Christ and the Kalashnikov

9780551032620

0551032626

These are the inspiring stories of missionaries to Albania who have lived through bloody mayhem, gang shoot-outs and raids... without losing hope. The social anarchy that erupted following the collapse of Albania in 1997 led to chaos. In Erseke, townspeople stormed the military barracks for arms in the name of self-protection while rival gangs battled each other. The hospital was raided, the police station burnt down, schools were ransacked, the church came under attack and hundreds were killed. But missionaries Ian and Caralee Loring did not lose heart; they trusted that God would provide a way through the violence and bloodshed. Theirs is a gripping story of practical love in hair-raising circumstances, not only in their outreach to the Albanians but later to the homeless Kosovar refugees. Providing a window into a world so distant from our own, this book will not only inspire but will at times challenge as well. It engages us with the stories of lives transformed -- many have found sanctuary, and many more have found hope in the gospel.