(Ardita on the left)
Last week my team and I flew into Albania to start our time overseas together. We stayed in the capital of Tirana for a few days before heading north to Montenegro for our first month! When I was in Albania last October with my other squad, we found ourselves in a village of about 100 people in the mountains who were unreached with the Gospel. During our time with them, we met and stayed with Ardita and her family, a Muslim family by culture but far from devoted followers of Islam. While there in October, my small team got to build honor and love with those in the town and especially with Ardita. We shared scripture daily with one another, her from the Quran and us from the Bible. We would go back and forth asking hard questions all allowed because of our trust and kindness with one another. We would have long, still mornings praying around her and talking theology and could easily set the heavy conversations down to go pick apples together or go eat grapes from the vines hanging behind their home. Our time with her and her family was special and a month I’ll never forget. When we were leaving their village of Topojan to head to Kosovo, I made her a challenge that I’d read the Quran if she would read the Bible, she kindly accepted. A month later she sent me a message sharing how blessed she was by our time with them. She made it known to me that she had, in a month, read half our bible! That is hunger for truth and Christ himself is the truth all hearts long to know.
Before coming to Montenegro, I got the opportunity to meet up with her for coffee and catch up. When we were sitting and sharing about the last few months, a kind homeless man from Egypt came by our table asking for some spare change. He didn’t speak any English, so I asked Ardita to translate for me. She had told me his situation and she gave him some change as a Sadaqah (Islamic gift to be blessed by Allah). I then asked her if I could pray for him and have her translate, and she willingly allowed me to do so! It was so beautiful and a blessing for her to pray my words in her language over this man to the Lord. Please continue to lift her up in prayer and ask the Father to send her dreams of Jesus in her dreams to beckon her towards salvation in Christ alone!
My team and I are now in a city called Bar, Montenegro. I’ll have another blog coming out later this week with new testimonies and ways to join us in praying alongside our time here. I am rejoicing today that my name is written in heaven! Praise the Lord your God today.
In Christ.
-Drew
Your update brought such a warmth to my soul and tears to know the work you are doing and the love of our sweet Father being on display. I most definitely will pray for Ardita’s dreams to be filled with our Lord and her soul will stir with excitement for Jesus.
Wow! What a testimony!! Praise God for workin in people hearts even unbeknownst to them. Cant wait to here what else God is doing over there!
What an incredible story! I love that you were able to connect again, truly showing the character of the Father to chase down His kids. I’m standing with you in prayer for Ardita and the entire community!!