It was June 1993, and we were going toward the city of Korce in Albania. We had crossed over some beautiful mountains on practically impossible roads.  

Our old VW Microbus, in which we were transporting food, clothing, and other humanitarian aids, like an old stubborn mule, gave its first signs of being at the end of its journey. The gear shift was broken. To try to make the rest of the trip on the mountainous road with only the first and third gears was tremendously risky, but to pass the night in such a place was even more dangerous. We had goods in the bus, which made us a perfect target for robbers and thieves. Human life in that country has little value.

We arrived at Pogradec, one of the most beautiful cities of Albania, located on the borderline between Macedonia and Albania. We visited with some of the students of our Bible correspondence course. We found some local mechanics—true masters of the art of making do with makeshift provisions. They managed to repair the bus with pieces from old, abandoned cars.

The next day, after our prayer circle, we left. We were in agreement that instead of continuing our trip, we should return to our home base at Durres. The mechanics’ miracle lasted only briefly; in fact, while we were on the highest mountain... the gear shift started giving its first signs that we were at the end of the line.

There was a young Italian with us who insisted that he could get the bus down the mountain without using the motor. It would be risky, but it was a risk we would have to take. Therefore, Alberto got behind the wheel—after I had reminded him that six lives were in his hands—and we began to sing hymns of praise to Jesus Christ!

After arriving in the valley—all of us broken out in a cold sweat—we decided to make a detour stop at another town. At Elbasan, I had a student, whose name is Mondi, whom I was very fond of. His father had been a political prisoner in the mines for 14 years, his crime being that he had taught a lesson on Albanese literature instead of teaching a lesson on Marxist culture. Mondi’s house had always been open to me, and they very generously put at our disposal the little that they had.  

Mondi was one of the more than 1300 students to whom we had given a Bible or New Testament. At the end of our Bible study, I put my hand on Mondi’s shoulder and embraced him, saying: “You are a true friend.” To my surprise, he replied, “But I want to be more than a friend! Brother! I want to be baptized!”

We were overcome by emotion for a moment. Then, we discussed the meaning of baptism intensely, but at one point, Mondi interrupted me to say, “I want to be baptized for the remission of my sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. I have already studied with you all the things you are saying, so we are wasting time.” His assurance and his determination were disarming.

We decided to go to the Adriatic Sea at Durres (about three hours away by car) and arrived in the evening. We then notified some of our friends and brethren and proceeded to the beach. Seeing Mondi’s leap for joy after his baptism was one of the most beautiful blessings that God has bestowed on me.

The next day, before beginning our missionary workday with Alberto, Shannon, and some of our Albanian students, I used for my meditation:  

Romans 8:28 – “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

We had had two trying and tiring days when everything seemed to go wrong: fear, frustration, delusion, and at some points, anxiety, and distress. We had had to forego our mission trip to Korce, but… God had had another plan for us.

He had called Mondi, and He had used us to go to receive his witness of faith. We had not originally planned to visit Mondi, but the Lord had wanted us there.

God uses personal events, also those which are unpleasant, to His glory, just as Paul used his chains to His glory.

ONE MORE STORY:

We often forget that God has a great sense of humor! An Italian proverb says: “Man makes the pot, but God makes the lid,” which is the equivalent of: “Man proposes, but God disposes.”

It was the end of June 2010, my second mother, Jessie Lee Troyer, made an important decision: to return permanently after 57 years of missionary work in Italy in the United States. It was very difficult for me to accept her decision, and I do not deny that I felt a deep pain and a sense of emptiness. Jessie Lee was my mom, and as with all mothers, you can also argue or even quarrel, but she is always your mother that you love.

During the summer I got an idea! I got in touch with my friend David Empson, director of the National Missionary Convention, and I proposed that he do something special in honor of Jessie Lee, who had served for 57 years. David enthusiastically accepted the idea and told me that this servant of the Lord would be celebrated at the banquet on Saturday during the convention in Lexington.

I secretly emailed our churches and friends. All tickets were sold out in a short time. 

A church sister in Cincinnati offered to accompany Jessie Lee to Lexington that morning. The excuse was that I was supposed to “talk” that day. Obviously, as soon as Jessie Lee heard that I had to speak, she would have come on foot to hear me.

Arriving at the hotel, she went to the bathroom to put herself in order, as charming as an 89-year-old girl. Many friends and sisters who had come for the banquet, and when she came back to me, she said, “I have seen so many that I know who have come to hear you!” She did not know that about 1,000 tickets had been sold for her! 

I took her arm, and we entered the Hilton ballroom together. As soon as we crossed the threshold of this immense room, she said, “I don’t feel well. I have to sit down.” I made her sit in the first chair near the entrance. She asked me for water. I poured some into a glass, but before she even took a sip, she fainted.

Everything was a whirling waltz of 911— paramedics, ambulance, hospital, the room where we waited, the arrival of Bob Troyer from Cincinnati, the nurse who came to tell us that Jessie Lee had gone with the Lord.

It was a shock! We had organized a surprise banquet for her, but God must have said: “I’m inviting her to MY banquet!” She was in the presence of the Lord, no doubt very happy to have reached the purpose and goal of her existence!

I was crying for having lost her, forced to say “Goodbye,” but I knew that she was jumping for joy in the presence of the Lord of Lords, the Creator God—wearing that immaculate wedding dress that the groom prescribed for His guests at the wedding of the Lamb.

Goodbye to all the sisters and brothers who preceded us!

REFLECT:

Final thoughts: In one sense, I know this may seem to be a strange way to end these 40 Days together. But from a Heavenly perspective, each of us are moving toward a BANQUET! This story tests our hearts. Are we working for the praise of men (John 5:44), or are we living for the approval of God? Will your earthly account be full, and your heavenly account empty? Will God ROAR through us as His Ambassadors to a lost world, calling them home? Or, will be “silent” on the sidelines, being neither salt nor light? 

We are convinced that if your life is to be bold for God—if it is going to have the glorious weight of eternity attached to it—that it will happen because you have “been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13). Please take the next few minutes and record in your journal a plan for your next step(s)… choosing this day whom you will love and serve.