An Emotional Week in Albania

Well, we’ve just finished our first week of summer camps and it has been quite the week on so many levels. Emotions run with joy, love, compassion, hope but sadly mixed with anger, frustration, and sadness.

As you know, myself along with two others, have come to Pogradec, Albania (which borders on Macedonia and Greece) leading 12 students. This past week, we have had our realities turned upside down, our ground shaken and our hearts completely broken by a group of 24 Roma and Albanian children who come to our day camp from 9 in the morning till 1:30p.m every day.

Perhaps part of it comes from the fact that we are so blessed to see the same children each day, getting to know them more and more, having the opportunity to feed into their lives God’s love and our own. Possibly from knowing a little of where they are coming from and yet at awe that over just a short matter of time, the trust many of them have built up with us seen as they run towards us when they first arrive, ready for great big hugs and a smile. It’s enough to bring tears to your eyes – often – which is what happens to most (then having to try and hide it right away).

Several of the children that have come to our camp have been children of special needs. One boy is Xhulio. He has a brilliant and alert mind, the most beautiful smile, but his deteriorating body imprisons him. Save a miracle, muscular dystrophy will take his life in 2 years or less. He loves to watch the boys play futbal and often we throw a green ball back and forth as it just fits in his palm perfectly. He loves to spin the globe with his tiny hands, pointing at Canada and Albania. A few nights ago, Sue dreamt that he was running.

Klyde is 24 years old but has the mind of a young boy. We have been paired up three of the days this past week and already I have a strong fondness for him. He can be rather intimidating to a few in our group, due to his large physique and powerful clap and voice but he really is just a big teddy bear with a great sense of humour. He loves giving me high fives and big smiles. His footing is a little off so as we walk to the park to join others, with our hands and arms interlocked for just an added balance and guidance. I have had the pleasure to also meet his mother, who runs a little ‘convenient shop’ and they look so much like each other.

Desi is a tomboy. Her first day she joined us in the boys group and had a ball but by the next she found herself with the girls, pouting when the boys run off to play futbal and she has to stay and do crafts (I DO feel for her!). She is wonderfully theatrical and uses her limited but improving English to constantly entertain us. Desi’s mother has left her and her 3 siblings to marry another man and start a new family. Somedays, Desi shows up talking about how her brother wants to take her to Greece. We all know what happens in Greece, and so does Desi. It is a situtation that has caused much stress and upset in our group as we have become so fond of Desi.

Sheila’s (pronounced like Swalla) mother is in town, which means high alert. Her mother is a working lady, a victim of trafficking. Sheila has 10 aunts and uncles and 6 of them are working the streets. Grandma is the trafficker. What is the point of awareness campaigns and educating potential victims when grandma is the trafficker? Sheila found a way out when she was just 3 years old when a loving family adopted her. The reality, however (and what really hits hard) for the rest of the children, is that they just might not show up for the next days camp.

There are so many more children and so many more stories to share. I have been with the boys group this whole week and have just fallen in love with them, despite their hardness or roughness as it is so evident that there is a little child who just wants to be loved and appreciated behind the front. I think of Gjino, a 14 year old who has a tendency to throw a ‘fake’ punch but knowing full-well he has to be on his best behaviour or he won’t be allowed to come back and he is. Everyday I receive a smile and a big hug from this child who tries to act like a man. Marius, the singer, Dorione, the helper, little Klaidi who is just so adorable, Franco the dancer and the list goes on.

Though a rest this weekend was very much needed it is hard to not see their faces, praying throughout that we will see each one of them again come Monday. That they won’t be thrown out on the street to beg, the girls won’t have been trafficked or stolen away.

Our theme for this past week was identity, talking about how special they are, how they each were created by a loving father and good Shepherd who if even one of his sheep disappeared would stop to search till it was found and then celebrate. We talked about destiny – what we want to be when we grow up. For us, it is a fact that we have the pleasure of dreaming big, knowing with effort we can reach those dreams, but for these kids, they aspire to be a taxi driver at best, but in reality, most will beg, dive in dumps, or worse, become the traffickers themselves.

What I have shared with you may seem hopeless, something we have struggled with and talked about this a fair bit in our group. Again I am so thankful to know our God, to know him as loving and compassionate, as the Great Shepherd who looks after his sheep. We have hope in what God is doing in this area already and trust in that there is more to come in the future. Sadly, it may not come in the time that we wish for but it will come. The lost won’t be lost forever; this is God’s promise to us. Since our contact here first arrived over 10 years ago, already Christian schools have started, camps and women’s seminars. You can see change already. My hope is that as we have the opportunity to feed love into these children, that perhaps this next generation as they begin their own families, won’t be so quick to continue the tie of abuse. That is my prayer for them, that there will be love and respect between men, women and children.

As a group, we understand that every minute that these children are with us, they are NOT being beat by their fathers, they are not begging on the streets, and they are not being shipped across the borders. This knowledge of knowing that by serving them, by persuing whole-heartedly for the protection of their innocence, that for one more day they can be the children they are meant to be. It is the best we can give them for today. It is my hope.

As I wrap up for this week, I kindly ask once again to keep these children in your prayers, the children of Pogredec, of Albania and please pray for our group, for strength to continually live out God’s love, despite our hearts being so broken for these children.