Shqipe's Story

It was late at night as Shqipe finally turned away from saying goodbye to the three OM workers. Standing at the road's edge near her home, tears had filled her eyes - it was the last time she was to see any of them. Her tears were matched by those of the three women who were also saying goodbye to their dear friend. It would be hard to continue on with their lives and work without her presence gracing it each day.

Shqipe is a very special fourteen year old girl. She came into the lives of the OM team a few years back, and since then has touched every single person on the team. She attended the children's meeting, and later the girl's meeting when she became old enough. It was through that she was able to begin taking piano lessons with one of the OM team members. She quickly picked up the skill that even the music instructor in her local school didn't have; playing a musical instrument. As the relationship grew, so did the OM team's involvement in her life. One day they were able to do a house visit, to meet her family.

 What was revealed by this came as a shock to everyone. This sweet girl, who never seemed to complain or be cross, lived in a one room, plastic shack behind the school that her mother cleaned each day. The family had come to Kosovo from Albania seven years earlier, in hopes of making a better life for themselves. What they found was poverty, sorrow, and difficulty. After the longest and most painful years of their lives (according to her mother), the family was moving back to their hometown in Albania. Even in the midst of changing schools in the middle of the year, having to leave piano lessons and the girls’ meeting, and telling all her friends goodbye, Shqipe never stopped smiling or having a positive attitude. The OM staff was probably more negative about the situation than her and her sweet family were!

 While Shqipe and her family are not believers, they have all been exposed to the Gospel on numerous occasions. The OM team in Kosovo have arranged for the local church in their Albanian hometown to minister to the family in the future. God is at work in this precious girl's heart! Please join with the OM Kosovo team in prayer for Shqipe, her parents, and her younger sister (who also came to our center and had piano lessons). Who knows what miraculous things our big and amazing God is going to do there!

OM’s role in the Church is to mobilise people to share the knowledge of Jesus and His love with every generation in every nation. OM pioneers and leads initiatives to redeem lives, rebuild communities and restore hope in over 110 countries.