June 7th, 2006

We are approaching the end of our third week in Albania . How rapidly the days are passing, and how much we feel the urgency to do something with the days that we have. Nathan is working with the leaders of our National Children's Office to organize four camps in Kosovo, which will begin the third week of June and continue through the first week of July. He and 25 young people, most from our seminary, will be away for two weeks. I have considered carefully whether or not I can manage by myself with him away, and I think we can do it, with the help of a few friends who have promised to look after me. He will be an eight-hour drive away and accessible by phone, so that if need be he can return to us in day's drive. I am assisting this work by creating logos to be used as theme pieces for T-shirts, banners, and craft projects.

I have been feeling fairly well, thank God, and have been so pleased to have had the energy to visit the seminary and see the students, attend discussions with university students in their newly purchased student center, catch up with old friends, and participate in two weddings.

The children are very happy here and are delighted to be playing once more with their old friends. We are giving thought to their education for this fall, should it be that we are able to stay longer than the summer. We visited a very good school organized by the Protestant missionary community in Tirana and would be very pleased to have our children attend this school. We would appreciate your prayers for this. It appears that the school does not grant Orthodox missionaries the same discount that they give to the Protestant missionaries, and the full price is extremely high for missionary budgets such as ours. Nathan is going to appeal to the board to see if they would reconsider this policy. If they do not, we would have to pay the same fees as those for the diplomatic community.

There are many difficulties associate with life and work here, both within the church and without and we are encountering a lot of discouragement among our fellow workers. It is hard not to get discouraged along with them as the difficulties are very real and very distressing. We want to try to rise above these stumbling blocks, looking to Jesus rather than giving in to the circumstances, and becoming, by the grace of God, a source of encouragement to those around us. Please pray that we would have the strength to do this.

One of the struggles that all missionaries have is how and when to help the many people that come to our door asking for help. This is never easy, nor simple, and the poor often times are very demanding and persistent. We need love and wisdom to see in these sufferers the face of Jesus, and not become frustrated by the many requests and needs that confront us.

Another program that is being organized by our National Children's Office is four-day, kids' clubs. We are planning to hire a newly-married young couple from our seminary to implement this program which will consist of games, singing, crafts and Bible stories. These will be held at different locations around the city. We held the first of such programs at our own home with the neighborhood children two years ago, and this continued in our absence last year with fellow missionaries who were staying in our house. We hope to hold eight such clubs this summer, including the one at our own house. The plan is to have ongoing contact with these children during the school year by organizing weekly activities for them, perhaps in the same locations. Please pray that we will be able to find eight places to hold these clubs.

We have such an overwhelming sense here that without prayer, all of our work is in vain. We must abide in the Vine, who is our Lord, for without Him, truly we can do nothing, at least nothing that counts for the Kingdom of Heaven .

Thank you so much for praying for us. We are so happy and so blessed to be given the opportunity to serve once more this Church and people whom we love. May God grant us many years. We appreciate also your financial support, which makes it possible for us to be here.