Albania is a small mountainous country located in Southeast Europe. Neighbouring countries include Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Kosovo.
Tirana is the capital and largest city in Albania, it is in the centre of the country. Tirana ranks as one of the top ten sunniest places in Europe.
The most common religion in Albania is Islam, with the second being Catholicism and third the Albanian Orthodox church.
Albania was a communist state until 1992.
Economically Albania is a country rich in petroleum and gas resources both on and offshore however it is the third poorest country in Europe.
The current population of Albania is 2,832,439 people. In 2022 approximately 46,460 Albanians emigrated from the country. The exodus was 10.5% higher than in 2021 with the majority, approximately 36,000, being young people. This is due to the high level of youth unemployment in the country. Albania has the second highest youth unemployment in the western Balkans.
The Mission Team left in the early hours of Friday morning on a crisp, cold November day for our second mission trip to Albania, the previous trip was 6 years ago. God had given minister Jenny the vision and we felt privileged to accompany her and be part of God’s plan. There was an air of expectation and excitement about what God was going to do. We had been praying for weeks in advance and was confident that God was going to do something new in Albania. We were believing in faith that God would use us to encourage the believers and win the lost to Him.
We landed at Tirana Airport and was met by Pastor Festim, our host Pastor, who greeted us warmly and drove us the 90-minute journey to our accommodation. We were on the move and had just enough time to drop our bags, get changed and go to the first church we would be ministering in at Lushnja, an area known for its lovely mountain scenery.
The church in Lushnja is a small church, The Mozaik Church, led by Pastor Sajmir in a predominantly Muslim area.
Pastor Sajmir radiated the joy of the Lord, and this was evident throughout the whole service. He was overjoyed to see us and was profuse in his thanks and gratitude to God for enabling to us to come to his small fellowship.
There was an air of excitement and expectation as Sincere Praise led by minister Jenny begun to sing. The children and young people moved forward and joined in. There was a genuine delight in the expression on their faces as they participated in the praise.
The little church was packed, and Pastor Sajmir flung open the double doors at the back of the church, that opened directly on to the street so that passers by could hear the music and the Salvation message.
Wonderful testimonies of God’s miraculous saving and healing ability was shared by brother Sean and Leon.
Rev Taylor powerfully ministered under the anointing from John 9: 1 -12. The emphasis was on the urgency of taking the good news of the Gospel to those that are in need. They were told that there is no need to leave Albania for a new life, God can use you right where you are to bring new life to others.
After the meeting Pastor Festim confirmed that this was a vital message that needed to be heard because of the number of people leaving Albania, particularly young people for a better life elsewhere.
Prayer points
- Pray for young people to stand strong as witnesses in their schools.
- Pray for spiritual mentors to disciple and enable those young people who have a heart to follow Jesus.
- Pray that God will send more workers who know Him and who share the vision into the Albanian church to help with the work.
- Pray for more born again men, young and older, to come into the church to be role models to the young men.
