A very special day!
Dear friends,
We rejoice in the appointment of Bledi as elder in the Patos church. This is the very first elder that we have had either in the Fier or Patos church. The churches have existed for over 30 years but at long last we see this answer to prayer as the first Albanian elder has been set apart for this work.
Bledi came to the Patos church as a 9 year old boy and soon turned to the Lord for salvation. He was active from the beginning of his Christian life in the church. His first job was to change the acetates with songs on them on our overhead projector on a Sunday! He later went to Tirana university where he was greatly helped by the teaching and training that he received from Andy Oliver who was missionary there at the time.
He returned to Patos after his studies and began work as a bookkeeper. He was involved in leading meetings and preaching and we called him to be church apprentice for two years. Then he served as church evangelist with real faithfulness for a number of years.
The church in Patos has long respected and regarded Bledi as a shepherd among them and voted unanimously in December to recognise his gifts and ministry. It was a joy to gather together with the Fier church and to be able to lay hands on him as elder.
We would ask for your prayers for Bledi that he would be faithful in his ministry and that he would continue to grow in grace and wisdom. Pray that he might be effective as a worker and that God might use his ministry to build up the believers and to reach those who do not know him.
Pray for his wife, Bela, as she supports him and serves in the church in various ways. Pray for Naomi and Emanuel, their children, that they would grow to love and serve God. Pray for the Patos church that they would support and work with Bledi. Pray for more elders in the future both in Patos and in Fier. To God be the glory!