Guest Post by Rudina Bakalli in Albania
September 2019 Tirana, a beautiful sunny Sunday in my hometown Tirana, my husband and I left home to go for a date. Five minutes after we arrived in a nice café in our neighborhood the ground started shaking. It was an earthquake of 5.8 on the Richter scale. There were no casualties, but it was strong enough to have people leaving their buildings and remain outside for hours.
About two months later, though, we woke up to an unusual noise and violent shaking; the worst earthquake we had ever experienced. At least fifty people lost their lives and hundreds lost their homes. For days, we viewed live scenes of people under ruins, the type we had only seen on news happening in other countries. But now, this was occurring in our own country. And, our own home was affected as well.
Cracked walls, scared people, and uncertainty persisted for two months as the aftershocks continued. I remember being afraid to leave our teenagers (and even our dog Lilly) at home to simply go to the neighborhood shop, for fear that we might experience another strong earthquake, and they would be stuck under the ruins.
“Is my house safe?”
The aftermath of the damage was huge. And in those days there was only one main question in the minds of Albanians: Is my house safe? Teams of experts went around to inspect damaged buildings and cracked walls to determine if the buildings were safe for occupancy.
Buildings were classified safe only if their foundations had not been damaged.
Observations
To our amazement, there were structures built only in recent years, which crumbled because the builders had refused to respect the laws for building foundations. Though huge and impressive edifices, the bodies were not "rooted" well into the ground. The buildings were either built totally without the foundational pillars, or the pillars themselves were constructed with compromised cement, cement not solid enough to stand a strong earthquake.
In other cases, the owners of the basement floors, in an attempt to turn their properties into coffee shops, had actually taken out the retaining walls and the pillars. They refused to consult with experts in the field, and, in many cases, their greed drove their decisions.
How did all this happen? It happened in small steps, from the beginning:
when important pillars were left out either by ignorance or greed
when a compromise was made in choosing a lower quality cement
when building inspectors chose to close their eyes and accept a bribe
when owners of the first floors decided to allow structural changes in their properties without consulting experts and destroyed important walls and pillars
This entire experience brings a new depth of meaning to the Scripture, "When the foundations are shaken, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3).
In reflection, I believe the righteous will:
Build his/her life carefully, making sure to build on a firm foundation that will stand the tests and storms of life.
Take heed to Jesus’ words and apply them carefully, building as Jesus taught, on a rock. (Luke: 46-49)
Refuse to compromise or water down the parts that make a foundation pillar but be willing to do what is needed to secure the best structure for a godly life.
And in the face of conflicting opinions, he/she will not cease to search the truth, till he finds it and holds on to it.
This is the fabric of the faith of heroes and martyrs, those who were able to stand on the firm foundation of their faith. A house on the rock will stand any storm.
Living With Eternal Intentionality®
Where have you built your life? What is the condition of your life’s foundation? How are the pillars of your life? What changes need to be made to guarantee that your life structure is sturdy enough to withstand a test or a storm?
Meet Rudi
I have been on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ since 1996. Currently, my family and I live in Tirana, capital of Albania, where my husband and I serve to lead the Global Church Movement area team for Eastern Europe and Russia.
We have 3 beautiful children, and a playful English Setter dog, who keep me active and growing! I run a blog in Albanian http://shigjete.com/nobodys-child/ with the hope of reaching non believers by inviting them to taste how good God is, and exhorting believers to live in a deep, sincere commitment to Jesus.
