Life-changing missionary trip for George Fahey

Jul 24 2009 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A FORMER Shelley College pupil has set off on a two-year mission to Albania.

George Fahey left Britain this week for the Missionary Training Centre in Utah, America, where he will receive intensive training in the Albanian language.

He will then fly to Albania, one of the poorest countries in Europe, where he will serve at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

But the 22-year-old had to delay the trip because of a mystery heart illness which started when he was just 10.

George, of Skelmanthorpe, suffered symptoms likened to a heart attack and specialist doctors have been unable to diagnose the condition. But it has not stopped George from fulfilling his ambition to be a missionary.

George, a former Greenhead College pupil, said: “I’m looking forward to it because it’s been such a long time coming.

“It’s something that I’ve been planning to do for years, I’m really glad it’s finally come around – I’ve had a long time to get ready for it.”

Albania lies on the eastern Adriatic coastline, bordered by Montenegro to the north, Serbia/Kosovo to the north-east, Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south.

The 1992 elections ended 47 years of communist rule.