Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Under communist repression, it became one of the most isolated and economically underdeveloped countries in the world. Since elections in 1992, which ended communist rule, Albania has experienced political instability with rioting and economic collapse.

“Many have left Albania in search of new hope,” Llesh Coku (43) says, wiping sweat from his brow as he stands next to a pile of golden threshed wheat. “But because of this project, we have been able to stay.”

In recent years, many in the rural area of Durres, have emigrated from Albania, to go to Germany in search of a better life. However, thanks to Mission Without Borders’ Seeds of Hope program, the Coku family have chosen to stay, and this year have reaped a fruitful harvest from their land, restoring their hope.

A year ago such progress for Llesh and his family was unthinkable. He was desperate, unemployed and could not raise enough money to even feed his family. His wife, Arta, was also unable to find employment, and tension and arguments filled their home.

Albanian family leave crisis not their country behind through Seeds of Hope

$30 is all it costs for aSeeds of Hope Parcel.

Help feed and give hope to a family in their time of need.

“There is a great pride in thefeeling that we have achieved

this ourselves.”

With nowhere else to turn, Llesh signed up for MWB’s Seeds of Hope project and, through ongoing support, began the challenge of tilling his own land. MWB supplied packets of seeds, tools, a pump sprayer, and fertilizers to help the family get started.

Last summer, Llesh, his wife Arta and their three children woke early each morning to collect the wheat they grew from the field and pack it into sacks ready for harvest. As a family they also now produce food for their cow and chickens.

Slowly but surely from small beginnings the crops began to grow and the Coku family were able to sell their products. Arta shared,

“Before all this, we were not happy. Llesh and I would shout at each other at home, we were frustrated. Now we are tired from work, but the tension has gone and we are content. We have produced great crops of vegetables, wheat, and corn. There is a great pride in the feeling that we have achieved this ourselves. Before we were in crisis. Now, thanks to the Seeds of Hope project and the support of Mission Without Borders, we have been able to view and approach life in a new way.”

As the sun continues to beam down on the rural coast of Albania, Llesh and his family pile the sacks into the store ready to sell, there is still lots to be done before the onset of winter.

Please pray for Llesh and his family as they work hard at developing a sustainable future for themselves. Please pray for Albania as a nation and that through this project we can bring more hope to Albanian families. Pray also that they do not have to leave their homes in search of a better life elsewhere. Inspired? You can help to empower Albanian families to become self-sufficient and not have to leave their homes. Give a box of seeds and know it will build a sustainable future and sow seeds of God’s love into their hearts.

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said,

‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35

“Now thanks to the Seeds of Hope project we have been able to view and

approach life in a different way.”

What can we do with a little bit of loose change? That really depends on what little means. Our “little” literally means the world to others. In a different pocket, our change is a treasure. Especially to the poor of Eastern Europe, where food is often a luxury.

For example, 50c buys a tiny sachet of seeds: a little packet full of hope for a good crop. Whilst they do not cost much, families in need still have no means to purchase them. But we can help! This small investment would provide their meals for an entire winter. To large families struggling to meet their basic and immediate needs, even this small amount of pocket change seems enormous.

Victoria is a remote community of Romania with a population of 4100, and is roughly situated 50 kilometres from Iasi, the nearby city. The community is desolate. It lacks what we take for granted: proper housing, education, employment, infrastructure and health services. Most families in the community struggle from day to day. Everything is scarce. A very small number of them have steady jobs. The pay is minimal and most of it goes towards transportation to and from work. Poverty is linked to drug abuse, and alcohol consumption is no exception in Victoria. It is common for men to drink. Women stay at home and look after their families. School is not properly valued, and children are rather kept at home to help their mother.

Traditional agriculture is their only option. They have the land, a hoe and a set of hands. Although they work hard for their food, the families are condemned to ongoing poverty. Modern machinery is simply not an option, and those willing to work do so with humble tools by hand, while they pray for rain to germinate the seeds. They cannot afford pesticides. The quantity and quality of the crops are often affected by the spring floods and dry summers.

In a different pocket, our loose change is

someone else’s treasure!The Hope that comes from a

tiny packet of seeds…

Thirty-seven families registered in MWB’s Family to Family program in Victoria, received Seeds of Hope parcels. Each parcel contains packets of seeds to plant lettuce, cabbage, zucchini, carrots, capsicums and tomatoes. Aside from these vegetables the families also grow corn, which is used to feed their horses, cows, pigs and poultry, and for personal use. Polenta is the main, daily meal.

The Balamau family is one of the families that received a box of seeds from Mission Without Borders. They are a young family of nine. Parents, Mihai and Elena have 2 beautiful girls and 5 boys. The eldest is 10 and the youngest was born 11 months ago. Only the eldest goes to school as they cannot afford to send the other children. Neither of the parents are working. Mihai, the father takes seasonal work when he can get it, working for people in agriculture. Apart from this sporadic income, their only support is the children’s allowances, which is approximately $200 AUD per month. All of their income is spent on food supplies and medicines for Estera their chronically ill daughter. Hope came when a church in the village provided the resources (funds and construction volunteers) that were needed to build them a small simple house - just two rooms separated by a hallway. They acknowledged God’s mercy and provision, especially because the local authorities contributed with the piece of land which they have been given for 100 years, rent-free. They have about 1000 square metres of a garden, and this they pray will be their main source of income.

When we gave the seeds to them, Elena said that they had been praying for them: “Last month was very difficult as we could not even buy Estera’s medicines. Her seizures got worse. We hope that the vegetables we grow will be enough to feed us and we can sell the rest, to make some additional money for school supplies and shoes for the children.”

MISSIONWITHOUTBORDERSAUSTRALIA PO Box 7533 Silverwater NSW 1811 | 10 Stubbs Street Auburn NSW 2144Phone 02 9647 2022 Email australia@mwbi.org Website mwb.org.au facebook.com/MissionWithoutBordersAustralia

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until thecoming of the Lord. See how the farmer

waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the

early and the late rains. James 5:7

The Balamau family are a vision of hope for the people also living in poverty in Victoria. According to country statistics, the town of Iasi is one of the highest ranked counties in poverty. Romania itself has a population of 19 million. Approximately half of the country live in rural areas, (9.6 million) of which 2.7 million earn their living solely from agriculture. The only hope for the Balamau family, their children and thousands of other families just like them comes from a small parcel of seeds. So when you ask the question, what can a little bit of loose change do? The answer is simple. It can do a lot! It can change lives for the better. It can bring hope and feed a family for an entire year just like the Balamau’s.

Just $30 will buy a box of seeds to help poorfamilies in Eastern

Europe. Please give today,knowing that the little

things mean a lot!