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Click here: Lorna Qesteri

The Burning Heart

Did not our heart burn within us . . . ? —Luke 24:32

We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, fires are set ablaze, and we are given wonderful visions; but then we must learn to maintain the secret of the burning heart— a heart that can go through anything. It is the simple, dreary day, with its commonplace duties and people, that smothers the burning heart— unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.

good friday

"From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli,lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?").

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."
Mathew 27:45-51

World Vision International - Child Sponsorship

World Vision International - Child Sponsorship

who is to blame?

These two days have been very shocking in Albania. And as the situation is calming down people are trying to find out who is to blame for the tragedy that just happened. 250 people are injured and up to now 9 people have died. However many more are considered missing, they might be dead or hiding in some of the old communist bunkers. A lot of people blame the government for this situation that allowed a military base to be built so close to an inhabited area.

Others blame an american company that was contracted to help train people to do the dismatlning of obsolete munition. However many witnesses who were interviewed said that people didnt recieve any trainning to work there. The company would put announcements in the villages around and people would start to work. Usually very poor people and the salary was ridiculously low, 150 $ per month. Workers were both male and female. Female workers did the opening of the cases with ammunition and male would do the transportion. Teen agers might have been working there too.

Houses have been destroyed; very poor people who are left homeless and have been evacuated in other areas. So it's a huge mess.

horrible situation in albania...

Albania rocked by huge explosions


The explosions were heard many miles away

At least four people have been killed and about 200 injured in a series of explosions at an arms depot near the capital, Tirana.
Juela Mecani, a spokeswoman for Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, said it was feared the death toll could rise.

She said more than 60 people - including US citizens - were at the scene at the time.

Military experts were disposing of old shells at the time of the blasts.

They were reported to be being assisted by employees of a US company contracted by Nato to help the Albanian army dispose of surplus munitions.

The explosions at the army depot in Gerdec village, some 10km north of Tirana, were heard more than 50km (30 miles) away.

The initial explosion was followed by a series of blasts, and ammunition continued to detonate for hours.

Attempts to fly rescuers into the area by helicopter were thwarted by the continuing explosions, and armoured vehicles were used to ferry rescue units into the area.

Injured people were taken to nearby hospitals. Local media reports said their injuries included burns, concussion, broken limbs, and cuts from flying glass and shrapnel.

"The number of injured is considerable," Mr Berisha told reporters.

Mr Berisha - who visited some of the injured in hospital - said he could not rule out human error as the cause of the explosions, but added that the ammunition could have exploded spontaneously because of its age.

"The problem of ammunition in Albania is one of the gravest, and a continuous threat," Mr Berisha said.

"There is a colossal, crazy amount of it dating back to 1945."

Flights were suspended at Mother Teresa Tirana International Airport, several kilometres from the base, for 30 minutes after windows there were shattered.

The US embassy in Tirana said it was unable to confirm that there were US citizens at the depot.

BBC news

Bathore, Albania

Many families who have moved to the suburbs of Tirana, have created illegal dwellings and among many problems they have, an important one is the water supply. Women and children have to walk miles to get some water, to be used for drinking, washing, and showering. Usually they use wheelbarrows but sometimes they just carry it in their hands.


The last 17 years Albania has been suffering from water shortages; many families have water only three times a day which rationizes who takes showers when, when the laundry is to be done and so forth.

life in Lithuania...

these weeks have been crazy trying to adjust to a new lifestyle, readjusting to the cold weather and crazy wind....I thought I was going to be blown away today, seriously scarry!!! However, I have enjoyed getting to know new people. I was invited to be a faculty adviser at a Student organization. I had the chance to interview many young people from Ukraine, Belarus, Albania, Lithuania and hear some of their dreams for the future. It was inspiring to hear how much they want to do in their future. Here are some pictures of that day...





















Since my midterm in Macro economics is pretty hard, I decided to bake some brownies to share with students before exam. My neighbors Ezra and Sarena helped me out. They are the cutest ever. Sarena who is 7, said: I know it's funny for a 7 years old to ask you this question, but are you married?? I just cracked up:) Ezra is a tornado...He is 3, loves to check out what's in my fridge, run around and touch everything...It's just great to have them as my neighbors here. Gives so much joy to the really cold Baltic winter days...

Ecuador-Colombia-Venezuela

Ok, when I was in Ecuador there was a fear that Correa, ecuadorian president, would become an ally of Chavez and it seems that Chavez is getting his way through this incident...Seems also that tensions between Colombia and Ecuador are arising. Crazy situation....

Ecuador and Venezuela have moved troops to their borders with Colombia in an escalating row over the killing of a Farc rebel leader in Ecuador.
Ecuador and Venezuela have also both expelled Colombian diplomats.

Colombian troops entered Ecuador on Saturday in a raid that killed Colombian rebel leader Raul Reyes.

Colombia's foreign minister said he regretted that troops had to cross the border, but said it had been necessary "in the fight against terrorism".

"The Colombian government has never wanted to disrespect or violate the sovereignty or integrity of the sister republic of Ecuador," Fernando Araujo said.

A spokesman for Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said that during the raid, troops had found documents that provided information that "[Ecuadorean President Correa] has a relationship and commitments with Farc",

Police commander Gen Oscar Naranjo said one document showed Reyes had met Ecuador's minister of internal security and that they discussed Mr Correa's "interest in making official relations with the Farc".

Killing lamented

On Sunday, Mr Correa announced the expulsion of Colombia's ambassador in Ecuador.
The Ecuadorean president also said he was calling for an immediate meeting of the Organization of American States and the Andean Community of Nations.

Spain and a number of Latin American countries including Mexico, Argentina and Brazil have offered to mediate in the dispute.

Speaking on his weekly television show, President Chavez said Venezuela's embassy in Bogota would close.

He lamented the killing of Reyes - whom he called a "good revolutionary" - when he spoke on his show, "Alo, Presidente".

Mr Chavez has been mediating with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - or Farc - to secure the release of hostages the rebels hold, and six have so far been freed under this initiative.

'Violated'

Colombia's defence minister had described the death of Reyes as the "biggest blow so far" to Farc.

But Mr Chavez described the strike as "a cowardly murder, all of it coldly calculated".


He said Colombia had "invaded Ecuador, flagrantly violated Ecuador's sovereignty".

Mr Chavez addressed his defence minister, asking him to "move 10 battalions to the border with Colombia for me, immediately" - a deployment likely to involve several thousand soldiers.

"The air force should mobilise. We do not want war. But we are not going to let them... come and divide and weaken us."

Colombia's government has received billions of dollars in aid from Washington to fight the guerrillas - as the US, along with the EU, views Farc as a terrorist organisation.

Colombian troops have recently retaken control of areas previously held by rebel groups, but Farc retains a strong hold over Colombia's more remote regions.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/7274222.stm

Published: 2008/03/03 15:52:48 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

a short video of the place I am working now

Click here: LCC International University

funniest movie ever...

Kosovo

Kosovo MPs proclaim independence

Albanian and American flags have been on prominent display Declaration
Kosovo's parliament has unanimously endorsed a declaration of independence from Serbia, in a historic session.The declaration, read by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, said Kosovo would be a democratic country that respected the rights of all ethnic communities.But Serbia's PM denounced the US for helping create a "false state" and protesters in Belgrade later pelted the US embassy with stones.The UN Security Council is meeting in an emergency session to discuss Kosovo. The meeting was demanded by Serbia's ally Russia.Tens of thousands of people had thronged the streets of Kosovo's capital, Pristina, since the morning.We have waited for this day for a very long time... from today, we are proud, independent and free
Hashim Thaci
Kosovo Prime Minister
When news came of the declaration in parliament, the centre of the city erupted with fireworks, firecrackers and celebratory gunfire.
Hundreds of ethnic Albanians staged noisy celebrations in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, and in Brussels, outside the headquarters of Nato and the European Union.

Hand grenades

The first sign of trouble in Kosovo came in the ethnic Serbian area of the flashpoint town of Mitrovica, where two hand grenades were thrown at international community buildings.One exploded at a UN court building while the other failed to go off outside offices expected to house the new EU mission.

In Belgrade, demonstrators threw stones and broke windows at the US embassy as riot police tried to fend off a crowd of around 1,000 people.

The protesters, described as gangs of youths, also attacked a McDonald's restaurant, the Serbian government building and the embassy of Slovenia which currently holds the EU presidency.

Several Serbian ministers had travelled to Kosovo to show their support for the ethnic Serbian minority.

Kosovo's 10 Serbian MPs boycotted the assembly session in protest at the declaration.

Serbia's Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica blamed the US which he said was "ready to violate the international order for its own military interests".

"Today, this policy of force thinks that it has triumphed by establishing a false state," Mr Kostunica said.

Search for equality

The declaration was approved with a show of hands. No-one opposed it.

KOSOVO PROFILE
Population about two million
Majority ethnic Albanian; 10% Serb
Under UN control since Nato drove out Serb forces in 1999
2,000-strong EU staff to take over from UN after independence
Nato to stay to provide security


"We have waited for this day for a very long time," Mr Thaci told parliament before reading the text, paying tribute to those who had died on the road to independence.

From today, he said, Kosovo was "proud, independent and free".

"The independence of Kosovo marks the end of the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia," the prime minister said.

He said Kosovo would be built in accordance with the UN plan drawn up by former Finnish President, Martti Ahtisaari.

HAVE YOUR SAY Unfortunately today Kosovo and Serbia are to become two dispensable chess-pieces of EU/NATO and Russia Mat, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The international military and civilian presence - also envisaged by the Ahtisaari plan - was welcome, the PM said.

There should be no fear of discrimination in new Kosovo, he said, vowing to eradicate any such practices.

The declaration was signed by all the MPs present.

Russian protest

The UN Security Council went into emergency session on Sunday evening after Russia called for the United Nations to declare the Kosovo declaration illegal.

Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters that the resolution allowing the UN to administer Kosovo since 1999 had been violated and said the council had a duty to annul the declaration.

Three other permanent members of the council, the US, the UK and France disagree. Serbian President Boris Tadic is heading to New York for a second emergency session due on Monday.

BBC UN correspondent Matt Wells said Russia was using every means at its disposal to make the strongest possible diplomatic protest.

The declaration approved by Kosovo's parliament contains limitations on Kosovan independence as outlined in Mr Ahtisaari's plan.

Kosovo, or part of it, cannot join any other country. It will be supervised by an international presence. Its armed forces will be limited and it will make strong provisions for Serb minority protection.

Recognition by a number of EU states, including the UK and other major countries, will come on Monday after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, says the BBC's Paul Reynolds.

The US is also expected to announce its recognition on Monday.

Three EU states - Cyprus, Romania and Slovakia - have told other EU governments that they will not recognise Kosovo, says our correspondent.

Russia's foreign ministry has indicated that Western recognition of an independent Kosovo could have implications for the Georgian breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.


Story from BBC NEWS

This is my second week in Lithuania and also the second week teaching macroeconomics at LCC international university. So far it has been interesting. My first class was a bit overwhealming since I knew some of the students in my class. When i was a student here 3 and 1/4 years ago we used to be friends. So that was a weird dynamic, especially when one of them called me Miss Lorna.

Back in college I loved macroeconomics, I think is a great subject however teaching it is quite hard at times. My students always have questions that in some instances are hard to respond to, since Macro can be abstract at times. However I am trying to include as many current events as i can. It's hard for me not to talk about development while I lecture. I have shown videos, especially of developing countries, and their response to them has been positive. But it surprised me when one of them said: Poor people are lazy and that's whay they are in that situation. Also many of them didnt know that countries like Belize, Indonesia existed. So my next assignement for them is a research project in the macroeconomic situation of countries that they don't have a clue that exist. Will see how that goes.

Being back here is nice even though it seems weird at times. I live in the dorm I lived when I was astudent so it brings back a lot of good and bad memories as well. anyways,so far I am enjoying it and will teach this semester and a summer session and then will be heading home for the summer time.

women around the world....

Some of these women I know really well and some of these I have just observed during my time in Albania and Ecuador. Each of them has a special story to tell and most part of these stories is signed by suffering and hardships. I posted this collage in my blog just because sometimes I feel like I forget what I have seen or experienced while being in the field once I have reached a confort zone, like right now when I am only doing academic work..

Turkyie

This is my last day in Turkey...I thought it was going to be boring since I was all alone however all in all I had a really good time. The people at the hotel I am staying are really nice. The second day here they moved me to one of their best rooms...actually I think they usually give it to newly weds..oh, well. It was a huge room for me:) They knock on my door many times to see if I am doing well and brought me desserts.

this is one of them..dont ask me what it is..it was a weird combo of beans and nuts and dreid fruits
I have walked around a lot and got a little glimpse of the culture. Nearby the hotel I am staying, there are more lower class people; there are a lot street vendors who grab you by the arm to enter their shops and buy something. Some of them yell so hard just to get people's attention. Most of the women around wear vales...I actually saw one who was completely covered, you could just see a tiny bit of her eyes. that was really weird. I had a hard time finding a place to eat because every where I would go in..there were only men. I got used to that. It didn't stop me from getting in cuz the food here is amazing...one of the best I have tried. Few things reminded me of Albania. As i said in my last blog entry we have a bunch of words in common. Also at a restaurant they had one dish that was called "Albanian style steak". I didn't know we are famous for making that:) While I was at a shop I heard a song from an Albanian singer, his name is Blero. Also the Imams songs were present everyday.

On the other hand, I went to a mall here. A totally different world. It was so huge I got lost in it. And guess what....they had Starbucks, KFC, Mac Donald's, Burger King, Arbys, and so many other foreign brands. MacD was full of people. As Thomas Friedman would say...the world is flat...










I also got my Lithuanian visa. Is a one year business visa!!! So I am excited for that. I will leave for Lithuania on Friday and start teaching on Monday. I am excited and scarred at the same time because it's my first time teaching university students and teaching macroeconomics. will see how it goes. Please keep me in your prayers.

ciao

arnaut....

I am in Turkey right now. This was such a unexpected trip for me. It came out of the blue. I was in my way to Lithuania to teach at LCC International University however in order to get a business visa to Lithuania (now in the Schengen agreement) I had to go to Turkey since there were no other embassies closer to Albania.











When we were kids, during communist times, one of the movies that the National TV (TVSH) showed and re showed was Snow white (cok gjyzel:)...the Turkish version. We used to know it by heart. So as soon as I entered the plane and heard the stewardess talking, some of the words we used to imitate from that movie came to mind. Actually in Albanian we have quite a bit of Turkish words (due to very long ottoman invasion)...like tamam, kave, ishallah, sevda, kat, marshallah, ej vallah, myshteri, and so many others...

I had a flight connection in Istanbul and was falling asleep so I decided to buy a cup of coffee. My goodness...Starbucks prices are nothing compared to the ones they charged me for a nescafe....12$ for a tiny cup of normal coffee...

I came to Ankara, late at night. The hotel I am staying at it's nice but there are no other clients so I feel weird. It's only me and the crew. I have full attention from them. Today I decided to take a walk around town....Didn't see much. however I had a very nice meal at a neighborhood restaurant. The traditional kofte (meatballs), good bread, salad, and yogurt. At the end as good turkish tradition they treated me with yummy Baklava and tea.

Shout! - The Isley Brothers

good morning starter:)

changes

Well, it has been awhile since I have visited this blog. Some things have happened that will change a bit the flow of my life. I was offered a job as a professor of Economics at the University where I did my undergraduate studies, LCC International University in Lithuania.

If all the visa details go well I will be there the second week of January when the Spring Semester starts. I am very excited about this opportunity. I always wanted to go back in some way and I think this is a good comeback. I have never taught at a University so this is something new for me but I am very happy of trying it out.

This is the University's website: LCC

I will be getting home for the summer months and I will probably still continue to work for World Vision Albania in shorter term projects. So that is good too!!!

Selling Poverty…

Well, this is a very weird combination of words if taken out of context but I have heard it a lot lately among relief and development organizations/ngo dialogues. It has been hard for quite a bit of development org in Albania to get donor funds because poverty here doesn’t sell anymore as compared to poverty in Africa or India. When donors come they don’t really see poverty immediately (except in the Roma and Egyptian communities). Today I also heard a weird thing that marketing departments in order to attract donor funds would ask for pictures of kids walking in the midst of snow which shows that they are cold. Fake, in the areas where it doesn’t snow in Albania, but that sells to donors.

So, said it shortly it’s quite hard to get funds for projects in areas where there is no evident extreme poverty but instead there other types of poverty that threat children wellbeing and future such as children labor or begging.

THANKSGIVING

It’s thanksgiving!!! I never celebrated it…. until two years ago when I first came in the US. It was really fun down there, a lot of yummy food, friends, and family time and after that Back Friday….crazy…. Thanks Linda and John:) Last year I was in Ecuador surrounded by a lot of American expats so they prepared a big dinner too. However that same day I was invited by an Ecuadorian women to visit her family in a small town in Ecuador. I agreed to go with her and her three kids but at the end it turned out to be a big adventure. I ended up in the border line between Colombia and Ecuador where a lot of the human trafficking and drug smuggling happens. We had no place to go to and it was in the middle of the night. For the first in my life I was scarred to death and prayed to make it safely. BY 1 AM after walking in cliffs for quite some time we ended up in one small hut where her mom lived, one of the poorest houses I have seen in my life. I was just reminded these two events really different but that has had some impact in my life….

Anyways, for all my American friends out there Happy Thanksgiving!!