Macedonia!!

Yesterday the entire team spent the day in Ohrid, Macedonia!  We left at 8am and arrived in Ohrid at 10am, we stopped about 30min prior to the border to have a snowball fight and climb on and in the old military bunkers that Enver Hoxha built during the Communist days of Albania.  Ohrid, Macedonia is very beautiful, the city is situated right on the edge of Ohcrid Lake.  There are numerous statues, ruins, an ancient amphitheater, a Johann Gutenberg printing press, a beautiful castle and much more all located within 20min as the human walks! We arrived and I exchanged half my money so that I could buy some food, which in Macedonia is fairly cheap! I was able to buy one slice of pizza, an apple strudel, one piece of chocolate, a 14" pizza, 6oz of coffee and two more strudels one apple and one cherry! Altogether it cost $5US which is the exact amount I exchanged!  I had an amazing time in Macedonia walking around the city and hiking along the top of the castle and through ancient ruins as well as sitting in an ancient amphitheater that was originally built around the time of Christ's birth! I had an amazing opportunity to see and use an original Johann Gutenberg printing press; there are only 2 in all of Europe and one just happens to be in Ohrid, Macedonia!  


Today marked the beginning of our last week in Albania! It is sad that the time has flown by so quickly but I know God has moved in the hearts that we have touched.  During tonights children's and adults meetings we explained that this is our last week here and that we will miss them terribly. A few of us shared how much we will miss them and that during this last week we pray that we will portray God's love toward them in numerous ways! 
       After the adults meeting we talked a bit about our individual ideas we have regarding the last week here.  We came up with these: coffee with the teenage guys, karaoke, a farewell party, giving food to families without them know it was us.  Also, washing hair, playing football and billardo (pool), a prayer walk and times to just walk around the community and just meet new people as well as continuing to build relationships with those we have already met.
      
My time here in Elbasan, Albania has been amazing and I am excited to come back sometime in the future.  During the prayer meeting we had with the local Albanian Church here in Elbasan I heard God call me to return to Albania for 2yrs sometime in my future.  Please pray that I will follow God's will and plan for my life as I make decisions and plans regarding my immediate future!  




Zoti të bekoftë!
-Jordan




P.S. If you enter your email address in the box to the right that says "FOLLOW BY EMAIL" then you will receive an email each time I post a new update!

Hey!
Sunday morning we attended Albanian church, the message was about Godly fear and worldly fear, we were too late for coffee so I was a bit colder during the service.  In Albania the majority of buildings are colder inside than it is outside!  Later that day at children's church a few of the boys were making the meeting hectic, I was teaching and it was tough trying to get their attention. I was sad when they were kicked out but noticed that the kids were all paying attention as soon as they left.  I refreshed the kids' memories on what we have learned over the past 5 weeks and then explained to them that Jesus wants to come into their hearts and live with them! They were all concentrating and I pray they will be thinking about what I said!
     Monday began and before I knew it 4 o'clock came rolling around, 8 of the neighbors arrived for the mini-conference we are having over the next 4 days! I spoke Monday night on 'The Father Heart of God and Hearing Gods Voice,' I definitely could have spoke for more than 45min on those heavy subjects! We listened to how God specifically wanted us to pray for Elbasan and Albania. It was a great subject to talk about and I was very glad a few of the young guys from the neighborhood were listening.
        
             The reason Roma-Gypsy's marry their children around the age of 12 is because they believe it will solve the issue of fornication.  It does for some of the youth but for the majority it only creates broken relationships, divorce and many other issues that you can imagine with arranged 12yr old marriages.  We were playing pool a few weeks ago and one of the kids, Ibo who is 12 years old and getting married in a month was crying because he lost a game of Fooseball. It was sad to see someone that is so young and immature getting married and having a child!  I believe parents need to sit down and talk with their children, starting when they are young and making sure their children know that they can come to them whenever they have a question or problem!  They need to talk about sexuality, set up boundaries and work through issues and struggles that their children have. Those just a few of the thoughts that I have. I only have one minute of internet left, bye bye!

Hello!!!

This past week we had children's meetings every morning from 10-11am; the theme for the week was Jesus with stories of Jesus washing His disciples' feet, to Jesus feeding the crowds with just a few fish and loaves of bread, to Jesus being our healer and that Jesus is our friend who we can talk to at any time of our day.  

          This week I got sick AGAIN, it was annoying to say the least; I was glad it was only a 24hr flu bug and therefore I won't be feeling sick all week.   Thursday we had a meeting with us YWAMers from Barbados, we discussed the Team Covenant that we made before leaving Barbados and shared the feelings we have toward it.  It was great to bring up issues that had to do with the team or even items and circumstances that I/we were not seeing very clearly.  We also had a time where we talked individually to those who we have had even the smallest conflict that had not been dealt with.  The meeting lasted from 9:30 to 12:45, lunch is at 1 and I am on lunch prep this week so I got to work making tuna sandwiches!  As I said earlier I was sick with the flu, I had a fever, and a headache; therefore immediately after lunch I crashed on the futon and slept for the rest of the day. 

      

        Friday morning I woke up at 7am and felt refreshed and slightly energetic, Austin and I left for coffee with Alban and Rambo.  To our surprise they were still sleeping when we stopped by their house, we waited for 10min until Rambo's wife let us in.  We sat by the fire while they washed up, and then danced to some music before heading off to the Coffee Shop. They don't speak English so it is somewhat difficult communicating, the only bonus is that it forces us to learn more Albanian words! Time passed quickly and we arrived back home at 8:30 which is 30min after breakfast is supposed to begin; we walked inside the house and realized everyone was still in bed! The only one up was Laura because she was waiting for us to bring home bread for breakfast! Austin completely forgot to inform me that we needed to pick up bread for breakfast so I turned around and left for the bread shop! It wasn't too bad because while I was at the bread shop I found out they sell pizza slices for 40 cents! I bought one and found out that it is by far the best pizza I have had from an Albania bread shop!  That afternoon we left to play pool with Elban, Rambo and Vandam who all range from the age of 15 to 18; they are all married and Elban is expecting a baby! Roma-Gypsies marry their children around the age of 12 or 14 and I will explain their reasons for doing so in my next post!

Thank you for your prayers,

-Jordan

P.S. 

Please post comments or email me at jordannickel77@yahoo.com!

To start things off I would like to apologize for not posting updates as often as both I and you would have liked.  You may be saying "You don't have to be sorry!" but I should and am; I am here because of you, because of your financial support and I should have tried harder to post more updates during the past 4 months. I ask your forgiveness and will now post updates at least twice a week.  I will post an update tomorrow!



Thank you for understanding,
-Jordan

PHOTOS!!!!!! PHOTOS!!!!!

I uploaded photos from London and Albania!! You can look at them by clicking this link or click on the link that says #1 Outreach to Albania & London Photo Album it is on the left side of my blog.


God Bless,
-Jordan 

201HAS ARRIVED!

Happy new year!
Knowing today is the beginning of another year and looking back at what God has done in 2011, I am extremely excited for the amazing plans God has for my life in 2012!  Going back to the beginning of 2011, I really didn't have a plan for what I was going to do after HS. The idea I had was to go on a mission trip for a few months, return and earn a Degree in Business. God brought the idea of YWAM and a DTS and then confirmed that YWAM Barbados and the Justice/Children At Risk DTS was His plan for my life.  My initial plan was a three month mission, and although the DTS was 5 months the bigger issue was the $7,000 cost! I had no idea how I would raise $7,000, I only knew that if this truly is Gods plan, He would provide!  I walked in faith, believing that God would provide; no-matter how much I tried there was no way I could earn the $7K on my own.  Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you says the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope!" This DTS has been a life-changing experience for me and my relationship with Christ! A few weeks into the DTS I heard Gods voice calling me to Gambia, I don't know when or how long, just that it will happen!
        I am heading out now to visit the Roma-Gypsies in celebration of the new year! Continue to pray for us as we are ministering to the Roma-Gypsies; that we will be a shining light in the darkness, a shining light of love!



Happy New Year Everyone!!!!!!
-Jordan



P.S. What are your New Years Resolutions? One of mine is to read through the Bible in a year in chronological order! Here is the link if you want to do it too! One Year Plan In Chronological Order!