70

This is from Gail.  Please pray over this concern for the duration of our trip!

Well ladies,

Sunday night. Most of the registrations have come in. I remember an early e-mail/draft of support letter I read, in which you'd said, Karen, that about 70 people would be at this conference. I think I remember reading that at some point. I think I corrected you saying, nah, maybe 40-50, let's not put a number on it. 

Guess how many we'll have at the conference this week? About 70. They are from 13 different cities, the farthest about 8-9 hrs away. Wow!

Small problem: we have 62 Extravagant Love books. We're working on that. Note: pray that they come in time! We've not received the shipment from Holland yet...

Big problem: there has been a brown-out all week in the south/south east region; our power is usually at 220V; it's been about 120V. It is supposed to clear up by Wed, but please pray: it means that there is no running water at the camp (we're on a well with electric pump). We've dealt with this on and off during this summer; it means that cooking, washing, flushing, bathing... all from collected water when the city water is "on." Cisterns, buckets, bottles, jugs, you name it... We've worked out a lot of systems, but still. We want the women to be greeted with good conditions and clean sheets! (We've had limited city water hours too, perhaps related; for example, usually we have morning water hours from 6-8 and evening water hours from 4-6:30/7. The last few days it's been only 1.5hrs each, which is maybe not enough time to get a load of wash in. This is important because we just Saturday finished our last camp with 80 people. That's 80 sheets to wash (with enough power voltage to run the machine) and line dry before Wednesday. Hmm.) We've divided huge bundles of sheets up between some of us leadership to do in our homes, if we have enough water pressure (some only have a trickle, even when the water is 'on.')  We also need the copy machine to work and not be injured by the low power to print the ladies' booklets on Tuesday. God is big! Pray! 

Love to you all,
Gail

So we are going... and we want you to come with us!

We're leaving for Albania Labor day weekend, and we want you to come with us!

We're going because Klara desperately needs to be reminded of God's abiding love.  Her burdens are staggering: an abusive husband, a daughter who lives far away, and a son enmeshed in addictive behaviors.  Unemployed most of the time, Klara struggles with various physical challenges and trying to make ends meet.  Yet this precious woman is tenacious in her faith as she looks to the Lord for rescue.

We long to be burden-lifters for her and the other women who will be gathering for the "Abiding Love" Women's Conference, September 7-10, in Erseka, Albania, where we will minister love, courage, and hope to our sisters in Christ.

We're also going in order to be an encouragement to Doni and Gail Lilo, St. Giles-sponsored missionaries and dear friends serving the Lord in Erseka.  Since marrying Doni and settling permanently in Albania in 2007, Gail has been eager for a team of St. Giles women to come and minister.  When we asked Gail, "Why do you want us to come?" she responded...

"I see Albania women saved from sin but not fully experiencing the Lord's freedom, power, and hope in the midst of their struggles.  Cynicism and fatalism permeate the air we breathe here.  The Gospel is about binding up, freeing releasing, healing, comforting, and bringing these women into the favor, joy, and beauty that are theirs in Christ (Isaiah 61).  I yearn for the deep places of their hearts to be ministered to in a context of safety and love at this fall's women's conference and for them to be refreshed in God's presence."

"I believe the Lord wants to work through you in these women's lives, even if you've never met them.  St. Giles is our sending church.  You pray and support us, yet you have not seen this land with your own eyes.  If you come, you will be able to take back word of what you've seen and heard here, which will make your prayers and advocacy even more effective.  On a personal note, I can hardly contact the ache of anticipation to talk and pray face-to-face with St. Giles women for whom I'm not a leader, teacher, or missionary."


So we are going... and we want you to come with us!

While it may be impossible for you to actually board a plane for the 30 hour journey to Erseka, if you send us, we will carry you with us in our hearts and prayers as we minister to these heart-hungry women...to Doni and Gail...and to those with whom they are serving in the Albanian harvest field.

Just as the Lord asked Isaiah, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for US?" (Isaiah 6:8) and Isaiah responded, "Here am I! Send me," so are the four of us saying to you,

"Here we are!  Send us!"

If the Lord is leading you to be a part of the Albanian "Sending Team," you can mail your tax-deductible check to St. Giles Presbyterian Church (2027 Emerywood Dr., Charlotte, 28217).  If you prefer, you also may give your gift online by going to www.stgilesepc.org and clicking on "giving".  Please be sure and designate your gift "Albanian Women's Conference."

Our heart's desire is for the Lord to send us to bring life-giving, Spirit-refreshing messages to these spiritually, emotionally and physically weary women.  When we return, we look forward to testifying to you of God's goodness, faithfulness, and power among His people in Albania.

With joy!!

Where in the World is Albania?!?

I see the puzzled look on your face...Albania?  Where in the world is Albania?


Albania is a republic on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe that borders the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea in west, Montenegro in north, Serbia (Kosovo) in north east, the Republic of Macedonia in east, and Greece in south east. Albania shares maritime borders with Croatia and Italy.

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/lgcolor/alcolor.htm

To quote nationsonline.org, "Previously part of the Byzantine and later the Ottoman empires, Albania gained independence in 1912. It became a Stalinist regime under Enver Hoxha after World War II and remained extremely isolationist in policy and outlook until the Communists lost power in 1992.  Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2000 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but serious deficiencies remain to be corrected.  Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and is a potential candidate for EU accession. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure."


http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/albania.htm  To learn more about Albania