I am now in Kosovo! Woohoo!!! I have been here for a week!
I have had many changes over the past few days. I went from Albania which is 50% Muslim to Kosovo which is 90% Muslim. I stayed in a beautiful place in the mountains for debrief with my squad. I came into debrief which was on April 12-15, knowing that I was going to be on a new team and that I was no longer going to be a treasurer. Though being a treasurer was a challenging role to have, I am glad I chose to do it because it made me better at budgeting, handling money and it made me rely on God more. The more I live my life, the more I know God grows me when I’m doing challenging things.
At debrief we prayed a TON and worshipped the Lord, sometimes it lasted to about midnight which was awesome! I can tell you that I am not a reserved worshipper anymore. I love Jesus so much that I gotta show it by getting wild for Him! We praised God for the amazing things he did in Albania and for making us more like Jesus along the journey. I am thankful for the friends I made and for the ministry I got to take a part in. God bless Albania!
On the second day of debrief I got a new team because the World Race wants us to have the opportunity to work with different people on the squad. I am pleased to announce I am on an all guys team which is Nathan, Matt, Malachi and me and we named ourselves New Creationz! We wanted our name to remind us to put on the new self and drop the old self.
Debrief was a powerful time of fellowship together, giving God all the glory that’s due Him, and going on an insanely beautiful hike! The overall message I got from debrief thanks to my squad leader Allison, who we call Al, was an encouragement to abandon things as we continue on the World Race. Abandonment described by Al is letting go of the things I’ve been holding on to or things that are hindering my relationship with God. I want to abandon comfort and the fear of man so I can speak the gospel confidently and boldly as I ought to speak!
After debrief, I zipped across the country to the capital Pristina and stayed there for 3 nights with my team where we celebrated Easter. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would celebrate Jesus being risen in Kosovo! It was very cool to worship the one true God in a city where the Muslim prayer call is being blasted from the mosques!
While my team was in Pristina, we prayed for the Holy Spirit to lead us in whether we should stay or if we should go. We felt the Lord said go so we hopped a train to a city called Peje which is where I am now.
On the first day of ministry, which was also Malachi’s birthday (Woop woop!) due to Matt’s boldness, he told someone we met that we are on a trip telling people about Jesus, and they quietly opened up to us about being a believer. They said they are a Christian but since they live in a Muslim country they are in hiding and their friends don’t know. When we said our goodbyes, I told them,”You are a light in your city, do not be afraid.” Pray that we would have discernment in pursuing a friendship with them as we want to disciple and encourage them but also not put them in danger.
Today, on April 21, my team and I hit the streets in a crowded market near a mosque to do evanglism. We held signs that I made that said,”Duhet lutje?” which is need prayer in Albanian and other signs that said Jesus is the way. The funny thing with holding up the need prayer sign is that it apparently sounded like we were saying that we needed prayer. A gypsy boy who is usually the one begging for money and food went up to my friend Nathan and gave him money and a drink. Meanwhile, in another area in the market, a man looked at me with pity and gave me 2 euro. We are out here trying y’all! Haha!
We plan to continue to be a light in the market (and not do begging again) by telling people the gospel and by prayer walking in it so that God may break down the strongholds that keep people in bondage to Islam so that they will be saved by the one true God.
I have had an incredible 3 and a half months on the World Race. It has been very hard at times but also very good and fun! God’s way is the best way!
1 Peter 5:6-11 has been speaking to me because I have been dealing with intense spiritual warfare ever since I’ve been on the World Race. The warfare looks like having temptations and intrusive thoughts from the devil. I am so thankful that I can cast my anxieties on God and go to Him for rest during the battle because he cares for me.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
