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Article for the "Allenspark Wind" 3 March 2004 To Live on A Mountain
t has been our dream for many years to live high up on a mountain in the glory of untouched nature; however, for the last 11 years, we have been living in Europe’s troubled Balkan Peninsula where we have worked to bring a little hope and change to the region. Let me introduce ourselves. My name is Erik Stensland and I am originally from Minnesota and my wife Joanna is from the beautiful town of Bath, England. We met just outside of Vienna, Austria in 1990 while traveling in and out of the newly opened East Bloc, organizing development teams and bringing aid. In the summer of 1991, we went to Albania for the
first time. I had longed for this After getting married, Joanna and I moved to Albania to begin to lend what help we could to the nation’s transition. We studied the language in the capital and then spent several years in one of Albania’s most remote regions, creating jobs through eco-tourism, offering English language courses, assisting artisans, and even creating a small airstrip to link this isolated region with the rest of the nation. In 1997, the country descended into anarchy and we were forced to evacuate to the capital. We spent three years assisting the growing Albanian Church helping them develop national structures to support their growth and community service, which included forming an Albanian refugee agency that had primary responsibility for 75,000 refugees during the Kosovo war. When the war was over, Joanna and I moved to Kosovo, where we started an organization to help bring coordination to the 130 Christian agencies that had come to help the peoples of Kosovo rebuild after the war. For three years, we assisted the numerous agencies as they transitioned from relief aid to long-term development, providing information, cultural training, and facilitating joint projects. We also assisted the development of local churches in Kosovo. Just recently, we handed over our responsibilities so that we can take a two-year break to recharge the batteries and to obtain further training before heading back out to the Balkans. Last month our dream of living in the beauty of nature high on a mountain came true as we moved here to Allenspark, where we are living in the lower level of Sandy Nelson’s new place in the Triple Creek Ranch area. Allenspark to us is a taste of paradise. Even though the Balkans has a special place in our hearts, we love the change from grey communist housing blocks and garbage-strewn streets to the clear air, the magnificent pine forests and the majestic peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is restoring our souls and breathing new life into us. While we are here, I am pursuing an MA in Organizational Development through an online program. When I find a few minutes free, I am trying to provide a little income through landscape photography and a Rent-A-Geek, home computer repair service. Joanna is working with Sandy offering a vacation rental services to property owners in the area. In August, we hope to have our first child, which will perhaps be the greatest adventure of all. We just wanted to introduce ourselves to the community and say how much we look forward to meeting you all during these next 2 years. Erik & Joanna Stensland |
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opportunity since I was 14, as Americans had been prohibited from entering
this mysterious country. Albania had been under the most extreme Communist
dictatorship that ever existed. The government controlled where one lived,
where one worked, what clothing one wore and even hair length. They
transformed churches, mosques, and places of worship into cinemas and
gymnasiums. Even having a relative who believed in God could put you in
jail. All news from the outside world was banned. The Albanian people
actually believed that they were one of the richest nations in the world.
When Communism fell in the autumn of 1990, people were finally able to see
foreign television and realized that instead of being one of the richest
nation