For more than a decade, this church has quietly served its community in one of Albania's poorer villages with faithful love. It has welcomed the poor, discipled new believers, supported broken families, and shared the good news of Christ’s peace in an area marked by deep need. But this year, as winter settles in, the church family is facing a challenge far greater than the cold.

Years of damp, wear, and structural damage have left the building unsafe. Cracks in the walls and ceiling have worsened, and during heavy rain parts of the structure have begun to fall. Without urgent repairs, the church would have been forced to close its doors — leaving a whole community without a place to gather, pray, or celebrate the birth of Christ.

The believers in Bitaj have done everything they can. Members from both the Bitaj church and its sister church in Lushnje have volunteered long hours of manual labour. Local believers completed all the interior restoration themselves, and the church council has committed 80% of all offerings for as long as needed. But the cost of stabilising the walls and foundations is far beyond what this small, impoverished community can carry alone.

A local construction company stepped in and agreed to complete the critical work in November, even knowing the church could not yet pay the full €20,000 cost. Repairs are now underway — but the debt remains.

And so, in this season when we remember the One who took on flesh to dwell among us, we have an opportunity to come alongside a church that longs to keep its doors open, its light shining, and its message of peace alive in Bitaj.

This December, we invite you to pray for the believers in Bitaj as they rebuild their place of worship. And if you feel led, you can also partner financially to help them meet the €20,000 needed to complete the work. Together, we can ensure that this church continues to be a place where the good news of Jesus is proclaimed — at Christmas and throughout the year.

Click here to learn more and stand with Bitaj in this season.