wrap up

LAC CLASS OF 2014!

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Hard to believe it, but I leave Albania on Saturday. I think it may be too soon to reflect deeply on my time here but I wanted to write some sort of conclusion while it is still fresh. I have for a long time enjoyed the analogy of life being a journey or a road to be traveled. Staying with that analogy, this year of my journey has been traveled on foot. Different than by other modes of transportation, walking takes some time and effort and you experience your surroundings with all your senses. Also, if you meet others on the path you have personal interactions with them and share similar experiences regardless of what has come before or after that encounter. 

Standing on the edge of the end of this year I have the very contradictory feeling of "that went fast" and "this year felt like a decade!" Again like a journey by foot, you feel the effort but do not cover the distance you would by a car or bike. This year is only one year of my life but it has been very full. That, I am sure, is some of the processing I will do upon arriving home. I hope to understand better the impact this experience has had on me once I am back in the States. When listening to several of the 12th graders speak at graduation it seemed as though it was just last month that I was standing up in front of them in the classroom daring them to find a way to positively "Impact the World" as others before. Now they are graduated and many are continuing their education in the fall here in Albania or abroad. (A few are waiting on visas to Canada or the USA, prayers are needed). Regardless of where they go from here we shared this part of the road together. LAC has provided these students with a "Road less Traveled," one of ethical education and personal integrity. I pray they will continue in that direction and change their world.

21 graduates!

These past few weeks since graduation I have continued to work but I have been filling the afternoons and evenings with spending time with my friends here. There are the VMM missionaries that live in the building with me but also the Albanians that I have come to know. I will always feel a closeness to these folks as we spent this year working and serving together in sometimes challenging situations.

What is next? I don't have that answer yet. The immediate is all I know. On Saturday I fly to Italy for vacation with friends from home. The end of July I will arrive back in Telford, PA, but past that is still a mystery. I have faith something will come up, perhaps you may have a idea of something that I would enjoy doing? I want to thank you for partnering on this leg of my journey with me. I have felt very supported by all the prayers and encouraging words you have sent my way this past year. On some days that is what gave me the energy to keep going. Some of you reading this I will not be seeing in the near future or are headed off on a different road for now. Remember that the world continues to get smaller and you never know when we may find ourselves together again. In the meantime I treasure the time we shared and prefer "see you laters" to "good-byes."

Enjoying a student speech from my privileged front row seat.

Live life to the Fullest!
 

A bunker which is still a common sight in Albania.
However, this group of VMM missionaries is anything but common.
I am thankful for the time we have shared the "road less traveled" together. I hope it makes all the difference!