Over the last 1.5 years, Albania’s Campus Crusade has been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Josh McDowell in Albania. Plans included two high school and college youth events, in Tirana and Elbasan, and a meeting with Albanian leaders regarding integrity, as an earlier blog discussed and more. Unfortunately due to health concerns prohibiting him from long distance travel, Josh McDowell was unable to come to Albania for the planned meetings. Many assumed the events were cancelled. But the Campus Crusade team decided that Jesus and the gospel message is essential but the vessel through which God spoke could be interchanged… and the show must go on. One week before the youth events in Tirana and Elbasan, our World Race team helped Campus Crusade staff strategically put up posters all over youth trafficked parts of the city, near schools and clubs. We also went to college campuses and high schools to personally invite students with flyers and through conversations. Many students appeared interested, especially because a popular Albanian pop star, Stine, would be performing at the event. We were very encouraged and prayed that many students would come to the event, the largest of its kind in Albania to date.
Our World Race team collaborated with Campus Crusade staff and university students to create and perform a pantomime alluding to the questions of what is love? and where do I find a love that is satisfying? which served as an introduction to the gospel talk given by Samir Braho, an Albanian pop star who has publicly shared how God has changed his life and influenced other Albanian musicians and artists to seek Christ. Following his talk about the emptiness of fame and self-glory and the life-changing effect of God’s love in his life and the satisfaction experienced in giving God the glory, he gave an invitation for students to receive Jesus. Over 100 students made decisions for Christ in Tirana alone! Praise the Lord! To close the program, Juliana Pasche, an Albanian Christian soul/blues/gospel artist performed a song about faith while our pantomime team became her chorus with choreographed dance steps.
Although we are exhausted from countless hours of drama and chorus practice, we have been so encouraged by the faithfulness of the Albanian Christians to share the gospel message even when things seemed to be falling apart because Josh McDowell cancelled. Through the course of preparation for these events, we have also made new friends in the college students, who practiced and performed alongside us, and with whom we have had many encouraging conversations about life, faith, and being first-generation Christian in a Muslim society. Please be in prayer for these students and staff as they lead future generations of Christians in Albania and into the Muslim world.
Maureena, Priscilla, Talulah Haley, Gezim, Priscilla, and Marianela
