OK, we are not so old. Really! But we learned to know each other very well this past spring while we were all in Lezhë, Albania. So when Phil and Betsy Moyer said they were gong to be in the Harrisonburg, VA, USA, area on Monday, July 21, she invited them and us to lunch.

Phil Moyer, Lois King and Betsy Moyer Chat about Lois' Old Rocker (21-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

And when we all knew Klementina and Dini Shahini were also going to be in town that same day, they were also invited to lunch. It was a very special time of sharing news and just being friends.

Klementina and Dini Shahini Join Phil and Betsy in Conversation (21-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

So whether we were talking animatedly with each other or just enjoying listening or thinking, the company was lovely.

Klementina and Betsy in Animated Sharing (21-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Dini Listening Intently to Others (21-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Lois, thanks so much for the meal and for hosting us all. This was a special moment in our summer.

Two Other Links of Interest

• Article in The Mennonite featuring Klementina Shahini

• Albania Blog by Melanie and Justin Erb

For those of you who are or will be living in Albania and associated with Virginia Mennonite Missions, please send me the address of your blog (if you are writng one). I'll be glad to post the info here.

---

For the past two weeks, my wife (Elsie) and I have been part of an orientation for persons preparing for living in another country and cultural setting than their own. Four of these persons will join us in living in Lezhë, Albania and teaching or otherwise serving at the Lezha Academic Center (an American-style high school taught in English). Elsie and I leave on August 4 to return to Lezhë to a full academic year this time. In the spring of this year, we had lived in Lezhë for four months. (To learn more of our experiences during that time, check out my earlier blog on "Living in Albania.")

Here are some photos from our time of orientation this summer with a few of my short comments.

Below are Melanie and Justin Erb, Jonathan Cranston, Martin Rhodes (Virginia Mennonite Missions staff person) and Elsie on July 7, our first day of orientation. Justin and Melanie are going to Lezhë, Albania, while Jonathan will be returning to the Philippines, a country he had lived in for several years as a child.

First Day of Orientation Begins (7-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Each day Kevin Clark, (an Assistant Professor and Campus Minister at Eastern Mennonite Seminary) led us in a time of "Soul Care" first thing after our breakfast together.

Kevin Clark Leads a "Soul Care" Session (7-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Each day we also had input and discussion led different persons. On Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning of the first week, Linford and Janet Stutzman shared on the topic of the theology of missions. Linford is Director of the Coffman Center at EMS and Professor of Culture and Mission at EMU. They shared from their experiences living in Germany and while on a sailboat on the Mediterranean Sea visiting where the Apostle Paul had gone. (For more details of their sailing experiences, read Sailing Acts.)

 

Linford Stutzman Discusses the Practical Theology of Missions (8-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Our personalities showed through as we learned together, whether my "bad physics humor" or the impish expression on the face of Caleb Kiefer as he sees me taking his picture. Below Caleb and Josh Kirkman look at a book on learning the Albanian language (shqip). Josh plans on teaching at Lezha Academic Center.

 

Sharing a Moment with Each Other and the Camera (8-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Caleb and Roni, with all of their fun energy, will be working at the Maranatha School for the Deaf in Jamaica.

 

Energized for Fun and Service (8-Jul-14; Richard L. Bowman)

Melanie and Justin will teach art and carry administrative duties at LAC in Lezhë. 

 

Carefully Listening to Another's Ideas (8-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Katrina Schmid will also be teaching at LAC in the area of math and physical science.

Also Intent on Listening (8-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Aaron Kauffman, president of VMM since January 1, acquainted us with the VMM Mission and Vision and Christian discipleship. One possible avenue toward enhancing accountable discipleship suggested by VMM staff is the formation of Life Transformation Groups (two or three persons of the same gender covenanted together for Bible reading and sharing).

While I personally do not get very excited over new names for concepts, I am interested in how we can work at Christian discipleship more effectively. So a couple of us men have already talked about possibly starting one or two LTG's in Lezhë. Or depending upon how many persons are interested and what a particular group's goals are, we could consider a "huddle" or two. I'll share more about LTG's and huddles in a future post.

The President Speaks... (8-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

 

...About the Mission and Vision of VMM (8-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

 

...And Life Transformation Groups (8-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Lynn Suter, the Director of Operations and International Ministries at VMM since January 6, brings her broad experience (in college administration, law, and living in Nepal for three years with her husband and family) to her new role.

 

And the Director of International Ministries Also Listens (8-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Don and Rita Steiner, members of the Lezha Academic Center US board, hosted those of us planning on working at LAC and living and worshipping in Lezhë to their home for dinner one evening. It was a good time of relaxation and talking about LAC and our going to be part of it as we shared the excitements and a few frustrations that we sense will be ahead of us.

 

Enjoying an Excellent Meal and Conversation (9-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

God willing, there will be four new persons going under the VMM tranSend umbrella to LAC. The four (Katrina, Melanie, Justin, and Josh) gathered for the group pose below. Elsie and I will return to LAC for a full academic year this time, but we are technically under the VMM Partners in Mission moniker. Justin Rittenhouse has already taught math at LAC for two years and will be retuning this fall, too. Klementina Shahini (director of the school for all three years of its existence) and her husband Dini (overall facilities person at LAC and churchman) continue to live in Lezhë year round. There are also a number of Albanian faculty and  staff members who help make the school the good institution it is. Together we live and work to make LAC an institution of rigorous education in a community of learners with a Biblical worldview. (See the detailed mission and vision for LAC for more details.)

 

They Gave Their Best Shot (9-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

From late afternoon on Thursday, July 10m through the afternoon of Friday, July 11, the group plus VMM staff and some of their families were at Highland Retreat for a time of retreat together and alone. Carol Tobin, Asia Regional Director for VMM, asked us to ponder which of the random items she had placed on the floor described us. We then shared our thoughts of who we are.

 

What Describes My Life? (10-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Justin Rittenhouse (now which one should we call "the other Justin"?), shared from his two years of living and teaching in Lezhë on Friday evening, and he and Jonathan led us in a time of informal singing with violin and guitar after the planned activities were concluded on Thursday evening. 

 

Telling His Story (10-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Sherah-Leigh's daughter and Sylvia's and Martin's daughter got along well with pictures and colored markers while the adults had our activities. 

 

Can We All Work Together Like This? (10-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

One of the activities Carol led us in Friday morning during our time of worship was to use modeling clay to make something that vulnerably described us. Again, we then shared our "artwork" and some of our thoughts.

What Do You Make of Your Life? (11-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

 

She Asked the Question and Gave Her Own Answer, too! (11-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

After this time of worship, Elsie and I shared some pictures from our four months in Lezhë and what we had learned. One of these was that God helped us to be vulnerable simply because we needed others as we dealt with some physical impairments. (I scraped my leg on a metal post and got a serious leg infection, and Elsie fell down some stairs and badly twisted her ankle.)

The next week back at the VMM headquarters, Kevin Clark continued to lead us each day in "Soul Care,," and other speakers directed our thinking outside of the box. These included Carolyn Stauffer, David Brubaker, and Lawrence Yoder--all from Eastern Mennonite University. Also, many of the VMM staff also gave input that stretched us how we should live as Christians (Carol and Skip Tobin and Loren Horst) and things that stretched us on how to handle the financial reporting and recordkeeping and the public relations aspects of our times of service in other countries (Sherah-Leigh Gerber, Jon Trotter, Lois Maust, Sarah Schoenhals, and Jan Liskey).

 

Waiting Her Turn (or for me to stop talking!) (16-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Ready to Discuss Publicity (16-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Whitney Specht joined the us during the last week of our orientation. She will be living and serving in the Kosovo (a partially recognized independent country), north of Albania and working at a milk processing plant.

 

From the Same Church and to Different Countries (16-Jul-14; © Richard L. Bowman)

Thursday evening, July 17, there was a meal with the Missionary Support Team for each tranSend person and a commissioning ceremony. We are eager to get back to Albania and Lezhë, and feel the bonding we have done with the other persons in our orientation group. They will always be our friends and fellow persons on the journey to follow Christ in life. 

--©2014, Richard L. Bowman

---

Response Form

Your Name:

Your Email Address:
Confirm Email Address:

Your Questions, Affirmations or Other Comments:

By submitting your comment, you give permission for your comment to be placed in this blog (as appropriate). Your name will be the only identification included. No other use of your name or email address will occur except to respond to any question you raised.

Archives:  Spring_2014

---

Created and maintained by Richard L. Bowman; last modified: 1-Aug-14.
Ed Tech by Bowman Home