Index
Albania
Birds_Animals
Flowers_Plants
Landscapes_Others
Trains
Archives
Living in Albania
by Richard L. Bowman
by Richard L. Bowman
June 13, 2015
Another Week or Two in the Life of...
Yes, this blog is still about the life Elsie and I are living in Lezhë, Albania. This week I begin with several photos from events associated with our church, Guri i Themelit.
Women's Meeting at Gui i Themelit Church (2-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
At the women's meeting on Tuesday evening, June 2, Elsie shared a testimony from her life. Xhorxhina, sophomore at LCC University in Lithuania did the interpreting.
Elsie, Xhorxhina and Dila (2-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
On this past Sunday as we walked to My Bar for coffee, we noticed a nun carrying her guitar to services at the Roman Catholic cathedral.
A Nun with Her Guitar Walks through Our Neighborhood (7-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Josh Kirkman Seems to Enjoy Life and His Coffee (7-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
At the church service got under way "soon" after 10 a.m., we shared a parise song and then learned the events and their times planned for this week.
Ev (2-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Leon and Naomi Zimmerman and their family were with us visiting from the US. Leon had been the pastor at the church for four years several years ago. Vince and LaVonne Ramella and their family were also visiting from Kosovo where they live and serve as Virginia Mennonite Mission workers with a milk processing business. With all of the other visitors, it was a full house.
Note: the five photos below were taken with my camera by Fabi.
The Congregation Listens to the Sermon (7-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Leon Preaches and Klementina Interprets (7-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
The Bible in Shqip (7-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Pastor Rafael Gives Closing Remarks (7-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Caleb Zimmerman Shares His Testimony in Shqip after the Close of the Service (7-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Some other visitors that morning were several children from a Roma family.
Visitors Included Several Roma Children (7-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
In planning for a sort video I made to show in a children's segment at Mount Clinton Mennonite Church when I preach there on July 12, I took photos of our apartment building and Elsie hanging out wash. Our home is in the second floor apartment on the corner of the photo below.
Our Apartment Building (8-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Elsie Hanging out Wash to Dry (4-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
On Tuesday Elsie went vegetable and fruit shopping in addition to buying other items. Elsie has done most of the shopping since my hip continues to give me a fair amount of pain. Recently I have been told to use two crutches and to reduce the weight born by the left hip.
What Elsie Bought for About $3.50 (9-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Me and My Two New Crutches (6-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
We enjoy people and event watching from the large windows of our small kitchen. The street below is often very interesting. Recently we have noticed an old car parked there. It is a rear-engine "Fiat 126 made by FSM." Wikipedia says that this car was made from 1973 to 2000. I really cannot tell what year it might be. For that matter these cars were also made by Zastava in Yugoslavia under license from Fiat.
A Vintage Fiat 126 (Made by FSM) (13-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
On Friday morning we walked a short distance to stand in front of the church and wait for Ina to pick us up in her car. Across the street was a city worker nicely trimming the hedge around the small park there. He said I could take his picture.
Trimming the Hedge on the Small Park Across from the Church (12-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
At Lezha Academic Center Friday morning, I was privileged to meet Dini's and Klementina's daughter (Kledia), daughter-in-law (Tiffany) and grandson (Vincent).
Tiffany Shahini and Her Son (12-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Proud Grandpa and His Grandson (12-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
This past week also saw another supporter of the school come for a two-week visit, Linda Miller, the wife of Merlin who was here last spring for a number of weedks.
Klementina, Dini and Linda Chat for a Moment (12-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Then in late afternoon, we were pleasantly surprised to find Katrina Schmid at our door along with a junior LAC student, Inda. (Readers might recall that several weeks ago, I shared photos from a Saturday lunch with Inda and her family.)
Inda and Katrina Acknowledge the Photographer (12-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
This evening the Mennonite Children's Choir of Lancaster (PA, USA) will share in a concert with the choir from LAC giving a few selections themselves. Since Inda in in the LAC group and Katrina is helping out, they gave Elsie and me a small preview.
Inda and Katrina Share a Verse of Song from Their Choir with Us (12-Jun-15; © Richard L. Bowman)
Another good week of events and relationships for which we thank God and our friends.
The problems with the new prosthesis in my hip not annealing metal to bone is still with me. We are praying for God's wisdom and healing in the weeks ahead.
--©2014-15, Richard L. Bowman
Response Form