Johnstein!

Because of our crazy travel issues (which will need a post of its own), I didn't write this post until a couple of days after we returned. We woke up early on Thursday morning with a couple of things that we wanted to do before our scheduled flight. Berat was a little late picking us up, but soon we were on our way out of Gjakova. First Berat took us to a small village about halfway between Gjakova and Pristina called Prekaz. I know I wrote in my first post that visiting the first memorial was the most sobering moment...but after this day's visit I am not so sure anymore... We visited the home of Adem Jashari...this man is revered as a national hero for the Kosovar Albanians. He was instrumental in solidifying the resolve to stand up to the Serbians. The memorial remembers the three day standoff in 1999 where Jashari and 55 of his extended family perished. Now, five days after my visit, I am still at a loss for words. I'll try to let the pictures below speak for thems...

,Again, I wrote this post at the end of the day (Wednesday - our second full day) in Kosovo.  We spent much of today talking and sharing our vision of how we can partner with the ministries already serving in Kosovo. Berat picked us up and took us to a forest reserve area outside Gjakova. This hilly area has been forested through the voluntary planting of young trees by many of the youth in the city. It's a very beautiful area that is representative of the hope that many have for Kosovo as a nation. They are definitely dependent on the work of the next generation to help Kosovo face the challenges of independence. In this park, there are a number of restaurants/cafes. We were able to enjoy a coffee while Berat explained the goals of Bethany Christian Services, the organization of which he is the executive director. From there we went to the community center and offices of BCS. This center is located right next to a Roma camp, and serves many of the children and...

Not sure when this will get posted, but I am writing this at the end of our first day in Kosovo. Probably a bit long...but lots of pictures for you to enjoy as well! Our trip started with a reminder of God's provision. After being offered the possibility of a voluntary bump (which, although a delay in our plans, would have meant a solid financial incentive) we were presented with an upgrade to business class. Now, families are usually never offered such an upgrade, so this was the first time Rebecca and I had received such an upgrade. It was great...we enjoyed a nice meal. Actually, it was crazy delicious...complete with mini clothes pin to hold our napkin in place. The flight was quick and uneventful. Rebecca and I on the flight to Pristina Our colleagues Brian and Pearl We were welcomed with a smile at passport control under the watchful eye of the airport's namesake (a national hero in the war of independence - Adem Jashari) and proceeded to get our bags an...