In 2008, Enris and Sylvia Nase were commended to the Lord's work in Albania from N. Ireland. They currently focus on Bible teaching, discipleship and literature work (including translation and printing) in Albania. Sylvia is a medical doctor who also supports the ABC Christian Family Healthcare Center in Albania's capital, Tirana.
The past six months seem to have flown by, yet we are once again indebted to the Lord for his faithfulness, guidance, and blessing as new opportunities were given to reach others with the Gospel. The week before Christmas, we rented a venue for special Gospel meetings on the student campus in Tirana with a portion of the Bible Exhibition on display. Each day, we distributed invitations along with other Christian leaflets on campus, and in the evenings, we had meetings. Although the attendance was low, we were encouraged to have a few unsaved students attending each evening who engaged in prolonged and interesting Q&A sessions. One young interested lady started to attend regularly on Sundays and just a few weeks ago phoned to say she had been wondrously saved!
Our usual special Christmas and Easter outreaches were again well attended by friends, family, and other contacts. The husband of one of our sisters agreed to come along this year, which was a delight, while the gentleman who professed faith in Christ last year requested baptism.
On the 1st of June, we had an outing with the children of our Sunday school. This year, a few new children have joined, including one with special needs. Despite the perceived challenges she is extremely enthusiastic in attending, resulting in her parents having to cancel any other Sunday afternoon activity they plan or that crops up to accompany her. During the lesson, they mingle with other believers downstairs over coffee. This creates a wonderful opportunity to build bridges and share the Gospel with them, too.
We continue to distribute tracts regularly on the streets of Tirana. Passersby often stop to ask who we are and about the content of our materials. Unfortunately, due to various cults, there is a lot of confusion regarding eternal matters, compounded by general apathy and a lack of time to ponder important life issues. However, we rest assured that His Word will not return void. Meanwhile, we regularly meet with a few earnest seekers to discuss the main questions in life.
Visits with the small assembly in Librazhd continue on as many Sunday evenings as possible. At the end of December, we had the joy of baptizing a young teenager who had professed salvation. A good number of unsaved were present, including his strongly atheist grandfather.
Publishing We are currently working on translating and proofreading "The Legacy of the Three Heroes." It deals with the life journeys of Wycliffe, Huss, and Tyndale, focusing on their efforts to make the Bible available in the language of their people. Their determination to make the Scriptures accessible was exemplary, and their high price reminds us of the cost involved in reaching others with the Gospel. "The New Birth," by our dear brother Peter Hedley, is with the printers. It emphasizes the necessity of being born again and its evidence in a person's life. At times, this work is so labor intensive that we question its validity, but just as soon as the thought comes, we receive feedback from a believer who has been encouraged in their spiritual walk with the Lord or from an unbeliever being blessed in salvation. The Lord is gracious.
Web materials and other teaching Two new believers joined the online program in January, bringing the total to 14. It is thrilling to share the Scriptures with them, observe their eagerness to learn, and watch as they apply the transforming truths they find in the Bible. I am kept reasonably busy preparing new lessons for the future by translating materials or writing new articles about various Bible books or topics. I don’t think those in the English-speaking world fully appreciate the vast wealth of Bible literature that is so readily available to them!
ABC Christian Clinic
Sylvia continues to be actively involved with the clinic and met with a visiting medical team from the UK at Easter. They connected with local Christian medics, helping to encourage them as they share Christ through health-care despite the many setbacks and broken systems. On several occasions, it has been my privilege to lecture on the reliability of the Gospel manuscripts at the informal weekly Christian medical student case discussions. As many non-Christian peers attend, they take the opportunity to witness by including a Bible subject. Presenting the Gospel to young students is always a joy; they often challenge us with their questions.
Children’s Home
There are currently 15 children at the home. The last 3 to join by court order came from a domestic violence situation. Please pray for them as they settle and interact with the other children, as they find it challenging to obey the house rules! One of the boys who was set to join his adoptive family at the end of 2023 could not settle, so he decided to return home to Gjirokaster. Please pray for him, as it has been a challenging and stressful phase. While we consider family the best solution for children, adoption during the adolescent years has proven extremely difficult. For this reason, I am visiting the home more frequently to spend time with the older boys, who lack a father figure and need guidance.
Written by Enris & Sylvia Nase enris.nase@gmail.com
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