I have to confess to cheating a bit tonight. I had written this encounter down a year ago, when i wrote a book full of my experiences from Albania, as part of my therapy and debriefing.I opened the document today, to copy and paste, and saw that i had named this, which was the final chapter of my book, "What are the chances?". I had completely forgotten I had done that. . . ironic isn't it?
This is one of my favorite life stories. Not just because it was so special and dramatically huge, but because it constantly builds faith in me. If God could do this, what else is He capable of?!?!?! oh the adventures still to come. . . as we do life in Him.
I will read it, and edit it and hopefully add some pictures to it . . . i hope it builds your faith and encourages you as much as it constantly does my life.
what are the chances?
Lets take a journey. In 1997, an Albanian was attending bible college with my brother. Albania had been very influenced by German and the Dutch missionaries. As a result this man had brought with him a book and video cassette
tape. [yes it was that long ago] of a man known as the Rock Priest,
and a band called No Longer Music. [you can Google about them.]
He lent these to my brother. My brother and I loved heavy metal/hard rock/ punk/ thrash. So you knew my brother would enjoy it and my brother, in turn knew i would enjoy it. At
that time arts and arts ministry were not very big in the church. Music [especially in worship was] and occasional dance dramas. It was nothing like it is today.. I was a relatively new Christian at the time. I loved
speech and drama and was considering studying it but I also knew I was called to
ministry. Instead of pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Arts, i chose to attend Bible College in 1998. But that was later in the story.
I remember watching this video of No Longer Music, and reading David Pierce's testimony and something literally ignited within me. God gave me a vision, a literal, detailed vision for a Christian Art Center. I could see
exactly what it would be. With room for lessons to be given, space
for artists, and fashion designers to display and sell. A coffee-shop
with stage for bands to perform when needed. Etc. etc. a safe
environment where non Christians would want to be, and could come face to face
with the creativity of The Creator, displayed through his creation. 
I
believe there is something so powerful in creativity. I believe it is
one thing that cuts through logical arguments. I believe it can
minister to the soul. Even the world uses art therapy to bring healing. it's also probably why David in his lowest moments could
write songs and psalms and find emotional healing. I would truthfully
love to study art therapy from a Christian point of view. I also believe that when we are creative, we display The Creator, and it can reach a man's spirit cutting through his logical arguments. Just like God's creativity through nature leaves man without an excuse but to know there is a God. [Romans 1:20]. a light came on inside of me. . . . back to the story.
And I knew the vision
wasn’t for then. I knew Durban wasn’t ready for it culturally. The vision was so big it scared me, and I
decided I would find someone else I could inspire with the vision and
let them run with it. Come on, I was only 17, it was a bit
overwhelming. And so I tucked the vision in my heart and carried on
with life. And what a journey my life is taking.
Fast forward many years. . . i did 2 years at college, went overseas came back, got on with life, work. Finally i moved to the church where the college is, and God told me to do my third year. To finish what i started. 5 years i had left college i went back to do my Third year. That year the compulsory 10 week mission trip for 3rd year students changed and we were sent to Albania. As you all know i spent many years doing mission work in Albania, in the same church the Albanian student from 1997 attended.
Fast forward many years, it is now 2012, and I am now living full time in Albania. I was about to go home for the first time in 4 yrs. Two weeks before leaving for my
holiday, I was sitting having coffee with my flatmate and a close
friend. My
friend said to us that his deep desire was to be a fashion designer.
And before I knew what happened I answered, “you can have your
clothing range displayed in my art centre” the two of them looked
at me as if I was mad. And I laughed. I remember saying, “wow, I
haven’t thought about that since i was a teenager.” I went on to describe
this vision I had back in 1997. I think we all had a good laugh over
it. And moved on in conversation.
That night I had a phone call from a leader in another church in town, wanting me to have coffee with him and his wife. I assumed it was about youth work, as we were both youth leaders. The next night came and I sat and made
small talk with the couple. Eventually the man says to me, I need to
speak with you about something. Now in my heart instantly I am
wondering, “what did one of my youth do now?” [not to be negative about the youth group, but it had been a rough few months.] This man then says to me, “I have a vision from God and
every time I pray about it, he keeps giving me your name and I don’t
know why.” this intrigued me. I asked what his vision was. And he
started describing word for word my vision for an art centre The same
vision I had remembered the day before after more than a decade of
not thinking about it.
I didn’t hesitate to agree to be
involved in what ever way I could. In fact I think I am still a board
member of the art centre, even though I don’t live in that nation.
We got the documents started to register the organisation and I left
for south Africa
In south Africa, I bumped into people I
had met a handful of times, they lead prayer meetings for nations and
asked if I could come lead an evening praying for Albania. I said yes. That night two people were there.
One was the son of this couple and the other was a person who had
served in a Kosovo, in an arts centre. Even though Kosovo is another nation, it's less than 4 hours by bus from Tirana, to Prishtina. very close indeed. Both
recommended, from having worked with him, that I contact an American missionary staying in Kosovo. He was 3 years ahead of
me in the game of running a Christian art centre within the same
people group and had lots of contacts.
I made contact and within a week of me
landing back in Albania this man came and met with us. All the
pieces clicked into place. It was the start of supportive and joint
ministry, as well as a solid friendship that helped through some of the best and most
difficult times i experienced in Albania. Yes this person did indeed have a lot of practical
advice and a lot of contacts, so my art journey began. We literally hit
the ground running. There was no time to pause or breath or take
anything in. it was supernatural and phenomenal, and really fast.
One thing that came out of working together, and having our art center up and running was that we decided to host a Christian arts festival in Albania, in the city i worked in. It was a big undertaking, and tons of work, stress and fun. It was a time of much conflict but also many miracles.
We had approximately 40 foreigners in town, giving workshops and training in multiple venues. On top of that we were doing outreach in numerous venues and even in the villages. It was the height of summer and a lot of crazy stuff went on, including me being down with kidney stones, while hosting 9 people in our one bedroom apartment that my flatmate and i shared.... that type of crazy. YET God was still God in the midst of it all and little did i factor in the miracles He was doing. It created an atmosphere of unity among churches renowned for their disunity, with pastor's ministering side by side. Hundreds of people responded to the altar calls, and many Christian's had their giftings encouraged and strengthened.
In the midst of it all, God, through all the contacts and connecting of the dots above, brought in No Longer Music, as one of our guest bands!!! i kid you not. For real. The very band that sparked the vision for the art center in 1997 was in Elbasan, Albania 2013 playing at an event arranged for by the fulfillment of that vision, the art center. YES, on top of it, the same albanian man was in the crowd that night, volunteering along side the band. isnt that simply such a testimony of the Goodness of God. imagine what all it took to joint these dots together?
A miracle 15 years in the making. Placing people at all the right places, at exactly the right time along the way. It wasn't easy i am sure, almost impossible But that is why God is God. He made sure the right people where in Kosovo, at the right time to know No Longer Music contacts. He made sure some random South Africans [who had parents who had crossed paths with me] would spend time in Kosovo at the art center. He made sure that when I was in South Africa, i would bump into the parents in a grocery shop, at the same time a prayer night was schedule and the two guys would be visiting. He made sure that an albanian man had the vision for the art center, and gave him my name when he prayed about it. On and on it goes, so many details went into this, but when God pulled the strings, it all fell beautifully into place. There is no way
that man could ever orchestrate these events. I remember thinking in the heat of it all, "What are the chances?" indeed . . . "what are the chances?" .... BUT GOD!
Doesnt that king of make you excited for the future, because if He has already done all this, what else is still to come. . . . i can hardly wait.
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