Food Mishaps

One of the two questions I am asked most often about Albania is, What is the food like? (And just in case you're wondering, the question I am asked most often is, What language do they speak in Albania? The answer: Albanian, which is unrelated to any other language. It's in a class of its own!)

Back to the first question.

Familiar to Foreign

I have been in Albania for a week now, and I have not begun to scratch the surface of new things to learn and experience. Simple things that I took for granted every day in the States involve a great amount of thought and room for mistakes. The mistakes started before I even arrived in Albania!

For starters, the language difference posed problems on my layovers. I was terribly thirsty by the time I reached the Vienna airport, but someone left their bag unsupervised causing half the airport to close down until they made sure the bag had no explosives or whatever else they checked for. I sat on the outside of the crowd of people for about 45 minutes, hoping I understood the situation correctly despite understanding few of the people around me, and super paranoid that I would miss my next flight. Finally, the crowd began moving through the entrance, and I went on my way to find my gate.

At the Bank

The other day I went to my bank to open up my debit card for use in Europe. I sat down in the cozy little waiting area with couches and chairs of various shades of green. Then a teller stepped out of her cubicle and asked if she could help me. I followed her and sat down in front of her desk, where I explained that I was about to move out of the country and would need to open up my card for use in Europe. She affirmed that of course I could and then began typing on her computer. I noticed she had a very slight European accent.

Confessions from Fourth Grade

A couple weeks ago I watched a story on the news featuring the new One World Trade Center building in New York City. Workers had just erected a spire of several hundred feet in height, which made the building the tallest in the Western hemisphere. The new building is built to withstand car bombings and jetliner impact - arguably one of the most impressive and "safe" buildings you could be in. The top building executive addressed one of the biggest questions asked concerning the reasoning of this project.... Why rebuild the World Trade Center, and why would people want to live and work in it after what happened in 2001?

I can't recall his exact answer, but one word he used stood out to me: pride. People want the attackers to know that they refuse to cower or live in defeat. The World Trade Center is a U.S. symbol of its world power, that American ideals are above all other ideals. Re-erecting the demolished World Trade Center and investing so much money and effort into making the building better than before makes a deliberate statement to the world. Maybe it gives Americans, especially those who suffered personal loss of loved ones, a sense of retribution. I don't personally know anyone who lost someone on 9/11, but surely there would be lots of very different opinions and feelings about the new building. I am far from qualified to say what this project means.

Joyful Man

During my Sunday morning missions presentations, I share how God led me to change my major from music education to international & community development studies... after having planned on being a music teacher since age ten. It was a two-year-long process of inner struggle, coming to terms with the fact that I couldn't see myself at all teaching music in American schools, while fearing what it would mean to give up the picture of my future which I'd held onto for so long.

I just got off the phone with the pastor of a church I spoke at two days ago. She spoke with a man after the service who told her, "I just found out that I'm getting ready to lose my job. I couldn't believe it. I have no idea what I'm gonna do. But you know what? I'm excited because even though it's the only thing I know how to do, I know He has something else for me to do."

The pastor said, "Wow, you must have really echoed with Jessica's testimony this morning."

"Yes! Now I see that just because I have to let go of what I know, I can have joy! God will guide my next steps."

After the pastor shared this story with me, she told me, "Jessica, this man only comes to the church every few weeks, but he happened to be here this Sunday. You haven't even gotten to Albania yet, and God is using you to touch lives where you are."

How amazing it is that the Holy Spirit specifically ministers to individual hearts! His is the glory. I couldn't possibly have known that someone in the congregation just lost his job, but God did. He knew that man needed to be there on this particular Sunday to hear a word of encouragement. God has so many rich blessings to pour out upon us when we trust in Him, even when things feel dark, confusing, and don't make sense. The kingdom of God is ... a matter of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17) Jesus left us with a gift - peace of mind and heart, a gift the world can't offer.