Let me introduce you to a famous person. His name is Spartak Hamiti. He has been interviewed in the local papers many times, been on CNN twice, and been the subject of many other interviews and articles in papers around the world. But you probably do not recognize his name—despite his notoriety and his multiple citations in Guinness Book of World Records.
His fame comes because, in his own words, “In the feet-carrying of the football and tennis ball Spartak Hamiti has established these World Records:…Football (soccer ball to us)—18 km, 106 meters while walking…Tennis ball— 2km, 609 meters while walking…Tennis ball—1 hour 32 minutes while standing… In addition a Record (not World Record) with football of 6643 touches while standing.”

Nancy and I met Spartak while walking in the main park of Tirana the other day. He recognized that we were foreigners and initiated a conversation. Actually it is more accurate to say that he insisted on a conversation. That conversation, in pretty good English, quickly turned to his fame and its reasons, and the interview he was so eager to give, along with a demonstration of his skills, was scheduled for today.

To be more explicit—Spartak has walked over ten miles while keeping a soccer ball in motion and off the ground the entire time, using only his feet. And he has done the same with a tennis ball for nearly 1 ½ miles. And, while standing still, he has kept a tennis ball in motion and off the ground for 1 hour and 32 minutes, kicking it from foot to foot all the time. And, also while standing, he has kept a soccer ball off the ground with 6643 consecutive “kicks”. All of these records were done in front of three accredited judges so that the accomplishments would be verifiable and recorded by Guinness.

I know this is true because my new friend Spartak brought with him a copy of the certificate from Guinness and a copy of a newspaper article with his photo, both to give to me. And, when we met today he was insistent on giving me an example of his skills with both the soccer ball and tennis ball, although the example was short and to the point. Among his skills is the ability to kick the tennis ball 20 meters (60’) into the air and catch it with his foot on the way down, but he did not show this as the park is quite hilly and any mistake could put the ball in the lake.

Spartak is well known in Tirana. A local friend described him as a character, and he certainly is that. He also has a message with his unique skill. He said he worked many places without success, but in the end set a world record in kicking balls by working with passion and will. He told us that he began at the age of “two months short of 8 years”, when at a communist pioneer camp he was required to display some talent in front of everyone. He went on to say that these ingredients, passion and will, are the keys to reaching the top of anything… Pretty wise advice I would say. They remind me of Jesus’ call to commitment—passion and will being two important ingredients.

When we met today Spartak was not only eager to show me his accomplishments, but also eager to tell me about his life. He said that if you know my life you know Albania. That is a pretty lofty statement, but as he unfolded the part I heard today (the sun set and we had to stop, but we will resume) it makes sense. Today’s saga was about his father. A commander in the Army of Liberation (against the Nazis in 1944), he rose to a position of prominence under the former communist dictator. But that dictator had a paranoid fear of people with talent and strength, and under the guise of rumors of sabotage in the oil industry where his father worked, eliminated the skilled leadership in that field. Some were killed, some jailed, some exiled to villages, and others, like his father, demoted and disgraced. His father lived long enough to be a pensioner and died a natural death, and in his obituary it was written, he was not a reptile—a contrastive tribute to him as a man of decency and integrity during a very troubled time when the same could not be said of many.

Spartak and I parted today with assurances that we would meet again, and we will. He gave me his phone number so I could call him, but that will not be necessary because he is in the park every Tuesday and Thursday, and most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This is not completely unusual because many men his age are there regularly to meet, chat and play dominoes. But Spartak is there because he has a small group of boys from the outskirts of the city that he is teaching to kick the ball, that is to play soccer. They come from troubled homes and are poor, but they have a coach who cares for them and who has not just one but three world records. They have a coach who got them by working with a passion and a will, and a coach who hopes that just maybe he can help them learn the same values and accomplish something important with their lives…

As I reflected on my short time with Spartak, having learned about records and lives and history, I began to realize that while Guinness and CNN will take no note, and while he may not realize it, Spartak’s work in the park with a few boys may be the most significant accomplishment of his life. I am sure that this work is worth a lot more than what many people work all their lives to achieve and by which many measure success. And I wonder if this isn’t another lesson, and challenge, that Spartak has for us—a lesson not about kicking a ball (which is impressive!) but about what we do with the talents we have, and what it means to invest them in other people, and the kingdom of God…