Prizren Kosova

no photo avail
presently

Prizren, Kosova
no telephone

Campaign to Kosova

To inquire or join the team write
Dick Ady

Thank you for your prayers. God does answer pray and is changing Kosova one person at a time.

"Kosovo" is the spelling used by Serbs and journalist; "Kosova" is the spelling used by Albanians. In Albanian, the pronunciation is on the second syllable "so."

The church in Kosova is growing
stronger under persecution.

August 1999 was the first visit to Kosova to survey the possibilities of a church there. It was following the war. Members from Tirana were very positive about planting a church in Prizren.

In Oct. 1999, Doug Smith of Longview, Washington committed himself to growing the church in Prizren, Kosova where the people were saying that the Muslims have failed them. "Now, they are interested in Christianity."

Doug began working with a family previously identified by the refugee work in Tirana. Much of his work was with the hospitals. He helped burned out families find materials and supplies to rebuild their homes. Rebuilding a village school was accomplished.

The church grew in number and in spirit for a period. In April 04, the people of Prizren raided the school stealing property. The church moved to a home where it was persecuted.

Recently, the faithful are now meeting regularly and continue to grow with Wes Dingman preaching. Wes was among the first to campaign in 2000. God bless!

Kosova
Archive

April 04

Photos

Bill McDonough, International Director of Partners In Progress, supported Doug working together in aid to the hospitals and families. PIP supported the work with money, computers, and medical supplies. Manna International of Redwood City, California became a partner working with PIP. Refugee money from Tirana helped Doug's reconstruction projects get underway.

The WEI Campaign in Prizren was at its peak in August, 2000 with 170 students and 16 teachers. Others came for a few weeks at a time during September - December.

Ken Sandefur was there again in 2001. Darina Fojtikova from Czech Republic moved there in the summer of 2001. Darina typically winters back home in Czech Republic. In September, several teachers from America along with Jim Cassie and his wife, Kath, joined Doug and Darina. In 2002, after Jim and Kath secured funding in Scotland and from a continuation of support from Partners In Progress, Jim arrived May 20 right behind Sokol Haxhiu. Sokol, a young convert from Albania, worked in Prizren on his way home from his university studies in America.

Jim and Kath Cassie were joined by Darina and 5 teachers from America -- Jim & Ginny Bloxham from Texas (cbrooks@rollinghillschurch.com), Elsie Reid (elsiereid35@yahoo.com), Helen Schwanke (hhschwanke@attbi.com), & Phyllis Carter ( Cphyllisc@aol.com) from Oregon. They made a wonderful difference. Doug proceeded to Albania. Ken Sandefur began working in Albania. Others from Scotland were recently teaching in Prizren.

The church has changed significantly recently. Jim is back in Scotland. Several moved to Prishtina for university studies. The Muslim community has become violent, and the assembly is now in the home of Ismajl. See The Chronicle, Aug. 2004. But, the small group of Christians remain faithful.

You may still go there to help and encourage all. You will make a difference by spending a few weeks as you spend your vacation and free time. May God lead you to help!

April 2004

Comments: The church in Prizren is in a city subject to conflicts between the resident Muslims and a few Serbs. The Serbs, confined to their homes for the most part, recently have seen their church buildings burned. NATO failed to halt this conflict. WEI's school and the church in Prizren suffered loss of some items in their building and are now meeting in homes, appropriately. We have always seen strength as a result of persecutions. Read Doug Smith's report to see how this is happening in Prizren. Yes, you can go there to help at anytime.

Note: August 04
It has been reported that shots were fired over the house where the church meets. This is the home of Ismajl who not only hosts the assemblies, but he regularly teaches students using WEI's lessons.

Bob Patterson

Dear Dick,

Thanks for your words of encouragement.

There were two days of "demonstrations" in Kosova on the 18th and 19th of March. About 30 people were killed around the country, including several UN workers. I arrived the following week, and by then all was calm. The Cassies had scheduled a trip back to Scotland and had left a few days before I arrived. I was afraid that the little church might be scattered without some missionary presence, and the fact that all of the windows had been broken out of the WEI office and church meeting place. However, they had regrouped, as it were, and were meeting in one of the members home.

Jim was planning to change the location of the office before all this happened, so this just sped up that decision. Meanwhile, the church seemed to rally together and decided that meeting in a home was a better idea, anyway. Wes Dingman, an American from New York, working for another English teaching group in Prizren, has been lending unusual leadership to the church. He has been there for three years, speaks fluent Albanian and is married to a sweet Albanian/Kosovar young lady, who was recently baptized into Christ.

We had thirteen in attendance on the 11th of April, and a great spirit of brotherly love was evident. There is still much work to be done in Kosova to tell people about the saving grace of Jesus, but I came home feeling optimistic about what I had previously envisioned to be a set-back for the church. Often we receive lessons to trust God that he will not allow Satan to overcome what he is building. I praise God for his faithfulness!

In Christ and for His sake,

Doug

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