Meet Lulyeta Chapeli. Nicknamed Zana, she's an 18-year-old orphan and one of 30 young people residing at Pellumbat, a state institution situated in Tirana, Albania. Pellumbat, meaning "doves" in English, is a center of development for children and young people who are physically and mentally challenged. But from Monday through Friday, Zana and her friends call Doves their home. Thirty others attend as day students, making approximately 60 young people who daily benefit from life at Doves.

What Doves provides is basic education, as well as life skills and handicraft making. For young people who find it difficult being accepted into Albanian society, Doves provides a place of refuge, a sanctuary where they can find love and acceptance and develop at their own pace. Some of the children are very gifted, especially in the area of handicrafts. Their achievements are displayed on the walls of the institution, adding life to every room they adorn.

Unfortunately, current Albanian law prevents the sale of handicrafts. However, it is hoped that the government will allow these items to be sold in the future, enabling the young people to earn their own income.

A Sanctuary
ADRA/Albania is planning to build a "relaxation center" at Doves. Essentially a landscaping venture, it will transform a piece of uncared-for land in front of the main building into a place of beauty so that young people like Zana can spend some time outdoors instead of being confined indoors day and night. Shade and seating will be provided, a water fountain and fishpond will be installed, trees will be planted, and pathways will be strategically laid. Flowerbeds will ring the whole setting.

As I told Zana about ADRA's plans, tears streamed down her face. Through my interpreter I asked if I had said something to hurt her or if she felt uncomfortable speaking with us. "No, it's not that I mind speaking with you," she said. "It's just that no one has ever showed any interest in me before." Her words both surprised and saddened me. Several minutes passed before either of us could continue our conversation. Zana and her friends at Doves are so excited about the project that they've offered to help transform the garden.

Continuing my conversation with Zana, I discover her love for sports and that her favorite game is football (soccer), the most popular game in Albania. When I asked her who her favorite player was, she answered quickly, "Ronaldo, of course." She added, "More than anything else, I'd love to have a poster of Ronaldo," reminding me that she dreams just as any other child does.

Later Zana introduced me to her "sister" Anila (one of her roommates at the orphanage). Anila also attends Doves during the week. The two girls seem inseparable, and the smiles on their faces tell me that Doves is achieving its goal for these young people by providing a happy environment in which they can develop and learn.

As I spoke with Zana, Genti, another Doves resident, burst into the room unannounced, arms waving uncontrollably in every direction. He is also 18 years old. As an infant he contracted meningitis, which left him with uncontrollable muscle spasms and other learning problems. Genti is not an orphan; he has an older brother and a younger sister. He comes from a poor family and even though he loves them very much, Genti prefers to stay at Doves, where he is able to express freely how he feels.

The reason for Genti's sudden entrance was that he wanted to recite his favorite poem to us. With head held high, chest out, and attempting to hold his arms behind his back so that they wouldn't fly everywhere, Genti recited a most beautiful poem. Then, as quickly as he entered, he excused himself and left.

At 18, Zana has given up all hope of being adopted. But she is ambitious and has goals for her life. She would like to be able to earn her own income through either sewing or cooking, two skills she has learned at Doves. Someday, she said, she might even like to get married and have her own home. For the present, Zana's home, on weekends and holidays, is an orphanage. She has lived there all her life, sharing a small room with four other girls. Zana has never known her mother or father, so she regards these girls as her family.

The Need Is Great
The orphanage is crowded with almost 100 young people ranging in ages from 7 to 19. For most of them, once they reach 18 or 19 years of age the government provides them with free shared accommodation in city apartments. For Zana, however, this is not an option. At present there is no program that caters to her special needs, and therefore she is prevented from integrating into society along with her friends from the orphanage. That's why the skills she learns at Doves are vital for her future.

During the past 10 years ADRA Albania has provided a range of services to orphanages and similar institutions. As a result, there has been a marked improvement in the quality of care these institutions provide. Institutions such as Doves now provide a clean and healthy environment with adequate facilities and three meals a day. Thanks to staff training, residents are treated with dignity and respect.

But there is a lot more work that needs to be done to assist the mentally and physically challenged in Albania. Many of them have very limited or no prospects for the future. More centers such as Doves need to be established throughout the country. Many of these young people do not need to be institutionalized for life. With sufficient resources, ADRA will be able to help integrate more young people into society, where they can live meaningful lives.

One of ADRA's core beliefs states: "Every child should have a future filled with opportunity, and the freedom to choose his or her future." ADRA also believes that "through humanitarian acts we make known the just, merciful, and loving character of God."

At 18, Zana's encounter with ADRA was the first time she'd experienced love, the first time she could envision a bright future, and in a sense, the first time she'd ever encountered Jesus.

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Paul Smart is the country directory for ADRA/Albania