New Term!!

Back to school

Chris writes: well everything is in place now and tomorrow we start a new term and back in the schools. We have spent the summer (and a long hot one it was!) besides working on the language of course(!) preparing our literature, powerpoint, translating the website and now all is ready and we have the green light.
Things are happening here and doors are starting to open.

Appreciate your prayers but please don't stop!!

Be a blessing and be blessed...In Him

Time to rest..!!!

Time out in Krushe e Vogel.

Chris writes: just taking a few days out at the moment. Feels like it has been a long summer, our first full one in Kosova, very hot for us, waiting and preparing for the return of the children (trying to spend the time wisely in language learning!!), lots of literature produced for the schools and the website almost translated. In addition it was the month of Ramazan so have not seen some of my Muslim friends as they have been fasting. Also we have now moved house in preperation for the next family to leave for furlough very soon.

It has been a long hot summer and I am glad that September is here and autumn around the corner....it looks like it could be a busy one!!


.........interesting watching the situation in Libya unfold and the problems caused by the bombings with water shortages and power outages........Kosova of course was where Libya is today, 12 years ago in 1999...but power outages are, after 12 years still a regular part of life here....and now we have no water.....from around 8pm until.....after bedtime!!

Just a part of daily life for the people here in Kosova.......who get on with life largely without complaining or without anyone noticing..........

..............my concern is how much longer will the next generation stand for this......

be a blessing and be blessed!!

Still helping Gjelane

Chris writes: Was back in the pre school in Fushe kosova yesterday.

Seems strange calling it a preschool in this modern age, especially when some of the children are around 12 or 13 years old, but that is pretty much what it is.

Had the opportunity to do one-to-one with some of the children...wow!...easy for me but maybe I will never realise the importance or the significance of what is going on there and the doors and opportunities which were closed before and which will now hopefully be opened.

I still found it hard that some of the children could do maths and write their names but did not know their date of birth.

One of the children was seen in Pristina on the street cleaning car windows...he was asked why he had not been in school...he responded: 'I am not coming to your silly school anymore...I am going to the big school in September!!'

Sad but true...we have all done our part...inputting into these young and precious lives and next week it will be time for them to 'fly the nest' and 'start in the big school'.

All photographers check out: www.neighbourhood29.com


Be blessed and be a blessing xx

Helping Gjelane get to school

School for Gjelane and her friends??

As you approach Pristina, the capital of Kosova, from Peja, you will come to a very busy roundabout and taking the first exit you pass through Fushe Kosova, the 'fields of Kosova'. This is a fairly new road.....an avenue...but rather than being lined with beautiful great oak trees, like the ones in UK, it is lined with superstores. As you pass along the road in a vehicle they become a blur one by one...from beds to bookshelves...from clothes to Christmas trees....from toys to tins of tuna. Almost everyday a new one appears, and yes, many times I have visited some of them myself.

All the more strange then that when you come to the same roundabout, involving great effort.....as it is so busy...to take a left turn, the second exit, a very different road greets you. As you drive along.. gradually the shops start to disappear...and the buildings become more unkempt...'this is clearly the wrong way'...'have we taken a wrong turn'....'maybe we need to turn back.'

But if you persist with your doubts and continue on this road going to where the road seems to end; you will meet a very different community and one which could not be more different than the 'avenue of commercialism'.

For it is here that you will meet some of the forgotten people of Kosova. They are the people of the Roma, the Ashkali and the Egyptian community.

Many of these children are excluded from school because they do not meet the criteria.

At the moment.

Things are changing for these children and the people of this tiny corner of Kosova thanks to the tireless efforts of one lady, (www.elizabethgowing.com) and many others from all over the world working with her, in September these children will be starting at school.



It has been a privilege to be able to call myself one of these 'many others' and to be just a small part of helping Gjelane and her friends get to school in September.

Lorraine writes- I love Mondays...never thought I'd ever say that, but its my day for the market. I love walking down to the local seller and seeing what fruit and veg he has for that day. He is always busy so I try to go early and miss the rush.....all the fruit in the picture I got for 6 euro's, amazing, how cheap it is to eat here in Kosova.

coffee in Kosova!!

Chris writes: had a good week...weather has actually been quite mild and damp...hope it has been drier at Wimbledon!!

Don't forget to join us for coffee tomorrow...11am UK time (12 noon in Kosova).

Will have skype on (chrisandraine) so please call or message if you can!

God Bless...thanks for your support and prayers xx

Addiction in Kosova?

Chris writes: the visits to the schools went really well and we visited three schools and over a few weeks spoke to around 500 children between the ages of 14 and 16. Many of the children seemed repulsed by the meer idea of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs...this is so often the case but please pray that it will continue to be the case!!

With the schools almost out for the summer recess we now have three months to plan and further enhance and develop our sessions for next term. We already have the senior schools lined up for us to visit in Gjakova, around 3000 young people for us to talk with, then there is a possible school in Pristina and also one in Albania so next term is already looking busy!

At the other end of the drug spectrum.....this week I had the joy of taking someone who has been taking heroin for around 17 years to a rehab...please pray that he has the strength of character to 'stay the course'.

thanks for your prayers and support for this ministry xx