Albania (MNN) — Words of Hope has done ministry work in Albania for two decades. Today, the team there is entirely indigenized. Words of Hope helps to proclaim the Gospel through radio and literature.
They have already established Bible study programming aired 5 days a week and a devotional program that is aired 2 minutes a day, every day of the year. The Albanian team had
a new idea for a radio program that deals with contemporary issues and daily life. They include a drama about the issue and then speak on that issue from a Biblical worldview. After producing over 100 of the 2-minute programs, tragedy struck and simultaneously opened up doors.
In March just before the first program was ready to be launched, an underground ammunitions depot exploded near the country's capital city. Many people died, and hundreds were made homeless. "Because there are many such depots buried in various places in the country, there is deep concern that this could happen in the future as well without much warning. So there's a great deal of anxiety," said Lee DeYoung with Words of Hope.
"It was a perfect opportunity to begin to air some of the programs that really speak to the
questions of 'why.' That's the title of this short form topical program, and it helped people to grapple with the questions that this kind of tragedy raises," he said.
This program is reaching beyond the borders of Albania which has Christian radio stations. Kosovo, on the other hand, does not have any Christian stations and also has a
much stronger Islamic influence. Much of the influence of both Islam and Christianity was neutralized during the communist regime on atheism. With the country's recent independence, there is found, still, some nominal identification with Islam. However,
there are some stations that will air the 2-minute Christian programs.
DeYoung said, "We're very excited about this open door for missionary radio, or Christian radio, to be heard inside of Kosovo, and we hope, now that they are enjoying their independence, that there will also be a new dawning spiritually."
