Definition
Unsung Hero [n.]:
Men and women who are dedicated to serving some of the most impoverished populations in the world, yet rarely receive recognition for their dedication and service. These givers may also live with meager conditions but give consistently for an abundance of God’s love. Their names may not be in history books, their acts unknown to the rest of the world, while unrecognized, they shake a generation and move a culture and ultimately build the Kingdom.
That was our task this month, to find those unsung heroes of Albania. Find those people who are expanding the kingdom of God, giving their whole life and not asking for anything in return. It was quite a journey, moving from town to town, never having a place to call home, but after meeting so many unsung heroes and hearing incredible stories, I wouldn’t change a minute of it.
In order to meet with people, we had to do a lot of internet research, emailing, and calling people. Once we contacted people and hopefully got a response, we would set up a meeting with them to discuss in further detail them partnering with Adventures in Missions in the future. We had a lot of meetings last month. Our team of six met with around 25 contacts who all had different backgrounds and stories. It was incredible to hear of how they got started and how God has been using their willingness to further His Kingdom.
At the beginning of the month we got connected with a couple who runs a church called the Dove House in Old Sauk, a small town outside of the capital. The couple who runs it not only allowed us to stay there, but let us be part of their church and invited us to all of the events they were holding. They had one of the best youth groups I have ever seen. Some kids have been attending the church for almost ten years which has created a tightly knit community of young believers who can depend on each other.
During the month, we also traveled to a beautiful town called Pogradec and stayed with a missionary couple for about a week. The wife was American and the husband Albanian and even amidst their busy lives, they let us come into their home and stay with them. This couple resides in Albania specifically to church plant and just recently planted a church. The wife, left her whole family and her life back in the sates to come here and devoted her life to doing the Lord’s work. My heart broke for her when she said she had an 11 year old sister back at home that she has not been able to see grow up because she moved here 10 years ago.
One day, we had set up a meeting with a pastor in Korce, Albania. We asked him all the necessary questions like where the church is located, what is the vision of the church etc. Then he told us how he got started. He told us at just 13 years old, he preached the gospel for the first time, then, feeling called by God, he opened up his church at 22 years old where he currently preaches and leads worship. After hearing that, my jaw dropped and I thought back to when I was 13, I certainly was not preaching the gospel. That is just one of many stories of individuals whose acts may go unnoticed, but never cease to stop serving God.
The one thing I learned last month was that everyone has a unique story. This month gave me the chance to hear those stories and see how they were all working for one common purpose. In the end, I won’t remember how many times we had to move or how many hours we spent on a bus, but I will remember the stories we heard and how they are all expanding God’s kingdom.
