ASK, SEEK, KNOCK; and it will be given to you.
We’ve been in Kosovo for two and a half weeks now, and I have so many stories to tell already! Kosovo culture is very similar to Albanian culture, as they are mostly Albanians and speak the same language. The country loves America and the people because of their help in the war between Kosovo and Serbia back in the 1990s. While we’ve been here, the Lord has been our protector, provider, shelter, and comfort EVERY SINGLE DAY. I’ll start out sharing the first few days in Kosovo, and then the next week.
April 12th, my team, Without Borders, arrived to Rogova, Kosovo, where we met up with the rest of the squad at a chalet in the mountains. We spent a few days debriefing, resting and catching up with the rest of the squad, who we hadn’t seen since last debrief at the end of February-beginning of March. We also had team changes!! I’m now on a team called…
THE MAZE RUNNERS!
(Hannah, the team leader; Kirsten; me; Jo; Corban; and one of our squad leaders, Lindsey)
I’m with four other girls: Corban, Hannah, Kirsten, and Jo! We’re a team of all girls, ready to spread the Gospel into the unknown and follow the Lord’s lead even when we run into obstacles along the way! (More about my teammates later!)
Then the whole squad traveled to the capital of Kosovo, Prishtina, for a few days to ask the Lord where He wanted us to serve while in Kosovo, get to know our team and celebrate Easter as a squad.
My team felt led to the west hoping to stop in small villages in the mountains. So, April 18th, we, my team of the Maze Runners and one of our Squad Leaders, Lindsey, hopped on a train to Peja, a city which sits at the foot of the Balkan Alps. We spent the night at a hotel and this is where my story begins…
My team and I took a short bus ride up the mountain to a village, Kiqushte, and then set out on foot heading farther up the mountain. We went about 8km, stopping to peek inside an abandoned building, drinking from a natural glacier water fountain, and then just before the next village, Boge. We sat down together to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead us before entering the village. We asked the Lord for provisions of shelter, food, an English speaking person, and other desires. We all got different pictures and words from the Lord: a picture of a man’s face, hearts, an abundance of food, among other things. I had so much peace going into that village that the Lord would provide, as we knew there was a storm coming and we didn’t want to sleep in our tents. So, we walk into the village, and soon realize that it’s a resort town. There are only rental cabins and villas. I’m not nervous, but questioning whether or not this was the right place to be. As we walked farther in, we finally came upon a single cabin with smoke wafting from the chimney. We walked up to the cabin and inside was the same woman, who was on the bus with us! She didn’t speak any English but invited us in and called someone on the phone. Turns out, the villas we walked past were owned by a man, *Benjamin, who lived in the capital and it was off season. But he told us, “You can stay in one of my villas for free because you are Americans. But on one condition, you have dinner with me tomorrow, because I have business meetings today in the city.” We said, “THANK YOU!” and “Of course, we’d love to join you for dinner.” The woman, *Annie, showed us to a villa, where we set our packs down as she started the wood stove to heat the cabin, brought more wood, towels, house shoes (my new favorite thing in the whole world haha) and all with the sweetest smile on her face. We were blown away, we asked God and minutes later, He provided a warm place to sleep and within budget.
But wait, it just keeps getting better.
The next morning, we wake up to several inches of snow and it’s still coming down. As a few of us are having our morning quiet time with God, we get a text from *Benjamin, saying there is breakfast waiting for us made by *Annie! A few hours later, we get another text saying that she is making lunch for us and to go to her cabin at 1pm. We enjoy lunch with her, and *Benjamin arrives. Immediately, Corban looks at me and says, “That was the man’s face I saw while we were praying!” Over coffee, we end up talking for 6 hours with this man, each of us being able to share about our faith and the good news of the Gospel. He shares with us about the history of Kosovo, his business, his family, and eventually about some of his struggles he’s going through. And then again, he buys dinner for us! Then that night, as he drives back to Prishtina, he texts us with questions about why this is happening to him, that he felt so safe and open in sharing, etc. So, we got to worship and intercede for him for several hours that night.
We ended up staying a few nights at the villa. *Annie’s daughter and nieces came, and we go to talk, play, dance, show off our gymnastics skills, and soccer with them!! (Fulfilling my desire and prayer for kids to play with, as many of you know I love kids!) It was a sweet sweet time up there in the mountains, as the snow began to melt, we said our goodbyes and headed back down the mountain, feeling way more blessed that I could ever have imagined.
Here we were thinking we were going to trek to these villages in the mountains and sleep in our tents, not sure what food we’re going to eat. Because we brought peanuts, dried fruit, olives, and rice, with no way to cook it. THEN God provides a warm shelter, people to talk to, food to eat, etc. God is SOOO GOOD to us!
This whole story reminds me of Matthew 7:7-8… “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
ASK- We stopped outside the village for a few minutes to pray.
SEEK- we walked into the village trusting that God provides.
KNOCK- we approached the only cabin with smoke coming out of the chimney and knocked on the door.
God wants us to go to Him with everything in prayer and He will give you the desires of your heart. He loves us so much and wants to us to trust in Him with everything, to not worry about where we will sleep, what we will wear, or what we will eat. Do not worry about anything but go to Him instead with everything.
“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:5-7 ESV
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:4 ESV
“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Matthew 6:30-33 ESV
More updates soon, including my next country which we leave for in less than a week!! Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement, and support!!
Love, Clara Grace
*Names changed for privacy and protection.
