Make a difference in Albania
The ECM team is currently comprised of workers from Albania, Great Britain and N.Ireland and is working with new churches in four locations. Each year numbers of people from many countries come to assist with a variety of projects and activities such as evangelistic campaigns, camps, building projests, English teaching, Spanish teaching, preaching and bible teaching.
Introducing Albania As a Roman province, Albania has a long history, reflected here in the remains of Appalonia. Park in the city of Lushnje. With its Mediterrnean climate and mountainous backbone, Albania is a land of contrasts. 
ECM involvement in Albania began by broadcasting radio programmes with Trans-World Radio into Albania in 1968, only a year after its dictator, Enver Hoxha, had declared the country to be the world's first atheistic state. These continued for more than 20 years with little indication of the impact they were having.
When the country opened up in 1991, churches were founded around groups of believers who came to faith during the radio years. Named after the programmes they listened to, these fellowships are known as Rruga e Paqes (Way of Peace) Churches.
Rruga e Paqes churches are situated in Tirana, the capital city, and in the towns of Lushnje, Fier and Patos. We are also supporting a church plant in Durres, the main port of Albania. Each of these fellowships are actively involved in outreach to their communities and are in the early stages of planting the next generation of churches in surrounding towns and villages.
Today
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Geography: |
Language: Albanian
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Spiritual Climate
In a wonderful piece of divine irony, the church has grown rapidly since 1991 but this young church (both in terms of its existence and in its membership - many are under 30 years of age) has faced colossal pressures since its birth but God has given it special grace to cope. First, in 1997 there was economic collapse through a financial pyramid scheme that embraced every institution and brought a breakdown of civil order. Then, in 1999, there was an influx of hundreds of thousands of Kosovar refugees. Believers used the refugee crisis as an opportunity to share Christ in very practical ways and this opened the opportunity to expand our church planting base into Kosovo. Now the challenge is against increasing secularization of the country as well as the increasing influence, in some areas, of Islam and cults.
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Religion: (Operation World 2001) Islam 39% Orthodox 24% Non-Religious 20% Catholic 17% Protestant 0.2% |
Bible School |
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National Organization: |
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ECM in Albania |
Overview
Lushnje Pastor 
Tirana
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The Way of Peace church in Tirana is in a densely populated suburb of the city. Until recently it was led by ECM missionaries Andy and Ela Oliver but now has its own Albanian leadership. There is great potential here for reaching people of many walks of life. For a few years now the church has been instrumental in organising Langham Partnership teaching seminars for leaders. There is a continuing progremme of evangelistic outreach by the members and teams who come to help. |
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The works in Fier and nearby Patos are led by former ECM missionaries Will and Doreta Niven. The focus is on training local leadership and regular teaching for living the Christian life. There are many opportunities for outreach and community work in the town. |
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The ministry in Patos was planted by a New Zealand family and is now overseen by former ECM missionaries Will and Doreta Niven. The church has seen many young people come to faith from this small town. However, it faces the constant challenge of unemployment with the result that these same young people leave to find work in the Tirana or overseas. |
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Ministry Opportunities |
Long term
Opportunities exist in each of our locations – the capital Tirana, Lushnje, Fier and Patos. In particular, we are looking for:
o Team Leaders able to motivate a mix of missionaries and local believers in all aspects of church work and outreach. These positions are ideal for couples desiring to work together in an existing church situation.
o Career missionaries able to contribute in bible teaching, discipling and evangelism. There are opportunities for working amongst men, women, young and elderly
o Those able to offer skills in various aspects of community work – business enterprise, disabilities, language teaching, social work
o Someone to work amongst University students in Tirana
Short term
Opportunities are a continuing feature of ministry in
o Each year we have several teams in
o Individuals with particular skills can also be accommodated, normally for periods of 6 months, 1 year or 2 years.
Ministry opportunities continue to be a feature of our work. A number of experienced Pastors have contributed a few weeks at a time to provide teaching and encouraging to existing and future leaders. These have been invaluable to helping the emerging church in
Apprenticeship Scheme - an Apprenticeship scheme lasting 1 or 2 years was recently launched for
Contact
Anyone interested should contact the nearest ECM National Office or ECM International.
Please send your name, interest and country of origin to this email address. Be sure to include Albania in the subject line.
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Prayer |
In recent years the number of missionary candidates has dwindled.
- Pray for perseverance of those continuing with the work often with a heavy workloads.
- Pray for the raising up of new labourers (long and short term) who will meet the challenge of Mission in Albania.
- Pray for the preparation of Albanian nationals to meet the challenge of leadership in the growing church.
- Pray for evangelistic outreach to all age groups and strata of society
- Pray for the challenge of bringing churches to maturity and independence
- Pray for the challenge of missionaries as they battle with everyday life and experiences in Albania
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For many additional prayer points, click on these links: |