I’ve gone to too many funerals of people who never knew Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Just yesterday, I greeted a man who has always been kind to me. Today I attended his funeral. They say he had a brain hemorrhage while sleeping and never woke up. He died during the month of Ramadan, and his burial was attended by many hundreds of people pressed together in the blazing heat. Even the government minister of finance was there. It was the best attended funeral anyone had ever seen in our city.
This gentleman and I had always been friendly, but we never spent much time together. Why not? Because I just don’t have enough time to spend with all the people I know here. Sharing the Gospel isn’t as simple as handing someone a pamphlet or giving them a quick Gospel presentation. Christ’s method takes time in a highly relational culture. Like many other people groups, Albanians generally are not individualists. They depend on the wisdom of their trusted group of friends and usually make important decisions together. We have discovered that it takes years of almost daily contact with people before we can hope to be accepted into their trusted inner circle. Being a foreigner makes it all the more difficult. Sure, people want to be my friend because of the novelty, but it’s difficult for me to gain their deep trust. Trusted friends have usually been close since childhood. If I spread myself too thin, I won’t reach that level of trust with anyone. Time limits me to only so many inner circles. Add to that the time it takes to disciple people and lead the Shqiptaret Project, and you can understand my frustration. Still, there are so many more I want to introduce to Jesus.
My best option is to raise up Albanian disciples. Our church members already have one or two inner circles in their lives, so they can very effectively reach out to those who trust them. But we need to develop Albanian leaders to help us and to one day take the reins of this work.
We believe God has brought us just such a person in Nexhip. Nexhip has experience pastoring in another denomination, and he and his family have been worshiping with us for years. Recently, they decided to officially join our church.
As Nexhip drew closer to us, his colleagues began to reject him. When he returned from trying to find work abroad, he was unable to find employment in Albania either. We are trying to help him become self-sufficient in a business that will lend itself to making new contacts. But until that becomes a reality, we’re inviting people who are devoted to leadership development to make a monthly pledge for one year or give a one-time gift to the Albania special assistance fund to meet his family’s immediate needs. Also, our regular project is in need of partners to invest in our ministry so we can continue the work God has for us here in Albania.
The Shqiptaret Project is reaching a crucial stage, and the enemy would like to crush it. There have been attacks and distractions on every side. At the same time, we have repeatedly witnessed divine interventions. As the battle intensifies all around us, we request your continued prayers. We are not discouraged because we know we have a team of prayer warriors and partners who are with us in the struggle. And most of all, we know Whom we serve.
