding for the work they want to continue doing here in Lushnje.

I am sitting in a hotel in Athens, tonight, excited to see biblical sites over the next few days.  Tom is in a hotel room across the hall and Tami is asleep in the bed beside me.  I feel so blessed to be here.  I am so excited for the days to come. Most of all I  am grateful for what we have seen first-hand concerning God's work in Albania.  I already miss the beautiful people we met there, especially those who share our faith and stand together with us in the family of God.



re our faith and stand with us in the family of God.

SJ11 - Spending time with new friends

A few days ago I shared a post in which we had lunch with Vjollca, a member of the church here and teacher in the English program.  Today, we were blessed to travel for a lunch by the coast with the other two ladies who are a great help to Tom in his ministry here. They are both also teachers in the English program. which Tom directs  Alma and Silvana are sisters-in-law and both are also teachers by trade. Alma teaches kindergarten and Silvana teaches high school science.  Both ladies grew in their English and came to know Christ as Tom's students prior to beginning to teach in the program.  They are evidence of the power of the Gospel and the good that God has done through Tom in his work here.

We ate lunch in a beautiful wooded area down by the beach.  Afterwards we headed to the sea and put our toes into the warm waters of the Adriatic.  Shown in the picture here, from left to right, are Silvana and her six year old daughter Ajla, Alma and her six year old daughter Amelja, thirteen year old son Mikael,  Tom, and Alma's 21 year old daughter Glenida. I was very touched at the end of our time together as Alma, with misty eyes,  expressed how deeply they all loved Tom. She said that they cannot even express how much they value the difference he has made in their life by introducing them to Christ and helping them learn English.  She said, "He is our family, and now so are you."  These are truly special people.

The Lushnje Youth Group

Tonight we got to spend the evening with the youth group here in Lushnje.  Olti and Sojana are doing such a great job here.  Of course it helps that they have such a terrific group of kids to work with. Actually, as we have spent time with them we realize that Olti and Sojana are probably a good part of the reason that these kids are so great.  They are polite and welcoming. They seem attentive and fun-loving. They really seem to love being together and interested in spiritual things. I know that this does not happen without good leadership.  Olti and Sojana are another example of the grace of God here in Lushnje.  We are grateful for them and will continue to pray for their marriage and ministry long after we go home. 

I was blessed to get to share some games with them tonight and do some teaching. Sojana served as my interpreter. This was necessary because my Albanian is limited to just two words, neither of which were very helpful in my lesson tonight. After the youth group time we were able to go out with several of the older kids for coffee and ice cream.  It is clear that they love being together and look up to this young couple who serve them so well. There was much laughter and sharing of stories around the table. They made me miss times like this back at home with the Conejo youth group.  God is good and many lives are being changed here in Lushnje - no doubt about it!

SJ10 - Albania the Beautiful!

If you are keeping tabs, you will have noticed that I did not write a post yesterday, Thursday, Sept. 17.  Tami and I took a day off from traveling and visiting to relax at Tom's house while he went to the office and got caught up. I also spent part of the day preparing to teach the teens on Saturday and preach for the Lushnje church on Sunday.  It was a welcome sabbatical in the midst of my sabbatical.

Now for today.  I have to tell you that Tami and I are very pleasantly surprised at the amazing beauty of Albania.  We had no expectations coming here because we knew very little about the country outside of Tom's ministry posts over the past 13 years. Those posts have been about people and ministry, never about the landscape and scenery.  Let me clue you in on what may be a well kept secret: Albania is absolutely beautiful!  I eluded to this in an earlier post, but today Tom took us on an all-day-long, meandering journey through the south of Albania. It was stunning!  Have I said it was beautiful?  Well  its is!!!  Let me just give you the highlights with a few pics below. I will post albums for each place on Facebook so you can get a better idea of the amazing sights and landscapes we enjoyed today.  Here we go...

Gjirokaster Castle
This stunning castle dominates the landscape of the town of Gjiurokaster (JEE-roh kas-tur). It has survived Albania's many changes of leadership, power, and philosophies including the Byzantine period, the Ottoman Empire, the Dictatorial Communist Regime, and the freedom the Albanians enjoy today. Some parts of the castle date back to it's beginnings in the 4th century BC. Today it stands as a monument to history and houses a museum of the town's history, which mirrors that of Albania as a nation. 

 

Syri i Kalter - The Blue Eye

High in the mountains we found this serene, crystal clear stream. It is coupled with a quaint set of rental cabins, a cafe, and an amazing blue crystal spring.  It has been plumbed to 50 meters deep without finding the bottom of it's source.  The is the Blue Eye. We spent about 45 minutes just walking up and down the river taking pictures and enjoying the peace and quiet.  Tami and I agree that if we ever come back to Albania, we have to rent one of these cabins and stay here for a few days.  Those of you who know me well, know I love certain areas of Oregon for their quiet and beauty.  Tami and I also love the majesty of Yosemite.  We have also marveled at the beauty and variety of Yellowstone. The stream and surrounding area of the Blue Eye cover a much smaller area, but they are no less beautiful and captivating than any of these other sites.  I really didn't want to leave.

 Sarande, Vlore, and the Sea
Along a winding highway through spectacular mountains, we saw village after village nestled into lush green valleys.  The coast of the Ionian Sea here is right next to towering mountains and majestic cliffs.  Eventually we came to Sarande,  a beach front city that serves as the favorite vacation spot for Albanians. Along the way, as we stopped to grab a bite to eat or to take some pictures, we saw several tourists from Germany and Italy as well. Obviously Albanians aren't the only ones who know about this seaside jewel.

Moving on down the road to Vlore, we continued to be enthralled by the views, as the majestic mountains roll right down to the sea. Along the way, the landscape  changed as well. High in the mountains, above the tree line it was rocky and rough, giving way to olive trees and thick green brush. In one section we dropped down into a fertile, forested valley with enormous ceders and what looked like elm and poplar trees.   We were rushing on to get down to Vlore and other sights, so we did not take the time to stop here for pictures. The picture you see here was taken from the car.  It is a bit blurry, but hopefully you can get some idea of how thick and lush the great trees were.

In Vlore we were again drawn in by a bustling, seaside community.  Here, the  the Ionian and Adriatic Seas meet.  Even though it is the off-season (school just started up all over Albania) there were still plenty of people dipping their toes in the water or enjoying the cool breeze on the beaches as we drove by.

New  Location for Teen Camp???
Along the road, Tom jumped off the beaten path to take us to the location where they hold their camps in the summer.  In this photo you can see where they set up tents and create their camp for 3 different weeks each summer.  Each week is for a different age group.  When I got out to take this picture, I was greeted by a chorus of cow bells.  Cattle wander all over the site, even when camp is in session. Tom also told us that there are wild pigs in the area, but we were not fortunate enough to see any of them today.  One reason they come here for camp- about two hours out of Lushnje - is so they can go to the beach as often as possible.  It is definitely a different beach experience than we are used to, because as you can see in the picture below, the beach must be shared.

Albanian Hospitality

I would be remiss if I closed this post on the beauty of Albania and didn't mention that the most powerful beauty we have seen here is in the Albanian people themselves.  Everywhere we have gone we have been welcomed with warm greetings and usually a kiss on both cheeks.  Tom is clearly loved by so many people here. They are all thrilled to meet his"vajza dhe burri i saj" (daughter and her husband). From local pharmacists and business owners, to random people on the street, to the members of the church and teachers in the English program, we have been blessed and encouraged by their respone to meeting us.  Almost everywhere we have gone to eat, they have graciously given us some special added bonus with our meals.  Sometimes it was a free coffee or dessert after the meal. At other times it was an additional item along with what we ordered.  Many times this was because the shopkeeper or owner knew Tom, but at other times it was just because they were gracious people, happy to meet Americans. In several places we visited, the American flag was flying right beside the Albanian flag and the Greek flag.  I was curious and asked Tom about this. He explained that it was just because the Albanians love Americans.  That has been evident in our experience here. Cynically, I guess you could say that the real answer is that Albanian merchants love to receive American dollars, but our experience here suggests that the people are not that shallow. While they are happy for us to buy and spend, their generosity and the warmth of their welcome seems far more genuine than just looking to gain from our ability to pay.

We are so grateful to God for the work He is doing here in Albania. He is building a strong people who beautifully represent the name of Jesus throughout the country.  We are also proud and thankful to be able to see how Tom has been an integral part of that work. The Spirit of Christ is moving in the people of Albania and we have been blessed to see and experience the results. 

SJ9 - Relaxing day with a trip by the sea

Today, Tom had quite a bit of catch up work to do at the office, since he has chauffeured us around so capably over the past few days. Tami and I enjoyed a relaxing morning reading and reflecting on the journey so far.

Vjollca and Tami

Around noon, Tom picked us up and we headed out for a special lunch. Vjollca, a member of the Church of Christ in Lushjne, wanted to take us to a restaurant near the coast. Vjollca (pronounced Vy-OHL-tsuh, meaning Violet in English) has been studying English and Bible with Tom for the past seven years.  She now also teaches in the English program which Tom directs. She is very involved in the church as a faithful believer, and plays a vital role in the outreach and English teaching program Tom started through church in Lushjne.

Fenick's Restaurant - notice how it is built to look like a giant ship.

We ate lunch at Fenick's, an upscale restaraunt near the coast of the Adriatic Sea.  On our way to eat we enjoyed talking with Vjollca about her daughter and two grandson's who currently live in Sweden.  Her daughter is both a Psychiatrist and Cardiologist. Her son-in-law is also a Medical Doctor. Vjollca is clearly a proud Grandmother as she had photos and videos of the grandson's to share.  It was so nice spending the afternoon with her and getting to know her better. 

When we got to Fenick's, I asked her to take the lead in ordering lunch.  We had a generously large, fresh, mixed salad with  olive oil and vinegar - a delicious standard here. There was also fresh baked bread with a yogurt, cucumber, garlic sauce - so savory and creamy that when I close my eyes and think of it, I can still taste it. Along with the salad came this beautiful plate of fresh grilled shrimp and calamari.  It was delightful! At least I thought it was, Tami is less thrilled with shrimp and even less so with calamari. She is a trooper, though, and gave it a shot.

After the salad, bread, shrimp and calamari, I was so content. . .
then came the main dish.  Fresh grilled and seasoned fish. I saw the waiter bring in this plate of five whole fish grilled to a golden brown, the smell was amazing. Then the fish just kept coming. There were four of us there for lunch and they brought out a plate of five grilled fish for each of us! It took a bit of work to get at the meat on the fish with  all the tiny bones, but it was quite tastey!  Tom assured me that in Albania it was alright, in fact even expected, for a person to eat fish like this with his or her fingers.  I managed to get through all five of my fish, but Tami did well to eat three of hers.  Tom wasn't far behind me in finishing his five. Vjollca, on the other hand, was so involved in conversation that she only got through two of hers.

Coming back to Lushnje we went to the church office to drop off Vjollca and see how the teaching for the day was going.  Tom brought us home and then went back to the office.  All in all it was a delightful day, but I really don't think we will be needing dinner - thank you very much! 

SJ8 - Paul's Bridge and Appollonia

 Today we made the trek to some significant archaeological sites in Albania.  The landscape of this beautiful country reminds me of the Santa Monica Mountains in some ways. The big difference is that instead of oak trees there are huge groves of olive trees dotting the landscape. The other big difference is that everything is so lush and green.  If we got a good couple months of steady, light rain in the Santa Monicas, they might look like this beautiful rolling landscape.

The triple-arched stone bridge you see behind us, according to local tradition, was part of the route used by the Apostle Paul as he traveled into this region on his missionary journeys.  In Romans 15 17-19, Paul writes: 

Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

The ancient region of Illycrium is now part of modern Albania. This is the same area where this bridge exists. It is also along the route whre the anciet Egnatian Way ran as it passed through what is Albania today.

The above picture shows Tom and Tami standing on the bridge with the modern village behind them. It was stirring to be here and imagine what this view must have looked like and what the inhabitants were like as Paul crossed this bridge on his journey of sharing the Gospel in his day.  

Our next stop was the ancient ruins of the city of Apollonia.  This city set on a hill served as a Roman outpost during the 2nd and 3rd centuries.  Some of the archaeological finds here date back as far as the 5th century BC.

 Apollonia had two theaters and a temple to the goddess Diana.

In the photo below you can see the pillars of the portico of a large building which was likely the political center of the city. The photo on the left shows what remains of shops and columns which ran along each side of the main thoroughfare coming into the city center.

Appollonia had most of its treasures carried away to other locations during the years that Albnia was under communist rule. For this reason, sections of it have been reconstructed.  Careful archaeological work was not done here until after  the fall of the communist regime in 1944. The main columns of the portico in the city center was in severe decay and collapsing.  In 1978, they were carefully reconstructed, adding materials found in the region to sections of original columns, in order to restore it as faithfully as possible.

It  is fascinating to walk through these ruins or across Paul's bridge and let your imagination journey back in time.  At the same time it is a bit disappointing that it is not more well preserved and some is a reproductions rather than the original city as it was.  Archaeological work continues here today.  In sections we could not visit, there is word of an even larger theater and multiple other finds.  All in all, this was a great day of discovery.  It only whets our appetites for what we hope to see when we travel to Greece next week!

SJ7 - Beautiful Albania and the tale of the selfie stick

I've made a couple references to using a selfie stick in these posts

over the last week.  Let me bring you all into the loop so you will understand why.   A few weeks ago, I purchased a selfie stick through Amazon, thinking that it would make it easier for Tami and I to get good shots of both of us in all the places we are going to visit. I am not a big taker of selfies, but I thought it sounded like a good idea.  Then, one fateful Tuesday, Andy and Travis saw modern wonder on the table from my office and began to laugh and take good-natured digs at me for owning selfie stick.  Undaunted, I proudly stated that it was specifically for my trip.  I can take the ribbing - I certainly give it out, so to get it back was not a surprise.  Anyway. . .when we packed up and left for our trip, I was saddened about half way to Istanbul to realize that I had forgotten to pack the selfie-stick!!!  Not to worry though - there were street vendors in Istanbul selling this amazing modern narcissist enabling device!  So, i simple bought another one - I had planned to get some kind of gift for Travis while I was traveling anyway.  So below you can see the beautiful, hot pink selfie stick I purchased which enabled beautiful pics today  It will be a welcome gift to Travis upon my return.  Try to control your excitement, Travis  . . .and yes, the hot pink was so that it will match your eyes!



Today was another wonderful day in Albania!  We began by going to meet with Bledi an Albanian leader in the Church of Christ in Tirana who is also the Director of the Bible School where Olti and Sojana, attend. He was in town today to teach class. We were able to have coffee with him beforehand.  It was a real joy.  Some of you may know that Bledi was at one time financially supported by the Conejo church.  He spoke very highly of Tim Pownall. He also asked about Emily Pownall's health,  He is concerned and praying for her.  We were  also joined by Altin, from Fier and his wife Vosjana. In the picture here, Bledi is on the right with the white shirt. Vosjana is the woman who is not Tami. :-)

Tom had to meet with students to teach English classes, in the afternoon.  So after coffee with Bledi, Altin and Vosjana,  we took a brief jaunt out to an ancient monastery called Adenica.  We were fortunate to find and care-taker there because the monastery is still used at times as an Orthodox Christian church, but it is not always open. The caretaker told us that it operated as a monastery between 1,000 and 1,600 a.d.  Inside, the chapel walls were completely covered with amazingly detailed icons depicting the birth of Mary and the life story of Christ. It also had painted images of the Apostles and of Paul.  the wood craftsmanship for the round pulpit was exquisite.  It looked almost like gold leaf, but it was polished wood. I wish I could have taken pictures of the interior to share with you, but he would not allow it.  I did, however find some images this afternoon from Google search and have them for you here.


Returning from Adenica, Tom needed to go meet with a student. This gave Tami and m some good quiet time at Tom's home. It felt so good to just rest and reflect on where we have been so far/  I got caught up on posting pics to Facebook from our time in Istanbul.  We also both sneaked  in a little nap. Ahh...

A few hours later, Tom picked us up and we went to the church office, where English classes are held.  There we met with a few students and several of the ladies who teach English and help Tom in the administrative work of the church.  I took the opportunity to grab a picture of us all in a selfie!  We hope to take a trip with these lovely ladies later on in the week, I will tel you more about them then.