Halfway Through the Race

Hi Friends!!

January 10th was my official halfway point through the race!! Which is honestly crazy to me but this blog is basically going to be a rough update on our last travel day from Bangkok, Thailand to Tiranë, Albania and a bit about my first 2 weeks here in Albania.

Travel Day (or should I say… days)

To set the scene… it’s January 1st, 2025, and we were up at the crack of dawn (5 a.m.) to kick off what would turn out to be 63 hours of travel. (Yes, you read that right—over two and a half days of travel!) The night before was New Year’s Eve, so most of us only managed to grab a quick power nap between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., which meant a pretty groggy start to the day.

We left the base around 6:30 a.m., and from there, the travel day began! Here’s a quick rundown of what that looked like:

• 12-hour bus ride from Chiang Mai to Bangkok 🚍
• Spent the night in the airport 💤
• 14-hour flight from Bangkok to Istanbul ✈️
• 3-hour layover in Turkey 🇹🇷
• 1-hour flight from Istanbul to Budapest ✈️
• 15-hour bus ride from Budapest to Tiranë 🚍

And that was the end of our 63 hours of travel!! 🌍

Albania: The Rundown

We finally arrived in Tiranë on January 3rd, and wow—what a change! It still hasn’t fully hit me that this city will be home for the next two months. Coming from Southeast Asia, Europe feels so different—the culture, the weather, the people—it’s all a shift. But honestly, I’m loving it. For starters, I’ve missed the cold weather, so I’m not complaining about the chill here. People also walk almost everywhere here and I honestly wish America did the same because its so refreshing!!

It has also been fascinating for me to learn about the history of Albania. On our first day off, my team and I did a walking tour to get a better understanding of the country’s history—and I’m so glad we did!! It’s a country that was under communist rule for so long, and the effects of that period are still present in so many aspects of life, especially religion and faith. Most people identify as Muslim, and a smaller portion are Orthodox, or Catholic, but what’s interesting is that religion here is often more of a custom than a deeply held belief or true relationship with the Father. Many Albanians may claim a certain faith, but the practice of that faith is often more out of tradition than genuine belief. It’s something I’ve been reflecting on a lot, especially since religion was heavily restricted during the communist era. People grew up in a world where God wasn’t necessary, and that mindset still lingers today (because if the were fine without God then what makes them need Him now?) I will probably talk more about that in a future blog because I’m still thinking about it a lot…

Our Ministry

So, what have we been up to ministry-wise? We’ve been partnering with ICF Tiranë, a local church here. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve jumped in with their children’s, youth, and student ministries, as well as supporting the Sunday services. It feels a lot like volunteering at church back home: we arrive early, stay late, and help wherever we can. Truthfully, there have been a few times where I struggled these past 2 weeks to serve with a joyful heart because I didn’t understand why the Lord would send me all the way to Albania when I could practically be doing the same thing at home. (It sounds a lot nicer to be doing ministry where most of my family and friends are only driving distance away) And honestly, I know there will be times in the future where the thought pops into my head again… But Jesus is so gracious! He’s been gently reminding me that where He has me is the best place! Who knows, I may not see it, but if He can use me to plant even one seed its worth it. He’s worth it!

Reflecting on the Halfway Point

Now that I’m officially halfway through this race, I’m feeling a mix of emotions. On one hand, I can’t believe I’m already 4.5 months into this journey. On the other hand, I’ve learned so much in such a short amount of time. Honestly, there have been many tough moments—moments when I’ve been homesick or overwhelmed. But there have also been so many beautiful moments, like watching people of so many cultures and backgrounds come together to worship or even seeing the Lord work in the lives of my teammates!! I cant wait to see all that the Lord has for the next 4.5 months 🙂 

How You Can Be Praying

• Pray for the church in Albania to be empowered and growing. Albania is only around 0.5% evangelical Christian and over 50% Muslim so also be praying that Christians here would be strengthened and wouldn’t get discouraged.
• Pray for boldness for my team as we have many opportunities to share the gospel with strangers.
• Pray for unity in my team. It’s not always easy being around 8 other people 24-7 so you can also be praying that we would love each other as Christ desires! (That we would outdo one another in love!!)
• pray for my fundraising process (HUGE PRAISE: IM NOW 73% FUNDED!! 🥳)
  • if you feel led to give, you can donate at: https://adventuresinmissions.servicereef.com/events/adventures-in-missions-3/2024-world-race-gap-year-24g0903/participants/isabella-ormey

That’s all for now 😊 

Until next time!

Bella