Albania Trip Update - Rebeca Z

I came to Albania to work with a bunch of kids. In my mind, this was
to be nothing different than stuff I’ve done on other outreaches.
After all, kids are kids all over the world. We were to run summer
camps, maybe try to teach the kids a bible story or two. But as my
main objective, I was to learn as much as I could about human
trafficking. The camps were sort of an aside thing. What I
encountered has been much MUCH deeper than that. These past three
weeks have deeply affected me. The stories I have heard, the kids I
have met, have brought me to a place of deep wrestling with questions
which I’m quite sure I will never fully know the answer to. But also,
these past three weeks have birthed in me a desire and a fire to fight
for those who really are voiceless. For these children who are at
highest risk of being sold and trafficked and exploited. For children
who have very few people, if any at all fighting for them.


How do you help a child who comes from a 3rd generation of abusive
parents? A child of generational alcoholics or a prostituted woman?
How can you help a boy who stays up all nigh protecting his four
younger siblings and his mother from his abusive, drunken step father?
A child who still has a small bit of innocence in him but because of
his environment and lack of role models, it’s just a matter of time
before he himself starts drinking and gambling?
A boy who is just a few choices away from becoming a criminal?
A girl who at 11 years old is thinking of “willingly” going to Greece
at the counsel of an older brother who has been exploiting her since
she was a baby?
When a child comes from a family where several of her siblings have
been trafficked to Greece by their grandmother and you may be the next
one in line.
Or when you meet a boy who has so much potential to go to school, is
bright, and has an amazing musical talent but may never be able to
realize them simply because the opportunities aren’t there. There just
isn’t a way.

What can be done?

Each of the above mentioned cases have a face and a name, and I have
been privileged enough to have gotten to know them. And it is sad to
say, but as much help as has been given to these children, it just has
not been enough. I’m really praying and thinking of what would be
most beneficial for these kids. Perhaps setting up a university fund
or a sort of sponsorship program so that at least a few of them would
be able to get an education and get out of their current situation.
Perhaps bring teams once a year to help with home repairs and
renovations, tutoring, education for the parents on issues of abuse,
proper child-care, trafficking awareness, etc. Perhaps making sure
that these summer camps run every single year and that we can get as
many kids as possible to attend.

As we concluded the camps yesterday, we hosted a lovely talent show
where many of the students were able to showcase their talents by
doing dances, singing traditional Roma and Albanian songs, reciting
poetry, etc. We had one person on our team make a video and were able
to show it to all the children, and the few parents who were present,
as well as presenting each child with a unique award of excellence
highlighting a specific quality of that child. Things such as “Great
leadership potential”, “Friendly”, “Most helpful”, “Entertainer
Award”, etc. We also gave each child a gift and a picture. We had
two of our photographers take portraits of each child and we left each
one with a beautiful picture of themselves. It truly was a beautiful
closing to the summer camps.

As we begin to get ready to leave Albania, I am finding myself
realizing that very little was accomplished during our summer camps in
terms of changing these children’s lives. But I am leaving with a
commitment to doing something long-term for them. (And I know that
within the team, I'm not the only one who feels this way) I am also
encouraged with the reality that if we were able to convey the love of
God to them and if we leave them knowing that some random team of 14
foreigners came to Pogradec, Albania just to show them how special
and loved they are, our journey here has been worthwhile. That we
have left them with a bunch of good memories and that as one of Sue’s
uncle so beautifully articulated; we displaced the rhythm of evil for
a moment so that imagination could breathe”

Thank you for being such an integral part of this journey!



Without your support, none of this would have been possible.

Many blessings on each of you

Sincerely,

Rebeca Zacharias