July 6

Hello All,
We are now getting into the groove and settling into our schedule of teaching. Today I hope to have a study with one other student I have yet to study with. Yesterday I studied with a new Christian young man who speaks wonderful English and has completed all the World English Institute materials. He and I are going to study, "God Makes a Man." This is a short study written by Lloyd Deal at Memorial Road about man's need for God and salvation. I am very impressed with the young man's thoughts and reasoning. We are schedule to study 2-3 times per week.
Last night Jill and I actually had a mini-date and ate a meal by ourselves. After our evening studies, Helen and Quinton took our children to ride some carnival type rides about a 5-10 minute walk down the main drag. (A friend who previously visited Albania figured these rides have already completed their careers in the U.S. county fair circuit and are now entertaining kids in Albania. Thankfully, our children returned with all their limbs and toes.) Jill and I had pizza and dessert.
A butcher shop is one of about 6 businesses located on the bottom floor of our apartment building. This morning on the way to the church building I saw a sheep in the back of a truck outside the back door of the shop. Later, when I returned to the apartment, the sheep was no longer in the truck; however, I did see his intestines on the floor near the back door of the shop. (You don't get to see stuff like this everyday in the USA!) We actually bought ground beef from this shop yesterday.
This afternoon after lunch in our apartment, one of our OC girls came by to offer her babysitting services. Jill and I were much obliged and made a trip to a grocery story, bakery, and another grocery store. All of these shops are within 100 yards of each other.
Tomorrow we may go to Tirana for some more sight seeing. On Sunday the plan is to go to Durres City for morning worship a the main Durres church. Quinton is supposed to bring the lesson at our English worship on Sunday night. He will probably then recycle his lesson the next week for our Albanian service.
Amelia and Hallie have enjoyed playing UNO (the card game) with one of the young Albanian girls. I think they are gradually learning their numbers and colors in Albanian as well. Hopefully they'll have more opportunities to interact with the Albanian children.
That's it for now!
Darin