Christmas Trip

We had a blessed trip to Greece last week. Kosova, Macedonia and Greece – 1,600 km of driving, four border crossings, and no problems. Stops included Mt. Olympus, Athens, Santorini, Thessaloniki and Skopje. There is so much history in Greece, it would take months to soak it all in. It was simply amazing to be walking through ancient ruins, many that date between the 6th century BC and the 4th century AD. Of course most of it has to do with the Greek gods, but it was interesting to consider the grounds which we wandered were also walked by several disciples of Jesus. One of the NT’s most famous speeches given by Paul to the “men of Athens” in the Areopagus (Acts 17:22-31) takes on a new energy after you’ve explored the city of Athens. He seemed to be taking in the city just as we were. Today it’s a city of 5 million+ and VERY busy. We now have a clear understanding of the expression, It’s Greek to me. The Greek language is difficult to decipher.

A relaxing highlight was our trip by ferry to the island of Santorini. The kids loved the island cats and mom and dad loved sitting in quiet, panoramic beauty. Our travel experiences are always defined by city centers, food & restaurants, open markets, and spontaneous friendships. We certainly enjoy meeting other Americans and trading stories. We’re grateful for our safe travel and feel rejuvenated, for sure. Thanks for your Christmas greetings and prayers.

Holidays

Holiday greetings to all. We are and will be thinking of family, friends and relatives during the holiday season. We’re tapping years of memories, recalling Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, to warm our hearts. We will miss your faces and long for a good hug, but the spiritual binds that tie our hearts (in spite of the miles) bring joy to us each day.

Thanksgiving
We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving, twice. We had a Thanksgiving lunch at school on Wednesday. Several of the American faculty brought traditional dishes. We lined up the cafeteria tables into one loooooong table. The history of Thanksgiving was explained to the students and several teachers described what the holiday meant to them.

On Thursday about thirty of us gathered at the Chesnut’s home for an afternoon Thanksgiving meal. We had turkey and all the trimmings – the smells were intoxicating. Julia cooked one of three turkeys and corn pudding. A few things missing: football on the TV, a snoring relative on the couch, pecan pie, and family of course.

Albanian Flag Day
The Wednesday following Thanksgiving Albanians everywhere celebrated Ditën Flamurit (Flag Day). It’s a bit of a combination of our July 4th and Presidents Day. No fireworks, but plenty of patriotism. Schools and government agencies were closed. Flags flew in front of many shops and homes. This was started on November 28, 1443, but become more meaningful on the same day in 1912 when Albania declared independence from Turkish captivity. The day prior to the holiday several students prepared a mix of readings and songs pertaining to Flag Day. The whole school gathered during 7th period to take in their show. It was quite impressive.

Christmas
We will be spending our first Christmas outside the US. We plan to be in Athens, Greece on December 25th and spend a day in Corinth as well. It will certainly give this Christmas added meaning being in and near the lands we read about in the Bible. We have a small Christmas tree with lights - it sure makes us smile. Your care packages serve as our presents – down to the last pack of Skittles.

A quote from Mother Teresa is an appropriate ending to this posting: “Why must we give ourselves fully to God? Because God has given Himself to us. If God who owes nothing to us, is ready to impart to us no less than Himself, shall we answer with just a fraction of ourselves?” —Mother Teresa

Birth of a Country?

On the drive from Prishtina to our home we pass “The Heart of Kosova”, a grove of evergreens whose boundary forms the shape of a heart. This patriotic phenomena may not be known Kosova-wide, but it provides a daily opportunity to reflect on our little province in the Balkans. We are here during a year when history may be made and it’s both fascinating and tense. You should know about two important dates and pray for the second.

Elections - Saturday, November 17th
Under international supervision, the elections (every four years) for Prime Minister, parliament, municipal assemblies and mayors, was held. There were 4 – 5 major parties in contention. When the chads settled, the party that has been in power for over a decade was soundly beaten, however, the new party did not receive 50% of the vote, so they must form a coalition with the second or third place party. Afterwards, the two parties will tend to the task of filling the various government positions. Some wanted to delay these elections until Kosova’s independence is decided. Indeed, the Serbians living in Kosovo boycotted the elections. This brings us to the second important date.

Independence - Monday, December 10th
The UN Security Council announces whether it has consensus on the matter of Kosova’s independence. Russia has been saying that they will veto. Kosova leaders have said they will declare independence if the Security Council does not grant it. Many countries, including the US, are chiming in with media statements of support, caution or disapproval. The matter of Kosova being independent from Serbia is a seven year debate. Scratch the surface of this topic and you quickly hit political, ethnic and historical nerves. The Albanians we live among are simply tired of waiting. Pray for a peaceful resolution.

B-ball in Kosova

I started playing basketball in a city called Prishtina and it is really fun. I play on a team called “Vertikal”. The gym floor is in bad shape so it is hard to dribble, but I am getting used to it. I also have a friend called Butrant but they call him Boot for short. The head coach is Mark but usually somebody else coaches me. I haven’t had a game yet but I know I will get a uniform. I practice for two hours on Saturday, first with kids my age and then with kids a year older than me. We do drills then we scrimmage. Afterwards we go to a bakery near the gym but sometimes we go before. --Dan

General Meeting

Last week the commander of the US forces here in Kosova visited our high school and chatted with the students for about 2 hours. Brigadier General Douglas B. Earhart heads a Multinational Task Force at Camp Bondsteel in southeastern Kosovo. There are about 1,700 troops there, plus some soldiers from other countries. This is one of 8 or 9 task forces that make up the UN forces (16,000 troops) here in Kosovo. They have been keeping the peace since 1999. The General invited us to camp Bondsteel for a field trip and we will be going there October 31. The students are very excited and the staff likes the fact that there is a Taco Bell on the Bondsteel premises.

Early Winter?

This past Sunday we woke up to three inches of snow on the ground! As always, the first snow was exciting and beautiful. This picture was taken from our balcony. It is not normal for snow to fall in October - today the high is going to be 64. Our weather will mirror northern Kentucky's weather for the most part. We are hoping for a mild winter since our home heating sources are portable electric units, and power is off about as much as it is on. The pattern is not consistent. One day this week we had 4 hours off, 2 hours on. Another day this week we had power most of the day. Here in our village several families use wood to heat their homes. We certainly have a better appreciation for the comforts of the US. Sleigh bells rinnnnnng, are ya listening?

Fli

This is a pan of fli, a popular dish here in Kosova. There are several layers that look like this current layer. This pan is about half done. Each layer of bread strips is spooned in and then a lid with hot coals (on top) is placed over the pan to brown the dough mix. Sour cream is poured between each layer of dough, then another layer is spooned in. Repeat for about 7 layers. Often you eat it with yogurt. This pan is simply placed in the middle of the table and everyone just picks at the portion of the circular pan directly in front of them. Pick until you get to the bottom. We have a hard time getting to the bottom of our section - it's quite filling. I favor the browned (crunchy) strips.

Visiting

Tending to relationships is important here. More so in the villages than in the city, but still, folks visit. Saturday night we visited a family nearby – Dan and their son have become occasional buddies. Our language teacher went along to translate for us. We arrived around 6:30pm, took off our shoes outside the front door and all gathered in one of the two side rooms. One of the girls allowed each of us to rinse our hands in a bowl as she poured warm water from a pitcher.

G and H have six children. They invited us for Iftar, the evening meal during Ramadan. Twelve of us gathered around a small rectangular table as an assortment of food was placed before us. The most prominent dish was fli (flee), a national bread dish often cooked outside with hot coals. Dishes and bowls with cooked peppers, sausage and cabbage slaw were placed around the large circular pan of fli. We all reached and picked and shared which is typical for meals here.

Conversation was brisk and predictable – mutual greetings, kids, work, family history, Kosova independence. We spoke warmly about our transition into Albanian culture and shed some light on our American home and the loved ones we left in the states. Our different faiths did not get in the way, even now during Ramadan. God’s (Zot) name was mentioned in both Muslim and Christian context yet never muddied or restricted the topic at hand. We were two faithful families, genuinely interested in each other for friendship’s sake – we both thought being nice to others was paramount, kids shouldn’t cavort after dark, city life is too busy and politics often get in the way.

Julia and I are always grateful for the hospitality extended to us and the raw experiences our family takes part in. This family shared beyond their means and that is often the case when we are invited for a meal. We get the best from each family we visit. It isn’t excess or splendor – just smiles and friendship.

Dan's Decision

Sunday, September 16, has been a beautiful day in more ways than one. Outside it is sunny, but cool. The sky is blue and a light breeze is blowing. Batllava lake is glistening and cold. Many are fretting that the lake is 9 meters low, but today a small group has gathered to rejoice in the baptism of Daniel Palmer. Praise God. While dad spoke with Dan, his handwritten reasons for becoming a "child of God" were read to a crowd of a dozen or so. Mom took pictures, sister looked on. Dan emerged a new creation. Everyone smiled. God is good and Dan knows it.

9 - 11

The evening of 9-11 we found ourselves in the middle of Prishtina sitting in the Red Hall, a modest concert hall with long red curtains draped along the walls. We were there to take in a memorial concert for the tragic events of September 11th. After opening remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister and the head of the US office in Prishtina (translated in English, Albanian and Serbian), we enjoyed an intimate concert given by the Kosova Philharmony –Opera Orchestra. Several of the high school staff were there quietly appreciating the quality of the music and the genuine empathy collectively expressed by the Kosovar performers. It is unique, indeed, to experience being allies at such a simple, personal level. The people of Kosova truly appreciate America and its citizens for what they have done (and will do) for them, and hopefully for their independence.

Grand Opening

Prishtina High School had its grand opening this past Tuesday. It was a formal occasion with parents, students and dignitaries mingling outside prior to the ribbon cutting. Our principal greeted everyone and the mayor of Prishtina spoke. The family who funded and built the striking five million euro building was praised for their generosity and commended for their many benevolent endeavors in Prishtina. People filed in and enjoyed a variety of hors d’oeurves, a string quartet played and many smiling faces explored the building and classrooms. Julia got to meet my coworkers and Melanie & Daniel got to hang out in daddy’s classroom (but they like the 5th floor PE area the best).

The building is indeed beautiful. It was good to finally fire the starting pistol; now we can begin teaching. The next three days went quickly. We are teaching in “orientation” mode for the first couple weeks. Students aren’t in their specific classes yet because we need to determine their abilities in each main subject area – so Sarah, the other math teacher, and I are teaching together and trying to determine where each student belongs: Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Geometry or Algebra II. This orientation is a perfect time for teachers to begin building relationships while teaching fundamental skills.

We presently have only 20 students, so we are also allowing time for procrastinators – we hope there are several. God is throwing us a curve ball when it comes to student numbers. Please pray for this. We will continue to teach no matter what happens and the staff and students are already very close – bonding doesn’t take long with small class sizes.

Bumps in the Road

Have you ever seen a dislocated finger? I happened to be looking at my own yesterday. While touring the new school (which is still a construction sight), I tripped and fell forward. In breaking my fall my finger got caught up in a piece of equipment. When I got up, dusted my pants and gathered myself I notice my right ring finger was bent the wrong direction (no photo, thankfully). So we got to experience a doctor's office much earlier than we wanted. I am now fine - the nurses and doctors were very nice, and it was a blessing having our friend Skender with us to translate when necessary. I had to get xrays before Dr. Debroshi "fixed" my finger and after. The whole ordeal took about 2.5 hours and cost 50 euros total - no forms. We're not in Kentucky anymore...


Gary

All Is Well

Greetings from Kosova. Thank you for your prayers because we completed our travel without any trouble what-so-ever. Our trip lasted 26 hours including the drive from Skopje to our home. All nine of our checked bags made it through four airports (four countries). God blessed our trip.

It is wonderful to be here. Several folks have pitched in to help our initial days be carefree and comfortable. Our landlords, Ishmael and Heidi, have been soooo welcoming. The Chesnuts drove us around Pristina Saturday helping us buy appliances and furniture. Don picked up cellphones for us. We are investigating internet and car options - both could be in place by Monday evening. Lots to do, but lots getting done in a short time.

We've met several people and actually got to meet (see) many of the villagers Saturday night at a karate tournament that was being held in Otown. It was great fun - our experiences are so new - new sounds, smells, tastes, customs, etc.

We feel especially close as a family - this is nice. We are all in good spirits and looking forward to settling in and learning to communicate better.

Kosov"a" or Kosov"o"

Kosova (Koh-SOH-vah), also known as Kosovo, is the disputed region between Kosova's Albanian majority and Serbia. Once an autonomous federal unit of Yugoslavia, in 1989 it was stripped of its autonomy by the government of Slobodan Milosevic, whose later actions would result in the break-up of Yugoslavia and the ensuing wars in Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, and Kosova. Kosovo (KOH-soh-voh) is the Serbian name given to the region. This website (http://www.albanian.com/community/) has quite a bit of information about the Albanian community in which we’ll be living. It also has up-to-date information about the Albanians' efforts to establish an independent country.

A Life-changing Decision

God Calls
“Exactly where is Kosovo?” This question came to mind when we read the little blurb in our December church bulletin:

…we have received word from Don Tingle that they are embarking on the major undertaking of building a new church-sponsored high school in Pristina, Kosovo. They need teachers for the 2007-2008 school year. If you are interested…

So for the next four months we stewed over the possibility of living in south-eastern Europe and taking part in this exciting project. God consistently (maybe relentlessly) affirmed our ponderings. Many prayed for our decision. Finally, after Gary visited Pristina in April, and was warmly encouraged by the Kosovars he met, we decided to join Don and his team.

The Task At Hand
There are currently 10 educators involved. The school will be finished in early August (picture above). A few of the school’s goals are listed below:

• We want to offer a quality high school education that will make it easier for students to apply to colleges and universities in the United States of America, Europe and other parts of the world.


• Many Christians and churches in America have helped the people of Kosova rebuild after the war. We want to provide a healthy and productive way for these Christians and churches to continue to serve the people of Kosova in one of the most important areas of development—education.


• We want to provide students in Kosova with opportunities to learn in an American high school environment, receiving instruction from capable American teachers, using quality instructional methods, curricula, textbooks, technology and counseling services.


• It will be our pledge to make this high school the finest in Kosova. At the same time we want to work closely with the Ministry of Education, Science & Technology and other schools in the country to improve the general health of education for all of the country.

God’s hand has been more than evident as we prepare for our trip. Melanie and Daniel’s elementary music teacher will be renting our house along with her husband and two daughters. They will also care for our cats, Tux and Tiger. Gary’s employer gave him a one year leave-of-absence. Several teachers have helped with materials for Gary’s classroom as well as Julia’s home-schooling. Our church family continues to amaze us with their encouragement and support. It is quite obvious that we were meant to be part of this mission.

We leave August 9th. We are excited and apprehensive. Kosovo is trying to become an independent country, so there is a bit of uncertainty surrounding this. Learning the language (Albanian) will be a struggle, at least Gary gets to teach in English. Being immersed in another culture will bring challenges for everyone, but the Albanians are genuinely friendly people and the unhurried lifestyle will bring a simplicity we can only long for in the states.

Contacting Us
We will cherish your prayers and letters, however we do not have an address for you yet. Our dwelling does not have an address (tiny village), so we’ll be sharing Gary’s school address when we get that. The high school's website: http://phs-asi.org/