Linking up with the Albanian Evangelical Mission

I was asked to see the three main leaders of the Albanian Evangelical Mission and on Monday had an enjoyable meeting with the Rev Trevor Baker.

I had already been to Wrexham to see David Young, who is retiring at the end of this year as head and of the mission.

Then Paul Davies, who is succeeding David, called in to see me a few weeks ago.

To complete the visits on Monday I met the Rev Trevor Baker, who had been the pastor for 20 years at Jireh Baptist Church, in Orrell, Wigan, before joining the Albanian Evangelical Mission in 1996.

As Trevor lives in Wigan we met halfway at The Bears Head, at Brereton, near Sandbach, a lovely historic hotel which I can thoroughly recommend. It was built in 1625 and is just off exit 17 of the M6 in a picturesque village.

I was delighted to hear that Trevor knew Besti Dosti, whose story is told in God's Secret Listener. Trevor had only just returned from Albania where he had preached in Berti's Way of Peace church in Lushnje.

The plan is that I will link up with the Albanian Evangelical Mission and help because they will have only two leaders in 2012 with David’s retirement.

I have offered to cover some or all of David’s churches in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Wales and any other talks they need help on while at the same time continuing my links as the Midlands volunteer for the European Christian Mission.

I am also planning to go out to Albania in 2012 to meet some of their missionaries working in the southern part of the country.

Finally, I was delighted that Trevor took 65 copies of God’s Secret Listener off me and called me yesterday to say he had already sold eight.

Anyone who would like a different Christmas present for Christians and non-Christians from teenagers upwards can email John@jbutterworth.plus.com for a signed copy for £7 including postage to anywhere in the UK.