We landed in Tirana, Albania. Our host Flori came and picked us up. The next morning, on the 4 hour bus ride to Çorovodë, he gave me a word he recieved during prayer that was dead on accurate. I knew this man knew the Lord and I was excited to help him in ministry this month.
On the first day of ministry, we had agreed on heading to the church to clean it, but praying before we left I had a vision or a dream, (it has happened a multiple times to me now). So as we came down the steps of our apartment, and one of my teammates was sharing about prophetic dreams,… I stopped and just went for it. I grabbed the house keys and stood outside the apartment and had someone take my photo. I was taking a step of faith. We did not get far that day, maybe a couple hundred feet away from our place, the divine appointments were more than we could handle. We became interruptible and allowed the Spirit to lead us. Looking back on this day, I see how Gods hands were on us to begin building these relationships from day 1. God had better plans than cleaning a church floor that day.
I could go on and on about that day, about how my team shared the gospel, but let me get back to the “bad boys”… Being tired we decided to go to a restaurant, which was an incredible story in itself and now (weeks later the owners have now converted from Islam to become Christians!) We had been seeing God answer prayers all day, so that night we prayed for cake and then the lady at the restaurant gave us free cake!
On the way home we ran into 3 boys who we met before and they had the rep as the “ bad boys”. They asked if we had any marajuana. As we were talking to them in gibberish and charrades, we prayed for a translator, then one translator came, his name was Nathan, he works at a Hotel and is 17. (Nathan is now are private translator and best friend). Then more men gathered, maybe 10-15 and they were asking why we were there. So we told them about Jesus.
The next day, we were going to grab some food as a team at the restaurant from the night prior, on our way a mob of maybe 15ish kids followed us. A man then stops us and ask who we are and why we are here, so we tell him, ” Jesus Christ” . I am in and out of that conversation as I am trying to balance 15 children and translating to invite them to church that weekend. (The church just opened 4 months ago).
My attention quickly comes back to the man as I hear he clearly has no clue who Jesus Christ is. He points from our mountain to another one in the distance saying “I do not know a Jesus in this town, maybe this man is in that village”. I quickly invite this man to get coffee the next day!
That night, our host comes over and he brings us two dead rabbits he shot to cook for dinner. So as we are in our apartment cooking the rabbits, Flori, our host begins telling us he had been praying for us and he turned to me and translated with google translate, that “ I have been given the keys, keys to open and do something special in peoples lives, that I would unlock so many doors for his ministry”.
The door then rings, and the three “ bad boys” are there and the question my whole team still wonders till today is …” we’re they going to rob us?”. Nonetheless, it was good our host was there and could speak their language. Flori then shared his testimony with them, and one of the boys began to cry.
Flori came back in and told us he has been trying to get to them for a long time, that they are the high school bad boys and if they come to Christ, everyone will know. Flori thanks us for this opportunity he had waited and prayed years for.
The next day, I go to a coffee shop to meet the man who did not know of Jesus. We go to the coffee shop and begin to wait for him, but after 30 minutes he has not come, so we begin translating on google with the Bartender. We end up telling her who we are meeting and she calls her daughter in Germany to talk with us in English. We learn how this man is a really bad man, that we do not need to be around him, He is a “Bad Man”.
We tell the lady we still want to meet him, and she is surprised and runs out of the bar to the man’s house and comes dragging this man into the coffee shop. Mackenzie stays with the Bartender and helps her clean dishes and builds a relationship with her. Gabe and I split and talk with the man for a while. I wanted to share Jesus right away, but I stayed patient and built a relationship for a while, and I only brought up Jesus once when asked. Now I’ve seen this “Bad Man”, on multiple occasions now!
So back to the other bad boys again. I had been talking with them daily, and meeting more of their friends. One night, we had our host over for dinner again and one of my teammates Nick took our Host down to the local park to do gymnastic stuff on the bars. Later, Nick gave us the update… the boys came and began to argue Islam over Christianity, and Nick said he prayed and the Lord led him to start breakdancing.
He began to teach some of the boys the moves, and then one boy said he couldn’t do it anymore, he had a bad wrist. Nick then prayed for the boys hand, and then prayed again, and again until that hand was healed. God showed a sign that day!
The same boy who had been touched by a testimony, Now had the God in the testimony heal his hand!
I have been meeting these boys most nights now. They are my friends!
One night, I took them out to dinner and had my host come and surprise them… My host pulled up a chair and squeezed in-between the boys. I became distant in the conversation, as they spoke in Albanian with my host.
I am a connector here, making connections with everyone and setting people up. My host wanted to meet the Bad Boys, and now I am tight with the Bad Boys!
If the bad boys see me in town, they run up to me and give me a triple hug, about ten seconds each. They really love me and I love them. They take me around town and show me off to all their friends, which is great. Everyone in town knows I am here to tell them of Jesus Christ, may I be a good witness!
Bad Boys, Bad Boys, what you gon’ do, what you gon’ do when Jesus comes for you!!
I wrote this blog about a week ago! It is crazy to think back on then compared to now.
The man who had never heard Jesus has now heard the Good News of Jesus and he wants to believe and follow it!!
This past week we have seen multiple salvations, I’ve met many people who haven’t an idea who Jesus is… WE ARE IN EUROPE! PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA!
This past week, I met a man from Canada who knew nothing about Jesus.
The fields are ripe here, the harvest is plentiful, we just need more workers.
I have about 7 more Blogs to write, which cuts out alot of testimonies, but stay tuned.
Love yall!!! Please pray for us, as I have been experiencing alot of Demonic attacks and I am worn out. This does not discourage us, because we are destroying Satans kingdom. Pray God keeps guiding us and for the people hearts here. I leave Albania in three days… Thanks!
*Names changed for privacy
This is amazing Sam I love reading your blogs God is doing amazing things through you!
Sam, this is so amazing, but I am not surprised because our God is so amazing and he is definitely moving there in Albania! I am so proud of you and your team for your faithfulness and willingness to share the Lord with this community! Praying many more will come to follow Jesus! Love you! Mom
WOW. COME ON JESUS!!! WOW. seriously SO encouraged and blown away by all the ways the Lord is moving!! thank you Jesus!! wowow. thank you Sam for following in obedience to everything Abba has asked of you. praise God for what He’s doing!!
tears came to my eyes reading this.
Sam, it is so, so beautiful what God is allowing you to be a part of. God is real and He is on the move, changing lives and a whole community. You are being so bold and obedient. Thank you for inspiring all of us.