ALBANIA
Pray for Albania
(Updated 2-15-2010)
- An unofficial report shows that today more than 75% of
Albanians in Albania don’t practice any Religion and
identify themselves as Atheists or Agnostics. This goes
for the Muslims in the country also and is why they
drink alcohol and eat pork. At one time (around 1960)
the Marxist government declared Albania the only
completely atheist country in the world. Many decades
BEFORE communism, Northern Albanian poet Pashko
Vasa remarked: “Churches and mosques you shall not
heed / The religion of Albanians is Albanism”
We launch our prayers from the above statements:
1) Lord we know You always have a remnant that
call upon Your name. We have reports of many being
persecuted over the years in Albania for wanting to live
their faith. Lord, we ask You to remember their prayers
and we ask You to create a blessing for Albania. Give
us Kingdom of God creative prayers to pray over
Albania.
2) Thank You Lord, for bringing down communism
in the land. Although freedom of religion has come for
Albania, the evangelicals, like in most of the Balkans
are considered to be a sect or just a western religion.
Lord we ask You, do what it takes to open the hearts of
the people to the Gospel.
3) Lord we pray for the present churches in the
land. Give them shepherds that seek You and love the
sheep like You love Your bride. Pastors and Priest, that
are open to the needs of the people.
4) Lord we pray You send teachers into Albania
and raise up teachers in the churches. The Christians
need to know the blessings of living the Christian life.
5) The report is that the Muslims in Albania are not
devout to their religion. That means they should be
easier to reach. Let us pray for evangelism to go out to
the Muslims in Albania. Open a door Lord that no one
can shut.
If you are uncomfortable praying the following I truly
understand.
In my research of Albania this week I ran across a very
lengthy article, “Christian Saints of Albania” by Dr.
Robert Elsie. (www.elsie.de and the article, http://www.
scribd.com/doc/87003/Christian-Saints-of-Albania )He is
considered an expert on Albania. In this article he
relates historical information of the churches built, the
saints they are dedicated to, and the festivals,
celebrations and rituals on those saint’s days over the
last 2,000 years. Of course the Apostle Paul mentions in
Romans 15:19 about preaching in Illyricum (modern
day Albania). Dr. Elsie says that when the first
Ecumenical Council was called together in Nicaea,
there were bishops from the west Balkan coast present.
After about the 5th century the Roman Catholic and
Orthodox Churches took hold of the area, they mingled
Christian teachings and pagan rituals to win loyalty to
the church system. I’m sure most of these saints were
godly people but they were, usually after their death,
rendered as having special intercessory powers in the
afterlife. I believe the celebrations, rituals and alleged
special powers attributed to these saints actually set in
motion demonic curses that have kept the people bound
for all these years. I feel led to pray against these
bondages.
1. It is as if the enemy just took on a different face.
Let us pray this verse over Albania, Let us rebuke the
enemy and declare the Lord’s victory. “Therefore submit
to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7 (Supporting verses; Titus 1:13-14, 2:11-15)
2. Let us pray for intercessors that will pray as
Daniel prayed for freedom to come to the Jewish
captives in Babylon. Let us pray for God to send out
spiritual generals like Joshua that will tread the land
to take the land for the Lord. Pray for those that God
can trust with such authority. Lord raise them up for
the relief of the Albanian people. May they crash the
gates of the enemy with prayer and acts of
righteousness.
3. Lord, we ask You to have mercy on Albania. May
the Albanians repent of (known and unknown) sins of
giving allegiance to mere men and women and their
acts of piety. Lord, it is only You that gives the ability to
heal and do good works.
4. May the Albanian Christians be freed from all
these curses and be given an open heaven to stand in
God’s total freedom.
For they did not gain possession of the land by their
own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of
Your countenance,
Because You favored them. Psalm 44:3
Where is Albania?
It is bordered by Greece to the
south-east, Montenegro to the
north, Kosovo[3] to the northeast,
and Macedonia to the east. It has
a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the
west, and on the Ionian Sea to the
southwest. It is less than 72 km (45
miles) from Italy, across the Strait
of Otranto which links the Adriatic
Sea to the Ionian Sea.
Government, Economy
Albania is a parliamentary
democracy and a transition
economy. The Albanian capital,
Tirana, is home to approximately
895,000 of the country's 3.6 million
people, and it is also the financial
capital of the country.[8]
Free-market reforms have opened
the country to foreign investment,
especially in the development of
energy and transportation
infrastructure.
See also,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albania
It is bordered by Greece to the
south-east, Montenegro to the
north, Kosovo[3] to the northeast,
and Macedonia to the east. It has
a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the
west, and on the Ionian Sea to the
southwest. It is less than 72 km (45
miles) from Italy, across the Strait
of Otranto which links the Adriatic
Sea to the Ionian Sea.
Government, Economy
Albania is a parliamentary
democracy and a transition
economy. The Albanian capital,
Tirana, is home to approximately
895,000 of the country's 3.6 million
people, and it is also the financial
capital of the country.[8]
Free-market reforms have opened
the country to foreign investment,
especially in the development of
energy and transportation
infrastructure.
See also,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albania
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Report from Operation Mobilization
Country Profile: Albania / Shqip
English/Shqip
Contact: info@al.om.org This e-mail address is being protected
from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or www.
al.om.org
Albania is a small, mountainous nation in the Balkan Peninsula
and home to four million people. There are an additional three
million Albanians living outside the country in neighboring lands.
Since the fall of communism and the end of state-declared
atheism in 1989, OM has been instrumental in developing new
evangelical fellowships throughout Albania and raising up
national pastors to lead the churches. OM Albania has started
four churches and those Albanian-led churches have established
two additional fellowships. Yet, it is still quite a pioneering
situation and there are very few believers especially in rural
areas. Political instability and ethnic tensions are a challenge in
these nations and yet this also brings openness to the gospel.
The country is still considered to be ethnically Muslim as Islam is
the predominant religion.
In 1997, during the Albanian anarchy, and also in 1999 during the
Kosovo war, people became much more desperate and therefore
willing to open their hearts for God. Although the economic
situation has improved, many people continue to live in real
poverty. OM Albania’s ministry is holistic, serving people not only
by providing their spiritual needs, but also assisting the poor and
needy in their physical needs and using these opportunities to
introduce people to the love of God. Opportunities for friendship
evangelism abound in this very relational society.
Seeing this need to provide practical services to Albanians, OM
is involved in teaching sewing courses to women; working with
the Emmanuel Clinic, a medical facility in Durres; running summer
camps for children, and also reaching out to street children both
in Durres and through the Emmanuel Centre in Lushnje. OM has
also worked to improve the infrastructure in remote locations -
for example, developing and building water collection points in
isolated villages that wouldn’t have fresh water otherwise.
OM Albania trains national Christians through its Action Team
training programme, which combines intensive biblical and
practical training with hands-on work experience, working with
national churches.
The OM teams from Lushnje and Durres often travel to remote
locations where they encourage and support small churches
which are under national leadership.
Shqip
Shqipëria është një vend malor në gadishullin ballkanik në të
cilin banojnë rreth katër milion banorë. Ndodhen edhe tre milion
shqiptarë të tjerë të cilët banojnë jashtë shtetit, në vendet fqinjë.
Që me rënien e komunizmit dhe të shtetit të vet-shpallur atesit në
1990, OM ka luajtur rol në mbjelljen e kishave ungjillore në mbarë
Shqipërinë duke ngritur pastorë vendas për të drejtuar kishat.
OM Shqipëri ka mbjellë katër kisha dhe këto kisha të drejtuara
nga shqiptarë kanë ngritur edhe dy bashkësi të tjera. Por, përsëri
është një situatë pioniere(ka nevojë për nismë) dhe ka shumë
pak besimtarë,vecanërisht në zonat rurale. Mosqëndrueshmëria
politike dhe tensionet etnike janë sfidë në këtë vend, por
gjithsesi kjo bën që të jenë të hapur ndaj ungjillit. Vendi
konsiderohet të jetë etnikisht musliman ndërsa islamizmi është
feja mbizotëruese.
Në 1997, gjatë kohës së anarkisë në Shqipëri dhe gjithashtu në
1999 gjatë luftës në Kosovë, njerëzit ishin të dëshpëruar dhe si
rrjedhojë, me dëshirë për të hapur zemrat e tyre ndaj Zotit.
Megjithëse situata ekonomike është përmirësuar, shumë njerëz
vazhdojnë të jetojnë në varfëri. Shërbesa e OM Shqipëri është t’
ushërbejë njerëzve jo vetëm duke u siguruar atyre nevojat
shpirtërore, por duke i ndihmuar të varfërit dhe njerëzit në
nevojë dhe duke përdorur këto mundësi për t’u treguar njerëzve
dashurinë e Zotit. Mundësitë për ungjillizim përmes miqësisë
janë shumë të mundshme në këtë shoqëri ku mardhëniet kanë
shumë rëndësi.
Duke parë këtë nevojë për t’u siguruar shërbime praktike
shqiptarëve, OM është e përfshirë në kurse rrobaqepsie për
gratë; puna me klinikën Emanuel, një qendër mjeksore në Durrës;
organizimi i kampeve verore për fëmijë dhe gjithashtu arritja e
fëmijëve të rrugës si në Durrës ashtu edhe përmes qendrës
Emanuel në Lushnjë. OM ka punuar gjithashtu për të përmirësuar
infrastrukturën në zonat e largëta për shembull, zhvillimi dhe
ndërtimi i pikave të grumbullimit të ujit në fshatrat e izoluara, të
cilët përndryshe s’mund të kishin ujë.
OM Shqipëri trajnon të krishterët përmes një programi trajnimi të
quajtur Action Team, i cili kombinon trajnime intensive biblike dhe
praktike me punëtorë me eksperiencë duke punuar me kishat në
vend.
Skuadrat e OM nga Lushnje dhe Durrës udhëtojnë shpesh në
zona të largëta ku inkurajojnë dhe mbështesin kishat e vogla të
cilat janë nën drejtimin e vendasve.
kontaktoni: info@al.om.org This e-mail address is being protected
from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; www.al.
om.org
Country Profile: Albania / Shqip
English/Shqip
Contact: info@al.om.org This e-mail address is being protected
from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or www.
al.om.org
Albania is a small, mountainous nation in the Balkan Peninsula
and home to four million people. There are an additional three
million Albanians living outside the country in neighboring lands.
Since the fall of communism and the end of state-declared
atheism in 1989, OM has been instrumental in developing new
evangelical fellowships throughout Albania and raising up
national pastors to lead the churches. OM Albania has started
four churches and those Albanian-led churches have established
two additional fellowships. Yet, it is still quite a pioneering
situation and there are very few believers especially in rural
areas. Political instability and ethnic tensions are a challenge in
these nations and yet this also brings openness to the gospel.
The country is still considered to be ethnically Muslim as Islam is
the predominant religion.
In 1997, during the Albanian anarchy, and also in 1999 during the
Kosovo war, people became much more desperate and therefore
willing to open their hearts for God. Although the economic
situation has improved, many people continue to live in real
poverty. OM Albania’s ministry is holistic, serving people not only
by providing their spiritual needs, but also assisting the poor and
needy in their physical needs and using these opportunities to
introduce people to the love of God. Opportunities for friendship
evangelism abound in this very relational society.
Seeing this need to provide practical services to Albanians, OM
is involved in teaching sewing courses to women; working with
the Emmanuel Clinic, a medical facility in Durres; running summer
camps for children, and also reaching out to street children both
in Durres and through the Emmanuel Centre in Lushnje. OM has
also worked to improve the infrastructure in remote locations -
for example, developing and building water collection points in
isolated villages that wouldn’t have fresh water otherwise.
OM Albania trains national Christians through its Action Team
training programme, which combines intensive biblical and
practical training with hands-on work experience, working with
national churches.
The OM teams from Lushnje and Durres often travel to remote
locations where they encourage and support small churches
which are under national leadership.
Shqip
Shqipëria është një vend malor në gadishullin ballkanik në të
cilin banojnë rreth katër milion banorë. Ndodhen edhe tre milion
shqiptarë të tjerë të cilët banojnë jashtë shtetit, në vendet fqinjë.
Që me rënien e komunizmit dhe të shtetit të vet-shpallur atesit në
1990, OM ka luajtur rol në mbjelljen e kishave ungjillore në mbarë
Shqipërinë duke ngritur pastorë vendas për të drejtuar kishat.
OM Shqipëri ka mbjellë katër kisha dhe këto kisha të drejtuara
nga shqiptarë kanë ngritur edhe dy bashkësi të tjera. Por, përsëri
është një situatë pioniere(ka nevojë për nismë) dhe ka shumë
pak besimtarë,vecanërisht në zonat rurale. Mosqëndrueshmëria
politike dhe tensionet etnike janë sfidë në këtë vend, por
gjithsesi kjo bën që të jenë të hapur ndaj ungjillit. Vendi
konsiderohet të jetë etnikisht musliman ndërsa islamizmi është
feja mbizotëruese.
Në 1997, gjatë kohës së anarkisë në Shqipëri dhe gjithashtu në
1999 gjatë luftës në Kosovë, njerëzit ishin të dëshpëruar dhe si
rrjedhojë, me dëshirë për të hapur zemrat e tyre ndaj Zotit.
Megjithëse situata ekonomike është përmirësuar, shumë njerëz
vazhdojnë të jetojnë në varfëri. Shërbesa e OM Shqipëri është t’
ushërbejë njerëzve jo vetëm duke u siguruar atyre nevojat
shpirtërore, por duke i ndihmuar të varfërit dhe njerëzit në
nevojë dhe duke përdorur këto mundësi për t’u treguar njerëzve
dashurinë e Zotit. Mundësitë për ungjillizim përmes miqësisë
janë shumë të mundshme në këtë shoqëri ku mardhëniet kanë
shumë rëndësi.
Duke parë këtë nevojë për t’u siguruar shërbime praktike
shqiptarëve, OM është e përfshirë në kurse rrobaqepsie për
gratë; puna me klinikën Emanuel, një qendër mjeksore në Durrës;
organizimi i kampeve verore për fëmijë dhe gjithashtu arritja e
fëmijëve të rrugës si në Durrës ashtu edhe përmes qendrës
Emanuel në Lushnjë. OM ka punuar gjithashtu për të përmirësuar
infrastrukturën në zonat e largëta për shembull, zhvillimi dhe
ndërtimi i pikave të grumbullimit të ujit në fshatrat e izoluara, të
cilët përndryshe s’mund të kishin ujë.
OM Shqipëri trajnon të krishterët përmes një programi trajnimi të
quajtur Action Team, i cili kombinon trajnime intensive biblike dhe
praktike me punëtorë me eksperiencë duke punuar me kishat në
vend.
Skuadrat e OM nga Lushnje dhe Durrës udhëtojnë shpesh në
zona të largëta ku inkurajojnë dhe mbështesin kishat e vogla të
cilat janë nën drejtimin e vendasve.
kontaktoni: info@al.om.org This e-mail address is being protected
from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; www.al.
om.org
