A2B has been greatly blessed by a number of visiting teams during the last few weeks. Teams from the Netherlands, Egypt and Switzerland have all spent time in Elbasan delivering activities for children, families and elderly folk, training for A2B staff and volunteers, and practical help in making the expanded Hope for the Future (H4F) facility ready for use.
Netherlands
The first group to visit this year was a team comprised from churches in the Netherlands.
The team contributed in a very practical way by painting two activity rooms where the children attending H4F Centre gather for their programmes. The colourful paintings the team created transformed the rooms into warm and joyful environments and brought great excitement to the children! They also helped to build a mini football field for sports activities so that the children can enjoy outdoor games and physical activities together.
On top of this, the team had great fun running activities and games sessions for the children at H4F. Their time with the kids was filled with joy, creativity, and encouragement, and was a real blessing to the children and the team.
Egypt
Another important visit was from a team from True Light Foundation in Egypt. This team were privileged to be the first guests to stay in the H4F guest rooms that A2B opened at the beginning of March.
The members of this team were very dedicated and invested their time in a wide range of activities for children and youth aged 6-18 years. They also worked with students from two local schools that A2B maintains positive relationships with.
One of the most valuable activities during their visit was a Training for Trainers session that the team delivered for our staff, volunteers and local supporters. The session was highly appreciated by participants and provided practical tools for working effectively with children and youth.
The team also visited very poor families, where they distributed food packages and clothing. These visits created meaningful moments of compassion, prayer, and encouragement for families living in extremely difficult circumstances.
Switzerland
In cooperation with the Child Protection Office, municipal Social Services and The Elbasan Police Department, A2B organised a month-long community action initiative aimed at removing children from street begging and helping their families find better support solutions. A team from Agape Switzerland visited during March and helped to make a significant contribution to the project, particularly through the preparation and distribution of 20 food and basics packages for children and elderly people who beg on the streets of Elbasan.
The team also spent time with the elderly folk at the Bread of Life Centre; sharing the gospel and leading fellowship activities. They also organised a special meeting for mothers and caregivers.
As well as working with A2B’s beneficiaries, the Agape team organised a special session with our staff and volunteers, offering encouragement and motivation through Biblical messages and prayer.
Your turn?
Each team that gave their time to support the work of A2B contributed something different and brought their own skills and talents to bear on the activities they delivered. Each was an enormous blessing on the people they worked with and a great encouragement to the team.
If you are interested in putting a team together to visit Albania and work with A2B, please do get in touch via a2b@houseofopportunity.org.
