April 2013

FOODFORTHOUGHT

Some of our Sunday School kids and Oliver visiting

The Spring has officially begun in Albania (the national holiday Summer Day has been duly celebrated, with local pastries and jumping over bonfires), yet today is as rainy and gloomy as a miserable fall day. Although weve lived in this Mediterranean country long enough to know that the sun will not hesitate to come out, nevertheless, on days like this we need to remind ourselves that we are not in rainy Lithuania or Oregon. Talking about reminders, these past few months have been full of sad events that have prompted us to rethink what were living for. Sean has attended more funerals and memorial services than usual, and weve heard of even more hard goodbyes said. Albanian culture is rich in traditions, and the ones related to death make the already miserable event even more sorrowful; saying last fare-wells, mourning with the family, driving in the funeral procession around the town, the burial, memorial lunch, memorial

visits after a week, after 40 days, after a year The Albanians are emotional and expressive people who show their feelings openly, thus funerals echo with sobs and cries of despair. A grandfather who lived over nine decades, an elderly missionary who had been coming to Albania for 20 years, a social worker in his early twenties, a father to two teenagers, and a member of the Christian Motorcycle Association have left us. We are shocked when the lives of the young ones are lost in traffic accidents, and we stop to think what we are really living for. We work to make money to acquire things and then to acquire even more and what do we take with us to eternity? We get upset, angry, annoyed with our dear ones, yet we cannot know how much longer they will walk and talk alongside us. We might be certain about our future, but what about the neighbors? Where will they spend the eternity? Shouldnt we strive to love and love

even more and just love? As I was contemplating death and the thoughts (and hopefully actions) it provokes, I was shocked to realize how quickly I forget the reality check and fall back into comfortable selfishness. And then I prayed probably the oddest prayer ever, God, please bring death close, so that I may truly live. Of course, the two little ones make our home truly lively! As we are deeply thankful for the wonderful Eva and Oliver with which God has entrusted us, the responsibility to raise them in godly ways has been weighing on our shoulders more and more. One of the major secrets of childrearing that we have been discovering is that children if we only allow them are an excellent means to perfect us. And then, as if living exemplary lives wasnt enough (actions speak louder than words, right?), Eva-the-little-parrot makes sure we watch what we say too!

FOODFORTHOUGHT April 2013

More of Sunday School

Marjus graduates from Torchbearers Bible School in neighbour city Erseka

In our last newsletter we mentioned that The Jesus Storybook Bible (www.jesusstorybookbible.com) has been translated into Albanian. It has served as an incentive to restart the Kids Church (aka Sunday School) at our church. We have a great team of mums, a couple young girls and a teenage boy, who read stories from the book, play games and do crafts with our little bunch of preschoolers. More and more children are joining in and of course their mothers and grandmothers can now attend church services undisturbed. Also, with the money donated towards the project, we were able to buy nearly 200 copies of the bible to use for our church and outreaches!

Just a few days before last Christmas we finally moved back in to our fixed-up house. The muchmissed peace returned to our family at an instant! We stayed warm and comfortable throughout the winter, and even the occasional broken rotten floorboard (they are too narrow for anybody to fall through into the cellar) doesnt bother us, because were not living out of boxes anymore and dont need to think of packing or moving!

and spread the Gospel. Weve been scouting the city for suitable facilities (high ceiling is a must, yet rare to come by), and trying to secure the needed funds to get started. Jordan Storlie is coming this summer and willing to build the gym if we can raise the remaining funds in time. So far, we have half of what we need ($7000), and ask you to consider helping us with the other half. Any size donation will make a difference and 100% of it will be used to cover the project expenses! (Donating online is easy: go We would like to end this newsletter to www.canbyfoursquare.com, click with one last item on the menu: the Give Online on the top right corner, youth center/climbing gym. Youve select Missions and Albania, and been hearing for a while now about type Youth Center in the our dream and attempts to create a comments field.) Your money will youth center that would help keep the help us get youths off of the street, youngsters off of the streets, cultivate create a safe-haven, spread the the sports we love and outdoor fun, Gospel, and much more.

Thank you once more for reading, praying and supporting us! We love partnering with you! Sean, Vita, Eva & Oliver
Interested in supporting us & the work in Albania? You may send checks with Albania or a specic project in the memo line payable to: New Life Foursquare Church, 2350 SE Territorial Rd., Canby, OR 97013

Rr. Pandeli Cale 49, Korca, Albania seanmason@gmail.com vitajan@gmail.com seanmason.blogspot.com