Our Latest Humanitarian Activities
August and so far in September have been a busy and a hot time for us. Many days it was over 35C. Much of our time has been going to the bank numerous times (because there is a daily limit in the amount we can withdraw with our ATM card) and shopping for the items we needed for our projects.
Shopping at the large Tirana treg (covered marketplace) is an interesting experience. There are literally hundreds of small stalls selling everything from shirts, curtains, men’s suits, toys, towels & sheets, ladies and children’s clothes, makeup and even wedding dresses and evening gowns. One can walk up and down the narrow aisles and wonder if you can ever find your way back to the shop where you saw something you wanted (or even to the outside street)). It is all covered so you are out of the rain but it is stifling hot and you come home with clothes wet to the skin. Of course adding to the adventure is the fact that we don’t speak the language and many shopkeepers don’t speak much English. So we do a lot of pointing and asking them to write down the prices. But we carry on and eventually accomplish our shopping mission.
The next step is the delivery and presentation to the organizations.
One example is our travel last Friday.We left home at 5:45 with the mission’s large VW van (nick named Big Blue) jammed to the gills and drove to Fier to meet the furniture delivery truck at 7:30 am. Then the truck followed us to the small community of Baltez to deliver the kindergarten furniture to the school along with all the books, school supplies, toys and new carpet (12 ft long) we had brought in the van. Then the furniture for the Baltez health clinic was delivered along with the small refrigerator we had brought. After that a local member of the community accompanied us back to Fier to show us where to purchase heaters and small water tanks for the projects. Then it was back to Baltez ( a small community of mostly Roma people) to deliver those items. Hurray! It was 12 o’clock and we were finished with that part of the trip.
Next we were off to Vlore (45 min. trip over a very bumpy road) to deliver things to our projects in Vlore. We met the Vlore senior couple, Elder and Sister Smith, and headed to the Vlore Disabled Children’s Center. There we delivered the sheets, sweaters, pajamas, detergent, sports balls, toilet seats and lawn mower. The residents were delighted with the new clothes and the demo of how to use the non-motorized push lawn mower. Next it was off to the Vlore Orphanage to deliver the new small refrigerator and take a few pictures. Yes, we actually had all those things in the big van along with 5 people!
It was now 3pm and we were actually heading home. Which was a three-hour drive. There was heavy traffic coming into Tirana and after we dropped off Sparti (our translator) we arrived home at 6:30 pm. Pooped but so happy for everything we had accomplished that day and all the people we were able to help. We had a safe journey and were so grateful for Sparti. We did manage a banana, bottle of water and granola bar some time during the trip. I admit everyday isn’t that long and exhausting but we do keep busy and are blessed to be here doing this work.
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