In Albania, Food and Medicine for the Poor

Qani is 78 years old. He comes from the village of Velçan, located in the Mokra region of Pogradec, together with his brother, who has since passed away. His mother died when they were little and his father married again and started a new family, in which Qani wasn't accepted, and he was left alone.  

He left his village and migrated to Pogradec, where he worked for 17 years on the railroads until the 1990s, when everything was destroyed in Albania. It was around this time when Qani was first introduced to Nehemiah Gateway. When asked if he remembers this, he replies, "Ohh I’ve known Nehemiah Gateway since 1990. I have always found a home here, when no one loved me, also when I was left on the street, alone.” 

For over 30 years now Qani has visited us every day, he belongs to the elderly group that Amaro Tan school takes care of, as part of the soup kitchen program. You can find him most of the time there, eating a warm meal, playing dominos and chess with his friends. We can gladly say that Qani is home, and he belongs somewhere he is loved and appreciated.

Over the last three decades, we have helped many people with similar stories to Qani. With warm meals from our soup kitchen, food packages a few times per year, and more. I specifically remember a visit to one client's house (which was only a small room) where we helped clean up a bit, and were making plans to renovate the roof of the house to stop it from leaking.

These stories are common in Albania and throughout Nehemiah Gateway's history we have been able to help countless people - with the partnership and generosity of donors. If you would like to donate to help the continuation of projects like this, you can donate here.

James Leithart

Communications Director, NG USA