Still in Albania

Due to the passport taking an extraordinary (even for Albania) time to be completed, Teresa, Sam and Genti are still in Albania.  The passport did get completed and picked up Thursday morning but not in time to complete the visa for an early morning Friday flight. We did get to the US Embassy Friday afternoon to complete the visa so it can be picked up on Monday, so we are told.  We are rescheduled to fly home Tuesday, God willing.  It has been an extremely long week in Albania for the three of us.

We are trying to get out and see more of this beautiful country before we leave to help us pass the time. We went to Petrela Castle just outside of Tirana.  We can see the castle from the BATI where we are staying so it was fun and interesting to actually visit it.  The drive was scenic with extremely winding roads.  One can drive into the little village right up to the base of the stairs leading up to the castle. There are many, many, many old rock stairs; Gent walked up himself, with a little coaxing now and then.  There is a restaurant in the ruins of the castle so we all had a soda at the tip-top looking out over the mountains and valleys. Can't describe easily how interesting it was to be in that place where someone had actually lived and tried to be protected from their enemies.  (We have no pictures as we don't have the cord to get them from the camera to the computer.  I am sure they sell one in Albania but I'd have no idea how to find out where.)  We will have Genti's going away party for the children at the orphanage tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow night we will be able to attend church again and bring Genti with us (very likely his first time to attend a worship service for our Lord). Sunday we hope to go to a pool in Tirana that has really high platforms to jump off.  That will be Sam's mission; Genti and Teresa will just watch and take pictures. 

We hope the time passes quickly as we are missing home and all our loved ones in America.  Genti seems to be ready, too, as he asks very often in his own unique speaking/gestures if he is going to have to say goodbye and go back to Rozafa House.  We reassure him that he is going home to America to live with Bobby (Dad), Mommy, Sam and his family.  He is then all smiles.