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May 17, 2015
Another Full Week in Review

Last Sunday, May 10, we were pleased to have Hans and Miriam Peters with us during our morning worship service at Guri i Themelit church. Hans preached the sermon in Portuguese while Pastor Rafael interpreted. The Peters are from the Brazil Mennonite Church which has seconded Norma Teles, the Tartari family and the Marques family to us in Lezhë.

Hans Peters preaches and Rafael interprets

Hans Peters Preaches at Guri i Themelit (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Elsie, me, Rafael and Morela at church

Elsie and I Join in a Photo with Rafael C. and Morela (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

After church, the American staff of Lezha Academic Center went north of Lezhë to a restaurant in the village of Fishtë, home of the Franciscan priest and Albanian poet, Gjergj Fishta (1871-1940). The restaurant specialized in natural and traditional Albanian cuisine.

Below is a Antonio Carraro Tigretrac 7700 tractor (~1998), manufactured by the Italian firm Antonio Carraro, ready to pull a children's train around the gardens. 

Antonio Carraro Tigretrac 7700

An Eighteen-year-old Antonio Carraro Tigretrac 7700 (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Take lots of fragrant rose petals, a squirt of lemon juice in a jar of water and let sit in the refrigerator for a week. Sweeten with sugar to have a lovely flavored drink. Garnish with a rose petal.

rose drink for Sunday dinner at a village restaurant

Rose Petal Drink (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

dinner was hosted by Betsy and Phil Moyer

Katrina, Josh, Betsy and Phil Drink Rose Petal Juice (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

We were served good traditional food mixed with creativity and nature.

an edible basket and flowers

An Edible Basket of Yogurt, Flowers and Stems with a Cornbread Handle (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Waiting for our meal was a good time for me to catch several persons in close--up shots.

Josh makes a Mother's Day wish

Josh Had Me Take a Photo to Send His Mother (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Klementina explains a point in the conversaiton

Klementina Was Giving an Explanation (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Dini ponders the conversation around him

Dini Absorbs the Surrounding Conversaiton (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Justin drives home a poiint

Justin Makes a Point (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

After lunch we stopped at a coffee bar at the turn-around near the bridge over the Drini River, hosted by the Xhari's.

we stopped for a coffee brfeak with the Xhari's 

Sharing Coffee with the Xhari's (10-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Thursday evening at the Cultural Palace in Lezhë, the Master's College Chorale performed under the auspices of LAC. The music was excellent with a an auditorium filled to nearly three-quarters.

Paul Plew conducts the Master's College Chorale 

Dr. Paul T. Plew Conducts the Master's College Chorale (14-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Xhorxhina interprets for the Chorale as necessary 

Xhorxhina, Ready to Interpret, Sits Next to the Keyboardist (14-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Rafael Tartari gave a closing witness 

Pastor Rafael Tartari Ended the Program with a Challenging Witness a (14-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

On Saturday, Klementina and Dini Shahini, Betsy and Phil Moyer, and Elsie and I (all of the "older" staff of LAC) were invited to a student's home for lunch. Inda lives near Milot south of Lezhë by a half hour or so.

a passenger catches a furgon in Milot

A Waiting Passenger Boards a Furgon near Milot (16-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Inda lives at her grandparent's home with her mother, younger sister, and twine brother and sister. Generosity was the theme of the day, for sure.

Betsy, Indad's mother, Inda, and Elsie with their flowers 

Betsy, Inda's Mother, Inda and Elsie Pose with Flowers (16-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Inda's grandpa welccomes us to their home

"Gjysh" (Grandpa) Welcomes Us (16-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Pjetër helps me capture some rose photos 

Ten-year-old Pjetër Gave Me a Hand with Photographing Roses (16-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

Grandpa explains a point in conversaiton 

Inda's Gjysh Explains a Point (17-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

As the honored older guest, I was served the head of the kid goat roasted for the occasion. So I tried to do my best to savor what I or my host could find on this gift for me to eat. 

the head of the roasted kid for the old guest 

The Head of the Roasted Kid Plus Cheese and Salad (16-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

honored I tackled the head

My Exploration of the Gift Meat Produced a Lot to Savor (17-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

In the end we had a time of taking various group photos to commemorate the hours we had shared together.

the family clan gathers around Klementina 

Inda's Family Gathered around Klementina (17-May-15; © Richard L. Bowman)

One thing is certain, each week here in Lezhë gives us more wonderful memories and moments to appreciate. Thank you, God! We want to be your children wherever we are planted.

--©2014-15, Richard L. Bowman

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