Congregations

October was a month for visiting congregations. Rruga de Pacqes (Way of Peace) church is located in Peja, about a 90 minute drive west from Prishtina. The church grounds include a sanctuary that holds around 100, an English school and a parsonage. It’s a big church for Kosova.

Jesus is the “bukë” of life. That was the message on October 12. We read passages from Mat, 1Cor, Phil, Prov, Ex, and John. The pastor spoke without an interpreter, so we had a lot of time to check the side notes and cross-references in our bible.

On October 26 we visited a church near us in Prishtina, http://ringjallja.com/en/index.html. Services were held behind a Christian bookstore (the only one we know of) in a small room that holds about 45. We particularly liked the music since some of the tunes were familiar, Because He Lives & My Jesus, My Savior to name a couple. It's inspiring to hear songs we know sung in a different language.

This service was also Albanian, but an interpreter sat near a group of "Anglisht only" folks. We know enough to follow the message and find the correct scripture, but often the congregation is laughing at the pastor’s humor or offering a moving “amen” and we’re simply out of the loop. Guess you had to be there – but we were there! Thankfully God speaks to us under any circumstances.

After the service we met an American that's here helping Kosova with their judicial system. He and his wife host a bible study each week for local couples. They're currently reading Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages.