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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.
My name is Argolida Kela and I’m from Kosovo. I grew up in a Muslim family.
We are all 6 members, my parents, my older brother Lirik, me then my sister Artina and my youngest brother Lirim.When I was 8 years old I was exposed to a war that happened in Kosovo (my country) with Serbia. The war was severe and it affected in how I viewed things and how I grew up. When I was 9 years old, one of my friends invited me to go to this “church”, because during that time it was an organization to help kids that had been influenced by the war. I really did like it there. I felt more alive, more joyful. My life and behavior started to change day by day.
When I was 9 I accepted Jesus in my life and since then I walk with the Lord, holding His hands as I face trials and temptations, knowing and realizing that I don’t want to be the wandering sheep anymore, I want to be changed and shaped by His Presence. It was not easy to grow in Jesus, the discipline by the Father was worth it because I wouldn’t be where I am right now if I would have given up. ‘Never quit, never let it go,’ was my stubbornness in Jesus. But the other part was holding onto hope because I knew one day I would be able to face the storms that come in my life by allowing Jesus to be strong in my weaknesses.
My family is not rich enough to pay for my education, but my Heavenly Father, the one who created me, the one who is the head of my family table, is able to provide for my education and everything I need in my life. I did Discipleship Training School (DTS), in YWAM (YouthWithAMission) in Lakeside, Montana in 2010. We were trained how to be missionaries and grow in the Lord. We had 3 months lecture and 2 months we went somewhere to actually practice what we had learned. I felt I was supposed to go to Haiti, which was a completely new experience for me. God’s hand worked miraculously through our team which of 12, including our leaders. After that I did School of Biblical Studies in the same base, YWAM, Lakeside, Montana, where I studied the Bible 9 months really intensely. That completely changed my perspective even how I viewed people. Going back to the provision, God provided every single cent for both training.
Waiting anxiously to go to college in United States after I went back home in 2012 from YWAM, God closed the doors. I was so confused, I didn’t know what to think anymore, but Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps,” was planted in my heart. I trusted that He would do His way. I gave up my own plans and relied on Him even though it was hard. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your hear, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make straight your paths.” During that year I was having a Bible study with the youth in my church that my Pastor Skender Hoti started years ago, even when I was part of it, growing up as a kid. During the year, my two youngest siblings became Christians, Artina who is 17 and my younger brother Lirim who is 16. It has passed a year since they became Christians. There was no greater joy for me to be witness to their conversion. It was worth it to be home for a year. God didn’t stop with that; my two cousins that I live with became Christians, and Jesus is moving in my other family members’ hearts. God opened the doors after praying and praying.
I applied to Moody Bible Institute and was accepted, even though people said it was hard to get accepted. God provided for my tuition and He will continue to provide for the rest of the education. I am a third year studying Communications but in the same time Biblical Studies (it’s a double major). I am so thankful to be part of this community. God never ceases to surprise us and make us taste His Presence and joyfulness through everything in this life. Without Him I wouldn’t have anything I have right now. Suffering, trials, downs and messing up are things that grow us in walking with Him, always being reminded to go before Him with a sincere heart full of repentance so that it can be acceptable before God.
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Argolida 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.
By: Pastor Skender Hoti
It’s not possible” I said to my friend. ”My brother would never go there!”
My friend had just told me that my 12 years-old brother, Enver, was attending an Evangelical Christian Church gathering in one private house. Our family followed a different religion.
I was in my teen years, I decided to stop Enver my younger brother who was 12 years from attending the church, Even I used force and I beated him to make him stop attending. Many people in our city of Gjakova knew me. I was the main troublemaker in my secondary school. I wanted people to respect me, to be afraid of me, and I had friends who supported me on that.
I was working one day helping my father in yard of the house to clean the yard and my father asked me, where my brother is? I responded to my father telling him that I don’t know, and He asked me to go and look for him. I went in neighboorhood and looked for him and couldn’t find him, somehow deep down, I knew He went in that church again and i decided to go there. And that was exactly true what I sensed, i went to the door of that church and waited for him and sometime later my brother comes out of the door.
I grabbed him by the shoulder. “Where have you been?” I asked . “In the church can’t you see that,” he replied. “Why are you going there?” I asked. ”Didn’t I tell you you to stop?” Enver said to me,” Do you want to beat me? Here I am –beat me.” Then He looked me in the eye and said, “I love you Skender, and God loves you.” It was as if the sword had pierced my heart. “What is this?” I thought. “How does He have power to say, “I love you,” when I am beating him? ”I decided to go and see for myself what was happening in that church. I went alone, at evening time when it became dark, so that no one in the streets would see me. I planned to speak with the pastor (leader of the church) so called by the people, and present my arguments against Christianity. Then we would see which one of us knew the truth: He or I. I went to the church, and there was a group of the young people sitting and listening. The pastor was saying that Jesus is the Way, the only way to God. He finished and I was very angry as I went to speak with him. OK, Skender,” he said, “I know you. Come, sit.” I said, “I don’t know you; how do you know my name?” “The whole town knows you,” he said. And we began to talk. I asked many questions, and He gave me clear answers. But he did not convince me of the truth of Christianity. “OK,“ I said, “I will leave. And my brother will not come here anymore. Don’t let him come here. Don’t invite him to come.” He said, “May I please ask you something? May I give you a New Testament?” “Yes,” I said.
Although I did not know what is a New Testament, I thought it’s the book that He teaches from, and this is good chance to tell him with facts that He is wrong. I took it, and at home I began to read it. During the next three weeks, I read it three times. Each evening after school I would come and home and read, read, read. I was reading it to find mistakes, errors and contradictions. I also went back to the church during the three. I did not accept Christ because I wanted to make sure that those people also lived what they believe, and I thought in myself, “If they live it, that would be a very righteous life, and I would like to join them and see how I can become like one of them.” The next meeting after three weeks of continuously going to the meetings, the pastor preached on salvation, and I went forward and accepted Christ as my Savior and Lord. After the meeting, Enver said to me, “You know that I found the truth, now you know the truth. That day after meeting I went home, and my friends came by in the car and called to me. I went to the door, and they said, “Skender! We will have some fun tonight. We have some great girls!” “No,” I said.” Guys, I can’t do it. God doesn’t like what we are doing.” “Have you been in that Christian church?” they asked. “Yes,” I said, “and the Christians have the truth. And now I have the truth.” All my friends left me, and at one point my father threw Enver and me out of the house. It was hard for me at first, but I read in the Bible, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal live.” That encouraged me. I thought, “Yes, I will have a big family one day.” And that has happened. Now I have a big family in Christ. My father has become a Christian, and many of those friends who left me also have accepted Christ.
Three months after my conversion God opened the door for me to go to Bible school. When I finished Bible school, I begin working full time in the church. I would help pastor in the evangelical church, and later I was led by God to go out and do evangelism and to share the love of God and the Word of the Lord with the people alongside “Samaritans Purse International”. It is an organization lead by Franklin Graham; they came alongside to help, and we have reached out to share the gospel with thousands of the people in Kosovo’s towns and villages. As a result there were planted several small churches in different places. When we closed that project, I was asked to take over a small group of people in community in my town called “New Block” Group has grown and church was birthed called Mission Kosovo Church and planted several different other groups and I am right now pastoring Mission Kosovo Church and raising up leaders and looking for oportunities to plant more groups and church’s around my country.
Lord has a plan for my people and my country and I believe that God is going to save many people and change my country. That’s my prayer and I ask you also to join and pray with me.
If you want to join me and pray for my people and my country please click here and contact me