Pray for Albania

Albania is filled with kind, welcoming people. The nation values community and treats those around them as family. Although small, Albania has one of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes in Europe. Mountains and hills cover 70 percent of the country, and its coastline stretches across the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. It is a relatively peaceful and safe nation. In the southern part of the nation, a girl can usually walk alone at night and feel safe. Organized crime does exist throughout the nation, and the north is known to be more dangerous, but mafia activity does not heavily affect daily life. Albania fell under communist rule from 1944–1991, and the country is still facing economic and spiritual repercussions.

Albania is one of Europe’s poorest countries, hindered by underdeveloped transportation infrastructure, corruption, and high emigration rates. At the fall of communism, the population was nearly 3.3 million; after skilled workers and professionals moved to Italy, Germany, and the United States, it fell under 2.5 million. Today, nearly half of the population struggles to pay their monthly bills because of low salaries and high prices. Along with emigration, one of the biggest hindrances to the economy is corruption. Leaders have often redirected government funds for their own personal gain. Infrastructure is often poor because the government uses the cheapest materials possible to build things, which causes them to fall apart quickly.

During communist rule, Albania declared the nation atheist, banning religion. When communism fell in 1991, the ban was lifted, and the 1998 Constitution strengthened freedom of religion. However, many are still hooked on the old mentality, and people are hesitant to open up about their faith. Religion in Albania is more tradition than belief, especially among the two most common religions: Islam and Orthodox Christianity. About half of Albanians identify as Muslim, but very few are practicing. Many Albanians are agnostic and display a lack of interest in discerning if there is a God, but the passion of the tiny new evangelical Church is stirring curiosity among non-believers. Many Albanians have never heard of evangelical Christianity, but they are generally curious and open to hearing about it. Albanians are looking for hope and desperate for something that’s real, and the Church is growing as people find rest in the truth.