I said yes.

I recently realized that I haven't ever explained on the blog why I'm in Albania.

Here's the nutshell version: 

Almost 7 years ago God called me to Eastern Europe. He wasn't specific about which country, but through circumstances and walking by faith, He led me to Romania. And I fell in love with the country and the people. I went about preparing to go there long term after spending two months there. The first preparation was to go through a missions program at a Bible college. I chose one in Hungary, because it borders Romania and would allow me to easily spend the summer there. That summer was a growing, stretching, exhausting time. I left Romania ready to give up. It was tough going into the second semester of the missions program while thinking that I'd already failed, that I didn't have what it took. In the middle of that semester God gave me peace about going back to Romania and I planned to join one of the ministries that I'd helped with during the summer. But after I returned home to spend some time in preparation, that ministry folded due to EU red tape. Over the next couple of years I looked into other ministries, finally settling on one that I would check out with a short term trip. So I went on a bicycle outreach last summer in Romania for two weeks and got to know the team I might be working with. I had an odd juxtaposition feelings during that trip: the feeling that Romania wasn't my "home" anymore along with peace about applying to join them. So I stepped out in faith and went through the application process... an intensive application followed by a week at the headquarters doing training and interviews. And at the end of it, they weren't sure if Romania would be the right fit for me. I struggled with their decision, but eventually saw it as God's grace - that His plan was different than I'd expected and that the time was not wasted. He used it to grow and stretch me in some very important ways. By January I was looking at Romania again... planning to apply to a different ministry, in the hope that I could go there long term.

But all during this time there was a different thread weaving through the periphery, one that I didn't even notice until I stopped to look back.

At the very beginning, when I first started looking into missions and where to go, the listings for Albania jumped out at me; but I pulled back from them in fear - "they need 'hardcore, rugged' missionaries? Count me out!" 

Almost three years ago, I met an Albanian girl while on an outreach in Croatia. Something about our interaction (it may have been her hopelessness and cynicism) made me curious about Albania and I left the conversation with a desire to see her country and understand her better. I remember telling her that I wanted to come to Albania someday. She laughed at me. It made me want to go even more.

For a few years now, I've also been hearing about Albania in newsletters from a missionary friend of mine named Luke. Luke and I are from the same town and have been friends for 12 years (since high school). A year and a half ago I read in one of his newsletters that he was hoping to bring a short term team to the village where he is working and something about it hit a chord for me. I remembered the girl I met in Croatia and I knew I should go. I wanted to see firsthand what's going on in and around Korce, since I'd been hearing about it. But I set the idea aside thinking that I should pray about it -- and it got lost in my memory for a while... until January, when Luke came back to our hometown while on furlough and we went out for coffee (set up by my sister - thank you, Ruth!). At this time I was planning to go to Romania in late July, but was thinking about leaving sooner and having some other adventures on the way. The short term team for Albania came to mind as we were talking, so I asked him to sign me up. It was going to be 2 weeks at the beginning of July.

Luke and I kept talking that day until the coffee shop closed - and then every so often over the phone and Skype for the next few months. In March I started wondering why he was texting me every day (hoping it was the same reason I was texting him back). I was also wondering (and praying about) whether I should even go on the short term trip, since the feelings I was developing for Luke were likely to get in the way of the ministry. But at the beginning of April, my suspicions were confirmed, when he asked me if I was interested in our friendship becoming something deeper. Prayerfully, we began a relationship. By May all of the other people who were planning to come on the short term trip had dropped out and it was just me signed up. So we started talking about whether it would be valuable for me to come for a longer time to get to know Luke in Albania and experience ministry here - to see if it might be where God was leading me. I applied as a short-term (3-month) missionary with the organization he works with. I was in Albania the first of July. And it was a tough transition. Those missionary listings that first scared me away weren't kidding! But despite a rocky beginning, I have grown to love this place and I can't imagine why I wouldn't stay here.

Looking back I can see that while I was trying to break down the doors for Romania, God was quietly leading me to where I am now and using the times in Romania to shape and prepare me.

And now an announcement (for those of you who have made it this far) ~~~

He asked. I said yes. We're getting married in January!

And so, for now, I have three weeks left in Albania. I want to thank you for your prayers and encouragement during this time! I will be in Oregon for the next few months spending time with family and friends and making preparations for our wedding -- and also preparing for my international move. Short-term missions will become long-term missions as I step into the role of missionary wife. I am so blessed to love and be loved by Luke. And I'm excited about the road ahead! Please keep praying for us. 

God bless you! (And thank you for reading this long post!)

~ Lydia 

PS - If you would like to get Luke's (soon to be our) newsletter, please leave a comment on this post and include your email address. I won't publish the comments with email addresses, but will add you to the email list.