Though it was obvious that God had been working in our midst, suddenly we found ourselves engulfed in darkness, as though a heavy cloud was obscuring the light. Although we thought we had become accustomed to mission life, now it seemed as though the many difficulties were piling up to overwhelm us. Clinging to our belief in Jesus’ promise to be with us, we chose faith over feeling and pleaded with God to help us to see beyond the discouragement that was sapping our strength. It was obvious that the enemy of souls was tempting us to give up at a critical moment. But, somehow, knowing that didn’t make it easier. We had to keep putting one foot in front of the other in faith, though we couldn’t see what was before us.

I remember the first signs of a break in the clouds. That morning, I was bundled under two heavy blankets, watching Sean’s visible breath in our cold bedroom as he read aloud for our devotional time. We were out of wood for the woodstove, and the electric power had been out in our area since the night before. Outages are commonplace in Albania, but when added to everything else, it threatened to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. The temptation to give in to self pity was strong.

However, something Sean read stood out to me that morning. It was as though Jesus was speaking directly to my heart, reminding me to lay down my burdens and rest my soul in Him. The Word spoke to Sean’s heart as well, and he, too, felt encouraged to trust God to provide. That evening, we got some news that caused us to rejoice, confirming the ray of sunlight in His message to us that morning.

The next day, God sent more sunshine our way. Dani, a new member with a Muslim background, told Sean about a conversation he’d had with a nominal Muslim friend, Hasan, about his Adventist faith. Hasan had asked Dani about Sean’s work, wondering why an American had chosen to live in Albania. Dani answered plainly, “Sean is a pastor.”

“I see,” replied Hasan. “But what is a pastor?”

“Well, Sean is an Adventist faith worker,” explained Dani.

“I see,” said Hasan. “But what is an Adventist?” Dani tried to explain, but when he finished Hasan was still not sure if an Adventist was a kind of Muslim or an eastern Orthodox Christian or a Catholic. These were his only frames of reference. “Are you an Adventist, too?” Hasan asked Dani.

“Yes, I’m an Adventist.”

Knowing Dani’s father had been an imam, Hasan decided an Adventist must be a kind of Muslim. Most people here think one’s faith is decided by birth. “So do you Adventists drink alcohol like the Bektashi Muslims?” he asked.

“No, we don’t drink alcohol.”

“Oh, so you go by the Quran,” reasoned Hasan.

Dani thought a moment about how to help his friend understand. “The Bible is older than the Quran. The Quran was the first book the Arabic-speaking people had that told them about the faith of their father, Abraham. Their line came through Ishmael and did not keep Abraham’s faith but instead returned to idolatry with many gods. The Quran told them about many of the people and stories of the Bible, including Jesus who was born of a virgin and will return in the last day. The Quran told them to worship the Creator instead of idols, just as Abraham did. It also directed them to go to the people of the Bible for more understanding. Mohammed had great respect for the Bible, but he couldn’t read it for himself. If the Bible had been written in their language, perhaps the Arabic peoples could have learned directly from it instead of the Quran. Today, the Bible is translated into Arabic and Albanian, so there is no reason we can’t read it for ourselves and learn from the Holy book that the Quran speaks of. We Adventists follow the Bible. Many of the people who claim to follow the teaching of the Bible only follow part of it or add teaching not supported in the Bible. That is part of the reason most Muslims think the Bible has been corrupted. Many who call themselves Christians bow down to images and worship dead people and other things contrary to God’s commandments in the Bible. The problem is not with the Bible but with the people who don’t read and follow the book they say is God’s Holy Word. Adventists believe and follow all of God’s teachings from the Bible. That’s why I’m a Seventh-day Adventist.”

Hasan paused for a few moments to let it all sink in. “Where is your mosque or church?” he asked.

Dani smiled. “The church is the people who are believers, but we will have a church building soon.”

Hasan asked sheepishly, “Do you think Sean would allow me to visit this church when it is ready?”

“Yes, Sean and I will welcome you and your family into our church.”

As Dani told Sean about this conversation with Hasan, he was grinning from ear to ear, relishing the joy of sharing his faith. His joy became our joy. Sunshine burst forth in our hearts and drove the dark clouds away. We could clearly see God’s hand working in, around and through us.

What could be more encouraging?

Dani envisions a thriving church here at the edge of our city, and he will use his own hands and heart to help build it. His enthusiasm is contagious. He has already arranged to repair the roof of someone who lives in the mountains in exchange for some wood he will make into church furniture. He strongly believes that if we want our church to grow in this city, we need a building dedicated to worship. It must look like a respectable place of worship, not a house or shop. We can meet with our friends in our homes for prayer and Bible study, but he feels it is important to have a place to worship together and reach out to the community. Is God asking you to help make this vision a reality?

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