Our partners in Albania love reaching out to children and sharing God’s love with these precious little ones, but only God sees every minute of their days and can preserve their lives.
Like most little children, Alehandro simply wanted the assurance of knowing he was loved. That comfort was not easy to find in his family, however. His father travels often, and when he is home, it isn’t good. He gets angry and violent with Alehandro and his three siblings. Years ago, their mother escaped from this life and remarried another man. She left all of the children behind, perhaps fearful that they would give her first husband a reason to follow her.
For now, Alehandro and his siblings live with their grandparents. His grandfather collects cans from garbage bins to sell and provide for the family. One day Alehandro may start helping his grandfather, but since he’s only seven years old, he stays with his grandmother most of the day.
Because of medical issues and a spine injury from an accident, she has to go slowly through the day, and caring for four children isn’t easy.
The One Who Sees and Hears
World Challenge’s partners run a small school and childcare service in the neighborhood, and they shared, “When Alehandro first came in our program, he was very disobedient. He did this attitude to get the teachers’ attention because he felt neglected by his family.”
While at home, Alehandro missed his mother a lot. He would run out into the streets of the neighborhood, find other children and start fights with them. At least then someone would be looking for him.
The more time he spent at the school, however, the more he began to feel different. His teachers were kind and told stories from the Bible and prayed with the children. He began to obey the classroom rules and not argue with his classmates. Reflecting on Alehandro now, our partner said, “Even though he is just a little boy, he helps the teachers in the program and serves the food to other children. He loves the time when we pray and sing songs to God. He finished the first grade with very good results.”
God bends down each hour of every day and walks along the roadside with Alehandro. He sees this child laboring over his school projects and the excitement when it’s snack time or everyone is gathering to sing. He hears the silences at home and the little boy prayers whispered in the quiet night between the snuffles and breathing of siblings.
The God Who Saves
Many of the homes in Alehandro’s neighborhood are very basic and built by locals who may have limited experience with construction. Some parts of the houses can be quite unsafe. Of course, a seven year old would not know this or consider it.
A few weeks ago, Alehandro was playing at a friend’s house. He touched an electrical socket, and the current shook his entire body. He fell away from the wall a second later, hurt and scared. His right hand was burned, which frightened him even more. No adults were at home or around, so he ran to the school. Someone would be there who cared about him and could help him.
Our partners said, “We treated his hand. During the conversation with him, while encouraging him not to be afraid, he said, ‘God loves me. He created me. That's why he saved me and I am alive.’ God is working in his heart. Praise the Lord for protecting the life of Alehandro.”
Through other people like our partners but also through a growing knowledge of God’s nature, the Lord is healing and restoring this little boy. He is showing Alehandro that he will be provided for and loved.