The Albanian Orphans Mission

General Meeting 2001

Last year has been a difficult one for the mission brought about by uncertainties in Albanian government policy, difficulties in our relationship with field workers employed by Hope for the World, and I believe some lack of consistent prayer into the work. However it has been a year in which much has been achieved and I sense that we now have a clear direction for an exciting future.

The Easter project saw eleven team members and two vehicles travelling to the Tirana orphanage to refurbish the infirmary used by sick children from all over Albania. The work included the tiling of all floors and walls in the six-roomed facility with the provision of modern toilets, sinks, showers, water heaters and all associated plumbing and electrical work. The majority of the work was completed by the time the team left although some help from a Dutch team meant that new doors and windows could be installed - the cost of materials being met by A.O.M. The only factor which overshadowed the project was the imposition by the Albanian government of high import taxes on much of the aid we took in.

The Sponsored Walk in June was attended by only twelve walkers which was a reduction on previous years. The date and venue will be looked at more carefully for this year's walk. The event still realised considerable funds as the Treasurers report will show. Four loads of aid, representing some 15 tons, have been sent to Albania this year. Notably, the orphanage for babies in Vlore had not received any goods other than through A.O.M. for a period of 18 months.

Relationships between AOM and Hope for the World became strained last Autumn following the return from surgery of their field manager, and a reassessment of their objectives and priorities which resulted in Adam and Marian leaving their full time involvement at the Tirana orphanage. Adam had done Stirling work including the installation of a 24 hour water supply in the main building and provision of heavy duty electrical circuits to heat the 'Back Block'. Marian had worked very long hours in the bakery improving the quality of the food and has taught life skills to many of the children. She has also ensured that every child in the orphanage now celebrates their birthday, even going to the lengths of creating acceptable birth dates for those children who have never known when they were born. They have both come alongside the children to express the love of God to them. The strong relationships they have formed continue as many of the children now visit them at their home.

Hope for the World have adopted a policy whereby many of our sponsored children have been dismissed from the orphanage and we felt that it was only proper to reduce our sponsorship contributions accordingly. Their leaving the Tirana orphanage did not result in our field workers reducing their work load, but instead, spent the Autumn months working at the orphanage for babies in Vlore with Mark Nyberg. Adam upgraded the plumbing system A.O.M. installed in 1994/5, replacing all plastic pipe work with copper left over from the Infirmary Project in Tirana, while Marian spent her time assisting in the running of the orphanage giving valuable help where ever needed. Adam and Marian were married in a civil ceremony in Poole before Christmas followed on 4th January by a church wedding in the Netherlands, attended by no less than a dozen members of A.O.M., a sure signal of the value and importance these two young people are to The Albanian Orphans Mission. Other foreigners at their wedding travelled from France and as far away as USA. Heather Allen has taken on the responsibility of the Sponsorship programme, the benefits of which has been felt by our sponsors and the children in Albania. We continue to seek new sponsors for our children as well as our other projects, as the money raised through sponsorship enables us to budget for the following months so much more easily.

In addition to the Infirmary project large sums of money have been allocated for the purchase of a minibus/van for Marian and Adam's use in Albania. Mark Nybergs minibus, used to collect supplies there and transport children throughout Albania, was written off in a very serious accident in the Autumn. A substantial sum was sent to him this January to enable him to purchase a new vehicle as this directly helps the babies and young children there. Charitable status was formally granted to The Albanian Orphans Mission in Albania just before Christmas. This will enable us to deal directly with the Albania authorities as well as working in harmony with other agencies and groups in Albania. No longer will Adam and Marian have to go through the stress of renewing visas and papers every three months. Travelling through the country will now be less hazardous with official paperwork to help us. Our relationship with Hope for Albania, the Dutch charity, has been particularly rewarding. Marian's original involvement in Albania was through HFA, now, they assist us in the transport of our aid supplies to Albania as well as in many practical ways, not least, the help given to complete the Infirmary project as mentioned earlier. With much uncertainty about the future for A.O.M., the committee felt it was important that we should meet regularly in prayer. To this end it was decided that we would come together at Waterloo Christian Centre at 8:00pm on the fourth Wednesday of each month specifically for prayer as well as our normal meetings on the second Wednesday each month. These extra meetings have been attended by a dozen or so of our supporters and committee members.

At the first of these new meetings, we endeavoured not to come with any pre-conceived ideas about the future, but it quickly became clear that God was impressing upon us to adopt a new initiative while maintaining our commitments to providing for the physical and material needs of the children. For a long time it has been evident that the children lack the emotional support and social skills that most of us enjoy as members of families. The need for a setting in which social and life skills can be taught and a Christian lifestyle encouraged has been very clear.

Although many of the children have made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, they lack basic teaching with the result that much ground is lost when they leave the orphanages. In response to this need, A.O.M. with the enthusiastic backing of the Ridouts, has embarked on a new long term project called the Mustard Seed. Where possible all practical aid projects will continue, but the weekends will focus on supplying the needs of the children who are now without orphanage support. The children are encouraged to come to the Ridout's home to stock up with simple supplies and receive social, emotional and spiritual support.

As the project matures, the next aim will be that starting this Autumn, Adam and Marian will take on larger accomodation with sufficient rooms to enable us to take in twelve young people. They will live in a family setting for up to three years where they will be taught life skills and be discipled in the basics of the Christian faith. This extension of the Mustard Seed project will run parallel to the support for the many children outside of orphanage care. These projects will represent a new and even greater commitment but we believe they are achievable with God's help and with the prayer and financial support of people in this country.

There will be a continued need to send teams of volunteers who can do practical projects similar to those already undertaken by us with opportunities for people to be involved with the discipling of the teenagers. At this time much is in the planing stage but we look forward to seeing the plans come to fruition by the grace of God. During the year Pete Woodhams resigned from the committee for personal reasons although he continues to show a keen interest in A.O.M. He has been a stalwart on whose shoulders much of the practical guidance for our projects has fallen.

This leaves the following members:- Ian Smith - Chair and Prayer co-ordinator Neil Lovesey - Treasurer Heather Allen - Sponsorship Sec. Jenny Scott - Aid co-ordinator, Goods and Personnel Transport Simon Lauder - Fund Raising initiatives Adam and Marion Ridout - Field Workers / Missionaries All of the above have stated their willingness to be re-elected onto the committee. In addition we would like to propose Sally Poucher as part-time paid Secretary. She has already demonstrated her skills in preparing the newsletters. She is well versed in information Technology and office practices, and has the very great benefit of being part of a full scale works project in Albania. I count it great privilege to have been the Chair of A.O.M. for the last two years and subject to re-election I will be very happy to continue for a further year. I believe we are embarking on a particularly exciting time. I would like to express my thanks to all those who have given of their money, goods and time, to those who have worked tirelessly in preparing shipments of aid, to those who have gone to Albania on works projects, to those who have worked behind the scenes and particularly to those who have prayed for us.

Finally I would like to give thanks to God for His continued faithfulness. He never ceases to amaze us with His heart for the orphaned children of Albania. Ian Smith (Chair)