BACK IN NORTHERN ALBANIA
The move to Shkodër was nothing short of miraculous. We were praying for a two bedroom apartment in a quiet section of town for less than we were paying in Tirana. God provided a stand-alone villa with two bedrooms and three bathrooms on a quiet side street in the Catholic section of the city. This means we will not be awakened every morning by the call to prayer at five. With the exception of one rooster, our nights are quiet. The city is smaller than Tirana and less busy. Not as many speak English so we are forced to be more committed to learning the language fluently.
Much has changed in the seven years since we last lived in Shkodër. The city has become a tourist hot spot, especially for backpackers, because of its beauty and affordability. The walking street where we do evangelism is always full. Using a whiteboard, I attempt to draw people with a provocative message and an invitation to talk. This approach has been fruitful. Not only Albanians, but also many tourists have heard the Gospel. I keep a supply of New Testaments and Gospel bracelets in my pack.
Please keep this in your prayers. I see a change developing in the hearts of Albanians. They are beginning to see the emptiness of their beliefs and are looking for something to fill that void. This land has been under religious bondage for centuries. I believe those chains are breaking. Ignorance and fear have been the tools used to keep the Albanians from the truth, but the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of wisdom and love, is at work in this country. I believe there will be an awakening in Albania.
FINDING FELLOWSHIP
The hardest part of the transition to Shkodër has been the lack of fellowship in the Body of Christ. For some months we were content with internet services on Sunday, but the need for fellowship was obvious so we began checking out local churches. We settled on a church that had just changed pastors five months before. The new pastor was from South Africa, and his doctrine was good. The church itself is non-denominational and unaffiliated. We believed this to be the place God wanted us both to be fed and to serve in whatever way needed while I continued evangelism. Four weeks after we began attending the church, the Pastor stepped down. When we were in Shkodër in 2019, this church, the only one that welcomed us, was pastored by the widow of the founding Pastor who was murdered in “gjakmarrja,” blood feud. She was hoping for a man in her church to replace her but none would. I preached there a few times back then. She thought this man was the answer. She refuses to pastor again, and is asking me to be part of the leadership team. I now preach there most Sundays and it is possible that they may ask me at some point to fill the position of Pastor. So technically, if this happens, we have another church in Albania. I only know one form of doctrine, and it would be wonderful to teach the Finished Work to a body of believers who may have never heard the message of grace. They don’t really know the Bible well yet, so it is an opportunity to bring them slowly through the Bible and into discipleship. Please keep this in prayer also.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Family
- For the peace and well-being of my parents and Jayne’s mom
- For our health, which is good, but still needs prayer
- For finances, the dollar has lost 37% of its value in the last three years to the Albanian leke, and is still falling
Ministry
- Contacts at street evangelism and eventually a Bible study
- Learning Albanian and playing the guitar
- Studying and growing in the Word
Church
- Wisdom concerning our place in the church
- Discipleship of young adults
- Jayne with the music ministry
- Jayne teaching English in their after-school program
– Pastor Dennis Hulett
