Fruit of the Spirit

Last night our team met for one final debriefing to share pictures and memories. It was a special evening. The highlight of the evening for me was to award each team member a Fruit of the Spirit that they exhibited while in Albania.

Ron Boyd-Gentleness-"A Gentle Giant"
Nancy Dey-Goodness-"Full of Righteousness"
Jodie Garzon-Joy-"Joy Unspeakable"
Tim Geiss-Self-Control-"A Man of Balance"
Bill Grassley-Love-"Always Seeking the Highest Good"
Karl Heiss-Patience-"Full of Endurance and Strength"
Larry Joyner-Peace-"All is Well"
Marilyn Joyner-Faithfulness-"Firm and Unswerving Loyalty"
Jodi Lubas-Love-"At Ease In Her Presence"
Florence Ort-Goodness-"A Woman of Virtue"
Rick Sentle-Self-Control-"Steady and Dependable"
Val Vorisek-Gentleness-"A Man of Strength and Courage"
Sharon Wing-Kindness-"Tenderness, Sweeetness, Helpfulness"

Join us on Sunday @6pm for an update service.

Home Sweet Home!

I was unable to blog yesterday, because I (Pastor Bill) caught the "bug" that was going around. I had a rough couple of hours but by the end of the day was feeling much better.

We said good-bye yesterday to the children, our Albanian friends and co-laborers in Albania. It was very difficult to say good-bye to the children. They literally sobbed and did not want us to leave. However, we are confident that they will remember the love of Jesus that we shared with them throughout the week.

We left the Bible college at 4:30am Albanian time to journey home and arrive safely home back to Calvary at 6:30pm this evening.

Thank you for praying for our team and our missions adventure.

Please mark your calendar for Sunday, October 4. Our team will be sharing in the 6pm service as we celebrate our Missions Convention.

Final Day of Ministry

What a great day as we wrapped up and put the final touches on our work in Albania. The highlight of the day was hosting a meal for all the families. We presented a program for the children and then gave them T-Shirts. The t-shirts had inscribed "Hope for Grumbullimi-Sponsored by Calvary A/G Toledo, OH and Convoy of Hope Europe." Each family was then given a tub filled with household goods and one of the quilts made by the women of the Toledo community as well as the stuffed animals. It was such a joy to watch the children run around the neighborhood sharing their stuffed animals with others.

As we wrapped up the evening as a team, we commented that we believe the success of our week had to do with the people from Calvary praying. Thank you for praying! We sensed your prayers and believe strongly that God enabled us to accomplish much for Him.

Tomorrow we will enjoy one last service with our friends, travel to Cruja forsightseeing and shopping and then enjoy a wonderful meal together in Tirana.

A Long Day

We left the Bible college at 6:45am this morning and headed to the work site. Some of our guys were on the roof the entire day. We arrive back at the Bible college after 8pm sun burned, tired, but grateful for the opportunity to serve in Albania. Tomorrow we will complete some last minute touches at the site and by mid-afternoon host an Albanian BBQ. (By the way, the BBQ will NOT include any of the hanging beef and pork that we have witnessed hanging in open air markets throughout the week.) We will sing songs with the children in their brand new renovated children's room. We are very excited to give away the quilts and stuffed toys made by the women from our community that we carried over to Albania. It's going to be an exciting day.

Why do I lead mission trips? Many reasons...but tonight during our debriefing meeting one of our teammates in tears made this statement: "I have never felt comfortable in my skin until this trip to Albania..."

Project Near Completion

We had our doubts yesterday after several setbacks, but with the Lord's help and a great team effort, the project is near completion. The roof is ready for concrete tomorrow. The swing set being built by Tim Geis and Ron Boyd is almost completed. The children's room is painted and a colorful mural is in the process of being painted on the wall. We utilize the bucket brigade today by hoisting hundreds (and I mean hundreds) of buckets of sand up to the roof. We are all very tired and moving slowly but very satisified with what was accomplishd today.

Don't forget to check out the most recent Convoy of Hope Europe videos and pictures.

Life in Albania

Our third day of work began with several setbacks which has put us behind schedule about a day. In order to deal with these setbacks the team had to hoist up by pulley 23 feet high in the air buckets of sand to be spread around the roof to fill up holes, etc. And then how do you get 100 concrete blocks on the roof when the lift doesn't work? You get the team to walk them up two flights of stairs as well as hoist them up by pulley in order to get the job done. Thanks team for being great servants today!

We noticed one of our dear girls (Pastor Chad this is one of your favorite girls) crying as the day came to an end. When asked what was wrong, she responded by saying that she knows that someday soon we will leave. Please pray for these children and their families that they continue to sense and know the love of Jesus even after we leave.

On a practical note...the meals have been wonderful at the Bible college. They have made gourmet meals which have been delicious. However, at lunch today in the neighborhood, chicken livers were served and I had to eat a lot of bread and cabbage salad to fill my tummy. Along with the turkish coffee that some of us have tried, I am pleased to say that I have not had to use the turkish potty while in the neighborhood.

Pastor Bill

Convoy Of Hope Videos

Just click on the Convoy of Hope Day One Video below to see more videos and pictures. Thank you Nolan!

Thank You Calvary!

I was able to visit the kids in school today...how fun! It was an incredible to realize that as a result of Calvary Assembly of God in Toledo, Ohio boys and girls are going to school in Albania with brand new clothes. Along with going to school, their home is becoming a better place to live and they are learning daily about the love of Jesus. Thank you Calvary for being a great missions church!

What A Team!

Today we began the work project by arriving at the work site ready to go. A team of men (as well as Jodie Garzon) spent the entire day on the roof tearing up the old concrete and then dumping it off of the roof with wheelbarrows. This was an overwhelming job. It's amazing that 50% of the roof is already clear in just one day. This team will be leaving at 7am tomorrow morning to get a head start on the roof.

A group of women worked with children by telling them Bible stories, coloring pictures, and singing songs. This team of children's workers cleaned and scrubbed the children's room and will be decorating it in the days to come. Another group of women walked around the perimeter of the building picking up trash. The love of Jesus is evident all around!

Ron Boyd graciously stayed back at the Bible College and laid weather stripping on three floors of stairs. Thank you Ron!

The highlight of our day was finding out that it was the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL for these children. Because of your support we observed these kids going back to school with brand new clothes and a school bag. How exciting this was for us to be a part of this miracle! The kids were so excited "sporting" new clothes. How amazing that we "happened to be here" for this special occasion.

Please continue to pray for our team. We have a few tummy aches and after today we will have a few aches and pains.

I am so proud of our team!

Pastor Bill

Convoy of Hope Europe Video

Please check out our daily videos from Convoy of Hope Europe...

Sunday in Albania

We enjoyed a wonderful church service this morning. Jodie Garzon and Rick Sentle shared testimonies and Larry Joyner sang "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." We had the privilege to pray with all the church attendees and sensed God's presence in a real way. We had an authentic lunch in an Albanian home while we enjoyed a great time of fellowship. Following lunch we traveled to Durris and visited ancient ruins and enjoyed ice cream down by the sea. Tomorrow we begin our day at 7am to begini our work project. Most of our work will be on the roof. Thank you for praying.

First Day in Albania

We visited the small community that Calvary has adopted and was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love conveyed to us by the children. Team members were wiping their eyes from tears as they stepped out of the vans to greet the children. For two hours we shook hands, gave hugs, sang songs, made balloon animals, and took hundreds of pictures as we shared together. It was an amazing moment.

Tomorrow, we will attend church, do some sightseeing, shop and then prepare to wake up early Monday morning for our first day of work. Please pray for us as we try to accomplish alot of work during such a short amount of time. Please pray for protection as we work on a roof 23 feet above ground. The team is eager and ready to serve! Pastor Bill

P.S. In just a day or two we will provide a link to the Europe Convey of Hope where you will be able to see pictures and video. Thanks Nolan!

A Long, but Good Day!

After a long day of travel (28 hours to be exact) our team has arrived at the Bible College in Tirana, Albania. After being greeted by a great team of new friends, we moved into the college where we unpacked, and went right to bed. After breakfast, we will be given a brief orientation, will begin to unpack the ministry supplies and then make our way to the ministry site to meet the kids. -Pastor Bill

Pastor Chad prayed with the team and they are now on their way to the airport. Their flight is scheduled to depart Detroit at 6 pm and they will arrive in Germany at 8 tomorrow morning!

Thank You Calvary!

On the eve of our missions adventure to Albania, I wanted to express once again how grateful I am for Calvary's genuine and loving support for the project in Fushe Kruja, Albania. I am simply overwhelmed and humbled by your commitment. Knowing that you are praying, the financial gifts that have already been given, and your loving concern for the team and this project is amazing. It is an honor to represent you and the love of Christ to the Albanians.

"I know your deeds; see, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

-Revelation 3:8

Posted by Pastor Bill McGinnis

All the preparation is done. In just a little over 24 hours the Calvary team will leave the Detroit airport bound for Albania.