My friend, Mikli, is engaged to Brenda’s friend, Albana. Mikli is a 33-year-old speech therapist for the mentally handicapped. He is also our language helper. Mikli has impressed us with his intelligence, integrity and insight. He is an honest man, which is difficult in a society where corruption is the norm and refusing to play the game in the workplace can mean losing your job. Mikli demonstrates compassion and patience in his workplace and in his daily life.

Brenda and I fully believe that our relationship with him and Albana is a result of divine providence. Strangely enough, it all began with an introduction by a Muslim friend from Iran. God works in mysterious ways.

Near the beginning of our friendship, Mikli told me frankly that, like most Albanians, he was not very religious. He seemed to mean that he wasn’t interested in whatever foreign religion we might be promoting, so I shouldn’t even go there with him.

It has been amazing to watch God work in Mikli’s heart. First, Mikli began to bring up spiritual topics more and more often. Once, we somehow got on the subject of the Amish practice of shunning. Mikli dropped his head and said, “I know what that is like.” He explained. “When Albania opened up after communism, Italian Jehovah’s Witnesses were active here. I began to eagerly study the Bible with them, and I was baptized. But soon I noticed some things I didn’t agree with. However, I was never allowed to discuss them. The church controlled too much in my life.” Because of this and other significant difficulties, Mikli made the difficult decision to leave the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Since then his former friends in the church have shunned him, refusing to speak to him or even look at him. It hurts. They consider Mikli lost forever. No wonder he was so reticent to get involved in religion again.

One day, Mikli asked if we could get him an Albanian Bible. “I can’t find one in any of the bookstores,” he explained. He and Albana were very pleased when we gave them a Bible of their own. A lot has happened since then. They have planned their wedding around our furlough so we could be there, even though it will mean delaying it until after the traditional summer wedding season. Legal marriage in Albania is just a simple legal contract without a ceremony. The wedding itself is traditionally three or four days of celebration and feasting with no ceremony. Recently, Mikli asked me if I would consider performing a Christian ceremony with vows and if I would read 1 Corinthians 13 in the service.

We believe God has great plans for Mikli and Albana. Please pray for them.

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