Home

Site Map

Navigation

Current Update

Previous Updates

About

FAQ

Campaigns 2010

Durrës

Elbasan

Ethiopia

Fier

Korca

Kosova

Lushnja

Pogradec

Romania

Taiwan

Tirana

Uganda

Vlorë

Announcements

Teaching Tips

WEI Extension Studies

Supplies

Humor

Introductory Lesson

Basic English

Basic Bible

Advanced English

Advanced Bible

Evidences Courses

Evidences of God

Lesson Enrichment

Nations University

WEI Chinese

WEI Russian

Matt 28:18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
NIV

John 20:10-16

10 Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."

16 Jesus said to her, "Mary."

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
NIV
 

Learn More

WELCOME! 

Lushnja, Albania

Tom Bonner

"About that time, Tom Bonner (part-time Singles Minister at the Metro congregation in Gresham, Oregon) felt a tug on his heart -- as though God were calling him to Albania. He couldn't get Albania out of his mind. He studied the map again and again and felt drawn to the city of Lushnja.

"While Tom was experiencing this internal tug, the Lord was also working on some people in Albania. In early July 2001, Bill Morgan (director of the WEI campaign in Tirana), Dr. Bob Threlkeld, and Jim Fox made a trip to Berat (in central Albania) to visit WEI students. On their way back to Tirana, they drove through Lushnja. As they passed through town, Bob felt an overwhelming burden and started praying for the people there.

"Later, in Tirana, Bob told us about his spiritual experience and urged us to join him in prayer. Every morning during our devotionals, the campaigners prayed for Lushnja. Every Sunday and Wednesday, the Albanian Christians prayed for Lushnja. We sensed that the Spirit of God was moving among us and stirring us to action."
 

March 08
May 08
June 08
July 08
Aug-Sept 08

Oct-Nov 08
Jan 09
Feb 09
May 09

Sept 09

Mailing Address:

Tom Bonner

Mail: Kutia Postare 138
Lushnja, Albania
Europe

From US: 011 355 69 2077084

Office phone:
011 355 35 24831

weilushnja@albmail.com

Mission contact
Gresham Church of Christ
1525 NW Division
Gresham, OR 97030
503-667-0773 USA

Archive

Campaign
Gallery

On Saturday, July 28, 2001, twenty-four Albanians and six Americans made a trip to Lushnja. These 30 participants broke up into small groups and walked through the city. As they walked, they prayed for the people, posted advertisements in store windows, and talked to people about studying English and the Bible by correspondence. The residents of Lushnja were very receptive.

If you are looking for an opportunity to meet wonderful students who need the Lord, talk with Tom...and GO to Lushnja!

Lushnja ladies, Ruth Byrne (from Fier) in Germany

Three members of the church in Lusnhja were able to attend, also. Alma Kajdo, Silvana Eksarko and Sonila Rrapi had a wonderful time. It was the first time that any of them had flown, and they were pleased with that part of the experience. They also enjoyed very much getting to shop (what else?) outside of Albania, where the selection, and often the prices, are much better.

Twelve nations were represented at the retreat and it was a great privilege for us to sing together, pray together, and have fellowship in the Lord. The Albanian ladies were thrilled to get to meet Christians from so many places.

Normal Abnormalism
Albania continues to strive to move forward in many ways, often without success. It is a great desire of the country to gain admittance to the European Union, but it likely will not happen as soon as most wish that it could.

Sadly, Albania was recently identified as the 3rd leading government in the area of corruption, in all service sectors, in the world. The health system, justice system, police, utility services, etc., all are infected by this insidious problem. It is a great challenge to try to help people understand that participating in the corruption process, even at a minimal level, puts them in the same category as those in government who take bribes. All are responsible for the continuing presence of the problem.

One of the most troublesome things for the entire populace is the power situation. Until the middle of December the power in Lushnja had normally been off, in most places, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. I left Albania to travel to the U.S. on December 18, and the power supply has been almost, if not, continuous since then. I will not allow that to cause me to conclude that I should stay out of Albania, for I know that it is likely that “this, too, shall pass”.

At the office/church meeting place, we have had a generator, for which we have been very thankful. However, the last week before leaving on furlough I had a repair specialist (who does not sell generators) look at ours because we had been having problems with it. His diagnosis is that the generator is on its last legs, and that we need to purchase a heavier duty unit. He recommends an 8–8.5 KW unit, and guess-timates the cost will be around 4,000 Euros. That translates into almost $6,000. Through the generosity of brothers and sisters, and the good graces of World English Institute, we do have a contingency fund which will make it possible for us to purchase a new generator, if necessary.

The power company has petitioned to be able to increase the rates, since they are providing it 24/7 now. That request has been turned down, so now they are saying that they will perhaps return to the non-continuous provision status that existed before. Likely the power situation will be much the same as before, and the people will have to endure the negative consequences.

On The Go
I have now returned to Albania, after a 2 ½ month absence. My time in the U.S. was truly a “moving experience”. I landed in Portland, OR on December 19. On December 21 I got in my thirteen- year-old car and began traversing the U.S. I drove a bit over 11,000 miles, going as far as North and South Carolina. My “home” in the Dallas, TX area was in the home of my dear friends in Garland, TX, David and Martha Davy. They are members of the Saturn Road church which David served as a deacon when the church supported me to attend the Preston Road School of Preaching in the mid-1960’s. Now David is an elder at this 2,300 member congregation, and the church is continuing to reach out to the community, having baptized 199 persons locally last year.

I did get to visit with my brother and his wife, Terry and Kay, in Midvale, ID, spend five days in the Denver area with my children and grandchildren around Christmastime, and visit with my sister and her husband, Dale and Alta Friedman, in the Stockton, CA area. In addition, I was blessed to be hosted in the homes of numerous brothers and sisters across the U.S.

The primary purpose of my visit to the States at this time was to report to supporters and friends of the ministry, and to seek additional support. I have received commitments for the year 2008 which will make it possible for us to continue to reach out the lost here in Albania

Tragedy has struck the small country of Albania twice since my return. At a recreation area in the capital city of Tirana sixteen people were drowned when an overloaded boat capsized, many of them being children. The outing was a birthday party, and it turned tragic. Then this past Saturday there was an explosion at a munitions depot, which contained about 100 tons of armaments from the Communist era, manufactured in Russia and China. As of this writing, 9 are known dead and over 300 were injured. The depot is near some villages, and the homes of many people were destroyed, in addition. Albania is a country one-third the size of Oregon, with a comparable population (3.5 million). A heavy emotional burden for a small, very poor, country.

Mixed Blessings
My primary tool for evangelism has been teaching English and Bible together. Most of the students have been young people, the majority in their teens. Many have asked me to help them go to the U.S., which I have explained is not my purpose, and I do not know how to make it happen.

I am finding out, however, that I am helping them make that transition simply by teaching them English. Many students with whom we have studied, as well as many acquaintances from the city, have left for the U.S., some with student visas, some having “won” the U.S.-sponsored “green card lottery.” It is puzzling to so many why I am staying here, when they are wanting to leave and go to the U.S. The lifestyle differences certainly make that a pertinent question.

However, it is a blessing for me to work in a place where the gospel is relatively unknown, and to see the transformation that takes place in people’s lives when they truly understand the freedom that is theirs in Christ Jesus. The work in Lushnja will likely never produce hundreds of conversions in a year’s time. And that is not even my intention, necessarily. I want to leave a church, when God decides my time here is finished, which is founded and grounded in Jesus. I would love for there to be hundreds of members of the Lord’s body in Lushnja. My work, however, is to plant and water the seed, and leave the harvest to God. I never cease to thank God for whatever the number that gather to worship, as I see his mighty hand in their lives, as they love and interact with each other, and bring friends and family to worship with us.

So, I am helping prepare people for greater blessings in eternity, and in this life. I don’t want them to leave Albania, but I certainly understand that they have a desire to do so. Many who do go to the U.S. do not come back, but people from Albania go many different places, looking for some improvement in their lives. Twenty-five per cent of the Albanian population lives outside the country, and send money back to family members who remain in the country. Without this money, 42% of those who receive it would be living below the poverty level. Life is very hard for most people in Albania. My goal is to help prepare them for the truly better place, heaven.

A Tough First Week Back
I landed in Tirana, the capital city, around midnight on the 4th of March, where I was met by Steve and Deborah Stamatis and Altin Koçi. I had left our van with Steve, to be used in moving the I.B.I.A from Tirana to Durrës. I.B.I.A. is a satellite school of the organization that used to be known as Sunset International, and Steve is its director here in Albania. Altin is the young man converted to Christ here in Lushnja, who graduated from I.B.I.A. in December. Now he is working for the school as a translator/recruiter.

I opted to drive on to Lushnja, rather than spending the night in Durrës, and arrived home about 2 a.m. on the 5th. On the second day back, I had an older man on a bicycle pull directly into my path from behind a stopped car, and I hit him with the van. Thankfully, he was not seriously injured. I was found faultless in that situation, but had left my driver’s license at home, so the van was impounded until I appeared before a “hearing commission” later that afternoon. In the course of that activity the documents for the van and the insurance came under question (both of which had been renewed since my return), and I had to make several trips back and forth to get it all cleared up. In the end, I paid a fine of about $16 for not having my license with me.

Then, on Sunday night, someone broke a window in the van in order to steal the CD/radio. Evidently it was difficult to extract from the dashboard, and they ended up taking a good portion of the dashboard. Then I discovered that the approximate $665 I had paid for insurance does not cover theft. As the saying goes, “Live and learn”.

Looking Ahead
What does the future hold? As human beings, we certainly cannot know for certain any details in this regard. We can commit to remaining within the will of God, by doing what we know he desires, and learning more about him as we walk with him.

From my perspective, the 5 ½ years I have invested here have been a great blessing to my life, and an opportunity for others to come to know Jesus, or know him in a deeper way. How long will I stay? I cannot answer that question, though it is often asked. I can say that it is my desire not to leave until there is mature leadership in place within the body here. That does not now exist. Please pray that God will help us to develop such for the church here, so that it can be a group that is able to stand on its own, rooted in Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Tom Bonner – for “newcomers”

I have reached the 65 year mark in my life, and we humans certainly begin to feel our mortality at this age. I am still told by the Albanians that I do not look like a 65 year- old, but I know what my birth certificate says and how my body feels. I am thankful I have been blessed in all the ways I have by the hand of God. Please pray that all my days will be used to glorify and praise our Father and our Savior.

Lifted by, and lifting high, Jesus
Tom

 

MOVING FORWARD?
Did you hear that scream? It was me being pulled into the present, as I attempt create a blog and post my newsletters thereon. It has been suggested as the way to go to make it easier for people to read and to share with others. I did all of this setup once, and posted the newsletter, only to find that the format I had set up was not retained, and everything came out a complete jumble. So, with input from some great brothers and sisters, I am trying again on a different blog page.


SADNESS FOR ME
When I was working as a singles minister with churches in the Portland, OR area, Clinton Witter was one of the most consistent participants in things we were doing, though he was over eighty years old. When I made the decision to come to Albania, Clinton committed to helping financially, and has been doing so ever since. But last month, Clinton went home to be with the Lord. He had not long ago moved to Las Vegas, NV where he could be closer to his son and his family. Clinton had been a decorated soldier in WW II, his eyesight being greatly diminished as a result of his activities, and he was legally blind as a result. Though he always downplayed the heroics part, he is remembered fondly in his hometown of Gresham, OR. Clinton lived to the age of 89, and was studying spiritual subjects up until the hour of his passing. I will miss Clinton!!

NATIONAL YOUTH DAY
On April 26 the church in Tirana hosted the annual youth day for churches of Christ in Albania. We were able to take an almost-full van for that activity. The brothers and sisters in Tirana did a wonderful job of planning and carrying out the activities of the day. The three young men who graduated from the Bible training school in December were asked to do the speaking, and did a great job of it. Screen-printed T-shirts were given to all in attendance with the message "O sa mir' ne qën' Kristian" ("Oh how great it is to be a Christian"), and the church was given a banner with the same message on it. In excess of 130 people were in attendance. On the way home I challenged our youth to wear their shirts to school the next week. They were a little uneasy about committing to do so, but on Sunday some said that they would. Now I must educate myself on how to insert pictures of the group and event into the text. (Loooong pause)

Tom's photos are on his blog at
http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/

The group, the shirts, the banner

Part of the group present for the youth day

Whew, made it through that. Now we'll have to see it it comes out right!

CHURCH LEADERS MEETING
On April 19 the church in Elbasan hosted a meeting of leaders and workers of the churches from throughout Albania. Twenty-two were present, and good fellowship was enjoyed by all. The ladies of the church provided a full Albanian meal for all present, and it was wonderful. Please pray that there can continue to be meetings of this sort, and that peace and harmony will prevail in the young church in Albania.
 

http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/

Church leaders and workers meeting in Elbasan

TIME TO REJOICE
Though it is an May event, I want to include here the wonderful news about the birth into the kingdom of God of Inva Begolli. She has been studying English/Bible with me for some time now, and accepted the Lord's gift of forgiveness as she was baptized in the Adriatic Sea on May3. Inva is a truly wonderful young lady, with a sensitive and teachable heart. We have talked often over the past months about this decision, and those discussions and her decision now bring joy to her heart, my heart, and the heart of God.

Inva, sadly, plans to leave in August to participate in a student exchange program in the U.S., if she secures her visa at the interview next week. She is assigned a host home in Woodland, WA. I have been in touch with the church in that area, and we hope to get her firmly and quickly connected. Currently, one of our other members, Bojkena Selmanaj, is finishing her last year of high school as she resides in Edmonds, WA. As a matter of fact, four young people who have been students with us are attempting to get visas to go to the U.S. at this time. That produces mixed feelings in me. I truly want to help the Albanian people improve their lot in life, and a chance at schooling in the U.S. seems to be a positive way to do so. Too often, however, the strangeness of their new situations makes it uncomfortable or difficult for them to search out involvement with a church in their area. Please pray that I will be given wisdom as I interact with my students of the future.

http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/

Preparing for the new birth

Covered in waves of love

Enjoyable Outing

Also during the month of April I was able to serve, and be blessed in doing so. Ellen Walker, who has been working with the church in Tirana for about ten years, called and asked if it would be possible for me to do a favor for her. An American couple, who have been here to work with the church at least two times, were again in Tirana for a few weeks, and Ellen wanted to make it possible for them to see some of the ancient ruins in the south of Albania. Her request was that I take our van and accompany them on this outing. So Ellen, Mike and Diana Folertz (from Michigan) and I made a trip to the Saranda area, spent two nights, and were able to see some of the historical buildings in that area. At Butrint (Buthrotum is the more ancient name) we were able to spend several hours looking at the remains of buildings, some of which date back to the 4th century BC. We all enjoyed ourselves, in spite of the not-so-good road conditions as we returned up the coast route. I have to admit that it is awe-inspiring for me to stand in buildings that pre-date the formation of America by four millenia. Sacrifice has its blessings, and I am privileged that I was able to experience this.

http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/

5th Century AD baptistery


Ellen and Diana walking Ancient path

The Ongoing Saga Of The Sag
For those of you who have been readers of this newsletter for a period of time, you know that I have had occasion to write about the declining value of the dollar, particularly in relation to the Albanian lek. Having just spent a couple of months in the U.S. I am aware that things are tightening up there, also, especially in regard to gas prices, from my experience. The van that we have for use with the church here has a diesel engine, and diesel fuel here is less expensive than gasoline. I did not know what to expect on my return to Albania, either in regards to the value of the dollar or the cost of fuel. As of today the dollar commands only 77 leke on the dollar. Five and a half years ago it was 135 leke to the dollar. I did some mathematical calculation (not an easy undertaking for me) and have arrived at the conclusion that diesel fuel here is now costing $7.66 per gallon. OUCH!! Thanks to all of you who are helping support the work here, but you may hear more OUCHING from me in the future. God is in control, however, and will provide for the things he feels are necessary. Thank you for your willingness to be used by our Lord in this ministry.

Where Do We Go From Here?
A real problem in planting a self-sustaining ongoing church in Albania, at least in Lushnja, is the lack of good jobs that pay a living wage. I spoke this week with a lady) not yet a member of the church) whose husband has worked on the same job for twelve years. He is actually doing three different jobs on his one job, and his pay is about the equivalent of $200 per month. He works seven days per week, ten-plus hours per day. One of our men in the church has been without work for some time, and cannot find any. The question arises "How then can people give of themselves or their finances to the church?" If they have work, it keeps them from involvement with the body. If they have no work, they have no means with which to support the work of the church.

What is the solution? I do not know, and I am open to suggestion. If we do not want to provide American dollars for support for men to work with the church, then it seems that we must figure out some way to provide them with marketable job skills. With the job market so weak, it is likely that they will need to have some help in getting a business of some sort started with whatever skills they obtain. It is a dilemma, and one to which we need to give some serious thought.

Once again, I thank you for your support in all the ways you give it, the most important of which is your prayers. May God be glorified as we partner together to bring the gospel back to this land through which the apostle Paul is said to have traveled.

Lifted by, and lifting high, Jesus

Tom

June 2008

Family and friends -

Below you will find the link to the latest newsletter.  It is such a privilege to be able to serve God, period.  But to be enabled by him and his people to serve here in Albania has been an even greater blessing.  Thank you for your help, and your interest, in what is being done here.

In his arms,

Tom


                                                         http://lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/
 

Check Tom's Blog for the text below with photos.

http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/

Blessings Galore
The month of July saw us blessed with visitors from two of the congregations that are providing support for the work here in Lushnja, as well as a brother and sister from here in Albania. On July 10 we were blessed to have in worship with us Woody & Gwen Byars and Charles Dial from the Farragut church of Christ in Knoxville, TN. Woody is an elder in this congregation, and has been to Albania several times, working in summer teaching campaigns. This was the first trip for both Gwen and Charles. After our worship together, and a meal, it was my privilege to take them back to Tirana, where they were engaged in the teaching campaign, and get to worship with the church in Tirana on Sunday evening. I regret that I did not get a picture of them to share with you.

On July 22 a group came from Fier, the city to the south of us, where Steve & Ruth Byrne labor in the kingdom. Steve and Ruth are sponsored by the Slicer Street church in Kennett, MO, and we in Lushnja are receiving support this year, also, through this mission-minded church. In the group that came from Fier, in addition to Steve and Ruth, were the following: Tim Byrne, son of Steve and Ruth, who lives in the Denver area; Kurtis Shaner, a friend of Tim’s, whose father I have known for many years in the Northwest U.S.; Elton Tanasi, a young member of the Fier congregation, who is a medical student in Tirana; Shawn Sando, deacon of missions with the Slicer Street church, whom I had met in Little Rock, AR on my latest trip to the States; Spencer Furby, preacher for Slicer Street; and Britt & Beverly Burcham. Britt is serving as an elder with Slicer Street. Several of our members (Alma Kajdo, Maks Balla, Olti Mezini) came to the office and were able to meet this group of Christians from the States, as well as renew their acquaintance with Steve and Ruth.

Photo on Blog

Front row, l to r: Britt, Tim, Spencer, Olti, Elton
Back row, l to r: Steve, Kurtis, Shawn, Maks, Alma, Beverly, Tom

On July 25 we were blessed with a visit from Danah Nelson. If you have been reading this newsletter for very long, you have seen mention of Danah before. Danah is from Sacramento, CA and has been to Albania many times working in summer teaching campaigns in Tirana, Orikum, Lushnja and, this year, in Korça. Danah is one who has a great heart for God and for the lost. While here in Albania this summer she put a short visit to Lushnja in her schedule, which was a blessing to us. We informed members of the church, as well as those who knew her only through the WEI course, and had a short open house in her honor. You can see from the picture below that she is well-loved, evident through the number that turned out to visit with her. Danah is the lady reaching across the front row to take the arm of Mikael, Alma Kajdo's son.

What an encouraging blessing to have such fellowship, and to be able to introduce first-generation Christians here in Albania to brothers and sisters who have made, and are making, sacrifices so people here can come to know Jesus. I’m so glad I’m part of the family of God!

Seeing Visions And Dreaming Dreams
Please forgive me for borrowing these words out of context from the writings of Joel and Luke. When the Holy Spirit was manifested in miraculous ways on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, Peter connected what was happening with Joel’s prophecy in Joel 2; “…your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” All of this was happening to turn the hearts of the people to God, and Peter used the occasion to preach Jesus, after which 3,000 were baptized.

There are “young men” in the church of Albania who are seeing visions as to how we can more effectively reach people here with the gospel. Though a relative newcomer, as one of the “old men”, I am dreaming dreams of what might be done to better glorify our Lord. Albania has been passed by and walked over in so many ways in the past. Tradition says that the apostle Paul passed through this area as he traveled proclaiming Jesus. In Romans 15:19 Paul states, “So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.” Illyria is the ancient name of Albania, so it is likely that Christianity was present very early here. However, it was pretty much snuffed out by five hundred-plus years of servitude to the Islamic Ottoman Turkish Empire, followed by oppression from many other power-and-land-hungry nations, and most recently, the fifty-year reign of the most oppressive of the communist regimes.

In the May edition of this newsletter I talked about this idea of Christian camping. I mentioned the powerful influence of Christian camp programs, with which I was privileged to work for many years in the Northwest U.S., on the lives of young people. I have seen the same dynamic at work in camps that have been conducted here. The visions and dreams of many Christians here in Albania are to see an ongoing program that can provide an avenue of interest and hope for the inhabitants of this land. Recently I went to try to find a young lady who was baptized here, and served as my translator for some time, but whom we haven’t seen but a couple of times in the church over the past couple of years. She has been away at university, but not attending the church where she is going to school. When I asked her parents about her I was informed that she was at a Christian camp near the Adriatic Sea, operated by some other religious group. It would be much more desirable, in my opinion, if we could be providing this kind of opportunity for the people, young and old, of Albania.

I know this is a large undertaking, one which cannot be fulfilled with the resources available among Christians here in Albania, and one which comes at a time when economies all over the world are hurting. It also is an undertaking that will continue to need influx of finances from outside Albania for operating expenses. If you have an interest in, or share in, this dream, please let me know. I take this step and make this suggestion with great trepidation, since I know the great effort needed to sustain such an effort. Together, let’s petition the Father that he give clear guidance as to his will. In May I asked for feedback on this matter and received none, except an encouraging heads-up about a camp being run in Lithuania, where young people of all ages feel blessed to be able to participate in such a program. In a report I read about that camp one young boy was quoted as saying that he would now go the rest of the year without any connection with God. That may have been an uneducated statement, but it certainly reflects that boy’s perception of the role of God in his normal daily life.

Our Graduates
This year we have two graduates from university, and two who have finished their high school careers. Julinada Meço graduated with a diploma in English studies, focused on translation and interpretation, from the university in Tirana. She is currently seeking employment.

Juli (pronounced Yuli), whose picture appears to the left, wrote the following: “I graduated this year with the help of the Almighty. If somebody would ask me ‘When is the most peaceful moment in your life?’ I would say ‘ After a long talk (prayer) with my Father God.’ If somebody would ask me ‘Who loves you more,? I would answer ‘My Father God’. I’m not good at words but all I know in this life is that I’d be lost without my Father. Make him part of your life and be sure you all will be happy and safer. Love you so much.”

Erges Toshkëzi, pictured below, also attended university in Tirana, focused on mechanical engineering. He, too, is seeking employment in his field. Good jobs, even when one is in possession of a university education, are very hard to come by here.

Graduating from high school (called gjimnaz [jeemnahz] here) are Adriana Murrizi and Oltion Mezini (below, below right). Both Ana and Olti hope to attend university, but that remains to be seen. Both openings in the system and financial resources are limited, so not all get into the higher education process. We will let you know more later about their situations.

At any rate, congratulations are extended to all four of these young people.

Off To The U.S.A.
As most of you know, a good part of my work is helping people learn the Bible through helping them improve their English. The upside of that situation is that often hearts are opened to the love of God. The downside is that some of those who become Christians leave us and go away to study, particularly to the U.S. Last year two of our students, one of whom was a Christian, went to the U.S. on a student exchange program. That Christian young lady was Bojkena Selmanaj. I told Bojkena before she went that she had to find someone to replace her bubbly spirit and love for God in the church here.

Our latest convert here is Inva Begolli (below) who fills the bill for my instructions to Bojkena. However, this year Inva is also going to be an exchange student for her senior year of high school, along with three others who have studied with us here. They will be in four different locations across the U.S. As I said, this is the downside of our efforts, as a part of our hearts go with those who have become part of God’s family. I have been successful in arranging Christian contacts for Inva, and she is already in communication with them. Please pray for her in this new, and somewhat scary, chapter of her life. Also please pray that God will continue to be with Bojkena, who finished high school in Washington State and was accepted into a higher learning institution in the New York City area, where she is now living with her two sisters.

Thank you for your continued prayers for and interest in the work God is doing here.

Lifted by, and lifting high, Jesus

Tom

Brothers and sisters -

Below is the pasted-in link to the latest Lushnja Newsletter. I hope you enjoy reading it, and rejoice with me in what God is doing here. In addition, there is an attachment which has to do with the efforts that are underway to establish a Christian camping program here. Please read it, and if you can help in any way please respond as indicated in the attachment.

May God enable you to make it a good day for yourself and others.

Praise to his name,

Tom

http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/

Link to Christian Camping Support

October-November 2008

First Addition To The “Family” By Biological Birth

I mentioned Alma Kajdo in the last newsletter. Alma has been serving as my translator, as well as working with me in the teaching program, bringing students’ English level up to a standard where I could work with them. Several months ago Alma shared with us that she was pregnant, that it was a girl, and that the baby was due to be born in October. I lobbied hard for naming the baby “Tomasina” if she was born on October 14, my birthday. Alma began praying immediately that the delivery date would not be the 14th. Amelja (Ah-mel-yah) was born on October 28th, and is greatly loved by everyone in her family; Alma, Gramoz, Glenida and Mikael. Alma has been with us in worship recently but, according to local tradition, Amelja has made no public appearances as of yet.

photo

Amelja Kajdo

Kajdo Famiy
Mikael, Amelja, Alma, Gramoz, Glenida

Comings And Goings
Most of my focus is in Lushnja, but I do occasionally make excursions out of the local area. There is a loosely-knit organization in Albania which provides many services to those working with evangelical Christian ministries of various kinds. The services include assistance in being aware of the Albanian law, with its ever-changing face, as well as securing the necessary documents to be 100% in harmony with the law. I was asked to attend a conference in Struga, Macedonia, near the end of October, as a representative for World English Institute. Struga is about a 3-hour drive from Lushnja, so it was not a major travel outing.

As part of the conference we had the opportunity to travel to the city of Ohrid, which contains some very old archeological remains, including a gate of which parts date back to the 2nd century B.C. The excavation and preservation of remains in Macedonia seems to be a jump ahead of the efforts in Albania, and many fascinating sights greet the traveler there.

photo

Ancient amphitheater in Ohrid

photo


2nd Century B.C. gate


photo

Excavated baptistery with mosaic floor

In November I was blessed to be able to travel to Germany to attend the Euro-American Family Retreat, an event I have attended a number of times in the past. This is an event which draws attendees churches of Christ from many countries in Europe, as well as from the U.S. and Guatemala. It is held in various places around Germany, the last several times being presented in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Originally it was called The A.M.E.N. Retreat (American Military Evangelizing Nations), but as the presence of U.S. troops in Europe declined and European Christians became more prevalent, the name was changed.

This event is always a blessing of both input of spiritual food and association, as well as a little “down time”. Last year three members of the Lushnja church were able to attend with me, but it is a difficult thing for Albanians to secure the necessary documents, as well as being quite expensive for them. So this year I was the lone representative from Lushnja.

There continues to be an every-other month gathering of church leaders and workers from around Albania, which is an important bridge for relationship building. To this point in time we have never been able to get representation from every congregation, but we are getting closer. In November we met at the central congregation in Tirana.

An Opportunity To Serve
Some of you who are somewhat familiar with the Lord’s church in Albania may be puzzled by my reference to “the central congregation” in Tirana. Another congregation has begun in the capital city led by Alfred Dimçi and Kristofor Findiku, and they are having some success in reaching out in the neighborhood around the main hospital in Tirana. A black cloud has come into the picture, however, as the wife of Kristofor, Antoneta, has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She, in her own right, has been a very productive part of the kingdom work, as she has worked with the I.B.I.A. (Sunset’s Albanian satellite school) since its inception. She was able to go to an American hospital in Turkey for treatment. Turkey does not require a visa for Albanian citizens, so there is less red tape than in going to other European countries for treatment. This was, nonetheless, quite an expensive undertaking ($25,000 minimum), $10,000 of which has been secured as of this writing. If you would care to participate in this need you can send your donation to: c/o Bob Seat, Mission Chairman, Adams Boulevard church of Christ, Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74006.

Antoneta has returned from Turkey, and it is hoped she will be able to receive the follow-up treatments here in Albania, rather than having to go out of the country. Part of that depends on the availability of the necessary medicines.


Albania Christian Camp
Last newsletter I mentioned the efforts to revive the very worthwhile project of providing a program and facilities for a camp that would have at its center Christian teachings and values. Everywhere in the world Christians have found this kind of endeavor to be a valuable, upbuilding tool in kingdom-work. Through the generosity of brothers and sisters around the world approximately $4000 has been received or committed toward this project. Some of that ($1500) came from FaithQuest, which is a twenty-year old ministry to the teens of the NW United States, co-sponsored by the Metro church of Christ in Gresham, OR and the Vancouver church of Christ in Vancouver, WA. Each year a contribution is taken among the teens and staff at this event, often by as many as 500 people, with missions as its designated purpose. The appeal letter was shared with the leaders of this ministry and the amount mentioned above was forwarded to us for Albanian Christian Camp. Praise God!! It is hoped that arrangements can progress to the point that camping sessions can be held in the summer of 2009.


View Of The Future, Near And Long-Term
It has been my practice to have a campaign every other year here in Lushnja, using the World English Institute materials. Some have a campaign every year, but it has not seemed the wise thing for that to be the practice here in Lushnja. The primary reason for this has been that there is no way I can adequately follow up on the new students generated through such a campaign. Alma Kajdo does partner with me in this work, but her focus is in bringing new students to an English proficiency level that enables me to proceed with the lessons that include teaching the word of God. In my experience in the States, as well as here, I have seen so many cases of people expressing interest, but not being considered for the teaching process until much later, and by that time having become disillusioned. We have never had to advertise for students publicly since my arrival here over six years ago. We have more than we can follow up on by just word-of-mouth advertising of our current students, and we have a waiting list that is growing every month. Three who have come from the U.S. to work with us in the past have expressed an interest in coming again this summer, and one of those plans to bring along a fourth individual.

Normally I travel to the States every one and one-half years. It appears that I will not be able to follow that schedule, as the time for that visit would fall next summer, as well. If plans continue for the summer camp, my presence will likely be required here to help facilitate that, as I have had much experience in directing camps. One of my brothers and my remaining sister will both celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversaries in June, which I will probably miss, much to my regret. My last visit to the States was at Christmas last year, and it appears that it will be Christmas next year before I am able to make that trip again.

As to long-term involvement, I do not see it as wise for me to leave Albania anytime in the foreseeable future. The problem is having leadership in place to carry on the work. In the church here in Lushnja there is one mature man. However, some of his circumstances indicate that he will not be able to be a stable presence and active leader, at least from what I am able to ascertain, and at least for a period of time. One of the young men who has been baptized here, as reported in other postings, has graduated from the satellite school for Sunset International Bible Institute, and is now working for the school in the city of Durrës. Another of our young men is hoping to be able to attend the same school beginning with the new class in 2010. Many of those young men who might develop into leaders for the church here leave for university and/or work, and that scenario will not likely change soon. I have made a commitment to the church here that I will not make the decision about what person (or when) will be the one to work on a more permanent basis with the church. That is a church decision. Resentment can run deep if someone is given a position of "authority" when others do not have the respect for that person.

To sum up, in the short-term it will probably be another year before I can return to visit my family and my friends and my supporters. In the long-term, I believe God put me here and until I am shown otherwise, I believe I must remain faithful to what he called me to.


Thanksgiving
Once again I must offer my thanksgiving and appreciation to all of you who have sacrificed to make it possible for me to be used by God in the work here. I have been blessed at least as much as I have been able to bring blessings into the lives of people here, especially in helping them to know the saving love of our Savior. Please continue to partner with me, as I explore new and better ways to reach out to this largely Muslim culture. The partnership I seek is first that of your prayers, and then of your financial support.

Another cause for thanksgiving is the continued, largely uninterrupted, supply of electricity. The nationalized power company is in the process of being sold to a company from the Czech Republic. Perhaps that fact (to present a "good face") has kept the power flowing. Perhaps the new owners will be more adept at sustained provision of this needed utility, or perhaps they will do so only at greatly increased cost. Who knows? In the meantime, it is nice to be able to light and heat effectively.


Lifted by, and lifting high, Jesus,

Tom

http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/ (photos are on Tom's blog)

Link to Christian Camping Support

January 2009

http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/ (photos are on Tom's blog)

May 2009

Brothers and sisters -

Below is the link to the latest, somewhat delayed, newsletter. I pray that you will continue to lift us up before the Father, asking for His guidance and strength for what we are doing here. Thanks to so many of you for "coming alongside" in the this work.

Your brother

Tom

http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/

September 2009

Tom's report is on his blog.

http://www.lushnjanewsletter.blogspot.com/

To Top