Back to square A (Albania)
Luke and I moved to Russia in 1997 right after he finished seminary. We arrived in Novosibirsk with next to nothing. . . no cultural knowledge, language skills, children, ministry experience, or possessions. Gradually over the next 25 years, God gave us all those blessings and more. Russia became our home, the place where we felt comfortable, the place where we raised our three children. We knew where to fix the transmission, how to file taxes, which plumber to call, what to substitute for cream soup, and where to get stitches. We had one adventure after another at church, school, and home, and each adventure gave us new knowledge, appreciation, and experience.
Now we are living in Durres, Albania. . . and it feels like dĆ©jĆ vu!
Once again, we are the new guys, sorely lacking in cultural knowledge and language skills. We donāt know much about how ministry works in Albania. We are empty nesters. Itās like weāre newlyweds again!
Weāve spent a grand total of 87 days in Albania. That isnāt much, but we are having adventures and learning.
Albanians are hospitable and friendly. Pastor Nikola Bishka (Niko) and his family found us a lovely apartment to live in and let us borrow things we needed. They are always happy to help. (We especially appreciate their old espresso machine!) Church members have welcomed us warmly.
Albanians donāt want to tell you āNo.ā I learned this the hard way. Donāt keep waiting around if someone says theyāll do it āin 20 minutes.ā
You can buy eggs one at a time. And thereās always a lady selling live chickens just down the block. (Should I surprise Luke some day?)
Locals advise me to look for goods imported from Italy. That is the signal for quality. My new favorite butter comes from Italy. And coffee. And small appliances. And laundry soap. And wine.
Donāt buy bread or baked goods at the grocery store. A nearby bakery will offer fresher goods and cheaper deliciousness.
In Durres, directions are given much like in rural Nebraska: by landmark. We donāt even have a street address. Weāre in the apartment building by the pub, āBar ZaZa.ā Taxi drivers and pizza delivery guys know exactly where we are.
Donāt eat olives off the tree. They donāt taste good. Fresh olives must be brined for at least two weeks before eating. My favorite olive merchant is also an excellent, patient man to practice language with. So I buy a lot of olives!
You can keep your washing machine outside on the balcony. (This isnāt Novosibirsk!) I donāt think they are worried about freezing pipes in Durres.
Our apartment is on the 10th floor, and we have a beautiful view overlooking the Port of Durres on the Adriatic Sea. The deep turquoise of the sea at noon becomes a lovely light blue at sunset.
Sunset is the perfect time to wind down and take a walk. The sun is not so hot, the water is beautiful, and the ice cream vendors are still out in full force.
Though I canāt understand most of the words at church, I can see the fruits of faith. I see that the people are happy to gather for worship. They care about each other. They love their pastors. They sing praises with gusto. They are patient and loving with us.
Right now, we are in the U.S. for some family time, classes, and meetings. God-willing weāll head back to Albania soon. Weāre looking forward to learning more about life and work in Albania with new adventures!
Written by Jennifer Wolfgramm, wife of World Missionary Luke Wolfgramm.
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Before they left, Wolfgramm was able to meet with church leaders from the Evangelical Lutheran Church Concord, WELSā sister church body in Russia, as well as preach at several of the congregations. It was a time to offer encouragement and hope, assurances that Jesusā church would prevail. It was also a time to provide last-minute instructions to church leaders about the practicalities of managing the churchās business affairs.