Category Archives: Information

Information, Short Updates

How I met Pastor Skender

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By: Pastor Selmani

       In June 2001 there was a three-day conference in Gjakova, and that’s when I met Pastor Skender.
WhatsApp Image 2018-03-03 at 20.12.57 This was the only time I met with him briefly.
Indeed, a long period of time passed and
Skender and I didn’t have
any contact.
However, in 2004, we started having Pastors’ meetings and
it was during that time that I took charge of Besimi Biblik (Biblical Faith) church in Kosovo. It was then, that Skender
and I started having more meaningful and long conversations.
I liked his character and his words would match his actions. He was straightforward and would not talk behind anyone’s back.
So, our friendship started to get stronger. And we started to have more interactions with each other. I and the other leaders of Besimi Biblik (Biblical Faith) started inviting Pastor Skender to preach in our church and in other gatherings we had. From all the
twelve leaders from other churches in the city of Gjakova,
the deepest connection remained with Skender.
Therefore, we started to collaborate together and I sent some youth from my church in his camp in Deqan (a city in Kosovo).
So we continued our collaboration and friendship till the moment God decided to separate us.
Now, the work that I do for the glory of God is that I have four to five services in the villages of Kosovo with Besimi Biblik (Biblical Faith) church. When Roger was alive, he also came with me to visit this church so that he can see the services. And now, these services are part of Mission Kosovo team. It all happened because of me
and Skender wanting to work together for the Kingdom of God.  Now, Roger Primrose was a missionary who founded the work in Gjakova that became Mission Kosovo (Pastor Skender’s
Church Congregation).
Now, what I work extra is preaching every Sunday in Mission Kosovo church, prayer meetings, visiting families and evangelizing in these families.
I’m also helping Valbona and the kids with errands and things they need, especially looking for an apartment that is legal and affordable for them.
I would like to start youth ministry, children ministry, Bible studies but for now, we don’t have a building to gather properly and that’s the barrier. Please keep us in your prayers.

Information, Testimonies

Alida Dahsyla – Finished Education Project

My name is Alida and I am from Kosovo. I was raised in a Muslim family with 5 other members. After the war in 1999, I started going to this ‘church’ for English classes and also Bible studies. I became a Christian in 2005. One of the reasons why I decided to accept Jesus in my life (out of my parents’ will and knowledge) was because every time I was around Christians they would talk about God’s love. They would talk how God loves you. It was something that I had never heard before, how God who has created everything loves me. Why would He love me? Isn’t He busy doing some more important things? These were some of the questions that I had wondered about. But no, I got to understand that God, the Creator of the Universe loves me personally, and is interested in me specifically. That was the main reason why I decided to believe in Jesus, the living proof of God’s love!
After I became a Christian, it wasn’t that easy.  There were many struggles being a Christian in a Muslim family/society. Not being able to share and talk about God was probably one of the hardest. I have 3 other siblings, 1 older brother and a younger brother and a younger sister.  Slowly, my younger siblings came to the Lord too and some things got easier, at least now I was able to talk more freely with my brother.
When I was going in high school, one of my biggest dreams was to go to college in America. I had no idea how that was going to happen, but I kept saying that God has a way. Before college, God led me to YWAM (Youth with a Mission) to do a Discipleship Training School and was able to go to Costa Rica for a 2 month mission trip. This was one of the seasons where God truly changed my life. It was a time where I got to see more of God’s character, to see who He is and what He does.  I used to think that everything was superficial and nobody really cared about anybody else. That everything was for a reason and everyone wants something in return.  Instead I learned that God does things out of His great love.  His full provision for my school was not because I deserved any of it, but because He is for me and loves me.
After finishing DTS, God was leading me to do  the School of Biblical Studies, again with YWAM.  I didn’t want to do it, because college was in my mind and that’s all I wanted to do. It was a battle between me and God. Was I going to listen and obey Him, or was I going to do what I desired?!  This was the time where God was teaching me to let go of my desires and believe that what He has for me is always better. I finally let go of college in my heart and I applied for SBS and was accepted. Looking back, that was one of the smartest decisions I have ever made.  SBS is a 9 month course where we study the Bible intensely and verse by verse, every single book, and learn to apply it today in our lives and society. It was great because it taught me even more about God and His amazing redemption plan, and His mercy and grace and so much more.
My life was changed, my heart and mind were renewed and I was overwhelmed by His goodness.  I keep being overwhelmed every time I think of the great things that the Lord has done for me. Coming from a poor country, I would have never been able to come to America and pay for school. But instead, God has been providing for me ever since I started this crazy, scary and giant journey called Education. Living with God is like living on the edge; it’s scary at times but it’s beautiful because I see God showing up for me and always being faithful.
Even though I had let go of college, God made it happen. Things worked out for me to attend Oral Roberts University. Balkans Partners took responsibility to share awareness of my need for my studies and they took me as their project, they stayed with me all the time for 4 years till I graduated and got married. I am thankful to God for my Church “Mission Kosovo” Church in my birth country Kosovo, and I thank God for Balkans Partners coming alongside our church and people like me and raise me up and train me so I will serve God and have better life. Balkans Partners has many other projects that is working with “Mission Kosovo” Church spreading the gospel and seeing the Lord changing the lives of people. If you are a person who want to contribute and help reach out to Muslims in Balkans, consider clicking by donating below and giving to help out the church, pastor and individuals just like Alida to restore their lives.

 



                      

Information

Argolida Kela – Finished Education Project

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Argolida-Kela-200x300Argolida Kela is one of the students that Balkans Partners have supported in the study with Youth With a Mission. Courses she has completed with YWAM include the Discipleship Training School and the School of Biblical Studies.

Here is what Argolida says about her studies.

As you noticed, my name is Argolida Kela, and what I can say to you is that God Loves You. I have been thinking what to put about me in this page, so I will make it short: I am a student, my heart is to lead people in worship and teach them about God. I love to go to different mission fields and talk to people about the good news of salvation. I want to share with you my testimony and how I met God and came to know the truth, –  Click Here

On May 2017, Argolida Kela finished Moody Bible Insitute with a BA in Communications and Biblical Studies. She got married (yet with the celebration to happen in Kosovo) and lives with her husband in New York.

Prayers are still appreciated as living in a new place is not easy. The need now is to find a good job and a very solid church. Thank you for your support and your prayers.




 

Information

Pastor Skender Hoti

941171_521769541214686_1415717044_n-226x300Was born in 1977 child of a poor mechanic who has worked several different professions to secure the existence of the family and raise the children.

Several years before the war in Kosovo pastor Skender was introduced to the Word of God – Bible from the leader of the Evangelical Church in city of Gjakova. Click here to read his testimony

Pastor Skender Hoti has started to study the Word of God – Bible in short Bible schools, seminaries, conferences, online, from the passion and hunger for God, a passion, and hunger that he has had till his last breath, because He was a passionate student of the Word of God and had passion to share it with others. Four years after the War in Kosovo pastor Skender was invited to take over and lead the “Mission Kosovo Fellowship” then called Emanuel Center Fellowship, a small church in the house  planted by the Albanian Missionary under the leadership and support of several Missionaries from USA.

Pastor Skender lead the church with enthusiasm and passion and had the heart to reach out for Jesus to the community and people all over Kosovo and Balkans and start other new church’s.  He preached time after time also in the other places in Kosovo, in the states surrounding Kosovo and Europe, those places that God called him. His big heart to reach out the youth especially, has made him to lead to Christ a big number of the youth and disciple them, by teaching them to know God and have relationship with Him and know the will and plan of God for their life. Pastor Skender was married and had three beautiful children. The pastor was also one of those regular  and passionate bloggers, where He wrote articles and discussed with believers and unbelievers: Albanians and foreigners wherever they are.   His articles have challenged and also made think about their faith many people around the world.

He liked very much to teach, preach, discuss, debate, around the issues of  life, and also subjects and topics related to the Bible.

He was a strong supporter of the Albanian Ghegg dialect and many times preached and used that during his teaching.

He died on January 8, 2017, due to a fire that started at the house he was staying which was also the place where the believers gathered together. Unfortunately, his loss has caused a lot of pain and the church is experiencing a very difficult time.
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