When Flori was just 10 years old, his sisters told him about a special event happening in their small Albanian village. A team was coming to show The Jesus Film, and they invited him to go along.
Flori grew up in a large family that followed Bektashi, a branch of Islam common in parts of Albania. Life was hard. The country was still reeling from a civil war, and his parents struggled to provide for their children. Tension and worry filled their home; hope felt distant.
But everything changed the night Flori watched the story of Jesus unfold on the screen. As he watched, Flori was deeply moved by Jesus’ compassion, especially His love for children. It wasn’t just the Jesus on the screen who reached him; the kindness of the believers who brought the film to his village left a lasting impression. At the end of the showing, about 30 people stepped forward to follow Christ. Flori was one of them.
Flori eagerly attended children’s meetings in his village and read his Bible. By age 11, he understood the gospel well and chose to be baptized. But his new faith came with a cost. His parents strictly forbade him and his sisters from going to church. Flori remembers being threatened: if he ever went back, he’d have to sleep outside with the dogs.
When he entered high school, he discovered that Christians were often mocked and bullied. Afraid to share his faith with his friends, Flori lost his identity and faith in Christ. He felt weak and unworthy and came to one of the darkest places in his life. At this crucial moment, he cried out to God, received forgiveness and slowly saw some change in his life.
As a young adult, Flori moved to another city and began attending a church there. He felt safe in this congregation, and his faith grew stronger. After finishing university, he returned home to his village as a teacher, this time with a calling on his heart. He knew firsthand the hopelessness children faced in his community: violence and hopelessness. He wanted them to encounter the same love of Jesus that changed his life at age 10.
He started simply by playing soccer with teens after school and sharing his testimony and stories from the Bible. As young people came to Christ, Flori began saving money to purchase a small meeting space. Today, with a team of local believers, he hosts weekly gatherings where children and teens read Scripture and participate in Discovery Bible Studies. During the week, the center stays open for sports, games and friendship. Flori also travels to nearby villages, determined that everyone should have the chance to hear about God’s love.
In September 2025, Flori, his wife and their four‑month‑old daughter attended OM’s Ichnos children’s ministry training. There, Flori was reminded of the importance of loving children well, discipling them through God’s Word and walking with them through challenges. Stories of children around the world standing firm in persecution encouraged him deeply.
When asked what advice he would offer to others seeking to bring hope to children in difficult situations, Flori said:
“We always need to start by sharing God’s love and taking time to connect with children. We should show them that there is hope and that they are not alone. We also need to show children that they can trust God with their future through sharing testimonies and stories from the Bible.”
Praise God for what He is doing through Flori’s life! Pray that children and teens across Albania, and around the world, will experience the love of Christ, grow strong in their faith and one day become bold witnesses in their own communities.
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