05. Sep 2023

Fischtë - Laç Fshat

I am certainly limited in my possibilities of communicating with people in Albania, because I do not know the language. It surprises me then how sometimes a "talk and pray" moment happens. I think that if God knows we are willing and available, he allows such moments to happen. Today I had four of them...
1) I went into a small market to get some mineral water. The young woman at the cash register spoke English quite well. She asked me where I was traveling to. I told her I was a pilgrim walking through Albania and praying for the country and people and that I would be happy to pray for her. She said yes. I prayed. God blessed.
2) A little bit later I was walking down the road when a young woman on a bicycle with saddle bags came towards me on the opposite side of the road. She swerved over to me, stopped and said: "I am curious... where are you walking to?" It turned out that she was from Germany, now living and studying in Salzburg, and had just riden her bike to Athens and was returning back to Salzburg. We talked and prayed... in German. So many of the encounters that I have had, have been initiated by a question that someone has asked me.

3) Later in the day there was a group of sheep standing in the middle of the road (photo 5). They made a circle with their heads together in the center. They were apparently afraid and did not know where to go. I did not see a shepherd anywhere. So I got the sheep to move to the side of the road. One car driver then stopped and called out to me from his window. He was Jak from Albania, but now living in England. It was a "Talk and Pray" moment.

4) At the end of the day I went to buy some yogurt for my müsli at a Ma-and-Pa store. They only had one big bottle which was too much for me. Communication was difficult. Then the husband called his sister in Michigan by WhatsApp to translate. I explained what I needed and also what I was doing. It ended up being a Talk-and-Pray session by way of WhatsApp from Albania to Michigan.

Photos 1,3,4: Scenes from the day. A good part of the route this morning was on a foot path, which was really nice.

Photo 2: Just as I was getting the camera out, mom and dad bird left the nest. I guess they did not like having their picture taken.