Ian's peace mission to Kosovo
 A Norwich church leader has visited war-torn Kosovo and seen how the Christian community there is leading attempts to bring about reconciliation and care for those affected by the conflict. John Breeze reports.
The experience of war is devastating but the problems do not cease when the fighting ends. Ian Savory, senior leader of Oak Grove Chapel in Norwich, discovered the reality of this when he visited Kosovo for a few days in September.
The churches are doing a great work in helping the widows and orphans. “There are huge numbers of them and if it were not for the churches running feeding programmes and work programmes I don’t know what would happen,” he said.
“For example, a widow is given a cow and the Christians pay for the vet’s fees for two years and that means that she can be independent because she can sell some of the milk and the calves can provide income.
“It’s the start of an independent life for a family of three or four. The country is getting over a massive conflict – signs of the war are everywhere. There is no real infrastructure, no free healthcare, no social services.
“I was astounded by the believers’ faith amongst the hardship. You hear their stories and see the sadness in their eyes because they don’t know where husbands are or where their sons are. They’ve never been found, yet they know that God holds them. He’s there with them and He’s got them through.
“One thing that really encouraged me is that after the conflict of ten years ago, church leaders from all the warring nations – Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia are meeting together to pray – that’s the beginning of reconciliation.
“Among the amazing stories is one about a pastor in Albania who opened his church for three months. He looked after 4-500 people, fed them, clothed them and then when they returned to Kosovo to rebuild their lives he came with them in order to help them reconstruct their homes. He stayed for a year. He was there for them and that’s just the Christmas message - God is with us – He’s for us wherever we are.”
The reason for Ian’s visit was to explore the ways in which churches in the UK can help the young and growing churches of that region to bring help and relief to the people damaged by the recent conflict.
Ian visited several places to meet church leaders. “The crying need that they’ve identified,” he says “is to train young church leaders. About 25 or 30 of them from the area will get together for two or three days a month and we can run a Training School.”
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Pictured above is Ian Savory (centre) in Albania.
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