The view outside of the church
An incredible display of God’s power can be found in the beautiful, small, coastal country of Albania.
The country is predominately Muslim but most of the people here are only ethnically Muslim, very few actually practice Islam. Most women are not covered and there are only a few mosques in the whole of Shkodra, very different from Sarajevo, Bosnia. Our ministry this month is through Campus Crusade for Christ, and we are loving this opportunity to work with them again in Eastern Europe!
A little history of Albania- it was a closed, communist country until 1991. That was also when Campus Crusade first came into this country with the Jesus Film. The film had such an impact on the people of Albania, who most had never even heard of Christ, that it led to a large movement of Albanians going throughout their own country showing the film to small villages, winning people to Christ. During this time hundreds and hundreds of people came to know the Lord and immediately wanted the rest of their country and other close by to know about Jesus. The Jesus Film movement spurred something in the Albanian people, their hearts desired to know God and to make Him known.
So Campus Crusade started sending more and more American students and staff to Albania, which is where we come in! Albanians are thirsting for God’s love and people like us are willing to bring that to them, but we can’t go everywhere in the world the same way these Albanians can. Since they were once communist and most come from a Muslim background they have a unique opportunity to take the Gospel to places we can’t go or won’t be as effective. It is really cool that by being here we are able to impact places like Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, or even North Korea – all places we can not go but Albanians can.
On Thursday when we had our second weekly meeting 5 people came to know the Lord and 5 more people came to know the Lord this morning! Since being in Albania we have seen 12 people decide to give their lives to Christ! Praise God for all that He is doing in Shkodra , Albania!! We are ecstatic for the possibilities these students will have to reach people around the world for Christ.
Our weekly meeting
Performing a skit at the weekly meeting
