Photo Essay: Albania

Roma Women's Study

It is God’s great desire to see people come to know Him and churches planted amongst the Roma gypsie population of our city, Albania and the world. 

Macedonia

Village of Janche

Beaches

The crystal clear water of the Ioannina Sea run along the southern coastline of Albania. These waters both separate Albania from other Mediterranean countries and draw people each year to their shores.

Kruja Market

Albania boasts many handy crafts such as pottery, hand made rugs and jewelry.

Old Man Dominoes

One of the most reliable encounters that you will find all throughout Albania is that of the old men playing a game of dominos which they started the day before

Green Spaces

Albanian culture values time spent together out side, late afternoon is the time to leave your home and join the neighborhood on the benches scattered throughout the city.

Flowers and Traffic

Albania is often the intersection of the old and new worlds. The streets are full of congestion and the street corners are full of widows selling flowers.

Roma Village

Stormy skies and stormy futures for the Roma community living in deplorable conditions.

Shkoze Kids

The smile and joy of a child has the ability to transform even the most broken and needy communities. 

Fresh Food

Most food is purchased from these “farmer’s stands”.

Kids' Christmas

These children in a small village of Albania wait eagerly for the Christmas program to begin.

Berat Castle

There are so many amazingly old cities and castles that can be visited throughout Albania.

Kids' Park

Families eagerly celebrate Children’s Day at the opening of a new park. Albanian culture places a high value children.

Roma Family

The Roma Gypsie population is one of the most marginalized people groups in the world. There are many families like this one who do not yet know the love of Christ.

Sunset

The people like the landscapes are beautiful and welcoming.

(On a mobile device? Turn device sideways to see picture title and description)

9 Obstacles to Faith in the Former Communist Countries of Europe

Many Pioneers serve in nations that are currently communist or have been communist within recent history.  Current communist nations include China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea.  Previous communist nations in Europe include Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Soviet Union. 

What happens to a people group that has endured communism?  What barriers does communism create for Gospel receptivity?  The list below was compiled with input from Pioneers located around the globe, serving in nations that are currently or formerly communist.  

1. Communism creates a culture of secrecy.  Christians who survive communism are forced to hide their faith or be punished for it.  When communism falls, the believers have already developed a habit of hiding their faith and an unwillingness to share it—making evangelism very rare. 
    
2. Relatedly, under communism Christians often become desensitized to compromise.  Many are forced to sign certifications that they do not practice religion or to register in some way that promises they do not have a faith.  These seemingly small compromises add up and lead to a worn down desire and drive to be obedient to the Lord. 
    
3. Communism triumphs the material world, science, and intellect.  The spiritual world is completely rejected.  In order to be a true communist, one must be an atheist.  Any faith in anything other than science or what is seen, is viewed as weak. 
    
4. People who live or have lived under communism find the concept of grace very hard to digest.  Communism teaches that you get what you deserve.  The compassion of Jesus is totally foreign.  Grace is too good to be true. 
    
5. On the opposite side of the same coin, communism produces people who work to earn favor.  Work and productivity are highly valued.  People cannot imagine not working for their rewards on earth and in heaven. 
    
6. In communist cultures leaders are not kind or trustworthy.  Examples of leaders who lead sacrificially are not existent.  Therefore, people cannot imagine a good God who is trustworthy.  
    
7. Under communism the collective good of the people is considered far more worthwhile than the independence of individuals.  People do not think for themselves.  The culture does not value or promote freedom, unalienable rights, or personal responsibility.  Citizens are required to play their part in society and individual joy and ideas are squelched. 
    
8. People under communism are very afraid of the repercussions they will face if they believe. Following Christ often means the loss of a job, community, family, and the possibility of imprisonment.  Even in countries where communism no longer reigns, people are very afraid of doing anything outside the norms of their culture.  People are mocked or shunned if they make choices that are different from everyone else’s. 
    
9. Missionaries often find life in communist or post-communist cultures very difficult and oppressive.  Many are unable to stay due to government restrictions or personal trials related to their dark surroundings.  The high burnout rate of missionaries leads to a discounting of the message they have brought.  Additionally, many are taught that Christianity is a western religion that seeks to undermine the communist government. 

Pray for people groups around the globe who currently suffer under communism or have been raised under communism and have not yet shed its oppression.  Pray that the God of Grace would move hearts to believe and follow Him.  That His grace would be found sufficient for them (2 Corinthians 12:9) and that He would be exalted among the nations and in all the earth (Psalm 46:10). 

Witness (Video)

In the United Kingdom, a revival among Iranians and other Muslim background peoples is growing every day.  In the video below, a Pioneers missionary and pastor tells the story of when the local Imam came to him asking him to stop telling people about Jesus because many Muslims are becoming Christians. 

Photo Essay: Brno, Czech Republic

Life in the Czech Republic is saturated with history, nationalism, culture, intellectualism and the quest for health and happiness.

This is a place that is experiencing new influences yet still recovering after a generation of communism. This beautiful country littered with castles has decayed from the neglect of socialism both physically and spiritually.

Now, the Czech Republic is an interesting juxtaposition of modernity and history.  Not only in architecture or the arts, but also in the realm of ideas. 

There is a tension between the perceived past and the rapidly moving future.  Ideas about the authority of the bible and the personhood of Jesus are more easily dismissed.  Yet spirituality – a sense of darkness and light, an acknowledgment of a deeper life, and trying to make sense of Europe’s socio-political state are still at the fore.

Communally speaking, suspicion and fear simmer beneath the surface, yet once certain barriers are crossed, you have friends for life. 

The initial reluctance is understandable given the country’s harrowing history and journey toward a defined identity as a people. Thus this place is an interesting maze of opportunities to enter relationships and Czech life with the hope of Christ, heaven’s glory.

Hospitality is not a new thing in terms of ministry, meals happen regardless of how many people are in the home. But for those of us who live here, it has poignant significance for the way we are humbled to enter into people’s lives. In light of a culture whose windows and doors are often shut, it is a means of loving on, and learning to love, the Czech people.

Monthly we have the opportunity to facilitate a community dedicated to exploring what life is like as a Christian in the Czech Republic.  We provide a home, food, a place to hear the truth from God’s word, and time and space to wrestle through the gospel’s implications in every day life. It is a community in it’s formative stage but there are seeds being sewn in good soil.

Perhaps this is the closest thing to a vision for church planting we have seen. Since this context demands trustworthy relationships at the foundational level, small gatherings in homes across the region would be the ideal way to really see dynamic growth in this city and country

Indeed the most important detail is that it is something that can be reproduced by Czechs for Czechs under the headship of an established Czech church. A pastor’s passion to see this city reached is infectious as others begin to understand the beauty of Jesus and the gospel of grace.

We have been prepped about the long road ahead but know too that God is sovereign and faithful. We are excited to see what God does with the gifts He has given us, and the people around us, in order to further His kingdom in the Czech Republic.

(On a mobile device? Turn device sideways to see picture title and description)

Pray: Refugee Ministry Training

Did you know that 80% of missionaries who work with refugees experience burnout within the first year? Pray for 25 missionaries this week as they receive training in ministering to people with severe trauma, understanding Islam, church-planting within a refugee camp context and learn how to thrive, not just survive, in ministry among people on the move. 

A Vision for Italy (Video)

A Pioneers team in northern Italy, in partnership with Act 29 Europe,  has a vision to see gospel communities spread across the nation of 60 million people. Watch this video to learn about the vision and to fuel your prayers for this team. 

The Bus - A Missionary Perspective

By: Amber Smith, Pioneers Poland

I was still waking up as the bus rolled to a stop. I stepped in and stood by the doors. Grandmothers in heavy fur coats with shopping bags in hand prepared for the morning sales. Men and women in business attire hurried to another day of work. Students, cell phones and school bags in hand, stood and somehow remained upright as the bus lurched toward the university.

During the mundane morning commute to language school, I glanced at advertisements for anything from the police academy to belly dancing classes. It was hard not to watch my fellow passengers, however, and wonder, ”Who are you? Where are you going? Is there life beyond your daily tasks?”

Then the thought struck me, simple, but devastating to my otherwise peaceful morning: “Am I the only one on this bus who knows Jesus?”

As I got off the bus at the university stop, I wondered what filled the minds and lives of the students as they hurried to class. Were they as depressed as I that the days were growing shorter?

For the next five hours I sat in class with two other missionaries and a small assortment of fellow international students: two hours of grammar, one hour of conversation, one hour of reading, one hour of writing. By the end of the day my head was swimming. In the murky darkness I walked back to the bus stop where students whose names I did not know milled about.

The dim lights of the bus reflected the spiritual oppression I felt. The much-quoted line from “The Sixth Sense” came to mind: “I see dead people.” Everywhere I looked, I saw the faces of the spiritual walking-dead. “God,” my heart cried out, “how will we possibly reach all of these people? They need to know Your truth! There are too few of us here to tell them. Help, please!”

As I walked down the hill toward home, I passed the large brick church that always reminded me of Minas Morgul, a tower from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. In front was a banner reading “Come, Mary, and save us, lead us to your Son.” In a world of muddled theology, where people cut and paste together beliefs to suit their lifestyles, how will we break through?

I thought of my Polish friends by name, and of the names of my teammates’ friends. People God had put in our lives for a purpose. “Thank you Lord that we can influence at least these few,” I prayed. “Please continue to work in and through us and help us to discover how we will serve you best. Thank you for the opportunity to serve, for my teammates, and your Word that sustains us. May we encourage one another as we run this race together. Please send more workers to Poland!”

After the Quake: Six Ways to Pray for Italy

Today marks one week since a 6.2 magnitude quake struck a string of mountain towns in Italy, killing at least 290 people.  The powerful quake inflicted excruciating pain on those left behind—many people lost every member of their family or several of their dear friends. 

As the international media moves on may we be found interceding on behalf of Italians for weeks and months to come.  Below are seven points for focused prayer, based on the input of missionaries working in Italy right now.

1.  The province of Rieti, where the quake struck, is one of the least-reached areas of Italy.  In the whole province of 160,000 people, there are no more than six of Evangelical churches.  The lack of gospel witness in Rieti is a great tragedy.  Pioneers International has only three missionary families serving in Italy—none in the quake affected areas.  Pray that God would send workers to Italy for His name sake. 

2.  This past weekend over 40 Christian aid agencies within Italy gathered to strategize relief efforts for the quake victims.  Typically, both missionaries and Italian Christians report conflict within and between churches and amongst agencies.  It appears that this disunity was overcome on August 29 when all of the agencies signed a declaration, committing their prayers and unified efforts to help earthquake victims.  Praise God for this unity and pray that it would continue.

3.  Small church bodies near the epicenter have been earnestly pursuing ways that they can help.  One local pastor said, “We quickly gathered in prayer and we wondered how we could make ourselves useful.  Our community is tiny and consists of people who work for themselves and cannot take leave. However, as a church, we would like to be present, to show our solidarity and be put to work.”  The church commissioned a 17 year old member to go and work alongside the Civil Defence Civitella d’Agliano in the relief work.  Praise God for the faithful Italian churches who are giving their best efforts to their suffering fellow countrymen.

4.  Only 1.28% of Italy is Evangelical Christian.  Over half the population of Italy lives in towns with less than 50,000 people.  Most of these towns do not have a single Evangelical church.  Additional populations within Italy which are virtually unreached with the Gospel include: college students (230,000 in Rome and 180,000 in Milan without a substantial campus witness), the upperclass, and migrant communities and refugees.  Pray for the Light to shine in the darkness in Italy. 

5.  Comments from Italians affected by the quake reveal a belief in the divine or supernatural.   Additionally, statistics show that there are 150,000 practicing fortune-tellers in the country (three times the number of priests).  Pray for the spiritually hungry in Italy to have their eyes opened and for believers to be ready to share their only Hope.

6.  And, in moving forward in Italy, we must consider the past.  While in the past the Roman Catholic Church vehemently opposed any Protestant work in the country, there has been a recent shift toward ecumenicalism and focus on shared words such as Jesus, faith, and grace.  However, indigenous believers report that Protestants and Roman Catholics pour vastly different meanings into these words.  One missionary says, “Underneath the kinder, gentler veneer of the RCC, the dogma of meritorious works is still essential teaching... it is not gospel, it is works righteousness.”  Pray that Italy would embrace Grace and Truth. 

Two Tragedies In Italy

As news comes through, it appears evident that the earthquake that struck a remote, yet beautiful area of central Italy, is a devastating one. By the hour there are more reports of missing and of deceased. Old people and young children. Seven years ago the nearby city of L’Aquila, 60 kms away, was hit by a similar earthquake. As then, so now, we face the tragedy of lives lost and the anguish of devastated families and communities.

One of my first thoughts early this morning, however, was how this present tragedy points to another tragedy. Recently I have been researching the presence of Evangelical churches throughout Italy. The province of Rieti, where the earthquake happened, is one of the least reached areas of Italy. Rieti province has an overall population of 160,000 people; 50,000 people live in the city of Rieti (60kms distant from the earthquake area), the rest of the province’s population live in small towns and villages. In the whole of the province of Rieti there are no more than half a dozen Evangelical churches (of any denomination) and they are almost all in the city of Rieti. A simple conclusion: the area affected by the earthquake has, as far as we can tell, no witness to the gospel! That is a great tragedy.

As we think about that, three important elements emerge:

1. vast areas of Italy still have no local, evangelical witness
2. the challenge of reaching not only the cities, but the small towns and villages as well, is great; research indicates that over half of the Italian population lives in locations with less than 50,000 inhabitants, 35% with less than 15,000 inhabitants and 15% with less than 5000
3. and as the evangelical church, we are thus unable to love and serve these communities practically and spiritually if we are not present

How can we be present? The church needs to discover God’s passion for his mission.

Please pray for Christians throughout the country: that they might be present in this time of tragedy to bring comfort and to present the gospel of hope, with compassion and empathy, in the midst of darkness and desperation. We want to reach into the destroyed communities with hope and light so that a radically different narrative can be proclaimed about what is happening, with the gospel at the centre, redefining everything.

---

JD Gilmore, born into a missionary family, grew up in Italy and was touched by grace as a teenager. Passionate for the spread of the gospel in Italy, with his wife Annette, they have been involved in church planting (and growing), most recently in Budrio (Bologna). He now coordinates Impatto (Acts 29 in Italy).

Hiding Place - Josh Garrels Video (Refugees)

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." - Ephesians 5:2

Life in a Refugee Camp in Greece

This American Life goes to Greece this week to document what they find in the refugee camps. They find refugees falling in love, refugee kids mad at their parents, and refugees living in a gas station and an Olympic baseball field–all trying to move forward while standing still.

Listen to the show and check out the interactive tour for an inside look at a current world crisis and opportunity for the gospel.

Interested in joining Pioneers' work with refugees in Greece?  Go here to check out the current opportunities. 

7 Things to Know and Pray for Nice, France

We are waking up this morning to the realization that yesterday’s terrorist attack in Nice, France was not a nightmare.  It was very real.  Here are seven things provided by Pioneers International missionaries in France to keep in mind as you ponder and pray for those affected by the attack in Nice: 

1.  Most people around the world think of Nice as a glamorous beach vacation destination, home to mansions, yachts, and movie stars.  But Nice is also home to a significant Muslim population (France has the largest percentage of Muslims as compared to their total population in the EU). Nice is the second largest French city on the Mediterranean, after Marseilles, which is the most Muslim French city with a 20% Muslim population.  The Joshua Project says that Nice is a “formerly or falsely reached” city.  

2.  This attack follows the Charlie Hedbo newspaper attack (killing 12) in January 2015 and the attacks on the Bataclan Theatre and Stade de France (killing 130) in November 2015.  The people of France are grieving deeply and again. 

3.  Pioneers International missionaries in France report that people are increasingly afraid and have little faith in politicians to protect them from such heinous, random, and unpredictable acts of barbary.  These events trigger strong feelings of fatalism and despair, a feeling that the world is spinning out of control, leading the secular French to often turn to astrology and sorcery for guidance.  Without a deep faith in the Lord people are filled with fear.  

4.  Pioneers International has a team in Nice ministering to the Muslim population.  Situations like this—terrorist attacks done in the name of Islam—cause many moderate Muslims to question their faith in a supposed religion of peace.  Ask the Lord to provoke Muslims across France to seek God and question their faith.  

5.  There are small churches in Nice who will be assisting those who are grieving.  Ask the Lord to allow these small congregations to be a source of His love and that many would see the compassion of local believers.  Ask the Lord for open doors for the Gospel. 

6.  Pray that the authors of this attack and the mosque associated with the attacker’s radicalization would be soon identified and respective imams and mosque leaders deported, as that is increasingly how France deals with terrorists.

7.  Pioneers International has 12 other teams in France working in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Bayonne, Lourdes, Lilles, and Nantes.  They minister among other Muslim populations and also agnostics and cultural Catholics.  Operation World reports that France has an Evangelical population of less than 1%.  Pray that they would be able to minister to an increasingly fearful France and that France would turn to the Lord and be filled with a peace that surpasses understanding.

Video: From Albania to Greece

From Albania to Greece from Pioneers-USA on Vimeo.

After living in Albania for several years, Andrew and Alecia moved to Greece to make disciples among Albanians who have immigrated there. They recently partnered with local believers to plant an Albanian-speaking fellowship at the foot of Mars Hill in Athens, just steps from where Paul preached the gospel 2,000 years ago.

While It Is Day

BY PIONEERS' ARAB WORLD MEDIA AND PIONEERS USA March 17, 2016

It’s everywhere. News of violence and terrorism.  Talk of how to insulate ourselves from the refugee crisis. But we hear little of how God is working in the Arab world.

Pioneers’ Arab World Media is making a difference in the lives of Muslims. Through media—video, social media, chat rooms, articles—they share Jesus and His offer of hope and love. And God is using it to bring a fundamental shift in the lives of Arab people.

See what some of these Arab world Muslims and new Christians have written in the last few months…

How can I make a fresh start in my life and begin again? 

Thank you so very much for your care and encouragement. Now I don’t feel lonely. I have a very special family after my conversion to follow Christ. I’m not alone when I go through difficult times as a new believer in Christ. Jesus gives me peace, joy and security that I have never experienced before. Thank you again. 

I think I am totally blessed. It is the first time I have found answers to my prayers. I am isolated and living in a corrupt place. Now I have found on [your website] rich articles, answers to my questions and someone to care for me and guide me. Now I can say I can be a really good Christian because of [your website]. 

I saw the Lord Jesus Christ in a dream three months ago. He said to me: “Trust that I am He.” I asked him: “Are you Jesus?” He answered, “Yes.” 

I used to be a Muslim, but I have become a Christian. Life is very difficult for me with my family who are still Muslims. They don’t know about my faith. I can’t read the Bible in front of them or go to church. 

I’m attracted by the Christian religion. Back home I wouldn’t have the freedom to talk about this. Our society doesn’t allow it. I had a dream about Jesus. I need your help. 

I feel as if I’m a new person. Yesterday, and then again today, I remembered you in my prayers. I told my husband about you and said that you had opened my heart to see the love of Jesus for me. I feel a great sense of peace. 

I would like to become a Christian, but I would be killed if I changed my Islamic religion—although I never chose it in the first place. What should I do? Please help me or guide me to someone who can. 

The word “love” that I read in the Gospel made me think about becoming a Christian. I want to know more about God’s love, as I’m a new believer. Could you please tell me what you know about that? I am hungry to know more. 

I feel like a young child who is full of joy, jumping up and down all the time, after my salvation, I don’t know what to do! 

Would you consider giving to our While It is Day campaign? Read more here or even download the full proposal here.

Global Glimpse: Everyday Life - France

In this Missionary Perspective, we hear from a husband and wife who have been serving in France for a decade. They seek to build relationships through everyday activities and then find opportunities to share the good news about Jesus.

In this global glimpse, we hear from a husband and wife who have been serving in France for a decade. They seek to build relationships through everyday activities and then find opportunities to share the good news about Jesus.

How Millions of Migrants are Entering Europe

The immigrant crisis Europe is currently facing is providing a tremendous opportunity for God's people to show the love of Christ and to share the gospel with immigrants from unreached people groups from Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. 

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:18-19)

Are you interested in helping to show God's love to the masses of immigrants coming from these closed countries? 

Contact Us to Get Involved

Refugee Crisis

AMANDA LYNN September 16, 2015

One refugee explained to a reporter* that the sea is the only country without visa requirements. Many have risked dangerous travel by boat across the sea to find refuge in Europe, and some of those risks have ended in tragedy. Many others actually arrive and find that border restrictions are increasing.

And tensions continue to rise in Europe as refugees search for asylum and a fresh start. One particular hotspot of activity is the Hungarian-Serbian border, where the influx of refugees has already doubled from last year’s totals. The eyes of the world have been focused on Budapest in the last two weeks as Syrians, Afghanis and other victims of war have been detained from trains and kept from crossing the border by a new razor wire wall. Some asylum seekers protest their detention by refusing to eat and drink until they are able to cross.

Though the situation is dire, God is mobilizing Pioneers on the ground in nearby areas to join forces with local Christians and humanitarian aid organizations to bring relief and a message of hope.

One of Pioneers’ core values is innovation and flexibility—something in high demand during this crisis—allowing many of our field workers to shift gears to provide medical attention, set up warm water washing stations, distribute kits with essentials for hygiene, share coats or blankets for the increasingly cool weather, give food and water and pray for them in the name of Jesus when the refugees are willing. Many refugees just need someone to hear their story. Pioneers listen and look for opportunities to share the story of how a life in Jesus can bring hope.

Would you consider making a gift to our Pioneers on the ground in Hungary to help them provide for the needs of the refugees they meet every day? If so click here. You may also want to contribute to a wider effort to help victims of war around the world. If so, take a moment to check out our Victims of War project. 

*NPR Morning Edition report on September 15, 2015.