August 7, 2004
In addition to Olsi, five others were united with Christ in baptism in Tirana this summer: Stela Guma, Kledia Lika, Anxhela Rama, Aida Hyka, and Juli Loloci. Please pray for these new Christians.
A Heartwarming Experience Back in the summer of 2001, our favorite waiter at the London Restaurant in Tirana, Arjan Hyka, was baptized into Christ. The missionaries and campaigners had been eating lunch together at the London almost every day, and Ellen Walker had been studying with Arjan all summer. Everyone in our group rejoiced when Arjan obeyed his Lord.
Arjan’s lovely wife, Aida, was a devout Muslim at the time. But since then, Arjan has been a patient, loving husband, and Aida has warmed up to Christianity. Ellen Walker, who has been teaching Aida for the past two years reports that Arjan, Aida, and their daughter Kamila “have been singing Christian songs before they go to bed and praying together every night for a long time.”
Aida told Ellen that she had some concerns about living the Christian life. She said, “I just don’t know if I can do it like Arjan. He’s so devoted. He’s like an angel or something.” Ellen wondered if Aida would ever become a Christian.
But on July 29, 2004, Arjan stood beside Aida in front of the baptistery at the WEI Center. With tears in his eyes, he told us how Aida had called him on the telephone that morning and had said, “This is your new sister calling you.”
At that point, Arjan choked up. All he could do was lean his head against hers and wipe tears from his eyes. Then, he took her confession and baptized her into Christ.
Of the hundreds of baptisms that I have witnessed in Tirana during the past twelve years, this one was by far the most moving and heartwarming.
