“There is trouble ahead for Sean if he follows his plan for driving Graham Allcock back over the border in two days,” Zaku told Brenda. “There are more protests planned, and the borders will close tonight and won’t open again for days. Also, the route they plan to take is blocked by a rockslide. They will have to take the other route across the mountains, and the car will need chains on the tires. They will have to leave very soon or wait until next week.” Brenda called me immediately, and I met with Zaku to get more details and decide on a plan.

Graham was on a supervisory visit to the Hendricksons’ project in Vlora more than two hours away, and I was to be his driver because the Allcocks don’t have a vehicle yet. But this news changed everyone’s plans. It was important that Graham get back on time. We set off right away. We made it across the border before it closed, but I was shut out of Albania until it opened again.

A few days later, as I began my trip home, the weather was getting worse. I dreaded the long, treacherous drive through the ice and snow. As I approached the border in the early-morning darkness, I hoped for a quick crossing. My hopes sank when I saw the long line of cars at a standstill. For the next four hours, the line inched forward. As we neared the border crossing, I saw a familiar, frustrating sight. Cars with non-Albanian plates were getting out of line and speeding to the front. As usual, the border guards were allowing them through first. This caused our line to stop almost completely. Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer. I pulled out beside the car in front of me and blocked the line-cutters. The line began to move again.

At the border, the guard angrily told me to go to the back of the line. I explained I had waited patiently for four hours, but he spoke neither Albanian nor much English and wasn’t in a good mood since I refused to give him the expected bribe. After some expressive arm waving, he stomped back to the guard building. I pondered how I was going to explain to Brenda that I had been arrested for blocking line-cutters.

Thankfully, the guard was just getting a colleague who spoke more English. After I explained the situation to the other guard, he asked for my passport. “Oh, you are American! I thought you were Albanian. You don’t have to wait. You can just cut in front of the line.”

His obvious prejudice against Albanians just made me more stubborn. “No, I’m no different from the others in line. I will wait patiently in line with them.” The guards looked at me and then at each other incredulously.

After I finally got through the border, my adventure was not yet over. The weather took a sudden turn for the worse. Soon it became necessary to pull over and put chains on my drive tires. Cars and trucks littered the roadside ditches. In some areas, the road was bracketed by hundred-foot drop-offs without any barriers. It took every ounce of my concentration to keep the car on the road. Then a loud whack-whack-whack announced a broken chain. I removed it and continued with only one chain, very tense and moving at a snail’s pace. It was going to be a long day.

After 14 hours, I made it home safe and sound, thanks to God.

As frustrating as this trip was, it must have been even more frustrating for Graham and Pauline. You see, they must depend on others to get them around until they can raise funds for a vehicle. We are very thankful for the help many of you gave us to get a car for our project. Now we ask those who are able to give what they can to help the Allcocks buy a car so they can do what God has called them to do.

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