It’s important to me to know we have people praying over this. Prayers for the people of Albania, prayers for projects, prayers for the boys, for me, for safety. All of it. We need all of it drenched in prayer. We also need help making it happen.

Art supplies, studio building needs, pay for teachers when I’m not there, travel and more all need to be paid for. We need regular monthly sponsors so that we can adequately budget the studio. In addition to regular gifts we have put together a list of needs so that we can get the studio ready for others to come and teach. Will you pray and ask if you if you should be a part of this with us? In prayer or in aide, we would love for you to join us.

The Lord branded Albania into our lives in the summer of 2018. You can read more about how that happened, here. Since then, He has continued to place little puzzle pieces of what the future was to hold on the table, until finally, in 2024 tell us to put the puzzle together.

Where is Albania? If Italy were a boot and kicked back, it would hit it with its heel. As a Balkan country its history is rich, but to give you a perspective of modern day you need to know that it was under communistic rule until 1992, only thirty-two years ago. As one could imagine, rebuilding a country is no short-term task, but the Albanian people have done a tremendous job of taking themselves from being under the power of a dictator to establishing lives led by ones own direction.

In 1967 their dictator declared they would be the first atheist state. No religion was to be practiced, regardless of your faith. Any family left practicing their beliefs did so under intense secrecy. History tells stories of how risky it was to life to go against the rules of the country and so most families simply dropped any form of religion. When the change came, families took on the faith of what they knew of their forefathers. The country is predominantly Muslim, although many are not practicing.

In ways, it feels like the people of Albania are our siblings. They can lead their country on their own, they have ways of life that bring peace and joy, but they could use the help of family. We can come around them, love them as Christ does, and build them up. We can share Jesus with them by loving them.

History shows that relationship acts as the strongest motivation. By building these relationships, supporting, and loving the community of Albania as Christ would, we can serve. Through showing that acts of love and help are not given in anticipation of return, we demonstrate the unconditional love of God. In friendship and community we can work together, play together, eat together, and live out life together to see needs needing to be met and by responding. We can support leaders in the community to guide them in what biblical authority looks like and how they can best serve in their homes. We can display what it looks like to live in freedom of condemnation. We can teach in relevant ways the examples given to us in the Word of God. We can meet them where they are.

The Lord has provided an amazing location directly across from the church for the studio. Art projects for creative learning, a computer lab with little library for adult programs such as business planning and career shaping are the hopes to fill it with. An open door to walk in and work on little bits at a time. A place of community. In the same way friends meet for coffee, it as a place to meet, talk, and live life together. Discipleship through actions of learning and playing.