Nancy and I have finished a wonderful month in Erseke, Albania, and are in the Albanian capital, Tirana, for a couple days. Three weeks of the Erseke time I was teaching, 2 weeks on the Parables of Jesus and one on the Pastoral Epistles. One week was a week of ministry outside the school for the students, and Nancy and I went with the Osbornes to Greece—not just to enjoy the place but to do some shopping for the school. Thessalonika is easier to get to than the Albanian capital, and the stores are more user-friendly.

Today I preached for the second Sunday in the International Assembly church here in Tirana. It is a five day vacation weekend so some of the regulars were away from the city, but the people were most gracious and attentive as I shared about two parables on prayer. Later today we will go to another church service where our friend Jack Dabney will be preaching, then go out to dinner with him and his wife Susannah. The two of them are long-time workers in Albania and have a wonderful message and spirit of ministry.

We are staying at the Qendra Stefan, the Stephen Center, which is a central Tirana restaurant-hostel run by a Christian couple. They came to the country soon after it opened to outsiders and instead of starting a church started this place as a gathering place for believers and as a fund-generating place for ministries in the country. It has succeeded marvelously on both fronts—and it is one of the few places in the country where you can get a good cup of regular coffee…

At the school we celebrated Thanksgiving with a big turkey dinner, decorations and a reenactment of the Pilgrim experience compliments of the missionary children. A real treat and a reminder of home while away from home. We have enjoyed reconnecting with not only the Osbornes (friends since 1970) but with the missionary families (Gundy and Stoscher) and the Albanian staff. The dedication of these people to the work not only at the school but in the church and community is a real inspiration.

One of the highlights of our time in Erseke was the report given by the students about their week of outreach, when they presented the gospel to over 500 people, mostly children and youth, in Leskovik, Erseke and Billisht. The interest among the children and youth was great, and the encouragement the response gave to missionaries and locals who have been at work for years in these places was also wonderful. As an example, in one meeting the highest estimate of projected attendance was 40 and so material was prepared for that number—but 120 came! It meant quite a bit of rapid cutting out of sheep for the story time, but it was more than worth it. What a joy to see the faces of the students returning with as much enthusiasm as the earliest disciples did when they were sent out Jesus and returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

Such is the stuff of ministry here in this Muslim country of Albania. Tuesday we get on the plane and head back to Dublin for two nights, then back to Greensboro. It is time to go home, but we are thankful to God and to his people for the opportunity to serve and be served here…