It was a joy to be together with around 35 people from several different towns in the south of Albania for a seminar for those working with people with different abilities.
In Albania those with different abilities are often mocked, judged and neglected. Social workers, psychologists and other health care professionals often fail to diagnose people properly and are passive towards them.
If things are to change, change must begin in the church. That is why the AEP’s (Albanian Encouragement Project) forum for disabilities has organising seminars for pastors and believers who are either involved in this kind of ministry or who would like to. The first was near Durres in March whereas this seminar was for people in the south east of Albania.
We began the day looking at a Biblical theology of disability to see what the Bible really says about disabilities. Then we looked at how to integrate people with different abilities in our churches. We saw how our teams are to work and received some excellent advice about how to begin a ministry with those with different abilities. We also looked at the worldview of people with different abilities so that we might understand them better.
The key takeaway from the day was that the greatest need of people with disabilities is salvation. We might feed them, care for them and help them to integrate into everyday life but without salvation all this is worthless.
One particularly moving moment was when Niko Hamzallari shared his testimony about how he became a Christian having gone blind. His experience in the church in Erseke was so helpful for us to understand not only how to reach people with disabilities but also how to serve with them when they become believers.
There were so many questions and requests for help. Please pray that the working group behind this forum would have wisdom as to what to do next. Pray that a genuine network might be created around the country between those who work in this ministry. Pray too that the website that has been launched to help resource the Albanian church would be useful and be much used.