Marsh Travels

We woke up to a city filled with broken glass and burned buildings. Some people couldn’t make it to the worship service—the culmination of the big 35th-anniversary celebration—because the roads were blocked. 🥲

It feels strange to stay in a beautiful hotel, enjoy delicious food, and celebrate with friends while, just steps away, the city is reeling from the violence and destruction.

It was so special to see my great Albanian friends and worship together.

Just as we were finishing our meal, the violent protests erupted again, very close to the restaurant. Zef shouted, “GET OUT NOW! HURRY! FAST, FAST, FAST!” Hundreds of police officers were rushing past us. We could hear loud bangs, see flames, and smell smoke. We hurried in the opposite direction, leaving without having time to say a proper goodbye to our Emanuel family.

Thankfully, we made it safely back to our hotel, where we more or less holed up for the rest of the day, watching the riots unfold on TV.

I’m sad about the destruction and rioting in France, too. 🥲 Is the world crazy?

It’s inspiring to hear the stories and see the results of 35 years of student ministry in Albania. In 1991, there were no Christian students here. Today, nearly 100 are attending this celebration!

John and Lynn lived in Kosovo for four years, learning the language and waiting for Albania to open. When it finally did, they found people eager to hear about spiritual ideas that had been forbidden under Hoxha’s regime. But life was difficult in those early days. Food was scarce, and electricity and running water were unreliable. It was not an easy time to begin a ministry, but look at the fruit of those 35 years!

We heard story after story from people who became Christians during those years—stories of God’s faithfulness, the close-knit community they found, and the ways Christ transformed their lives. Many went on to become leaders in the country, serving as government ministers, doctors, bankers, police officers, and more.

The gospel has been present in Albania from the beginning. There is evidence that the apostle Paul visited Durrës. Unlike in many other countries, many Albanian churches are led by indigenous believers rather than missionaries. Pastor Zef, for example, is Albanian.

One reason for this is that in 1997, Albania experienced a government collapse and revolution following the failure of a widespread pyramid scheme. Most missionaries left during that time, and Albanian believers stepped into leadership of their young churches.

We returned to Tirana in the afternoon in time for an afternoon treat.

The protests continue. As we were looking for a restaurant on the main boulevard, Zef texted, “Please don’t go to the main boulevard tonight.” Oops. Police were everywhere. Seven officers were stationed in our hotel lobby for protection. Jeff and the others had to leave their hotel after rioters destroyed the power box, leaving the building without electricity.

We are all a little weary and travel-worn, but today we enjoyed a leisurely morning to recover. We’ve decided there simply aren’t enough mealtimes and snack breaks to sample all the delicious food here, but we’re doing our best to squeeze in as many as possible!

We wandered through the city, stunned by the damage from last night’s protests. Broken windows and burned buildings were everywhere, and in places, the beautiful cobblestone streets had been torn up as protesters pulled out the stones to throw at police.

The iconic pyramid building was built by the repressive communist leader Hoxha as a tribute to himself. After communism fell, the building fell into disrepair, but a few years ago they transformed it into a learning center for young people.

We enjoyed spectacular views of the city from the top.

I had remembered the restaurant where I had the best tiramisu of my life. There’s no guarantee that it would still be amazing, but I wanted to try. Again, I was not disappointed. The lunch was also delicious.

In the afternoon, we drove to Durres where we will spend the night for the celebration of the InterVarsity student group that is also celebrating its 35th anniversary. Our hotel is right on the beach.

What a day! We stepped back in time on our visit to Berat, a castle complex on a hill where people have lived continuously for over 2000 years, and still live today! We stepped back in time during our visit to Berat, exploring its hilltop castle complex, where people have lived continuously for more than 2,000 years—and still live today!

I can’t imagine what it would be like to live in a place so far from grocery stores, banks and doctors.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an important center of early Christian history and art. Two extraordinary decorated Gospel manuscripts, known as codices, have survived from the sixth and ninth centuries.

Later, we went to Durrës, another ancient city, founded in 627 BC!!! But its claim to fame for us is Çela Gelato. We use this gelateria as the benchmark against which we judge all other gelato. The salted caramel did not disappoint, and I even went back for seconds!

The news is on in almost every restaurant, and the violent protests here are escalating. Protesters have burned banks, and government buildings. Many streetlights have also been damaged, adding to the already chaotic driving conditions. In some places, protesters have even pulled up cobblestones from the sidewalks to throw at the police.

I’ve been stunned by how fast tourism is rising here. It’s relatively inexpensive for Europeans, and people are looking for places that aren’t overcrowded with tourists and still feel authentic. I’m afraid that ship has sailed here.

One of the church members has started a hop-on-hop-off bus tour here — we got to ride it free today.

One place we visited was Bunk’Art — a huge Cold War–era nuclear bunker built for Albania’s communist leaders, now a museum about life under the regime.

Later we attended a service at the church where we heard inspiring stories from people who as young men helped found the church right after communism fell. They told stories of how hard it was to even get food, and often there was no electricity, and yet how the Albanians welcomed them into their homes. They were eager to hear about religion because if it was forbidden during the communist years, it must be powerful. There was a time to ordain new elders and we shared communion.

The protests weren’t near the church, but we had to be careful getting back to the hotel.

We had a day of adventures together! Our first stop was visiting a building that had been donated to Emanuel Church by a Korean church that had previously used it as both a place of worship and a medical clinic.

When Emanuel received the building, it was in very poor condition. But Zef found a wonderful contractor who is doing amazing restoration work, and we were all delighted and impressed as Zef shared his vision for the property.

The building has three floors. The first could house a medical clinic, with Emanuel renting space to doctors. The second floor is a huge apartment, and the third offers a large open space suitable for church services. Then there’s the rooftop, where people could gather for coffee after church, enjoy dinners, listen to music, and more.

It’s a valuable property with so much potential, and it will be exciting to watch Zef’s vision become a reality!

Then we drove to Kruja, a historic mountain town best known as the home of Albania’s national hero, Skanderbeg, who led the resistance against the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Kruja is an important symbol of Albanian identity and independence. Its old bazaar, with cobblestone streets and traditional shops selling local crafts, is a wonderful place to explore. Above the town sits Kruja Castle, where Skanderbeg made his stand against the Ottomans. And the views are stunning, with breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding countryside and, on a clear day, the Adriatic Sea.

The next event was the church’s monthly book club. In our honor, they had chosen Of Mice and Men, which is set in California. We had a good discussion about the importance of having a dream and the human need for community and connection.

Afterward, Dr. Edvin and his wife, Dr. Bona, invited us to a special dinner—one of the best I’ve ever had. It was part meal, part performance, and part art. The four-hour meal lasted past midnight. Some dishes were served amid clouds of decorative dry-ice fog, while the fish, encased in rock salt, arrived flaming. There was also handmade pasta and an array of amazing desserts.

While we were eating peacefully, large protests near our hotel had escalated into violent clashes. Police eventually used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowds. We had no idea any of this was happening until it was all over! The protests have been happening peacefully for several months. This was the first time they had become violent.

This is my ninth trip to Albania, and it feels easy because we’re here to visit dear friends we’ve known and loved for years. Being with them is comfortable and familiar—like being with family. Eight of us from my Ventura church are here to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Emanuel Church in Albania: our two pastors, Jeff and Bruce, along with our friends Lisa and Willie Rajala and John and Edie McCormick.

I injured my arm two weeks ago in Uzbekistan, and it’s still really hurting. So today, I asked my friend Edvin, an orthopedic surgeon, if he could take an X-ray just to make sure it wasn’t broken. Well, it turns out it is fractured!

I was actually relieved to finally know what was wrong. I’d been debating whether to go to a hospital in a foreign country, where I didn’t speak the language and wouldn’t know where to go. But it turns out that, at least in my case, going to the hospital might not have changed much. The fracture wasn’t displaced, so surgery wasn’t necessary, and I don’t need a cast. I just need to protect the arm with a sling.

Zef drove me to the hospital, and Dr. Edvin walked me to a pharmacy to get a sling (and even tried to pay for it!). He also arranged a taxi to take me back. I was so grateful to have Albanian friends who made the whole process so easy. ❤️

Later we had raki (a strong Albanian liquor) at Zef’s house, and a beautiful dinner with our team and the church leadership.

In the ten years since we were last here, tourism in Albania has boomed. There are tour buses everywhere, souvenir stands lining the streets, and groups of tourists at every turn.

But the most devastating change has been the traffic. The roads are clogged, and traffic often crawls along at around 10 mph. People have to allow so much more time to get to work, church, or wherever else they need to go. It has significantly affected their quality of life. Tourism brings economic benefits, but it also comes at a cost for the people who live here every day.

I’ve been in a lot of airports, but none as crazy as Dushanbe. Oh, sweet merciful cupcakes!

We arrived in the dark of night (1:30 a.m.), and hundreds of people were gathered outside the airport, blocking the doors as they waited for family members and friends. It was so chaotic that at first, we couldn’t even figure out how to get into the airport.

Once inside, we couldn’t find any check-in desks—just a glass wall and signs in Russian. I kept asking people, “Do you speak English?” in order to figure out where to check in and drop our bags. When I finally found a flight attendant who did speak English, he couldn’t help us. Later, he turned out to be the flight attendant for our section of the plane!

“Oh! You made it!” he said when I saw him again.

“You didn’t help us!” I said.

“I didn’t know myself! That was crazy,” he replied.

Apparently, the process is different every time!

We went through five baggage X-ray screenings and five passport checks. I still don’t understand why so many. But we finally made it to our gate, completely exhausted. 😵‍💫

Turkish Airlines’ free Touristanbul experience turned our long international layover into a memorable adventure: from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., they picked us up at the airport, treated us to a delicious Turkish breakfast buffet, guided us through several of Istanbul’s highlights, and returned us with plenty of time before our next flight. We were exhausted but delighted, feeling less like passengers and more like honored guests.

The last leg of our journey (from Istanbul to Tirana) felt like heading home to our brothers and sisters at Emanuel Church and a city I know and love. It helped to know that our dear friend Zef was meeting us at the airport.

There’s a bakery in California we love called Tartine, so when Austin suggested meeting at a bakery here with the same name, of course we had to go!

We talked for hours over pots of tea and pastries. When I wanted to pay for a second pot of tea, the owner wouldn’t let me. He said “Welcome my country!” The conversation was good, mostly about theology and ideas I hadn’t thought of before. (Is the priest more righteous than others because he’s held to a higher standard? Should Luther have worked for changes and stayed rather than split the church? Was Calvin right? Why do Anglicans have icons and relics?)

By the time we left there it was lunchtime and we walked to a beautiful Tajik restaurant.

We enjoyed the view from the top of the Istiklol (Independence) Monument, a 121-meter-tall landmark in Dushanbe. Built with the help of a Chinese construction company, it opened in 2022 as part of Tajikistan’s celebration of 30 years of independence.  

We said goodbye to Austin. We wish him all the best in his work and as he continues learning the language. He was a wonderful host, and we’re grateful for the time we spent with him. 💜

I was asleep by 7 p.m. so I could get a few hours of sleep before we had to leave for the airport at 1 a.m. (Many international flights out of Dushanbe depart in the middle of the night.)

New city, new country, new currency, new language, new transportation (we miss you, Yandex!), and a lot more brainwork! Every new place comes with a learning curve, but that’s part of the adventure. And so far, Dushanbe is wonderful.

Tajikistan has the lowest GDP per person of the five Central Asian countries, (the “Stans”) yet its capital, Dushanbe, feels remarkably modern, with wide boulevards, grand buildings, beautiful parks, and monumental architecture. It’s has a ton of beautiful parks, flowers and fountains.

Part of the explanation is that Dushanbe is a relatively young capital. What was once a small village known for its Monday market became the capital of Soviet Tajikistan in the 1920s. (Dushanbe means “Monday” in Tajik.) The Soviet government transformed it into an administrative and cultural center, and since Tajikistan gained independence in 1991, the government has continued to invest heavily in developing the city. Much of the monumental architecture and urban landscape we see today reflects that relatively recent history.

While we were waiting for our tour, these women approached us and asked where we were from. (They had the same shocked reaction as others we’ve met!) We chatted for a bit, and then they wanted to take pictures with us.

People here are so friendly and curious about us. The first time it happened, it was fun and unexpected. But after being approached repeatedly by strangers who wanted to talk and take photos with us, the novelty began to wear off!

After naps we met Austin for dinner at his favorite restaurant: a Persian one. The food was incredible, and we were happy to have a translator!

Austin is Anglican and very conservative theologically, which led to some good conversations. He didn’t hesitate a moment when I asked “What’s your dream?” “To be bishop in Tajikistan.” It’s always fun for me to be around young people who have figured out and are following their passion.

After dinner we walked around the city admiring the beautiful lights.