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Featuring beautiful designs from the art group at Ohrid Evangelical Church, North Macedonia.
100 faith inspiring real life stories spanning 50 years of God's work across Europe
Albania was the first leg of our Worship & Intercession trip. Many TEN partners work in isolated and difficult situations, determined to bring the love of God to those around them. I have a heart for Albania—born out of previous TENteam trips—and for intercession. It was wonderful to meet up and be warmly welcomed by three partners I visited in 2025.
We arrived in Tirana, the capital, during a time of nightly protests against the government, which called for investment in infrastructure and greater opportunities for Albanian people. It felt important to pray for the country and government in the capital’s main square. We shared a word for the Church from Acts 12, encouraging them to persevere in prayer, even for seemingly impossible situations, and see God act.
In Berat, the centre for a religious sect, an annual festival takes place at the end of August, which sees thousands of lambs sacrificed. It has a significant impact on the spiritual atmosphere of the town, and so it was a great privilege to join with Pastor Artur Tushi and lift up the name of Jesus, the one complete sacrifice for sin.
The visit from the team was special, not just because worshipping together is needed and important, but this year we have invested in worship to prepare the next generation in our church. Almost everyone came to our meetings.
There has been a huge need for prayer and worship at this moment. Our country has endured political unrest and protests since May. Unrest means fear for the future, but every time God brings His presence, fear goes away. To come together as one, no matter the language, age or nationality reminds us of who really keeps our future secure. Thank you TEN and the team. God bless you.
During our time in Macedonia, we visited and spent time with three different partners, then we worshipped and prayed with them and their church congregations in the evening.
The worship and prayer services we led at each church followed the same format each time, but despite this similarity, the way in which God moved and spoke each evening was so powerful and individual to each church.
I was particularly struck by the faithfulness of each of the pastors we visited and how, despite not always seeing the fruit and encouragement that it would be nice for them to see, they continued to serve. We felt that one of our main purposes for being there was to encourage, strengthen and pray for the leaders there, particularly Anita and Vesna, as two women in leadership. It gave me a much greater understanding of how hard it is to be an evangelical Christian in this area.
All the worries, anxieties and stresses of life take a toll on us. The fear of the unknown, what we cannot control, spiritual expectations as things don’t go as we planned or hoped and prayed for, despite our faithfulness. And then there is there the unacknowledged loneliness. Believers in the Balkans know this feeling very well.
This is why the visit from the TENteam is significant. Oh, how we need each other! Nothing happens without helping hands and serving hearts. Through worship and prayer, they lifted our weary hands, shared our burden and strengthened our spirits. And God was there! It was an encouragement to the soul and gave us fresh determination to keep on going.
Giving up is not an option for us. As we see things intensify on the earth, let’s continue pressing on for ourselves, our loved ones, our countries, and for the Kingdom. The prize is worth it. It is Jesus, our Saviour, and He is cheering us on! So, let’s proclaim the Kingdom of God with all openness and boldness, unhindered and unrestrained, because there is nothing like the satisfaction of knowing you have lived your life serving God’s purposes in your generation.
I wanted to see how God was working in the Balkans. What I saw was pastors, chaplains and the wider Church, serving on the front lines of the Kingdom of God, full of passion, purpose and a vision to see their countries encounter a life-changing relationship with God.
In Kosovo the church perseveres despite fewer resources, nominal religion, and a culture that does not give them an easy time, in a region where the early Church was once accepted.
I watched Kosovans who had experienced the harshness of a traumatic war ask questions about Jesus, hug those who prayed for them, and lips wobble as they were given packages of food. The Church in Kosovo is entrepreneurial, articulate and persevering, seeing God move in ways that we long to, simply because they are responding to God’s call on their lives.
The recent Worship & Intercession visit from our friends in the UK was a tremendous encouragement and blessing for us in Kosovo. While practical support is always appreciated, there is something uniquely powerful about believers who come simply to worship, pray, and stand with us before God.
The Balkans continues to be a spiritually challenging region, and we need more teams like this to come, not to lead programmes, but to strengthen the Church through prayer and intercession. Their presence reminds local believers that they are not serving alone. It builds faith, brings fresh encouragement, and creates lasting relationships between churches across nations.
As we press on to serve Christ, these partnerships reflect the unity of His Body. They are a visible testimony that we share one mission, one hope, and one Lord. We are deeply grateful for those who stand with us in prayer, believing that God will continue to advance His Kingdom throughout Kosovo and the Balkans.
If you belong to a church, a Christian community or fellowship who wants to explore opportunities for service in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, get in touch with us!
Contact Lucy Reid at lucy.reid@ten-uk.org or telephone our office on 0117 961 5161 to start a conversation.
