Blog

On Sunday morning we were all up early for service at Pastor Festim’s church, the ICF (International Christian Fellowship) in Fier. 

Fier is a city in southwest Albania, with approximately 100.000 inhabitants. It is the most important industrial city of Albania and is by a tributary, surrounded by marshland.  It is the centre of the oil, bitumen, and chemical industries.  The population is mixed Orthodox and Muslim (typical of southern Albanian cities).

The city is also one of the most important strategic locations in the national roads network being at a prime position between north and south. 

Fier is also known to produce oranges, lemons and olives.

During our short time in Albania, we covered significant distances to and from the various churches we visited. Pastor Festim and his wife Elizabeth showed us extraordinary kindness and hospitality throughout.  With their two children aged 14 years and 8 years they arranged our meals and transportation and Pastor Festim often stayed with us well into the evening, translating at eating venues to ensure that everything went smoothly.  An unexpected benefit was an excursion which he arranged at the end of our visit.   

Pastor Festim’s church is a young church that was started 6 years ago. The church has many young people and children, notably young men who have taken up responsibilities in the church such as young Daniel who is fourteen and has been responsible for the sound and media system since he was twelve.  It was humbling to see how eager they were to learn how to improve their knowledge in this area.  Minister Klee, one of our team spent time showing them how they could do this.

The presence of the Lord was evident as the service begun.  There was a holy hush as those present, the majority of whom were either Muslim or from Muslim backgrounds sat listening intently as the choir sang and Rev Taylor ministered from: Luke 4:14 -20.  

Jesus came to this earth to fulfil the will of His Father.  Jesus said, “I must be about my Father’s business”.  Wherever Jesus went He made the difference.  When Jesus died on the cross, He said, “It is finished.” His work had been accomplished.  Jesus then said as you have sent me into the world, so I send them into the world. By the power of the ‘Holy Spirit’, He has sent us out to do work, we have work to do.  Rev Taylor concluded by reminding us that our business is to take this glorious message to those who are poor, to all those that need to hear it.  “Someone needs to know that there is hope and new life.  

The people of God in Albania have the power to turn Albania around, to make a difference, God makes a difference.  When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we can experience jubilee, we get everything back that the devil stole from us, health, joy, a new life.  We can then take this and share it with someone else. The power of the Kingdom is in you and all around you”. 

The message had a deep impact on those who heard it. 

After the service 15 year-old Irona who attends the ICF (International Christian Fellowship) in Fier and Abiella  14 years of age were thrilled to share on video and with others in the group about how they share Jesus with their friends at school and the challenges that they face in doing so.  They expressed that it isn’t easy, and they are sometimes rebuffed nevertheless, this does not deter them.  They told us they love Jesus and love to read the Bible. Irona told us that she reads this every day. They were so happy that that they could tell us their story, that we wanted to hear it and that we thought it was important.  They talked about how much everything that they had heard had wonderfully affected them.  

 Emanuella a mother of two said that she left Albania to seek a better life in Germany for her and her family.  She was there for two years but came back to Albania when she realised that was not where God wanted her to be. God has a work for her to do in Albania.  Her husband is currently in Italy, he would like her and their children to join him however they all want to remain in Albania. She requested prayer for the following:  

1. That the Albanian people will be open to the good news of the Gospel.  Emanuella stated that Albanian people don’t know who to trust, they hear so many different things.
2. She said please remember the Albanian people in prayer, they are an oppressed people.  

Emanuella said that she loved to listen to gospel songs and really liked the film ‘Sister Act’, She always wished that a choir could come to their church and couldn’t believe it when we came.  

After the meeting some of the young people in the church went onto the platform and begun singing some of the songs that the choir had sung.  It was evident to see their passion for Jesus.  Some asked if they could be taught to pray and to evangelise so that they can go out equipped into their local area and tell others about Jesus.

“Miremengjes!”    Good morning 
“Levdoni Zotin”   Praise God!
“Faleminderit”     Thank you.

We began to learn some Albanian phrases much to the delight of the Albanians that we met.  For most of us it was limited to Faleminderit which we repeated time and time again at the slightest opportunity.

It was a very wet drive as we drove to the Water of Life Church in Divjake. God had sent showers of blessing to accompany us on our way. 

Divjake is a little town situated near the Adriatic coast, four kilometres from the sea. 

We were welcomed by Nora Ervin, Pastor Ervin’s wife who alternatively embraced or shook hands with each of us.

The evangelical church in Divjake was founded approximately 28 years ago when Christian engineers from Finland came to lay water pipes in Albania as part of a water project.  This provided the opportunity for them to share the good news of the Gospel and the church was birthed. As a result, this church was named ‘’Water of Life church’.      

There was a hive of activity as we arrived.  The men had to set up the equipment and carry out a sound check.  Minister Jenny led the choir in prayer as we came into agreement for a move of the ‘Holy Spirit’ over the entire meeting and for souls to be won into the Kingdom of God. 

Many of those who attended this service were from a Muslim background, children and young people.  They joined in and clapped their hands alongside others as the choir sang.  The young people moved into the aisles, jumping up and down, some with their hands raised in the air as the livelier songs were sung and in praise and worship to the slower songs.  

Minister Denise shared her testimony.  She told the young people that she gave her life to the Lord Jesus at the age of eight.  She spoke about how God has faithfully kept her since that time in service to Him. She encouraged them that God can save them at a young age and keep and sustain them as they go through life and encounter its challenges.   

Rev Taylor gave an inspired word under the direction of the Holy 

Spirit that spoke directly into the lives of those present, Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift. Corinthians: 9 v 15.

God has given us an indescribable gift in His son Jesus Christ.  The Salvation message is that because of love God sent Jesus when we became separated from Him because of sin.  He made a way when there was no way back through Jesus Christ.  When we meet Jesus, everything becomes new.  In Christ Jesus we are a new creation! 

Melissa, a young girl shared with Rev Taylor, “we need you to come back!”

Albania is a small mountainous country located in Southeast Europe. Neighbouring countries include Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Kosovo. 

Tirana is the capital and largest city in Albania, it is in the centre of the country. Tirana ranks as one of the top ten sunniest places in Europe.

The most common religion in Albania is Islam, with the second being Catholicism and third the Albanian Orthodox church.

Albania was a communist state until 1992.

Economically Albania is a country rich in petroleum and gas resources both on and offshore however it is the third poorest country in Europe.

The current population of Albania is 2,832,439 people.  In 2022 approximately 46,460 Albanians emigrated from the country.  The exodus was 10.5% higher than in 2021 with the majority, approximately 36,000, being young people.  This is due to the high level of youth unemployment in the country.  Albania has the second highest youth unemployment in the western Balkans.

The Mission Team left in the early hours of Friday morning on a crisp, cold November day for our second mission trip to Albania, the previous trip was 6 years ago. God had given minister Jenny the vision and we felt privileged to accompany her and be part of God’s plan.  There was an air of expectation and excitement about what God was going to do. We had been praying for weeks in advance and was confident that God was going to do something new in Albania. We were believing in faith that God would use us to encourage the believers and win the lost to Him.

We landed at Tirana Airport and was met by Pastor Festim, our host Pastor, who greeted us warmly and drove us the 90-minute journey to our accommodation. We were on the move and had just enough time to drop our bags, get changed and go to the first church we would be ministering in at Lushnja, an area known for its lovely mountain scenery. 

The church in Lushnja is a small church, The Mozaik Church, led by Pastor Sajmir in a predominantly Muslim area.

Pastor Sajmir radiated the joy of the Lord, and this was evident throughout the whole service.  He was overjoyed to see us and was profuse in his thanks and gratitude to God for enabling to us to come to his small fellowship.

There was an air of excitement and expectation as Sincere Praise led by minister Jenny begun to sing. The children and young people moved forward and joined in. There was a genuine delight in the expression on their faces as they participated in the praise.

The little church was packed, and Pastor Sajmir flung open the double doors at the back of the church, that opened directly on to the street so that passers by could hear the music and the Salvation message.

Wonderful testimonies of God’s miraculous saving and healing ability was shared by brother Sean and Leon.

Rev Taylor powerfully ministered under the anointing from John 9: 1 -12. The emphasis was on the urgency of taking the good news of the Gospel to those that are in need. They were told that there is no need to leave Albania for a new life, God can use you right where you are to bring new life to others. 

After the meeting Pastor Festim confirmed that this was a vital message that needed to be heard because of the number of people leaving Albania, particularly young people for a better life elsewhere.

Prayer points

• Pray for young people to stand strong as witnesses in their schools.
• Pray for spiritual mentors to disciple and enable those young people who have a heart to follow Jesus.
• Pray that God will send more workers who know Him and who share the vision into the Albanian church to help with the work.
• Pray for more born again men, young and older, to come into the church to be role models to the young men.