From Missy, With Love

Words seem shallow to explain the unexplainable things that happened in us, to us and through us as we jouneyed.  Please enjoy this video as my final recap.  We are overwhelmingly grateful to everyone of you that gave to us through prayers, kind words, acts of service, gifts, wise counsel, etc.  Your generosity made us want to pour out more and more!

(A better version of this video is available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FrMxU0CgdY)

From Marlise, With Love

“D-Day”

Okay, I’ll say it--I did have a day of doubt, discouragement and disappointment.  It comes with the territory of forging ahead into faith and obedience. The apostle Paul openly and honestly shared his trials, obstacles and triumphs and I’m sure this was part of God’s plan for us as well, because it preceded one of the most powerful moments of my week.  When I was at my absolute weakest, God did the biggest things! (See Joana’s story in With Love, from Karen)

The enemy stands against the very thing that will set people free of the bondages and oppression they’ve lived under for centuries.  BUT GOD is so faithful!  On the morning of my discouragement, Kathy turned to the devotion of the day from Linda Hostetter’s prayer booklet for the month of September and read:

“ What if God calls upon you to be the voice of one crying in the wilderness?...He might whisper “Speak”, “Preach”, “Defend”…Lord, I am willing to speak your Word with great boldness. I need your courage to be a mouthpiece for the Gospel.  I am placing my trust in You alone for Your help to tell others that there is a life for them in the Holy Spirit. (!) Thank You that You are my enabler…” 

Time after time in our preparations, prayers and encouragement from our prayer team, it was confirmed that we were called to crack open the door to life and ministry in the Holy Spirit, and that we did.  Hungry, open hearts were filled to overflowing .

Throughout the week, through the many prayer requests from the ladies, I learned a little of what it is like to live as an Albanian.

v It is Albanian tradition that typically the first-born son brings his wife into the family home.  Some of the women were living under the oppressive resentment, anger and abuse of their mothers-in-law.  They felt trapped. There were many tears over this.  

v Women hold their children close to their hearts wanted the Lord’s guard over them. we agreed with them in prayer as they cried over their children.

v There were also many prayers for jobs.  In Albania, every job is obtained by paying a bribe.  Qualifications don’t matter.  University degrees are obtained in the same way.  For instance a medical student can bribe his way through classes and graduate knowing very little about the practice of medicine--scary!  This is the everyday life that blocks and binds them from simple freedoms to learn and prosper and provide.

My heart is stirred for the people of Albania.  I am praying for a move of God to sweep through the country. I am also praying for the Lord to generously bless and strengthen the ministry of Doni and Gail Lilo, our hosts.

Thank you all who shared in our adventure.  I literally felt lifted and supported and even carried by you all.  The Lord provided in extravagant ways for this trip and we were able to give into many needs including providing doors for Joana’s house and wood for the winter for the widows. ALL of the women who attended, were not required to pay the full price for the conference, because of the overflow of those who sent us.

I started out the first night sharing about a dream that my sister’s daughter Amy recently had.  About 20 years ago, my sister lost her 16-year-old daughter, Spicer in a car accident.  In the dream, Amy was sitting at a table when a young woman came over and sat with her.  Amy asked, “who are you?” The young woman said, “I’m your sister, Spicer”.  After discussing a few wonderful things, Amy asked her about Heaven…are the streets really gold? …are there gates of pearl? Spicer hesitated a moment and said, “there is NOTHING LIKE JESUS”, as if to say not even heaven itself compares to Him.  This was in my heart to give a picture of Jesus and His love for them individually that is real and tangible and even surprising--that would stay with them forever. I believe in the future - in God’s grace, one day, they (and we!) will say with a greater revelation from their own hearts “…there is NOTHING LIKE JESUS”!

From Karen, With Love

As I make the transition from Erseka Albania, to Indian Land, South Carolina, my heart and my mind are full of precious memories, thoughts to ponder, and prayers to pray.

Throughout our 9-day journey, I was surprised by joy … accosted by fear … engulfed by God’s perfect and abiding love … overcome with longing … awed by the Spirit’s power … disheartened by the frailty of my flesh … swept off my feet by the Lord’s extravagance … sickened by the enemy’s evil … and overwhelmed by our Father’s goodness and faithfulness.

One of my greatest joys and heartaches was ministering to Joana, a 17 year-old-girl who has endured stunning pain and suffering. Yet she loves Jesus with a tender heart and is eager to overcome all the enemy has done to bring about her destruction.

Joana’s mother was a prostitute who died of a drug overdose two years ago. She was a verbally and physically violent woman who abused her two daughters and husband. The last time Joana saw her mother was the day she literally ripped out handfuls of her husband’s hair in a bar fight. When the local paper announced her arrest for prostitution and then later her death, it brought tremendous shame on Joana and her sister, Shpresa. Erseka is a small town where everyone knows everyone. Memories can be long and mercy limited, and Joana continues to battle the stain of shame, humiliation, and rejection.

Joana’s grandmother (her mother’s mother) is heavily involved in the occult, which has had a tremendously damaging impact on Joana’s spirit and soul. Tormented and plagued by darkness and fear, she desperately wants to be free. She lives with her alcoholic father and Shpresa in a 2-room apartment with inadequate doors made of rotting plywood. Their income comes from the monthly disability check her father receives and then drinks. While Joana’s father and sister each sleep on a couch, Joana has created a little space of escape behind one of the sofas next to a window that leaks the piercingly cold winters. Yet even here she is tormented by mice and by nightmares that permit only intermittent snatches of sleep

But in the midst of incomprehensible suffering, there is joy!

Throughout the last four years, the Lord has used Doni and Gail, and the ministry staff in life-transforming ways. They have walked with Joana and Shpresa through the valley of the shadow of death, shining the Light of the Gospel and being Jesus with skin. Because the girls never attended school, Ruthie and Doni’s sister-in-law, Anna [an elementary school teacher] have taught them to read and write. When opportunities arise, the staff offers them meaningful work with the church’s hospitality ministry and the camp’s rope course and crafts. They encourage them faithfully and love them unconditionally.

Joana had asked Gail if we would pray with her before we left, and so the morning after the conference ended, Marlise, Gail, Joana, and I gathered outside the camp dormitory at a little picnic table. Having been used by the Lord to minister deliverance and inner healing to women for more than 15 years, I’m no newbie when it comes to situations like this. However, I was truly overwhelmed by Joana’s need and my own inadequacy. The oppression was legion, and all we had to offer was the Blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit’s power, the eternal truth that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world, and our deep-hearted compassion that made us weep with desperate longing for her freedom.

As always, His grace was sufficient.

Truly it was a beautiful, heart-wrenching, tender, and power-filled three hours we spent with Joana that day. We worshipped, we prayed, we read Scripture, and we waited on the Lord. We listened to the Holy Spirit, and we declared and bound and loosed. Set free from so much and filled with Holy Spirit, the transformation in Joana was wondrous, and the four of us rejoiced together over the Lord’s perfect, extravagant, abiding love for His precious daughter.

Yet … even so … there is more … so much more … to be done. I wanted to gently ask Joana about the multiple tiny scars that cover her face but didn’t. Marlise and I wanted to rescue her and bring her home with us but couldn’t. It was heartbreaking to leave her, but comforting to know we had done what the Lord brought us to do, and it was enough. We hugged goodbye at church the next morning, knowing that while our time with Joana was only for three short days, she would be loved and carried by the Lord and by the amazing staff who has cared for her through the years.

As the Lord brings Joana to mind, would you please pray for her with us? She has much to withstand, much to overcome, more than I sometimes can bear to think about. But we stand with feet firmly planted on the timeless truth that He who has begun a good work in Joana will be faithful to complete it by the power of His perfect and abiding love.

A final note…

Thanks to the extravagant love tangibly demonstrated by so many, the team was able to give the ministry $500 to buy and install new doors that will serve as a barrier and protection for Joana and Shpresa. Even as I write these words, my hearts floods with gratitude for you. 


In Jesus’ name, te dua. [Albanian for “I love you.”]

 Karen and Joana

Marlise, Joana, Karen & Shpersa

Precious Kori with Karen and Gail.  Dear friends across the miles!

Sweet Kori showing off her well loved ruby slippers.  A gift from their friend Gayla.

From Kathy, With Love

A week ago we said goodbye to the Albanian women we had met and fallen in love with. Only God could have put so much rich experience into three short days! And, only He could have ordered our steps so perfectly from beginning to end of our trip.

I grew to respect and love Karen, Missy and Marlise in a deeper way throughout the experience, and while glad to be back with my family, I miss them. We laughed, cried, drove too fast on mountain roads, prayed, and loved others together. It was so rich!

But, for me, the memory that will endure and stand out most prominently is what I found out about Albania and the Jews from a woman attending the Erseke conference. She and I ate dinner together the first night, along with her mother-in-law, whom she introduced as Vera. That is what I called her the rest of the time, only to discover the last day that I was calling her “mother-in-law,” not her real name! We all had a good laugh when that was revealed…

I was told by this woman that during World War II, Albania not only harbored the Jews already in their midst but protected others seeking refuge from neighboring countries. Since returning home, I’ve discovered that there were 200 Jews in Albania at the beginning of the War, but the number swelled to 2000 by 1945. Almost all of them were successfully hidden and saved from the concentration camps by the Albanian people.

When I spoke the last evening of the conference, I told the story of three Jewish women: Mary, Esther, and me.  The theme of my message was “God’s Abiding Love – Doorway to Our Destiny.” Mary lived in a small town much like Erseke, with sheep wandering through, roosters crowing. She was a young, hard-working woman who said “yes” to God’s call on her life. Because of her obedience, the Savior of the world was born. Esther submitted to “beauty treatments” and became queen, but then risked her life to go before the king to save her people, the Jews.  Doing so, she rescued a nation.  Love for Israel and the Jewish people filled my heart shortly after I became a Christian in 1976. Imagine my delight and shock when I met my birth mother in 1988 and discovered I was Jewish! My story isn’t as dramatic as Mary or Esther, but through prayer I am seeking to fulfill my destiny, too.  

I thanked the Albanian women for their incredible acts of kindness during World War II and encouraged them to pray forIsrael now. When I did, the room erupted in applause. May God bless these people for their selfless bravery in the past and guide them into their destiny in the future.

I believe we will return to Albania and take others with us. How can we not, when we left part of our hearts there? Being with Gail and Doni and their precious children, the other members of the leadership team, the ladies from the conference; they are all so special! Much thanks and blessing to all who helped make this possible.

 A dear sister in Christ who Kathy befriended and ministered to in a significant way.

 Kathy working with Blerta, our translator to "rightly divide the word of truth!"

 Women from the leadership team showing off their new scarves gifted to them by the prayer team from St. Giles.  Each one was prayed over and a special note was written.  What a blessing to see their appreciation!  From left to right, Teuta, Beta, Monika, Gail and Ruthie.

Kisses, kisses, kisses...

Culture shock of the day...  all greetings include generous kisses!  We gave and received many over the last 24 hours as we closed the retreat and said sad farewells.

We know we have been quiet - but we have had very little downtime as the pace of the conference quickened.  As the women grew more comfortable with us they were eager for us to be with them and pray for them.  They wanted to tell us of their joys and struggles; embrace us and share their dreams for their families and for the things God was faithfully doing in their hearts.  We made many deep connections with these precious women and prepare to leave knowing they will be our sisters for eternity.

Tonight we celebrated with the leadership team by enjoying a traditional Albanian feast at a beautiful restaurant in a neighboring village.  To put things in perspective.  The village was about 5 miles out of town and had one road in and out.  For us it was as inconvenient as going to the grocery store, but for a town where owning a vehicle is a luxury, it was VERY FAR!

We relaxed, laughed and shared gifts with one another as we rejoiced together over what the Lord had accomplished in the hearts of these dear women over the last 4 days.  Ps 126:3 came to mind...  "The Lord has done great things for us and our hearts are filled with Joy!"  We are believing together that the effects of the weekend will strengthen the local church and the church in Albania at large as the women return built up by their fellowship, the word of God and the Love of Jesus.

We will attend the one and only church in Erseke tomorrow.  The leadership of the church is also the leadership at the Bible School where the conference was held.  The skit put on by three of the youth at our conference will be performed again at church.  We will reconnect with many of the women we ministered to and have a chance to pray for the leadership before we head out of town.

After lunch we reboard the taxi van for the BUMPY, narrow, windy 5/6 hour trip back to Tirana.  Our faithful translator Blerta will travel with us to help us arrive safely.  On our trip here, she assisted by using strong Albania words to tell our zealous driver to SLOW DOWN!  We still giggle about how miraculous it was that we arrived in one piece!  We were so delirious that we didn't even know!

We will spend a quick evening in Tirana before heading to the airport bright and early Monday morning for the last leg of our trip.  We appreciate your prayers as we begin the travel home.

We have much more to share.  We find we are at a loss for word for the many things we tasted, touched, SMELLED and shared.  We look forward to passing on the good news of the faithfulness of our God in Albania and sending many of you that may want to come and build on this good work.

 A staff member, Beta, helping the women with one of the crafts.  They made bracelets with heart bangles on them to remind them of the abiding love of our God.

Many women participated in the ropes course on campus.  This was a hightlight for all the women, no matter how old...

Swinging free!!

Marlise and Missy sharing a POWERFUL message on the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  We ended by offering an opportunity for the women to pray to receive this fullness.

 Marlise delivering a life changing message entitled "No Longer Unloved."  She shared on how God wants to heal our image of Him so that we can trust and abide in his unfailing love for us.

We shared a precious common bond - taking communion together.  Karen reminded us that no matter our differences, cultural, theological, etc., we were one because of the body of Christ broken for us.

Kathy and Karen sharing on hearing God's voice.

Kathy wrapping up our conference with a life changing reminder that God has a call and destiny for each of our lives!  We are his master piece!  Created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

The conference ended with Albania folk dancing that went well in to the night.  The women could not get enough.  They showed us a thing or two.

Dinner with the leadership team tonight.  Special time with the families of the women that made things happen throughout the conference.  They have poured their lives in to this nation for many years and we are grateful!

The Lord's abiding Love continues...

Dear Sending Team...

The Lord's abiding love continues to surround all those who have gathered here in Erseka for the  conference. Somewhere between 60 and 70 women arrived on Friday, hungry for the Lord and eager to engage with us and with one another in relationship.

We spent yesterday afternoon gearing up for the evening and also putting together gift packets of stationary for each woman. The cover on the front is one of Marlise's prints and they are beautiful. These packets, along with Derek Prince's booklet, Extravagant Love will be given at the close of the retreat for them to take home.

After a delicious chicken & rice dinner with yummy Greek yogurt as a garnish, the conference officially began with Gail leading worship. It's a delight to watch her lead in this capacity, as well as in teaching and administration and prayer ministry. She is such a strong and gentle woman of God, and it's been a fun blessing to watch her moving in her element.

Karen was the first of us up to bat, and the Lord used her message, "Digging in the Dirt" to touch many hearts. Using the parable from Matthew of the buried treasure, she shared how each woman was a precious treasure for whom Jesus had given His all to purchase. God wants to use His perfect love as a broad fork to set us free from fear and shame, and they were all invited to make a decision to accept His love, whether they already had a loving, intimate relationship with the Lord, or if they were ready to make that decision now. [We later found out that there are at least 7 Muslim background women in attendance. Whoohoo!]  We then had lots of opportunity to minister in prayer, which was lovely and special.

After another special time of worship with Gail this morning, Missy took the lead with a meaning-filled message based on the first half of Psalm 23, She shared how Jesus is our Shepherd, and as His sheep, He will take care of us, providing for all of our needs. Toward the conclusion of her message, she sensed the Holy Spirit leading the team and Gail to move around the room and pray for all the women while they remained seated. A CD of instrumental music by Ruth Faizal provided the backdrop for this powerful time. The room was heavy with the presence of the Lord as we moved from woman to woman, gently laying our hands on her back and praying silently as the Lord led.

When we look back on the conference, we're confident that we will all view that prayer time as a significant breakthrough.

After a coffee break (these women drink A LOT of coffee!!) they formed small discussion groups to process Karen and Missy's messages. Although there was some concern (at least on our part!) about how this would be received, it appears that they took full advantage of the opportunity to engage with one another and share their thoughts and feelings. One thing that is very different is how the women will respond and engage with us as we're sharing. We'll say something, and then they'll sometimes start laughing or talking to one another or calling things out to us in Albanian. It makes us laugh and reinforces that we're not in Kansas anymore Toto!

At 5p this afternoon, Missy and Marlise will be tag-teaming a message on being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray!!!! Then at 8p, Marlise is sharing her message of "No Longer Unloved" based on Hosea 2. Please pray some more!

Your prayers have made such a difference. They are bearing fruit! And remember Klara, the woman we talked about in our letter who we had said would represent the women we were coming to minister to? Well Gail introduced her to Karen, and Klara asked them to pray for her. Her life is hard but she loves the Lord so much and was so grateful. What an honor and a joy!

With love from Albania,
KMMK

Karen, Marlise & Kathy putting the note cards together as gifts for the women.

Gail leading worship - very powerful!!

Karen opening up the conference with the first message - "Digging in the Dirt"

Missy speaking in this morning's first message of the day.  Blerta, our translator is on the right.  She is amazing in her skill to take what we intend to say and communicate it in a clear, understandable way!

One of the small discussion groups praying together after debriefing.

Meal time with all the women.

"They're Here!!"

This quote is taken from an impression that our dear friend Julie Collins had for us before our departure.  She states that as she prayed, she saw us jumping out of a plane.  Our landing together on the land caused a tremor that shook the power and principalities.  She said that simultaneously, she heard, "they're here!"

After 30 hours of travel, we are HERE!  We slept this morning until 11am local time, awaking to the sound of women arriving for the conference.  You can feel their enthusiasm and although we cannot understand a word of their greetings, they offer generous hugs and kisses on both cheeks.  

Gail, in her usual energetic way, was awaiting our 3am arrival.  It was evident she could hardly contain her excitement.  As we stumbled and bumbled around our new "home" trying to find the bed, she bubbled over with stories and explanations.  Unfortunately, she will have to repeat most of them today because we were too delirious to take it in...  We can't wait to see their children and share the gifts we brought.

We stepped out of room our and into a ministry opportunity!  A young woman, after a 6 hour, bumpy ride to the bible school was feeling weak and needed to lay down.  We felt impressed to pray for her healing.  She spoke no english but we just prayed and sang over her.  Later, her companion shared with us that she comes from a muslim background and has not totally converted to a follower of Jesus!

We are praising God that upon our arrival we had full power and hot water!  Thank you for praying.  God is continuing to expressing his generosity and favor to us!  The expectation is that the power will continue throughout the conference.

We are awaiting our time to meet the local conference leadership team.  We have met Blerta, Beta (and her sweet baby Reya) and Ruthie.  Their heart to serve us is evident.  They are bustling around, making sure every detail is taken care of as women arrive.  We look forward to more intimate time with each of them.

Praise the Lord for safe, simple travels!  Praise the Lord for beautiful weather and generous accomodations.  Praise the Lord for few potty breaks throughout our travels and for bags arriving in tact!  Most of all praise the Lord for His steadfast love, kindness and mercy in sending us and caring for us.  We tangibly feel His presence and at times it overwhelms us.

 Our departure from Charlotte.  See all the bags!  They all arrived in tact!

All four of us on the first leg of our journey.  Can you see the excitement and anticipation on our faces? We all paid for the "ear buds" to watch movies and such, but our discussions (and sleeping) filled the full 9.5 hours.  (Ah the gift of being a woman...)

 Our last leg of the trip.  A bumpy 5 hour drive between Tirana and Erseke.  We might not look as fresh, but the enthusiasm is still present.

Culture Shock of the Day: Potty stops!!  And no, you cannot put paper down the drain.  No paper - no matter what the constitution...  Trash needs to be taken out regularly.  (Hee Hee)