The Church in Fier, Albania

Altin Koci

Photo Pending

Mission contact:
Spicer Street church in Kennett, MO
Shawn Sando, Mission Committee
Slicer St. Church of Christ
P.O. Box 725
Kennett, MO 63857
Tel: 573-888-5974
e-mail address: slicer@semo.net

The church in Fier is the result of the gospel preached by Virgil and Jackie Jackson, missionaries in Vlorë for many years. While Vlorë is the home of the Jacksons, they conducted worship assemblies in Fier as well as in Vlorë. Doug Smith, having established the church in Prizren, Kosova, assisted Virgil for a short period. With Doug's leadership the church continued to make good progress. Helping Doug for a period was Bujar, his translator from Prizren, Kosova. He taught his own students and preached in Albanian.

Brent Parr, a young man from Marrietta, Oklahoma, followed Doug and worked in Fier for 2 year

Steve and Ruth Byrne followed Brent Parr, Steve & Ruth served as missionaries in Fier for 3 years since 2006-2009. Good Works came as the result of their serving. Steve worked in many ways that one day Church of Christ in Fier might have Albanian Preacher. Including that many have prayed that God will bring Albanian People. to serve here in Fier.

International Bible Institute in Albania IBIA
IBIA began classes January 23, 2006, and the whole idea of the school was to train men for the Church of Christ here in Albania to be capable and ready to stand on the gap. Altin Koci & Eduart Hoxha were students of the School also that were able to go through the classes that IBIA has provided. Altin Koci and Eduart Hoxha are the fruit of the school, and it seems that has been the answer of many that prayed that Also In Fier may be preachers that are trained that speak the native language and ready to serve God in many ways in Fier. So since April 2009 till now Altin and Edi are serving as full time preachers in Fier. Fier is a city of 80,000 with an industry of oil owned by the state.

Altin Koci

Mar 09
Mar 2010

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Albanian Men's Day Photos

From Altin Koci - March 09

A Calling to a Different Field
It has been a year and three months, that school IBIA is training Leaders, as the most of you know this is the second year. And now students are being challenged from God’s word daily. As days goes by, challenges get harder and harder because it is God Word and it cuts till the depths of the souls every behavior, attitude, desire that is not in Christ’s Likeness. Hebrews 4:12. And the purpose of the school is to train Leaders to be always alert and humble Leaders ready to serve.

I Was…
Right now I am serving as translator at the school, am saying serving because I never saw as job, because if I saw on that way poor me. I did finish the same training that these students are having right now, I learn English in private courses and I have progressed a lot in English for it is a skill that God has blessed me with. Till now am serving as translator. I did use this skill as it was necessary for His purposes. And has a come to the point where I have to use the others skills that God has blessed me with.

I Will Become ….
Leaders are trained to be Leaders, time is short, we never know when Jesus will come and we don’t have to worry for physical things Matthew 6:25. But we are to focus ourselves our whole being to the service of God. Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus said pray for workers for the harvest is plentiful. It has been presented a harvest in Fier Steve & Ruth Byrne have served there, God called them in a different place where they can use their God given capabilities better and in a better productive way. Somehow somewhere brothers in Christ have prayed for workers there. And through God providence, God provided two workers for there. Altin Koci and Eduart Hoxha by cooperating together to work in the field that God is already at work! We both have been trained for the same purpose to be Leaders for God’s people leading them to Christ. Eduart has been served in Durres Church of Christ in beach area, with Alfred Zike, Alfred is still serving and teaching God’s Word there. We will be serving on that field on the first April, when the Byrnes will leave.

A great gratitude for all those has been supporting me this period of time spiritually and financially. Now I am going to different field with different partners with brothers in Christ from the Church of Christ in Kennet Missouri. It is still for God’s purposes and for God’s glory. Please pray for us, that we may be strong as Christ’s Soldiers Fighting the darkness.

In All Things Striving to Bring God Glory

Altin Koci

March 2010

Dear brothers and sisters
He is the first and the last, the beginning and the ending, the light that takes away darkness, the Love that surpasses all wisdom and the Judge who punishes the evil!

We know that we are strong because we remain in His powerful plan; we know that we have wisdom because we reflect from his love and we know that we turn away from evil because we fear from his judgments!

Be strong my brothers and sisters, in times of fear, be strong, in the times of grief and pain, be strong remain in the Lord, because the battle is His!

The lost people
Knowing that we are not alone in the battlefield of faith, we find strength to go on, we find sufficient grace and love for to make known his righteousness!

Along the past week we have been in touch with contacts that we already have here in fier, striving to reach them in Christ Jesus! We have been focused on specific persons, and we thank God for this people that we might have the chance to share our faith with our words and deeds! Also we are continuing to have contacts with the school in Zharrez waiting to see some fruits and we know that it is God who makes that happen! God rejoices with the seed that is planted yet we rejoice with the harvest!

God’s people
We thank God for the members of the Church here in Fier for their faith process of growing! Somewhere along the past week we have had the chance to spend time together to encourage faith on each other! We thank God for Esi and Redona who still want to know more about Christ through His word! We thank God also for Albert and Jona they are an encouragement for us by the willingness that they have to study God’s word more and more! They are now in a transition point and they are going through some hard decision for their lives please pray for them also so that they will make the right decision for the glory of God.

Wednesday Bible classes
We are still studying about "Worship" and we have covered two segments on "Prayer", last time we covered two more segments on "Fasting"! God’s word is challenging we learned that fasting is; to humble yourself before the Lord and all of us know that if we do that He will lift us up! (Isaiah 58:11)

The Lord’s Day
We also had a blessed day, by gathering and celebrating our Lord’s Day altogether! Altin challenged us "To be responsible for each other", by not living in sin and by being patient and loving to one another (Ephesians 4:26-32)! All of us have responsibilities and we know that the greatest responsibilities that God has given to us are the people.

Prayer requests
Pray for Esi’s friend "Andi" he is having serious problems with the stomach please keep him in your prayers so that he might come to know the true healer!

Please pray for Eda’s friend "Poli" she is diagnosed with cancer and is having a hard time, continue to keep her in your prayers!

Pray for Redona so that she might commit herself to Jesus and come to know Him better!

Pray for Albert and Jona in this transition time that they are going through, so that God may bless their life as they seek to please Him!

Continue to pray for us and God’s work here in Fier!

To His glory and power

Altin, Edi and the church

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