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.