ALTHOUGH the provision of essential food, groceries and medical care is the main focus of the practical help we provide to children, families and vulnerable elderly people through our Living Water Adopt-A-Child programmes, we regularly come across other urgent needs that arise, often around housing. 

Towards the end of last year, our staff in Albania became aware of two elderly ladies living in one of the mountain villages, in a house that was badly in need of repair. With the help of funds donated to our ‘Starfish Fund’ for emergency needs, our staff were able to buy the materials necessary to repair the roof and some of the internal walls and carry out the work. This will make a huge difference to the living conditions of these ladies, particularly in the cold winter months.

Just last month, we had another lovely story sent to us by our Albania team:

‘Earlier this year, at one of the ladies Bible study meetings in the remote Upper Mokra area, we became aware of a widow who came to the meeting completely soaked. We set her chair by the stove so that she could warm up. As it was raining, we assumed that the woman had got wet in the rain, but some of the other women told us that ‘it is raining in her house’ and that was why she was soaked. 

‘A few weeks later, we visited her at home and found it just as the women had told us. On the same day, a sponsor was found who wanted to support the 75-year-old widow named Naile. We thought about how we could help Naile. Repairing the house would be too costly, and besides, it is not actually her house! She has no children, comes from another area and therefore has no land in the village.

‘We consulted with the chairman of the village commune, wondering if we could find an apartment for her in the village, and finally came up with the possibility of providing a living container for her. We are so grateful to the municipality of Pogradec for giving us the papers for the land to be used by Naile for 20 years! Her new sponsor’s heart was moved to provide the amount needed for the container. The transport of the container and other expenses was covered by some further donations that we received. 

‘After all, formalities had been completed, the container was set up, and we helped her to move in. Most of the work has now been completed, and Naile is very happy and grateful for her new home. As she now lives in the centre of the village, she also has more contact with the other people in the village.’

We are so grateful for the opportunity to help Naile, and others like her, through the Living Water Adopt-A-Child programmes. If you would like to help make a difference in the life of someone like Naile, please visit our website and ‘Adopt-A-Granny’ or support a project.