Thursday, September 22, 2022
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
September 2019 update
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Monday, May 13, 2019
What do you know about Albania?!?
Dear friends and family,
I wanted to ask a favor of you. We will be coming back from Albania for some break time in the States for a portion of the summer. Primarily we will be in the State Oregon.
While we are back we are hoping to make new partnerships specifically for the church (https://www.facebook.com/kishaemanuel/) we lead here in Korce, Albania.
If you know of a church and/or individual that would be interested to learn more about the work we are involved with in Albania would you send me a message or get them in contact with me?!? (feel free to share this post as well)
Thanks & much love!
Monday, March 04, 2019
The latest (news)!
Hello!
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Even though you haven’t heard from us for a while – we are alive and well! At times, life flows like a slow river and there’s not much to tell, other times the currents of life carry us too fast to even remember the outside world exists…
In mid-September, the school year started with Eva in 3rd and Oliver in 1st grade. Oliver still misses the fun he had in kindergarten, yet he’s excelling in school. Eva started having English classes, and there’s something new even for her, as they are taught British, not American, English. Eleonora (almost 4) still mixes all three languages in one sentence, and Zigmas (17 mos), who has become quite vocal in the past few months, entertains us with his Zigmish.
For quite a few years now our church has participated in Operation Christmas Child by Samaritan’s Purse. We see the shoe boxes, which perhaps many of you joyfully and prayerfully have packed full with gifts, being received by gleeful kids in Albania. This year, we had the joy of distributing 400 boxes. Although proselytizing of any religion is illegal in Albanian schools, we were invited and accepted very warmly in 3 village schools in our region, even met with thankfulness for spreading the Good Christmas News in Muslim villages. The visit that stands out the most is to a school higher in the mountains, which has 3 teachers and 11 students in total! The school building stands above the village, yet it’s future is clear – soon it will be closed and students transferred to a bigger school in a nearby village. In Albania, there are many abandoned villages, because people have moved to bigger villages or cities in the lowlands. So we get surprised to still discover communities tucked deeper in the mountains.
Last year, we rented a building for gatherings in the village of Goskova, and the Korca church youth have started regular meetings there. Now our presence is more noticeable and opportunities for spreading the Gospel are greater. To celebrate Christmas, three separate events were organized – for the children, for the youth, and for the adults – all seeing the building fill up! Our church youth leader Vilson has taken on the responsibility to lead the ministry in Goskova, and has been doing it with obvious dedication. We are praying – and ask you to join us – for a team that would work in the village exclusively, so that nobody would be stretched too thin while wearing too many hats.
And now the cherry to top off the cake… You might remember that a few years back we arranged for The Jesus Storybook Bible by S. Lloyd-Jones to be translated in Albanian. Even more so, I, Vita, have always dreamt of seeing it in my mother tongue, Lithuanian. With many years of translating experience up my sleeve, I initiated the project and translated this amazing children’s Bible. The dream of 8 years came true this January, when the translation reached the bookstores. I’m extremely excited (and proud too), and have been hearing great reports from fellow Lithuanians!
Thank you for reading – and partnering with us!
Sean, Vita, Eva, Oliver, Eleonora, and Zigmas Mason
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Tuesday, August 09, 2016
Listen to a message Sean just shared at New Life Foursquare Church in Canby Oregon!
Just click this link to hear about some of the great things happening in Albania:
Tuesday, March 01, 2016
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
She's here!
Dear loved ones!
We are happy to announce that our little girl was born on April 8th, here in Vita's homeland, Lithuania!
Eleonora Louise is healthy and doing very well as it Vita. Eva & Oliver are crazy about their little sister and enjoy helping take care of her and giving her plenty of hugs and kisses!
Our love and greetings to you!
Sean, Vita, Eva, Oliver & Eleonora
Eva & Oliver meeting Eleornora for the first time!
Did we say they are crazy about her?!?
5 is better than 4!
Monday, February 23, 2015
Monday, April 21, 2014
Saturday, January 18, 2014
a little late, but still our heart wish for you!
We had a wonderful CHRISTmas with Eva & Oliver as well as with our church family. Celebrating Christmas in a nation that knew no religion (or practiced no religion) for nearly half a decade during the communist era, is always special. This year more than before we saw fellow believers realize that Christmas is truly a bigger celebration than New Year's (the largest for most here). Without Jesus we would not have a new year!
May 2014 be a year of deeper understanding of Jesus' love for you!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Perfection or Honesty You Cannot Buy
We have two kids – a girl and a boy. So in the eyes of many we have reached the perfection, and should stop having children. When
I was pregnant with Eva, everybody wished me a boy. When I was expecting Oliver
– everybody still wished a boy. To attain the perfect duo, I suppose. And here
we are – raising both a girl and a boy. Now, Albanians love sharing their
opinions; with friends and strangers alike. So I should really stop getting surprised when some grandma on our first encounter honestly advises,
“Be careful now. Don’t make more babies.” I love to tease them by expressing my
liking of big families. In response they shake their heads with a confident,
“Two is enough.” And maybe they are right, after all. If we had a third child
and brought our perfect status quo to an end, there’d be no way back.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
What Is Your Address?
The other day I was browsing through an advertisement paper and amusing myself reading the addresses of some major appliances' stores throughout the country. A few of my favorites read: "Main avenue, "Xhevdet Neprevishta" neighbourhood" (in Lushnje), or in Elbasan: "Qemal Stafa" str., apartment building next to the former military base." (Mind you, these are large cities.) More often than not an address is "somewhere close to something former." So learning an address for a newcomer like me the enlightenment is double: I learn both where a certain store, office etc. is and, for instance, where a flour factory used to be.
With the advent of democracy in 1990, city planning in Albania went off the hook. Years later (some) illegally built structures were demolished, and some cities regained their shapes, yet others (like the capital Tirana) remain a maze.
The street name signs are in place, but if you want to find us in Korca, forget our address. You'll have more luck looking straight above the cinema (former cinema, to be more accurate), just below the water depot, and behind a tall green house. Alternatively, ask where a known writer Vangjush Ziko used to live or mention our neighbour's from across the street name.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
it's a boy!
it's our pleasure to introduce to you the newest member of our the Mason family
Oliver Kostas, born February 11, 2012 in Vilnius, Lithuania:
Oliver Kostas, born February 11, 2012 in Vilnius, Lithuania:
4.1kg, 54cm
Eva meeting her brother for the first time!
Eva is smitten with her brother!
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
soon, very soon!
we are in Lithuania (Vita's homeland) counting down the days until baby #2 is born. within the next week or two, we should be welcoming our newest son or daughter to our side of the world! we will keep you posted...
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, September 16, 2011
The Concept of Queuing
It’s been three years since I, Vita, moved to Albania, and still every time before making a trip to the post office or to pay bills I must make a resolution not to educate people on waiting in queue. As I am often taking Eva with me, being with a huge stroller I stand at a respective (in the eyes of a north-European) distance. More often than not people think that I am just lingering there for the fun of it…
Recently, as I’ve complained to a lady about jumping the line in front of me, she apologized explaining, “I thought men were waiting on the right, and the women on the left.” (Whereas I was lost somewhere in between.) How strange, thought I, and quickly started recollecting my recent queuing experiences. To my surprise, in most cases I could picture men crowding on one side, and women – on the other. Could it be yet another sign of Muslim-rooted gender separation? I inquired a friend of this phenomenon. And yes indeed, she confirmed that during the communist times women and men would form two separate queues. And at that time there was a lot of waiting in lines.
Now who would have thought that there is some logic in the absence of a queue (despite the wide-spread queue jumping)!
Recently, as I’ve complained to a lady about jumping the line in front of me, she apologized explaining, “I thought men were waiting on the right, and the women on the left.” (Whereas I was lost somewhere in between.) How strange, thought I, and quickly started recollecting my recent queuing experiences. To my surprise, in most cases I could picture men crowding on one side, and women – on the other. Could it be yet another sign of Muslim-rooted gender separation? I inquired a friend of this phenomenon. And yes indeed, she confirmed that during the communist times women and men would form two separate queues. And at that time there was a lot of waiting in lines.
Now who would have thought that there is some logic in the absence of a queue (despite the wide-spread queue jumping)!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
would you like to support the translation and printing of a Bible in the Albanian language?
My wife and I have a dream: to see the "Jesus Storybook Bible" translated and published in the Albanian language.
This Bible for children is unlike any other Bible we have seen. From the amazing illustrations/pictures to the wording, it is simply brilliant. Beyond those, it is not simply telling Bible stories but each and every story, both from the Old and New Testaments, points to the main story of the Bible...our Savior and Lord Jesus!
Since I was introduced to this Bible a couple years ago, I have said it is my favorite Bible! We read this to our six-month old daughter and believe it would be an amazing resource for Albania.
Here is a description and a link to the website:
The Moonbeam Award Gold Medal Winner in the religion category, The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the Story beneath all the stories in the Bible. At the center of the Story is a baby, the child upon whom everything will depend. Every story whispers his name. From Noah to Moses to the great King David---every story points to him. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle---the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, as the Story unfolds, children will pick up the clues and piece together the puzzle. A Bible like no other, The Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to join in the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation---and at the center of their Story too.
Here is a link to what some think about this Bible: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2009/12/28/what-the-bible-is-not/
I have been in contact with the author as well with the owner of the international copyrights who is based in the UK. If anyone is interested I would love to discuss how we could partner to get this published in the Albanian language.
We have no experience of translating or publishing a book and our interest is not about anything other than getting this out as a resource for Albania. We strongly believe this is the BEST Bible for children we have ever seen...in all aspects.
Please take a look at the websites above and see for yourself how great this Bible is! Send us an email if you would be interested in partnering with us to get this published in the Albanian language!
Prayerfully hoping to see this published in Albanian,
Sean & Vita Mason
Mission Emanuel Church-Korce
Thursday, January 06, 2011
a belated Merry CHRISTmas & Happy New Year!
We hope you are all doing well and recovering from all the end of the year festivities! More so we hope that Christmas brought you deeper meaning in life through a greater understanding and awareness of Jesus who came to earth for us all. We hope too that through Him you have found greater hope for this new year!
We spent the 4 Sundays of December celebrating Advent with our church. Each Sunday we celebrate a unique theme to Christ's coming to earth. On December 24th, as a church we were blessed with the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with the residents at the local home for the mentally and physically disabled. Our church although though we have very little income was able to gift to the center a brand new clothes dryer. Although the center is run by the Albanian government, it receives only a small portion of all the support they need. We as a church have been learning to give generously as Christ gave so generously to us. We are learning to give even when we have little. We are learning to recognize the needs around us and give to those. We as a church do not want to exist for ourselves but to bless others and make a difference in the city of Korce. Finally, on December 26th we had our final Advent/Christmas service where the youth of the church lead us in Christmas songs and shared with us a drama they had prepared. After service we celebrated Christ's birth together by eating "petulla", a typical Albanian deep-fried desert, sort of donut like, served to friends and family at the birth of a newborn.
The New Year quickly approached and in Albania it is always the larger of festivals of the year. Of course it is a great time with family and friends and worth celebrating, but we always try to make our greatest celebration Christ's birth, whom without we would have no new year.
We wish you a happy new year and that more than ever before you would experience Jesus, the one who came to be God with us.
Much love and thanks to you for your prayers and generous support!
Sean, Vita & Eva Grace
Saturday, November 13, 2010
A Place of Worship
The Orthodox like building churches. Big and small alike. The newest one in our city is a Church of St Panteleimon (Kisha Shen Pandelimoni). I was curious, who this saint was, and found out he was a Christian physician of IVth century, martyred for healing the sick by calling on the name of Jesus Christ. Great, I thought.
And then I kept on reading the recounts of his death: "Pantaleon's flesh was first burned with torches, whereupon Christ appreared to all in the form of Hermolaus (another saint) to strengthen and heal Pantaleon... Then a bath of molten lead was prepared; when the apparition of Christ stepped into the cauldron with him, the fire went out and the lead became cold... He was thrown to wild beasts, but these fawned upon him and could not be forced away until he had blessed them... An attempt was made to behead him, but the sword turned into wax and melted, and the executioners were converted to Christianity... It was not until he himself desired it that it was possible to behead him, upon which there issued forth blood and white liquid like milk."
In case you were interested, his head is located on the island of Andros, Greece, at the Panachrantos monastery, and, on occassions, is taken to other monasteries for veneration.
If you are looking for his icon to kiss, kiss one of "a beardless young man with a full head of curly hair."
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Eva is almost 4 months old now. She is a bundle of smiles and laughter. Already, she has become quite the international traveller, well in this part of the world it is not that difficult. She loves "talking" with people and being outside. (This pic is taken in Meteora, Greece. My parents and one of my sisters came for their first visit to Albania, so during the end of their trip we took a short tour through Northern Greece.)
Monday, August 23, 2010
A Story of a Woman
We all love hearing big success stories; water turning into wine, dead being resurrected, mountains moving... The big stories of the little people are brushed off. I’d like to share with you a vivid illustration of Albanian Gypsy culture, and an impressive example of courage and faith.
A lady, who I’ll call Ada, is in her early thirties, like we, but her life has been very unlike ours. An older sister to two brothers was born and grew up in Korça. The smart girl truly enjoyed going to school, but when she reached 15, the parents decided to marry her off to a man almost twice her age. As it is common here, Ada moved in with her new husband and in-laws. Way too early she learnt the joys and hardships of the adult life. Barely 16, she gave birth to a baby-girl. Almost ten years later she had a son. A typical life of a poor Albanian Gypsy woman: marry early, raise kids and toil at home for the rest of your life. If you’re lucky, the in-laws treat you decently. But Ada wasn’t lucky. For an unassuming outsider, her husband creates an appearance of a quiet and nice person, yet his addiction to alcohol marred the life of the woman and her children. When he gets drunk, he turns violent.
Ada has been quietly suffering for years, as everybody in her family and neighbourhood would bluntly echo that we all must carry our own burdens. Years went by, Ada found Christ and peace in her heart, yet the abuse both towards her and the children only increased. As soon as Sean heard of her situation, he started encouraging the lady to find a place of her own, and promised the church’s support. It took over a year to work up the courage. She wasn’t wary of any revenge from her ex-husband. She had to fight a bigger monster called Culture. “What will people say?” too often towers above the wellbeing of your own children. In the people’s eyes, a woman leaving her husband commits a bigger crime than a husband, who instead of providing and caring for the family, wastes all the money on alcohol and constantly beats his wife and children.
First Ada moved in with her parents. They let her stay, but didn’t let her forget the shame she had brought on the family. Later, Ada’s brother with his family also moved into the two-room flat, and the living space became tight. Albanians don’t typically care about private space much, but the reproaches never really ended. “You just have to suffer,” they would tell her. “Everybody gets their share of suffering in life, and you must endure yours.” Even though both Ada’s in-laws passed away in the last year or so, and she had divorced her husband even longer ago, the culture wouldn’t let her get loose from the past.
Finally, Ada took her two children and moved out to a small two-room flat, leaving her parents and brother’s family more room, and getting more peace of mind. Working six days a week as a cleaner Ada makes a mere $120 a month. When I tried to convince her she should cook some meat for her anaemic daughter, I received a blunt reply, “Who can afford meat?”.
Ada’s determination is impressive. She has to fight the silent fight not only with the culture monster, but even with her own family in order to… protect her children from the abuse and provide them a safe and stable home! It’s difficult to be a single mother anywhere in the world, let alone in such a male dominant culture as Albania. Even more than Ada’s strong will I admire her trust in God – when she is stressed, tired, worried, when things seem hopeless, she chooses to rely on God and throw all her burdens on Him. She has some relatives in Greece and would love to emigrate. And I cannot blame her. Who wouldn’t want to escape the clutches of poverty and sometimes merciless culture? And unfortunately, her story is not really unique.
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