Woman In Albania holding a bookXhevrie comes from a Muslim background, but never really believed. After her kids left their home in Albania, she and her husband collected retirement money, but it wasn’t enough to survive. She began selling second-hand clothes to make ends meet.

She was extremely discouraged because of all their hardships. Xhevrie’s husband encouraged her to go to the mosque and begin practicing Islam again. “Even though I went and started believing, nothing changed in my life,” she says. “I was not feeling anything. There was no joy, just rules and rites.”

While selling clothes, Xhevrie met another lady selling. The lady began to tell her about Jesus and invited her to church. Xhevrie was curious about this woman’s faith; she had many of the same problems as Xhevrie, but she seemed so happy. When she visited the church, Xhevrie was overwhelmed by the welcome. “The way they treated me, with love, with a smile, but also the way they worshipped the Lord and preached God’s Word, it touched me.” That morning, she realized that God loved her.

The woman who invited her to church quickly became a close friend and invited her to join her Project Philip Bible study. “I learned that Jesus died on the cross for me and that salvation is a gift from God. I don’t have to do anything to get it,” she says. “I asked God for forgiveness of my sins and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior in my life. I felt a release in my soul.”

But as soon as Xhevrie told her husband about the church, he became irate. The couple argued about their background in Islam and her newfound faith in Jesus. “I was determined to continue my journey with Jesus,” she says.

Last year, a major earthquake hit Albania. It affected Xhevrie’s clothing business, causing the couple to fall into financial troubles. People from her church reached out offering to help. Her husband was amazed by this act of love. From that day on, Xhevrie knew she had made the right choice.

Xhevrie thanks the donors for sending hope. “Thank you, Bible League, for giving the Word of God to us. In it, we are finding peace and relief. God bless you!” Though her husband is not yet attending church with her, Xhevrie continues to pray for him. Pray for her husband, that God would soften his heart to salvation, and pray that Xhevrie would continue to grow in her own faith.