James 1: 2-8 Consider it all joy...

This week had interesting days.

The devil tried to attack and discourage us personally on many fronts, “BUT, GOD” had a different plan. Our decision to obey God and not man has come with a price. The price has been relational as well as financial. Proverbs 15:16 says “Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.” God is a God of overcoming and in Him we shall overcome! John 16:33 (Amp) says “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” Hallelujah!!

Tuesday we came into situations where the enemy of our souls was trying to bring divisions among the women of the church. We had guests arriving from America on Friday and had much to prepare before Saturday. The timing was not good, as the execution of the plans required everyone working together.  Kathi was able to speak directly to the situation, in love, and work through the issues each one had. By applying the love of Christ and the Word of God these women each saw their own need and worked through their differences. The results were a cooperative cleaning and preparation effort for a very special “family supper” to include our guests.  We’re making flia.

Flia is a traditional pie type of meal made with flour, egg, yogurt and cheese. It is cooked over an open fire by heating a metal cover and then placing that cover on top of the pan of flia batter. This cooks the flia from the top. After the flia has been browned on each of at least 6 layers it is baked for approximately 20 minutes to finish the process. Flia is a special treat that takes several hours for each pan to prepare, but is oh so good. The ladies worked together on it all day, and after church service on Saturday we shared a special feast with all the family and guests. This food is very filling and we were able to feed a total of 31 people with enough left over for each of the families to take home.

We had received some school supplies, clothing, coats and shoes from Smile, Int’l., a British NGO, who has a facility on site here. Saturday we were able to combine that with some additional school supplies we purchased through financial donations, and outfitted 3 families. Our friends from Tulsa helped organize and distribute the school supplies and clothing. Six of the 7 children had not been able to go to school because they did not have the proper supplies needed. As a bonus we were able to supply some clothing and coats to the parents as well. They were all feeling very blessed.

Worship Saturday was fun and exciting as the people are learning how to “be free” to worship. They are less inhibited and the result is more exuberant worship times. Praise God for freedom and understanding of true worship to our God. “God will not pass over hungry hearts”.

We are seeking funds to return to The U.S. yet this year. Please pray as we need airline tickets and operating money while there. The needs of the ministry here continue even though we are there. This requires additional funds for travel and our time of rest and refreshing with our home church.  We also have plans to visit other churches as doors open to do so. Please pray for funds, open doors to other churches and the opportunity to return for some rest and refreshing. Al has not been back to America since July of 2009 and we have not spent Christmas together there with our families since 2005.

Praise God! It was a week of highs and lows…Mostly highs.

After returning from a few days sabbatical we returned to find a new hunger in the people we had been working with. As we began to resume ministry several of the ladies told Kathi they would like more time and training in “Kingdom living”. This was a great encouragement as they all committed to meeting together to develop their relationship with Jesus and learn to live in His Kingdom and not that of the world. They have a desire to become true disciples and daughters.

Each “Roma” neighborhood has what they call a director. This man is the lei sane between the people and the local government. Al met with the director of the neighborhood we are working in. As we talked I asked him “What is the greatest need in this area?” He said that 80% of the people in all Roma areas were unemployed. When I asked why, he said there is no work available. At one time Gjakova had many factories and everyone who wanted to work could. After the war factories were no longer open and remain closed today. Please pray for an influx of jobs in this area.

After several months of counseling and encouraging, Arton decided to take a job.  Back in March God had spoken to him about getting a job. He had struggled with discouragement since getting out of prison and feeling as though no one would trust him to work for them. Most employers here want you to work 12 hour days 7 days a week for 200 euro ($300) per month.  This week, after praying through all of this, he got a job offer with exactly those terms, but was believing for something that would allow him his time for church. He got another offer. The job he took gives him that time he desired for church, as well as teaching and training times, and provides a decent income. In a land of 65% unemployment he and his wife both have jobs.  Praise God!

To update you on Berati, he has been told he is too old to repeat middle school, and he must go to a private school to catch up on his studies and qualify for high school. This “private school” will cost 100 euro ($140) each year, and he will need to complete two years. Please pray God will provide for his needs in this area.  His desire is to qualify to work in the government police force.

Yesterday, Saturday, the children from one of our families were at the FLC early as it was their mom’s day to help serve. I was prompted by The Lord to give the children some of the children’s Bibles we have. They are full of easy to read Bible stories Old and New Testament with bright colored pictures in the Albanian language.  One of the brothers, an 8 year old, went around behind the house to be alone with his new gift. Kathi just happened to glance out the window to see this young soul, sitting on the ground, with his Bible opened to the place where it shows Jesus on the cross.  He was looking intently at the page and without prompting closed his eyes, threw his head back and raised his hands in worship. A little later he was in the “Great room” which we use for children’s services as well as corporate gatherings, worshiping to the music we have playing constantly while there. When I walked in he looked up at me and said, Pastor, while I was singing and worshiping I cried two times.  Kathi later asked him if he was sad or happy when he was crying and he said happy! God is touching those with a yielded heart. Thank you Jesus that you don’t look at the age of the person but the openness and purity of the heart! This same boy and his brother, who always wants to lead prayer before the meal, cried when their DVD  of “The Jesus Film” broke. They loved to watch and hear in their own language the story of their Redeemer. I am currently trying to find a replacement.

I found out this week that these same children, 3 of them who should be in school, are not in school because they do not have the proper clothing, book bags, pencils, notebooks or shoes. Their father is currently struggling with an alcohol addiction and spends what little money he makes on that instead of feeding the family.

 Very often our heart is broken over the lack of supply for the children here. It seems that the cycle of poverty continues to rage on. We know that the blood of Jesus can break this cycle. Today we feed them as we can, make provision as God supplies and love them with the Love of Jesus. The need is great and we know God has the funds ready to be released. Please pray and ask The Lord what part is yours in helping with these situations.

God Provides!!!!!

This week we saw one of the young men that used to live in the village. He was one whom I (Al) saw great potential in and personally had given much care to. Since moving to the city and living in a new apartment the folks from the village had stopped coming to church. It is difficult as sometimes people are just looking for relief rather than healing.

As we drove in the area of his neighborhood, this now 17 year old was on the side of the road waving both arms in greeting, and smiling big. We could see that the time we had spent with him had a positive effect.  God reminded me of the time I was feeling down because of those who had come to Him and walked away. It seemed we had done all we could to show His love but they walked away anyway. I heard the Lord ask me, “Did you do it for them or did you do it for Me?”  I had to admit that we are serving Him with all of our time, efforts and support, and He loves them even more than we do.

We are praying for direction on how to follow up with those God has used us to touch before, and see them won back to the One Who loves them.

We traveled to Vlore to spend some time with our friends and oversight Pastors Daryl and Debbie Snyder, but we needed to close the Family Life Center for a week and still be able to feed the families that rely on the FLC for their meals.  Because of generous donations toward this ministry, we were able to supply 4 families with enough groceries in their homes to last until we returned  The supplies included 25 kilos of flour, oil, salt, potatoes, canned cooking tomatoes, sugar, coffee, sausage, yogurt, fresh veggies and eggs.

This was an extra special blessing to be able to deliver a supply of food in the love of Christ at this particular time. Many families get together and feast for “bajram” which is celebrating the end of a 30 day fast known as “Ramadan”.  During those 30 days they are seeking God, and we are praying they will find Him in Spirit and in Truth. These families were able to praise God for His provision through Jesus Christ on the most celebrated muslim holiday. Thank you Jesus!

Please be in prayer for Berati, one of the young men in the church.  He is in a difficult place of decision. On one hand he had missed so much school, due to responsibilities at home that the director of the school told him he has failed last year. He is now 16 years old and must repeat middle school. On the other hand he has a vague promise of learning to be a baker in the local bakery where he helps his mother work. The owner has said if he works with him for a year or so, no true commitment on time, he could hire him and actually pay him,after, between 150 and 200 euro per month. This is the average income for workers here.  Many trades are learned this way. Here they call it apprenticeship, one can work, without pay, for 2-3 years to learn a trade such as auto mechanic or plumbing after which he may or may not be hired for 200 euro per month. Most have trouble living on this income and therefore are left little option but to live with family and pool recourses. We have shared with him the importance of education but with the prejudice here it will be difficult for him to get any better work even with completing trade school.  Only the select and connected go to Gjimnaz which is the, university preparatory high school. The remainder of the poor or the minorities go to trade school to learn such trades as Hotel and Tourism which qualifies them after 2 -3 years of schooling to work in a hotel restaurant or, if they have connections, behind the reception desk for about 200 euro per month. As you can imagine this greatly discourages some from continuing their education.  Pray God’s direction and perfect will for this situation and for His peace to fill Berati and the decision he must make. 

Matthew 19:26 SAYS “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With men this is impossible, but all things are possible with God.’”

Bringing Hope to the hopeless!

Part of the vision of The Family Life Center is to educate and train some of these minorities’ employable skills to open opportunities for their families and their future.

A Grateful Heart!

I (Al) am sitting in the attic, turned office, of our home here in Kosova. We have a coffee pot ready first thing in the morning, our computers and a couple of donated desks to work from. We have electric, most of the time, and a fan for those very hot days in August. We also have internet, running water, a refrigerator and washing machine.  Today I heard two loud “pops” outside, and then the electric went out. I had plans for the morning that included working on the computer which requires electric. I did what I could to finish, and tried to remain positive in that what I thought I would do today was not going to happen. 

We left our house 3 hours later, still without electric, and got into our 2004 VW Transporter van that had been purchased through gifts from donors in America for the ministry here.  As we headed for the Family Life Center I thought of all those things I wanted to accomplish today that were not going to be happening.

Kathi began preparing the omelets for the scheduled lunch today (Thursday).  Each person received a two egg omelet with cheese, bread and a small container of fruit flavored yogurt.  Not knowing why, she felt prompted also to make a big pot of soup.  One of the boys, who walks with his mom and 3 younger siblings 30 minutes 3 times a week to be part of the feeding program, brought half of his omelet to us and asked if he would be allowed to take it home with him.  We said, “of course, but why do you not finish it?”  He said he wanted something for later and there is no food in the house.  They eat when they come to the Center. They had not eaten since Tuesday’s lunch.  Our hearts are breaking as we see these children struggle to survive. They live in one room of a house with no running water, no electric and a hole in the ground outside for a bathroom.  The FLC provides their only place for showers and laundry.  This mother asked if she could please take a 6 liter bottle of water home, as they are without drinking water, and it’s been hot. 

 

Mama  Kathi cleans and bandages a toe smashed by a big rock!

As Kathi was cleaning and dressing his brothers smashed toe, this boy was in the kitchen, on his knees with his face on the floor, singing worship songs to Jesus and thanking Him for all he has.

When Kathi first started the soup she didn’t know for whom, but it had become very clear now.  The soup, the left over bread and 6 liters of Kos (yogurt) went home with this family, and yes the water, too.  This 10 year old boy, who always wants to be the one to pray and ask the blessing on the meal, showed me something about a grateful heart today. 

It‘s been near or over 100 degrees for more than a week now.   Water has been sparse at best in the higher elevation areas due to drought and the increase in watering lawns, gardens and business fronts. The Family Life Center is in such an area.  We’ve gone through our stored supply of water and are now hauling water in from the lower areas of the city for cooking and washing dishes.  We’re also purchasing water for drinking.  Showers and laundry have come to a halt.  We have had to take two separate families’ children to the ER for medication because of overheating and dehydration.   Again, the FLC is the only source for some of our families.

Grateful hearts and full bellies!

We have a vision of expanding the Family Life Center to include at least 5 days a week serving two meals per day to children such as these kids, and others in similar situations.  Our desire is to feed them breakfast and lunch, work with them on basic hygiene, help cloth them with clean, acceptable clothing for school, assist them to read and write, and love them with the love of Jesus Christ.  As part of this vision, we’re also scheduling seminars for the parents with a local Dr.  She will be teaching on basic health care practices and preventive health care measures so the children do not spend the upcoming winter sick.

Always ready to help!

Tough guy!

Heat is another one of their major obstacles.  Firewood is the main heat and cooking source for most families.  It is the only source for the poor.  We are now entering the season to be purchasing wood and bulk produce at the low prices.  Most of the families we serve do not have money to buy both wood and food.   We created an anual “Fast Food Fast” event as a help to supply funds for a winter’s portion of conserved food items (peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers) and firewood. Details on the Fast Food Fast and opportunities to participate will soon be posted on this blog and our Facebook page "Changed by His Love Kosova". This years event will begin October 1st 2011.

Last week!

Last week was full of ministering to the hearts of people.   We have one couple in church who, we recently realized, are not legally married but have been living together and have a son together.  We shared the word of God on this issue and to our surprise found the woman more resistant than the man to receive counsel in this area.    She became very agitated when we presented God’s word on marital relationships.  She had been wounded much over the years and needs healing.   Please be in prayer for the healing of her heart and a willingness to change their current living situation.

One man, whose wife needs surgery, had lost hope, due to their circumstances, and resorted to stealing the 300 euro needed for her surgery.   We were able to share the scriptures with him about stealing (Ephesians 4:28), being associated with a thief (Ephesians 5:3-8) and about being guilty in associating with a thief and bringing a curse upon both (Proverbs 29:24).  He was very open and quick to repent.  Al actually was able to accompany him to return the stolen money to its owners.  He repented and asked forgiveness from them.   They were gracious and able to see the life-change Jesus is making in him.  His peace was restored.  Praise God for His faithfulness.

Another of the women in church, who has been very open to being discipled, is struggling with her husband who has also confessed Jesus as his Savior.  He is currently struggling to overcome alcoholism and becomes very violent when drunk.  He has beaten her on several occasions, which is very prevalent in their culture.  She is often very frightened for herself and their children when he has been drinking.  He has alienated both neighbors and family.   He has not recently been coming to church and has not been home when Al has set appointments to talk with him.  Please pray for her protection and peace as she is very discourage.  She is believing God for a resolve to this situation.  Pray that he will be open to counsel and receive freedom and healing from this alcohol and rage.

One woman, a new believer, came to church Saturday with heavy burdens on her heart.   As she spoke with our female translator the translator said, “Please stop using that foul language”.  This woman has come from a very rough background and even though she loves the Lord she still swears like a…… someone who swears a lot.   She is very open to discipling, but just as all things are innocent to the innocent, she needs revelation and teaching about how she presents her thoughts.  We know once she realizes this she will quickly turn from this language.  When we asked the translator what she had said, the translator would only say, “I can’t say those things and will not”.  LOL

Saturday evening worship was amazing as many of the people were touched by the Presence of God.  Some wept, another could not speak what he was feeling and just smiled like “the cat that swallowed the canary”, and still another sat quietly, eyes closed, clutching his bible.  We believe God was ministering to some deep personal needs that night.  We are praying for breakthrough.

Jesus ministered to the broken and the outcast.  He has called us to do the same.  Please continue to pray Holy Spirit will move in the hearts and lives of these people.  

Also, for the last several months we have been working with a paid translator for Saturday evening services.  We operate in our new language on a daily basis, but the deep things of the Spirit are sometimes difficult to communicate.   Pray God will continue to give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. 

The week in miracles

Hello!
 This week has been a week full of ministry,restoration, healings and provision. We saw great spiritual warfare take place in the church over the past several weeks. Satan is not happy with the vision God has for this place and has tried to destroy it. Through pride and offenses, early in the week the church had been divided greatly. This week God used us, as well as those who are praying with us, to minister to each person involved and see restoration in relationships. Kathi worked with each woman separately and led them to a place of healing. We watched offenses being forgiven, repentance of sins and unity restored. What a Great God!
 Earlier this week one of the babies, 8 months old and weighing 11 lbs., from a family in the church, was sick. The parents had taken her to the Dr. and gotten prescriptions for her but could not afford to buy the medicine. We were able to get the medicine needed and give it to the parents.
 Friday one of the women in church ended up in the hospital from lack of food and water combined with heat well over 90. She walks 1/2 hour to work each day in the intense heat of the day for 4 euros. She was dehydrated and feeling very weak. She received an IV of saline and an injection for the pain. We were able to take her home after we stopped and bought some food for her family and some bottled water. Her neighborhood has not had running water these past few days. Because of some poor financial decisions, they had been doing without food except when they come to the FLC 3 times per week. She is doing better now and continues to feel stronger.
 One of the men I,Al, am working with has been going through a very difficult season. Because of the lack of work and the great need in his home he had been very angry lately and confessed to having considered going back to his old way of getting what he wanted/ needed which was to steal it. I was able to sit with him on Friday and Holy Spirit ministered to him. As I repented to him for a mistake I had made with him something broke. I shared with him that Holy Spirit had been showing us something was wrong and we had to wait for him to come to us with it. As we talked about sin and restoration he suddenly got up from his chair and asked me to pray with him. He repented for his sins before the Lord and I immediately saw a difference in his countenance. Later that day he went to his wife and asked forgiveness for the sins he had committed against her. Last night after church our translator came to me and asked," did you talk with this man or did he come to me on his own"? I said yes I had talked to him about something he had said to her a few days earlier which was not nice. I had told him, just before worship, he should not have done that and he immediately went to her and repented. He said he wanted to do that before worship started. She said,"that is just not normal for a man to do that here, especially to a woman, that is not the culture here". She has been seeing a difference in the work God is doing and using us to do.
 As we prayed for people after service one woman was healed from a sore throat and back pain. Another was healed from stomach, back and head pain. Praise God!
 Needless to say, it has been a full and satisfying week.
 God's Spirit is tearing holes in the darkness here in this corner of Kosova. What an awesome time and awesome privilege to be in the midst of it.
Today we rest and study.
We love you all,
Blessings,
Al and Kathi

Rose petal tea!

Arton came over yesterday and was admiring our roses. He asked if we ever made a drink from them. This can be a dangerous question here because Shqiptars/ Albanians have a tendency to make "Raki", a sort of alcohol, out of just about everything. In fact he was referring to rose petal tea. We said no so he proceeded to show us the process.
 First they plucked and cleaned about 2 dozen roses.

Kathi stuffed them in an empty bottle and added 3 teaspoons of sugar and a product they call "limontoz", as far as we can tell it is like lemon flavored sugar.

Fill the bottle with water, mix and let stand 3 days in the sun. Just like sun tea!

Day 2 starting to see the change.
Stay tuned for the final result.

May newsletter

Building Project

Arton helping to add finishing touches to his house!

In December God placed on some friends’ hearts to finance a house/ church building project for one of the families in the church. This couple has become a true son and daughter in the church and we see much potential for leadership. God has greatly touched them and they are very involved serving in the church. Arton has been working with the teen age boys praying with and sharing the Gospel each week. Many of them still confess to be Muslim but we are praying for breakthrough as we build relationships and live as examples of lives redeemed. Didarje has been a great encouragement with the women and serves where needed in the church. Their family, friends and neighbors have seen a great change in their lives and are coming to church, and ultimately Jesus, seeking this same change.

Their current landlord came to them the first of May and gave them until the 15^th to get out. God’s timing is amazing as they should move in to the new house on the 15^th.

 They are both very excited as we near completion. They are already planning the first worship service/ cell group meeting in that neighborhood.

Family Life Center

God gave us a vision for a Family life center almost one year ago. Today we are in the midst of seeing that vision working in the physical realm.  These are the areas currently operating at the Family Life Center.

Feeding the poor

A little guy enjoying his spaghetti and Greek salad;

One of the three weekly meals he now receives.

We have been feeding 40-50 people on Saturday evening after service for the last 6 weeks. This not only gives us an opportunity to preach the Gospel but to demonstrate it also by meeting the needs of families who don’t have much to eat.

Three of the families in the church cannot find good work. The men have found jobs and work hard but because of their ethnic status as “Roma’s” their employers work them for a month or sometimes more and then say they have no money to pay them. They live multiple families in one house to try to make it on a promised income. When they get used like this, and we have seen it several times, it degrades and disheartens them. Your gifts make it possible to help feed these families 3 meals a week. Please pray they would find “good” work!

Feeding one of the more needy families in the church

a hot, healthy meal.

Medical attention and healthy living classes

The Doc is in!

Recently we had to call our doctor friend for some sick children. She was on her vacation again, but was more than willing to see those who needed, and she came to us at the FLC. She has been a doctor for 28 years and a tremendous blessing to us in caring for these families. As we shared our vision for preventive health training she got excited. She said the main problem is these folks are a lower socioeconomic people group who were never trained how to care for themselves or their children. She said, “When you are ready, call me, I want to help you”. She is not a Christian….yet! God is already showing His favor in this area. That day she examined 3 families of which 1 adult and 5 children were in need of prescription medications.  We were able to provide the medications.

Laundry Services 

We were blessed with donations for the Family Life Center that included a washing machine where some of the families from the church could come to wash clothes. For these young mothers who cannot afford disposable diapers and do not have access to cloth diapers this is a huge blessing. Kathi is in the process of teaching them how to make and apply cloth diapers using a cotton fabric with a plastic covering. This should help reduce the laundry demands on then. We’ve also strung plenty of clothes line for drying.

The youth getting ready for ping pong.

All this and more

We are still seeing the children’/youth ministry grow on Saturday mornings where kids come and hear the Gospel and pray and sing songs like, “Jesus Loves the Little Children”. When we visit their neighborhoods we hear these songs being sung by the kids. Music gets into the Spirit and is something they will never forget.

 Each week on Saturday morning we are averaging 30-40 kids under age 11 and 15 young men 11-15 years old. God is softening hearts and they all hear the Good News.

Hello to all who make this program possible!

 After one of the meals served during the week, Kathi was talking with a woman and she remembered being in a refugee camp in Albania during the war in 1999. She remembered “Christians” singing songs and tried to remember how one particular song went. Kathi was able to pick it up from the tune and soon they were singing, “Jesus, Prince of Peace, Glory, Hallelujah” in Shqip. The woman picked up the tambourine and started to play. Her brother-in-law, who plays drums for weddings, soon joined in and helped with the timing. Spontaneous worship broke out and all were encouraged in The Lord.

Our vision for the Family Life Center includes not only feeding the poor, but training in various life skills. We want to not only supply the fish but teach them how to fish for themselves. 

Please be in prayer for: 

 

· The men of the church to find good work.

· Finances to continue to build on the vision of the Family Life Center.

· Holy Spirit to continue to touch and change lives in our midst.

· We will need to pay 700 Euros, about $1000, in July for annual health insurance required by Kosova to maintain our permit to live here. This amount will cover both Kathi and I.

· We are also seeking God to provide 200 Euros for tires on the van and another 200 Euros, approximately $300, for our membership to the National Association for Churches in Kosova.

It is only through your financial and prayer support that we can continue to do His work here in Kosova. If you would like to be a part of our financial team please send tax free donations to: HCC 1741 Oakhill Rd. Wooster, Ohio 44691. For tax reasons make checks payable to HCC and mark Kosova-Z in the memo. 

Grateful for a hot meal!