All windows of this part of the building were broken!

Dear Friends,“And we know that in all things GOD works for good of those who love Him,  who have been called according to His purpose.”   Rom. 8:28

Today it is one week ago since the explosion of the army ammunition depot in the village of Gerdec. The direct distance from there to our centre is 2 miles through the air or 5 by road. We praise the Lord for His care for us!  He knew how to put the right people in the right place at the right time, and vehicles as well!My friends from Holland, Peter and his wife, Annemarie, arrived at about 11.30 a.m. and were picked up by Shqipe and Rakip with our driver “Tuku”.  As they were on their way to the centre, they saw flames behind them in the car mirror, and then the explosions began!

Arriving at the centre, Peter stepped into the other minibus; they assembled everybody and carried them on board of both vehicles.  More explosions followed while they were on their way.

The ceiling of the laundry came down all together, and many other ceilings as well as windows were broken.

We praise the Lord for keeping everybody safe and sound!  Most students were able to find room with some relative and those who have no home (Hermes, Gjergji and Gjovahiri) had to stay in a hotel in Durres. This was offered free of charge.

The following days were spent cleaning up the mess, repairing doors and we do need to order new windows and take care of the ceilings.  While doing so, it would be better to use sandwich boards. They insulate and are more secure than our present ceilings.

All windows of the therapy room and office were smashed.

The sportshall.  Its roof is full of holes and it’s leaking on the floor when it’s raining.

Also in Majlinda and Klodi’s home the roof and ceilings are damaged.

The roof of building nr. 1 above the storage rooms is not the only place that was damaged. The roof of the gymnasium, the roof and ceiling of building nr. 4 (social activity center to be) plus two apartments) need to be renewed also.   Mean while, life goes on. The pupils started to come back after Easter.

Bible study with Majlinda.

The rebuilding of the kitchen, enlarging it and making it more secure!

 

Please, continue to pray for us and help us where you can!

·         The country

  We have a new prime minister as well as now a new president in Albania with a government of young intellectuals who do have the desire to change the country.  This is not easy because of the lack of infrastructure, crime and corruption rate and the mentality they have to cope with. PRAY FOR THIS GOVERNMENT AND PRAY AGAINST CORRUPTION. Since May there has been no rain, and this is now causing great problems in the provision of electricity and of drinking water.  PLEASE, PRAY FOR RAIN!o   The situation between Kosova and Serbia backed up by Russia is also getting more and more tense. Please pray for peace in the Balkan.o   Today the Minister of Foreign Affairs has officially installed Prince Leke as a new staff member of this ministry.  Pray for Prince Leke, he is a young man that I met a few times.  His mother, queen Suzanne was a Christian from Hungary. She went to the Lord about two years ago. Prince Leke stands for noble things and personally I’m really happy that he is now officially involved in the country. The royal family had been banned from Albania since the 2nd World War and came back just a few years ago.

Dear Friends,

It’s a very long time ago since I wrote an English newsletter and there is much to tell, much to pray for as well to thank the Lord for.  You may think this was a strange Bible verse to start a newsletter with, but I have a good reason to do so.  Since 1970 I have been living by faith, trusting the Lord to get me through Bible school and other training, and later to open the Christian bookshop in Sicily.  All of that was a preparation for ever growing projects in Albania later and indeed, also involvement in Africa.   My strength has been to not have anything so that I needed to totally trust and obey the Lord, seeking Him daily for peace of mind and heart, direction, wisdom and all of the resources.  He is faithful and has never failed me or the work that He gave me to lead, but there have been many times of testing, many spiritual battles.  Often there were disagreements between people wanting to see us work according to business principles and myself working by faith.  The two ways crash, it’s the everlasting division between faith and works of the law.   In our centre we need teachers, therapists, cleaners, cooks, administrative staff, nursing aids, maintenance people as well as security personnel.   All we need is about 100 people to give us 100Euro a month; it doesn’t sound difficult and yet….  At this moment we are desperate and need encouragement for our stability.  Please, pray and contact us if the Lord has put something on your heart!