Albania & The Balkan Peninsula
WHERE WE ARE
- Active in Albania with connected ministries in Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Kosovo.
- The Balkan region, sometimes referred to as the Balkan Peninsula, has seen great political upheaval and ethnic divisiveness in recent times. Earlier in history, due to the area's strategic location near the Adriatic, Aegean, and Ionian Seas, they were ruled by the Roman, Bulgarian, and Ottoman Empires, becoming part of the Communist Eastern Bloc for much of the 20th Century.
- In 1967, the socialist government declared Albania an atheist state. Christians faced persecution and death. There is more freedom currently, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent multi-party elections in 1991, although atheism is still prevalent in the country. In addition, many of the surrounding countries are predominantly Muslim.
WHAT WE DO
The Selah Worship Arts Ministry was founded in 2011 by husband-and-wife team Arben and Irma. Both grew up during the strict communist era and witnessed the changeover to democracy in 1991 – when the first missionaries were introduced to the country. After initially working to plant churches, the couple felt called to help their nation find its worshipping voice and together created Selah to do just that.
Selah is deep in the development of a 6-month residential School of Worship where students will study discipleship, musical skills, outreach strategies, and worship leadership. Selah's vision is to see the school grow, the "voice" of Albanian songwriters emerge, and a nation brought to Christ.
Selah holds monthly worship services throughout Albania to encourage local churches and support outreach ministry in addition to hosting an annual camp and conferences.
In 2021, MIWC partnered with Selah to share resources and support the ministry to reach out farther into the surrounding Balkan area.
