Saturday night with a group of 15 people arrived at the guesthouse of the Bridge in Gjakova.
Day 1
After a short night we left for the church which is within walking distance of the guesthouse. There we sang our rehearsed song King of Kings in Albanian for the people of the church. In the afternoon we had a tour of Gjakova, a quiet day to start.
Day 2
As a team we were able to experience a very impressive day, in the morning we visited the mass grave in Mae, one of the children (young woman by now) who was supported by Project Held lost her father during the war in 1999. She went with took us to the mass grave and told her father's grave how it went at the time. A gripping story…
After this we went shopping with 17 people to put together food packages, this was quite a challenge, but we were able to bless many poor families with an extensive food package. We personally brought these in 3 groups and were able to talk to the people, hold them and pray and sing for them. We also went to poor families that we are going to include in the Project Held program, which is special to be there while the pictures of the children are being taken for our sponsorship program.
Day 3
Went to Northern Albania, visited a very poor, lonely widow, we were able to bless her with a food package and we were able to pray and sing extensively with her. Afterwards we visited the soup kitchen, which is led by the team of De Brug. The poorest in the area can eat a healthy hot meal there 2 to 4 times a week. We blessed them with a check for €750 and distributed meals. After dinner we had a wonderful time of worship and prayer. We were really able to bring a bit of joy! On the way back we visited the beautiful nature reserve, Valbona and can enjoy the breathtaking, beautiful nature here.
Unforgettable India trip 2018
From January 10 to 25, a team of 12 people traveled to India to visit their sponsor child and to distribute the love of Jesus to widows, orphans and leprosy patients. An unforgettable journey in which we have been able to bless the people of India.
Indonesia: The first part of the trip we have been in Indore. A big place in the north of India. After visiting one of Project Held's homes, we were allowed to pray for people with leprosy the next day. In India this means that you are excluded from society. They don't want you in the community anymore. In short, rejection, pain and slowly languishing lonely as a result. We have been able to give hope to these people. They can cuddle, which again gave them a form of matter. They all received a Polaroid photo with a team member on it. They thought this was fantastic. A keepsake forever.
We have been able to visit a number of slums. Entire families live on the fringes of society with children who earn a small amount of money by catching snakes. The snakes are sold or lent to people who are willing to pay money for them. The other people in the slum make jewelry and occasionally sell it, giving them a small income. We were allowed to give blankets and a warm sweater to the children, so that they are a bit warmer in the Indian winter.
The following days we were allowed to visit one of the other homes. Children are taken care of here who were forced to work in prostitution in order to generate enough income for the whole family. These children are now being cared for, receive the love of Jesus and can build a hopeful future. We sang, danced, laughed and prayed for these children at the end of the evening! The great testimonies of this evening are still audible. We also visited people with leprosy and a group of widows. We were allowed to share God's word with them and also pray for these lovely people. Then it was time to go to our next location in the south of India.
Bhimavaram: What could be better than sleeping, playing, eating and participating in their daily lives with the children in a children's home?! We were allowed to do this! We were able to get to know the children up close, receive the love they have for each other and for us and experience the gratitude that radiates from them. An overwhelm of love when you come out of your bedroom and the children fly on your neck and wish you good morning, take you by the hand and take you outside where they chat, play with you or just sit with you and enjoy each other.
We went to the fair with the kids. For most the first time in their lives. What fun and joy we were able to experience together. And later we could look back with the children on a successful evening. Yet we also experienced the reality of India here. Nearly 100 Leprosy patients were waiting for us after an afternoon away. We prayed with them, gave them a warm meal and a blanket for the cold nights. It is a blessing to see these people smile and see a little hope in their eyes again after you have prayed with them.
Widows are also ignored in India. Without marriage and a man you are worth nothing as a woman. They are excluded from society and live a lonely, poor life. We got to see them smile when getting a blanket, prayer and a hug! Something they haven't experienced in a long time! In the evening, some of the team went to visit the homeless. You can find a family with 5 children, the youngest of which is only a few months old, on the street…. it hurts this reality! With a warm meal and prayer you have to leave them behind… with the knowledge that God's hand is on them.
Tenali: We arrived in Tenali late in the afternoon. After a quick makeover, we drove on to one of our brother's homes. We sang with the children and served them food. A small gesture you can do for them. The next day we swam in the sea together with these children and the children from the other home! For a moment you imagine yourself heaven on earth! What a joy, fun, love and unity between India and the Netherlands. And how the children enjoyed it. Get out of their situation for a while.
In Tenali we also visited the widows. We could bring the love of Jesus and give them a warm blanket and meal. The Leprosy patients were invited to our brother's home. The wounds were treated by a doctor. They have been given medication for pain and inflammation. We were able to provide ingredients for a few hot meals, so that they could eat well for a few days.
James 1:27 really comes into its own here in India. Pure and spotless religion before God the Father is to look after orphans and widows in their afflictions and to keep oneself unspotted from the world… We look back with gratitude on a fantastic journey in India with many faces. Warm and friendly, but also very hard because of the poverty. This is honored through the caste system and through traditions.
We are grateful to God for what we were allowed to do and do for the people in India.
