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Graham was a Baptist Pastor in the UK before going to Albania in 2000 with BMS World Mission. Click here for the latest news from Graham. Information on Graham In 2001 Graham moved from Tirana, the capital where he began language studies, to Vlorė 3 hours by road to the South. BMS medical workers had been in Vlorė from 1994 until 1997 when the troubles forced them out but no church had been established. Graham now pastors a young fellowship which meets week by week in Vlorė and he is also Team Leader for the 13 BMS World Mission workers in Albania. There is high unemployment in the town which is Albanian's second (but small) port. It relies mostly upon limited internal tourism and the money sent back by Albanians living and working out of country. It has a University where 3500 students study Business and Tourism, Languages (English & Italian), Engineering, Marine Navigation, Teaching and Nursing. The students come from many towns and villages in Albania but mostly from the South where traditions are held to more strongly. There is a Campus Crusade team working in the University and four of the team of six have linked themselves with our fellowship so we have strong links with the students and are blessed to be able to work together with the Team. Vlonjats (citizens of Vlorė) have a reputation for being independent and hard, as is often the case with seafaring folk (historically, now). Relationships are very important in this culture and it is essential to invest time in winning people's trust and all the more so in Vlorė. Once a friendship is established there is a deep bond of loyalty given and received. However, those brought up under the atheistic communist system and especially the men seem hardened against the gospel although they are usually respectful. There is national pride in the fact that Muslims and Christians (Orthodox and Roman Catholic) and atheists co-exist harmoniously but very few who claim to be Muslim or Christian have any understanding of 'their' faith and most have no active involvement. Pluralism reigns! It is the young who are most open to the gospel and respond but in such a traditional and pluralistic society this usually results in active opposition from parents or grandparents. Many of our female students who are believers have this problem and may be forbidden to attend meetings. There is a core group of about 20 Albanians present every Sunday (although not the same core group of six months ago) but we can have 35 Albanians attending. For the future growth of the church and its mission in and around Vlorė we need to focus our prayers and efforts upon establishing and discipling a core group of Vlonjat believers who will commit themselves to regular attendance and to using their spiritual gifts in the church. Picture Gallery
January 2005 Dear Family and Friends, There is not a great deal of news this month but I need to cultivate the habit of writing regularly! We had a good Christmas although there was disappointment on Christmas eve when we opened the polythene bag containing our thawed turkey. It stank! Hastily we managed to buy four small frozen chickens which are imported from Hungary. We had a great Christmas dinner, without salmonella! On Christmas morning we had a service. Graham McBain led and preached in Albanian and did very well. The service was well-attended. Graham and Mairi have started packing and this week are making their second home-hunting trip to Tirana. The tradition of visiting over a period of New Year celebration is one that we make the most of and is important in developing and nurturing relationships, especially with the non-believing families of some of our members. The Tsunami in the Indian Ocean was frequently part of the conversation and this gave us an opportunity to speak of life, death and eternity. Our university students have returned to face examinations over the course of the next month. The Campus Crusade team are in Hungary for their Europe conference. This month we will begin Baptismal classes with Aurora and we will invite others who want to know more about what it means to follow our Lord. Her father, Vasili, continues to attend whenever he can but today we learned that is planning an arranged marriage for her, for two years time, to a man who is not a believer. Please pray for this situation, for Vasili to know the Lord and to stop these plans (which will be extremely difficult, culturally, to change later) and for Aurora especially. Ylli - the younger - is facing extreme family pressures just now. Please pray that he will know God's will, trust Him and obey. I heard, yesterday, that the motor accident rate in Albania is 3.5 times that of the rest of Central and Eastern Europe. Please continue to pray for safety in travel. Murder, often, tragically, within families, remains high in this country. Last week a 20 year-old university girl murdered her best friend with whom she had spent New Year, out of jealousy over a boy whom they both loved. How desperately needy this land and its people are! We are in the mercifully relatively short period when it is colder indoors than out. Power cuts are prolonged and mobile gas fires which burn dirty gas are not pleasant to live with so we need to patiently endure! I plan to take a week's holiday this month. That is all this month! Of course, I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a blessed 2005. Zoti ju bekoftė, Graham |
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