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.