K7WX, Warren Hill, k7wx, KF7AY, Albania, ZA1B, Central Arizona DX Association, CADXA, DXpedition
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This humanitarian project was the original idea of Martti Laine (OH2BH) and followed the ZA1A operation from Tiranë. While in Albania, Martti discovered that his translator, Marenglen Mema, ZA1B, had a serious kidney aliment. A plan was put together by which we would bring ZA1B to the United States for corrective surgery. After more than six months of planning, ZA1B arrived in Mesa, Arizona in February of 1993. |
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| With the help of the U.S. State Department, members of the United States Senate, radio amateurs in many countries, a number of volunteer physicians in Arizona and the financial support of Valley Lutheran Hospital, "Geni" as he is known to his friends, underwent a series of successful kidney operations that would allow him to lead a normal life. The type of modern surgery needed was simply unavailable in his native Albania. |
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| During his month in the United States, Geni was able to visit with many of the original ZA1A team who helped to put Albania on the air for the first time in 1991. At numerous meetings Geni would tell story of what it was like to be a part of a broad-based international effort to bring amateur radio to a country that had essentially been cut off from the outside world for many decades. For those of us who had never been denied access to this facinating hobby, it was thrilling to see the true spirit of amateur radio come through in this wonderful individual. |
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| In the brief time that Geni was here with us, he made many friends and will always be fondly remembered by everyone in the Central Arizona DX Association. Look for ZA1B on the bands! |
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