Kristen's reflections

It was a joy to return to Albania: see all the changes, connect with some brothers and sisters in Christ, meet some new folks, reconnect with the school where I taught , and hear what God is doing in this country in and through this beautiful people. A few highlights for me were having coffee with a former 2nd grade student who is now a sophomore in college and was back visiting his family in Tirana and meeting with the children's ministry team at Emmanuel church. I felt like these times were a way of connecting with my past in Albania and a fun way of connecting with what God has in the future for Albania...his kids there. A blessing for me for sure.

It was a joy to go as a family: To see this culture through the boys' eyes and hear them respond to what they were seeing, ask questions and just play with Albanian children. It was amazing how well they travelled and worked with the different circumstances we found ourselves in (late, late dinners, conversations that took some risk-taking, and many meetings with adults or college students.)

It was a joy to go with a team. I value so much the way we can work together and traveling with others was so good. It is always a joy for me to see how God has gifted different people and to see them share gifts and respond in different relationships and situations in Albania gave me great reason to praise God. Everyone helped so much with the Alex and TJ, and to watch Jeff use his gifts in leading a team there was great too.

I'm so thankful!

Conference and Trip to the North

We've had a full weekend, and now I'm enjoying a slower afternoon before Monday's evening activities. First, the meeting with IFES student and staff leaders went very well. Great fellowship, and it was great to hear many of the stories about what God is doing. Campus ministry is basically the same here and that's encouraging. They have the same problems we do! And they are just as excited to see the little steps of growth that their students make. Our team did a great job doing many things: leading games, leading discussion, sharing personal faith stories, etc. Everyone had a part. I gave a talk on Friday night and led worship on Saturday morning. Fun to lead in Albanian again. It was neat to see us all working together. And from what I can tell the Albanians enjoyed the time. Overall a velry encouraging time.

Yesterday I preached on John 21, The Gift of New Beginnings. It was well received. How fun it is to sing those praise songs in Albanian! It makes my heart very glad. I also shared a Shawn Macdonald song (and one of my own at the student meeting) since they always ask me to sing and play guitar. Some of our team were downstairs with the kids during this time as Kristen led the children. Alex and T.J. loved getting to interact with the children. After church many of the young people plus Zef, Edita and their children went out for coffee.

Speaking of which, we are always going "out to coffee." The Albanians are very social and we spend a lot of time in cafes. Just now some of our team are meeting with students in a cafe. They've done a great job connecting relationally with people, hearing their story, and trying to encourage them in their faith.

Our team has take a few more hits on the sickness category, but nothing major. We've been going on cultural adventures--buying fruit at the market, finding albananian/english books, walking the streets and dodging cars at every intersection, standing in line forever at the post office, and of course savoring "akullore" which is ice cream in Albanian. It's been cold and clear recently, probably in the 50s and in the 30s at night. Very nice.

Yesterday afternoon our team took a rented van to Rreshen. It's a small town in the north about 120km. This is the first time I have ever been in the north of Albanian. My travel has been extensively south of the capital city. It's always amazing to get out of the city and see the villages, to see the broken down factories leftover from the communist era, and just to see how people make it away from Tirana.

In Rreshen we met Patrick and Dan, two workers with the Peace Corp. In particular Zef has connected with the high school there. He is developoing a Servant Leadership award program across Albanian universities and at this high school. So we essentially accompanies Zef on a ministry trip as he attempts to build relationships. Alex and T.J. loved meeting with a boy who is in high school and playing Uno with him. He spoke English well and had traveled to the U.S. The team learned a lot about the Peace Corps in Albania.

Trips like these expose you to many amazing things. The other day I had one of those flashpoint experiences, where everything becomes very clear. I realized as I walked the streets, surveying the chaos of life in Tirana, that we are all just trying to make it in life. Everyone is going somewhere, doing something, and all across the world it's the same. Back in Chico the stranger on the street is trying to make their way.

Why are we here? What is the purpose of our life? Just to make our way, find the next meal, get the next job, finish the next task? No...it's also to love, to have relationship, to meet with friends, to raise our families. To express something about our humanity.

Recently here in Albania it has dawned on me how similar we all are. It becomes very clear that we all want love. We all want to know why we are here, and is there a God. If so can I have a relationship with him? Does he care?

I'm thankful that one time many years ago God become human and "moved into our neighborhood," as Peterson translates the words of John. God has moved into the neighborhood of Tirana that I'm currently sitting. Here's here. Our team has experienced him as so real in the people w'eve met. He's also in Chico. And Seattle, and around the world.

Wishing you all the best. Thanks for your prayers!

Jeff

Supporing College Ministry in Albania

Thanks to God for the last couple days! Well, Jeff was the one (again) to take the hit for the team on the stomach sickness category. I managed to come down with something on Thursday morning. But the good news is that with the help of a little medicine I kept going on with the day!

Our team traveled to Kruja, the citadel of a famous Albanian of the 15th century, Skanderbeu, who fought the Turks. There we met Patrick, a worker with the Peace Corp who has been teaching at a high school in the north (Sunday we will visit his school). That afternoon I met with the medical student group that I helped form in 1995. They are still going strong! So fun to see something you started still continuing thanks to the great leaders who have continued it. I enjoyed speaking about "putting on your oxygen mask first" and keeping sustained in the Christian life.

Friday our team spent the day getting ready for our retreat and we started last night. I spoke on the "aroma of Christ" and encouraged all to pay attention to the influence we have on others. This morning we have spent time in worship, sharing stories of faith and eating together. We're in the middle of lunch now and I took a quick break to write something.

Things are going very well. We've heard of some tragic news back home with one of our students' mother, and that's been hard. But we are very encouraged here. And building good relationships. A few of the team have colds, but otherwise we've been healthy. I think most of the jet-lag is passed. The food is great. Our Albanians are wonderful hosts and fun people.

Kristen has been meeting with leaders this morning to help them think through their children's ministry.

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Peace,
Jeff

Waiting in Cafe's

Well, today we made some progress for our plans for the weekend. We have just finished lunch in "The Block." This is an area where the wealthy Communist leaders used to live, blocked off from all others. Now it has become the trendy and hip place for young Albanians to spend their time.

Zef gave us some great perspective on Albanian news, political views, etc. It's wonderful to get this perspective. Some of our team is in his class as I write this. We are now going to spend an hour in a cafe with some of Zef's top students, some who know Kurt and Alex from this summer, and some who are very keen to come study in the States.

Tonight we will meet with Emanuel Church and I will teach a Bible study on ministry. Afterward we get to meet the Univeristy ministry leaders in Tirana. Tomorrow we will travel to the countryside to visit a high school. In the afternoon I will visit with the Medical student fellowship I help start when we lived here in 1995. Kristen is meeting with Edita (wife of Zef) and Manjolla (wife of Altin) to discuss children's ministry at the Church. So, finally we are spending more time with people and our program has begun in earnest. I know the team is very anxious for these relationships and excited to meet people.

We are oriented now in the city. The team is doing great, having fun. Except for T.J. who has a cold, we are all healthy. Kristen is napping with boys this afternoon as we usually don't finish dinner until 9pm or later!

Blessings everyone!
Jeff

We've Arrived

We've made it to Albania! Yesterday we came in the afternoon, just a bit late. Otherwise our travel went very smoothly. Of course, we were exhausted last night, but nevertheless we managed a fantastic meal with Zef, Altin and their families. This morning we had some great time as a team and spent much of today walking the city, getting oriented and visiting the Lincoln Center. Zef teaches English there. It has a great ministry of English and Computer courses. Our team spent some time in the classes! We've all been using our Albanian a bit and enjoying local cuisine.

Tonight we are spending time as a team planning our program. It looks like it will be a full several days of meeting and encouraging people and having several meetings for teaching/encouragement. It's been good for me to catch up with Zef on the status of the college ministry and church, especially as I think about my teaching and what will encourage them the most.

Gephart family is doing well. Jet-lag was a bit hard on T.J. but he's taking it like a trooper. We've already had a bump on the head and muddy jeans. The boys really are doing quite well. Especially Alex who never slept during our travel until an hour of the last flight!

As we speak Kristen is meeting with Edita (Zef's wife) who also directes children's ministry at this small church, Emanuel. They are letting the kids play together while they "talk shop."

Thanks for all your prayers and support. We feel encouraged by it!

Peace,
Jeff

Departure at Hand

Welcome to our blog for Bidwell's trip to Albania January 13-23. A team of 11 are off on Sunday morning early for our adventure.

Find out more about this trip by clicking here

We are:

--Jeff and Kristen Gephart and the boys Alex and T.J.

--Jessica Lazdins

--Lizanne Leach

--Jessica Rojas

--Kirsten Kavanagh

--Amanda Runyon

--Garvey Peterson

--Daniel Peters

We have been meeting and preparing since late October. Finally, we get to go. There is internet access in Tirana that is pretty good, so we expect to be able to write updates every other day or so. Thanks for your prayers for the following:

--safety in travel, health of the team, etc.

--good team relationships and working together, supporting each other

--building relationships with Albanians, encouraging them, finding out what God is doing

--eyes and heart opened to the kingdom of God unfolding in Albania, ways we can support and pray for it.

Thanks for all your support of this partnership. We're happy to say we're really close to our total financial goal of over $20,000. Only about 2-3k left to go. Thanks for your prayers, emotional support and financial gifts to make this partnership in Albania happen!

Stay tuned for more...

Jeff for the whole team