"Gregor and his family were recently called from their home in Albania to go to a new city, to start new relationships in the hopes of creating a thriving gospel-believing church in a place with no Christian witness."

This is what different brothers had humbly shared with us a couple of times when they prayed for us:  “We believe the Lord has brought you here to put down roots.”

When our house owner offered to sell the house to us for half the market price and said he can wait and we can pay him the rest over several years, we where reminded of that word. The feeling was hard to describe. We had thought that we would leave this heart-hardened land as soon as we had a church established but it looks like God has other plans and we might be staying here for a long time.

I thought a lot about Abraham. He lived as a stranger in a land that God promised would be his. We know the feeling!

After sleepless nights of prayer and talking to a few brothers we said “yes” by faith. The Lord provided, in a surprising way from a person we would not expect, about 35% of what we need for the first payment. We put in the same (actually all that we had) as a faith statement. Now we think (depending on legal fees and taxes and exchange rates) we might need around 70 - 75 thousand dollars….

The building has the potential to be turned into a ministry center as well as our living quarters with some investment.

Please pray. We have never undertaken such a financial adventure before. It makes us nervous at times and is stretching our faith. We have no idea how the Lord will provide the rest but so far He has really surprised us. Support us in this with your intercession please. 

Buildings in a muslim religious context carry heavy spiritual significance. And I think on top of the practical benefits, the Lord wants us to make a spiritual claim through this! 

Thanks for praying for our family and especially our boys. 

The boys seem to be doing much better this year. We have some good quality family times together. Last evening, for example, we turned off all electronics and talked for hours. Gregor told stories of his childhood in communist Albania. Lot’s of laughter but also questions, and reflection on how much a nation and a person needs God in their life.

Please keep praying for us as a family, that we will be covered and the enemy finds no cracks to infiltrate. Kela and I feel it so much that the main battle against us can come by the enemy attacking our children.