This past Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, Mom and I traveled to Lushnje, a town about 1 1/2 hours south of Tirana. We took a furgon, this time 12 passengers in a 9 seat van. The driver drove like a mad man. We were stopped twice by the police for speeding, but he bribed his way out of both tickets. What a trip! Lushnje was and still is a farming town. Like most cities in Albania it has its downtown square and old communist statues. Above and below are two pictures of "heroic" communist statue in downtown Lushnje. Mom with Elders Cadic and Rospoli can be seen climbing steps near statue.
This is picture of the Lushnje treg (market). I've never seen so many 2nd hand clothes and shoes in one place. The treg is located on the same street as the Church building; just at different ends. We had to walk through the crowds to get to Church early Sunday morning.
The Church members meet upstairs in this building in Lushnje. Chapel is located on the right upstairs with the entrance located on the lower left (just behind car).
Sign over the entrance door of Lushnje LDS church building. There were only 6 members and 4 missionaries in attendance at the Sunday Sacrament Meeting. The meeting reminded me of some of the small branch meetings I attended in Southern Africa so many years ago. You have to admire the courage of these members. In a country which is 70% muslim, being baptized into a "christian" church is an act of real courage. They face circumstances which are hard to believe. Usually their families and friends will disown them, in some cases they will lose their job. If you think about it too long, their conversion will bring tears to your eyes.
This past Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, Mom and I traveled to Lushnje, a town about 1 1/2 hours south of Tirana. We took a furgon, this time 12 passengers in a 9 seat van. The driver drove like a mad man. We were stopped twice by the police for speeding, but he bribed his way out of both tickets. What a trip! Lushnje was and still is a farming town. Like most cities in Albania it has its downtown square and old communist statues. Above and below are two pictures of "heroic" communist statue in downtown Lushnje. Mom with Elders Cadic and Rospoli can be seen climbing steps near statue.
This is picture of the Lushnje treg (market). I've never seen so many 2nd hand clothes and shoes in one place. The treg is located on the same street as the Church building; just at different ends. We had to walk through the crowds to get to Church early Sunday morning.
The Church members meet upstairs in this building in Lushnje. Chapel is located on the right upstairs with the entrance located on the lower left (just behind car).
Sign over the entrance door of Lushnje LDS church building. There were only 6 members and 4 missionaries in attendance at the Sunday Sacrament Meeting. The meeting reminded me of some of the small branch meetings I attended in Southern Africa so many years ago. You have to admire the courage of these members. In a country which is 70% muslim, being baptized into a "christian" church is an act of real courage. They face circumstances which are hard to believe. Usually their families and friends will disown them, in some cases they will lose their job. If you think about it too long, their conversion will bring tears to your eyes.
1 comment:
What an amazing sign . . . "Sign of the times" if you will. I think you should crop that one & blow it up to frame.
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