Albanians considering the Gospel in southern Europe

Robert and Carol Harder* have been missionaries to Albanians in southern Europe for five and a half years. In that time, they have met one believer in Christ. Presently they are meeting with this one believer in Bible study. After a half a decade of praying and sharing and waiting, the Harders are thrilled with this one new life, but they are longing and praying for a greater harvest.

“The people we work with are Muslim, but they’re nominal Muslim,” said Carol. “This is a benefit to us because they are somewhat religious, but aren’t sure what they believe and are willing to consider the Gospel.”

In fact, though the people are slow to convert to Christianity, several villages are open to the Harders coming and sharing what God is doing in their lives and even praying for the people of the village. A village nicknamed “Clean Apple” is a good example.

Last year, they held a medical clinic in Clean Apple and treated 720 people. Every one of those took home the message of the Gospel, either through a tract, a Bible or the JESUS Film. Later, the Imam came to the team and said, “I didn’t get one of those tracts. Why are you giving them to everyone but me? I want one!”

Three weeks later, they held a sports camp in this same village and found that the JESUS Film videos were being passed from home to home and many people were reading their Bibles daily. Robert has been back many times in the past year and the mayor has basically given him the keys to the city. “He says that if we ever want to do anything there they will cancel school, stop working the harvest…whatever it takes. Anything we have to say, they want to hear.” The mayor has even requested that someone from Robert’s team come and live in their village!

Robert and Carol have a problem—no on-the-fied team members. This is Robert and Carol’s greatest need. They are seeking others to help reach these 400,000 Albanians for Christ. Currently, there are only 10 known believers. “It’s just Robert and me—in a country the size of Vermont!” said Carol. “We need people and we need them fast. The window is closing.”

More and more frequently, Al Qaeda has been seen in the area, and radical Muslims are beginning to make their voices heard. In an effort to influence the general populace, they have even begun to pay people to wear the full burka and to push ideas of Islam. The pay is more than the average worker’s monthly salary. Robert and Carol have also had threats made to their family and were forced to move to another town for security reasons.

But Robert and Carol are determined to stay despite the danger and the resistance because the people want to hear and God wants them to hear. Please pray for the Albanians of southern Europe, that they will discover the truth of the Gospel and boldly claim it as their own.

*Names have been changed for security reasons

Posted Nov 14, 2006

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