Adventure, Party of One...

Oh...

How am I?

Good. 

Or, at least, that's what I would like to say. Even if its a lie. I wish I could say it without tears welling up in my eyes.

Moving across the world, forsaking your family, friends, church, work, ability to drive... everything one might hold dear... well, it breaks you in a way. However, I have been really blessed to say that I have not been alone for the past three years of this beautiful journey God has me on.

I have been spoiled, really. Not many missionaries step out into the luxury of having a great friend already waiting for you on the missions field. I met Kerri in 2007 on a short term mission trip to Albania. She was there in the same city at the same time on a short term missions trip with the Bible College she was a part of in South Africa. Through no coincidence, we happened to have mutual friends, who suggested out two short term teams have a get together one night.

If you have ever been to Elbasan, you have been to L'oasi ice cream shop. That is where our colliding of worlds first took place. My team, consisting really only of me and my pastor at the time, went out for ice cream to get to know the team from South Africa. We were only two people, but their team must have consisted of about 20 people. 

It just so happened that Kerri and one of her team leaders sat at the same table as my pastor and I. Because my pastor and her team leader sparked a conversation right off the bat about mutual friends of theirs (is their coincidence in the Kingdom of God? I think not.), Kerri and I were left with the slightly awkward task of trying to spark our own conversation. It proved not to be a difficult task at all. In fact, we both had a burning passion to live in Albania long term and help its people grow to know God. 

This conversation led to emailing which led to us finding each other on Skype. Life went on and Kerri eventually got to lead the dream, living full time in Elbasan. I was super jealous in some ways but also super happy for her. We kept in contact and were great encouragement to one another in life's struggles. 

Then the day came when I decided I needed to take a longer term trip to Albania. My plan was to stay for 3 months, but I knew in the back of my mind that if those three months went well, that I would be staying longer than that. I think Kerri knew this too, even though I never told anyone. So when she suggested that we become roommates, I was stunned and felt like God was opening the door for me to finally get to my dreams and calling.

So we became roommates, and from that moment began a life full of great friendship, lots of struggles and a million giggles. I do not know if I would be in Albania today if it was not for this girl. Not only because she gave me the financial opportunity by sharing expenses, but for a million other reasons as well.

Yesterday, at 430am, I caught a taxi to the airport to see Kerri for one last time. For whatever reason, her time in Albania has come to an end. She left on an airplane about 24 hours ago now.

As I sit and write this, I am saddened to the depths of my heart to have to have said goodbye to someone so dear to me. I have no idea what God is going to do through all of this, but I know I will continue my work in Albania with the gypsy girls and with a new and exciting project that God is speaking to me about for this fall. More to come on that...

For now, I guess its adventure, party of one...

My God is enough. In my loneliness. In my financial hardships. He is enough.

Pray that He will bring more strong friendships along my path, but also pray that He strengthens me in the times that are not as full of people. Pray that He will open new doors of financial opportunity, but also pray that I can withstand the hardships.

Thanks for reading,

Julie