In Albania religion was banned for over 40 years under communism and the government held rigid control over the press.
“We only had one television channel and one radio station for the whole country,” said Ledi Hebibasi, director of TWR Albania. “I was born during that time, so I knew nothing about the Word of God or about Jesus.”
It wasn’t until after the fall of communism that Hebibasi first heard about God.
Despite the effects of communism Albania is a Muslim-majority country today, largely due to centuries of Ottoman rule. Most Albanians are Sunni Muslims, followed by significant numbers adhering to Bektashi Islam, Orthodox Christianity or Catholicism however many are nominal believers.
Many Albanians continue to live in isolated areas. The Albanian Alps cover the northern part of the country with other mountain ranges spread across the south, presenting another barrier to the Gospel.
“I’ve learned that there are many who still haven’t heard the name of Jesus,” Hebibasi said.
TWR Albania was founded in June 2003 when leaders from several Albanian churches answered God’s call to serve, but long before then TWR was already transmitting messages of hope into Albania from outside its borders.
Today the team is using everything from FM radio to digital platforms to deliver Christ’s life-changing message to listening ears. Hebibasi ministers to women at a domestic violence shelter where she distributes TWR programmes on playable audio devices. She also oversees the Women of Hope (WOH) prayer movement, stressing the transformative power of intercessory prayer.
A Voice in the Dark
In a small military office in Albania, a voice came on the radio: “If you want to find out more about God, we will meet again tomorrow.”
Captain Berti Dosti heard these words in the 1980s while he was monitoring the airwaves to help prevent any entry by American forces into Albania. At that time, every night, TWR (Trans World Radio) was broadcasting a 15-minute Christian programme in Albanian.
Between 1944 and 1985, Albania was one of the most isolated and oppressive totalitarian regimes in the world, under the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha. To implement his radical regime, Hoxha controlled all media outlets. According to Media Ownership Monitor (MOM), foreign TV broadcasts were often jammed.
During his rule, Hoxha banned all religion and in 1967 he declared Albania as the first atheist state. Churches were turned into cinemas, post offices and museums and religious books were forbidden. If a citizen had a name with religious connotations they were forced to change it to a non-religious name.
Yet TWR was broadcasting the Gospel over the airwaves from Monte Carlo, across the Adriatic Sea to listeners in Albania. Berti Dosti was one of many who listened at the risk of his job and possibly his life.
According to Richard Greene and John Lundy in TWR’s recently published book, Making Waves, the programme being broadcast “was part of a strategic outreach by the European Christian Mission (ECM).” The ECM understood the value of reaching Albania through radio.
Dosti was captivated by what he was hearing through the programme and his continued curiosity about God eventually led to his salvation.
Dosti’s story is told in detail in the book God’s Secret Listener by John Butterworth. The book notes that after the fall of communism, TWR assisted Waves of the Gospel in launching Radio 7, a Christian radio station. Driven by a desire for more of his fellow Albanians to know God, Dosti immersed himself in radio ministry recording two of his own Christian programmes at Radio 7.
Dosti has played a major role in church planting efforts in Albania. Today he is pastor of the Way of Peace Church in the city of Lushnjë.
Women Who Pray
Media plays a significant role for Albanian women, giving them a hope and a voice. TWR Albania brings the daily Women of Hope prayer calendar to life by recording short audio segments for each day of the week.
“We give the background of the country we are praying for so that the Albanian community can be informed,” said Hebibasi. “Sometimes it’s difficult for members of our audience to pray for a woman in Africa, for example if they don’t know the context. So we give a little bit of background before we pray for them.”
By praying for women around the world, Albanian women also find answers to their own struggles. The following feedback shows how the prayer calendar is being used faithfully among Albanian women:
“I have been listening to the prayer calendar on the radio for years. Each morning as I listen, I pray with the speaker and am moved to tears. We never know what ladies in other countries are facing. I am so glad that I found out that the prayer calendar is continuing, and I can listen to it on your website or social media.” – from Natasha in Tirana, Albania
“The prayer calendar is so important to me. We often learn how other women are living. This helps us to be more thankful for our own situations and the places we live. Sometimes we get the impression that living abroad will give us a great many things that we do not have here in Albania. But the truth is that women all around the world are facing the same struggles.” – from Juli in Billsht, Albania
In addition to distributing the prayer calendar digitally Hebibasi strives to get to know the local listeners of Women of Hope personally.
Relationship is an important ingredient for evangelism within Albania, so Hebibasi organises prayer gatherings and shares TWR content with women at a domestic violence shelter where she volunteers. There is a great need for this type of work.
The World Bank Group, dedicated to reducing poverty in emerging countries notes that, “Albanian women continue to face barriers to achieve their full potential in a still traditional, patriarchal society.”
Yet within this context, women are finding Christ and impacting culture by sharing their testimonies through media.
Sonila’s Story
When Sonila began her university studies she met a man and fell in love. Little did she know he only cared about her money.
Sonila’s father could tell something wasn’t right in the relationship and told Sonila that he wasn’t the right one for her, but Sonila didn’t listen to her father’s advice. She decided to marry the man anyway, cutting off communication with her parents in the process.
Sonila’s new husband told her that he was a policeman with lots of connections but in time she discovered that he didn’t have a job at all. The two newlyweds went from home to home because they couldn’t afford to pay rent.
As they started having children Sonila’s husband became more controlling. After the birth of their third child, they found themselves wandering around Tirana, the capital of Albania homeless and not knowing where to go for food and shelter with a 2-month-old child.
They entered a coffee shop to ask for tea for the baby and two ladies approached Sonila to offer help. That’s when Sonila broke into tears and told them everything.
Soon after, Sonila and her children ended up in a shelter for domestic violence victims. After finding healing from the abuse she endured, Sonila decided to finish her university studies.
Sonila got connected with TWR Albania and recorded two Women of Hope episodes titled From Pain to Victory to tell her story.
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2024, Sonila was invited to speak at an event hosted by the Albanian Ministry of Social Services and Ministry of Public Health. The deputy prime minister attended the event and was so touched by her story that he offered to give her a job once she finishes her studies.
It’s stories like Sonila’s that offer hope in a culture looking for answers.
To the Future
TWR Albania broadcasts a variety of programmes, including In Touch Ministries, Thru the Bible, Christ to the World, Truth in a Test Tube, Women of Hope, Hidden Treasures, Men of Courage and The Way of Righteousness. The team uses digital platforms – podcasts, YouTube and social media (Facebook and Instagram) – as well as FM radio.
Hebibasi describes the programme Truth in a Test Tube as meeting a specific need for Albanians who want proof of God’s existence. The roots of atheism go deep in Albanian culture so people are interested in hearing logical explanations from science.
The latest programme to be added to TWR Albania’s diverse repertoire is Precious & Beloved. Translation and production are currently underway for 26 magazine-style episodes. Created for women from Muslim backgrounds, the programme helps listeners break the shackles of shame and understand their worth as beloved daughters of the King.
Once production is complete Precious & Beloved will be available on podcast platforms and social media. As listeners respond, the TWR Albania team will disciple them and direct them to local churches in the area.
Let us pray that more Albanians find eternal hope and share their stories of God’s goodness, as Paul encourages in 2 Timothy 1:8: “Never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.”
