March 19, 2010
For nearly a decade, Artan Xhaferi was the national coordinator of WEI follow-up in Albania. He also served as a minister of the church in Tirana.
Last year, Artan and his family moved to Maryville, Tennessee. A few months later, his mother became ill with cancer.
Ellen Walker, missionary in Tirana, wrote in her newsletter, “Recently, Artan Xhaferaj returned to take care of his mother. She was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach, and within just a few weeks, she was gone.
“When the doctors told her there was no hope, she asked to see Artan’s kids. Artan and Rumira were helped with some ‘buddy tickets’ by a member of the Maryville congregation, and used some heroic efforts to get here. Artan, Rumira, and the kids spent about 10 days with her. During that time Luli talked with her mom a lot during her last days. Finally, Veve expressed a desire to be baptized. The Tirana brothers found a portable baptistery and on Saturday the 17th of October, I was privileged to be present when Artan baptized her into Christ. It was a bitter sweet event.
“Early Thursday morning, Artan and Rumira had to leave. After they had said good-bye to her, sometime in the wee hours of the morning, she slipped into the hands of her Father, and her pain was over. We buried her on Friday in the village beside her husband who had died years before. Bledi performed the graveside service at Artan’s request. Praise God that we will meet her again in heaven.”
