In 1997, while working with Release International we took an Anglian Water team (and others) to Albania to install a water system in a village near the Greek border. Val and I were to fly ahead of the team who would drive down in an articulated lorry kindly loaned by “Wincanton” Transport and a Land Rover. We had two choices. Swiss Air would provide the better service arriving in mid afternoon after a brief delay in Zurich. Another airline would provide a cheaper flight but this would entail a six hour night time stopover and we would arrive very tired. We were advised by our Albanian director to use the Swiss Air flight.
We decided to put the matter before the Lord. The deadline for decision was Saturday and we needed £850.
Each morning that week we waited eagerly for the post. Nothing. On Saturday as we sat praying I heard the post arrive. A very thin post. Two letters. The first had a gift of £10 “for the work”.
We decided to put the matter before the Lord. The deadline for decision was Saturday and we needed £850.
Each morning that week we waited eagerly for the post. Nothing. On Saturday as we sat praying I heard the post arrive. A very thin post. Two letters. The first had a gift of £10 “for the work”.
Nice, and we were thankful for it but it wouldn’t get us to Albania. The other letter? I opened it and there was a cheque for £1000. But we only asked for £850 so why the extra? God knew.
Knowing God was in this “backing us to the hilt” we ordered the tickets and the day came for our flight. We were greeted on board our Swissair flight to Zurich with a smile, an “Enjoy the flight” and a newspaper. We sat down, strapped ourselves in and opened the paper. “Riots in Tirana, Albania as the Banks Collapse” screamed the headlines. Well God provided the tickets so he must have known about this.
And this! The pilot pushed the throttles forward to their stops just before touchdown. The runway had disappeared into the fog. So had the mountains! The next time round the pilot got us safely down and we were soon on the next plane to Tirana and what?
We had no problems arriving and we had an “interesting” flight with “Missionary Aviation Fellowship” from Tirana to Saranda where we joined our local coordinator and the rest of the team. Not without difficulty the team installed the water supply with a stand pipe for every three homes. A great improvement on a long walk to the river for untreated water. The work was drawing to a close and I was invited to preach in a small church in Saranda. With riots and roadblocks… and tens of thousands of weapons stolen from the collapsed military regime I chose to preach on Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
Knowing God was in this “backing us to the hilt” we ordered the tickets and the day came for our flight. We were greeted on board our Swissair flight to Zurich with a smile, an “Enjoy the flight” and a newspaper. We sat down, strapped ourselves in and opened the paper. “Riots in Tirana, Albania as the Banks Collapse” screamed the headlines. Well God provided the tickets so he must have known about this.
And this! The pilot pushed the throttles forward to their stops just before touchdown. The runway had disappeared into the fog. So had the mountains! The next time round the pilot got us safely down and we were soon on the next plane to Tirana and what?
We had no problems arriving and we had an “interesting” flight with “Missionary Aviation Fellowship” from Tirana to Saranda where we joined our local coordinator and the rest of the team. Not without difficulty the team installed the water supply with a stand pipe for every three homes. A great improvement on a long walk to the river for untreated water. The work was drawing to a close and I was invited to preach in a small church in Saranda. With riots and roadblocks… and tens of thousands of weapons stolen from the collapsed military regime I chose to preach on Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
More Bread
