WE'RE BACK IN GORRE

Shume shume ftohte! That's "very very cold" in Albanian. We have arrived safely back in Gorre after 2 weeks at home in WI where temps bottomed out at -40 F. Since the cold seems to be a hot topic in much of the world (nice break from all that global warming talk) this winter, we thought we'd share a bit of our experience with Albanian cold.

While outside temps typically fall nowhere nearly as low as they do in WI, this year it seemed to begin with a day of snowfall (the first time in at least 10 years here in Gorre!) Unseasonably low temps (30's & 40's daytime) were coupled with several days of long power outages. Buildings here are constructed of concrete and ceramic tile with no insulation or central heating. Power outages obviously render electric space heaters useless. So interior temps soon matched outside temps in our apartment, and we could frequently see our breath inside. Layers of clothing, afghans, and gloves were our wardrobe. One night, when Christmas cookies had to be baked for a church party, we resorted to rolling them out in the bedroom---the one room we try to keep heated.

It was quite a shock for those of us used to entering a house where all the rooms are warm, even if it's -40 outside. Here people generally heat one small room with a space heater, and that's where the family congregates for the winter.

Schools and public buildings are not heated either. Thankfully we acquired enough heaters for each pre-school class, and the children and teacher gathered around its warmth for lessons, huddled up in their winter jackets.

As soon as we left WI last week, temps there rose into the +40's. And we are enjoying daytime highs in the mid-60's here now. The apartment still retains its winter chill, but spring is in the air. Gardeners and produce growers have planted tomatoes and peppers in their greenhouses, and the longer daylight hours are one of God's special blessings. In all things we give thanks!
for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come. Song of Solomon 2:11