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THERE HAS BEEN a silver lining in the dark cloud of violence and disorder which has hung over the country for the past few weeks, according to returning missionaries. 
        The fledging national church has risen to "a new level" in the absence of overseas Christian leaders, say evacuated missionaries who traveled back into the country to see what was left of the work they had been forced to abandon. 
        Members of the young evangelical church - dating back just a few years, to Albania's 1990 emergence from 40 years of Communist, atheist rule - are "assuming leadership rules" and "growing in faith". 
        Some 50 Youth With A Mission workers were among the all-but-a-handful of foreigners forced to flee the country in March, amid the looting and anti-government protests that followed the collapse of pyramid investment schemes. 
        While a decision on returning full-time awaits the outcome of this month's elections and widespread crime continues despite a nightly curfew, several YWAM staff have braved the unrest and gone back to Albania to check on their ministry centers and to make contact with local Christians and national staff. 
        A Dutch worker with an agricultural development organization associated with YWAM was threatened with a gun held to his head during a brief return visit. A shipment of potato seeds sent by the group had to be escorted to its destination under the armed guard of a group of local farmers. 
        "Things aren't really getting any better in terms of any lasting settlements or controlling the towns in chaos," said Sandy Oestreich, a member of YWAM's national leadership team, during a three-week visit to Tirana, last month. 
        "The bright spot in it all, though, is the way the Albanian Christians are growing in faith, trust, courage and leadership for the country. They have continued to meet within the bounds of the curfew and the risks, and are assuming leadership roles in the churches where their missionary leaders left," she added. 
        Oestreich was also hoping to able to check on the health of the one YWAM worker wounded in the violence - an Albanian woman struck in the thigh by a stray bullet. She was taken to Greece for treatment before returning home, where she is recovering. 
        YWAM-Europe director Jeff Fountain said that while most of the ten projects the organization had been involved in across the country - ranging from church planting to education programs - would have to be abandoned, "the mission will go on". 
        Although a return date is still unknown, one thing is clear. "It won't be business as usual," said Oestreich. "We can't assume that we can just go back and carry on where we had left off. The Albanian Christians have grown in many ways during this time, and we may need to look at returning as coaches and support rather than leaders. 
        "People need to continue to pray for Albania, for that which is good in the hearts of men to be strengthened and that which is evil to be exposed and dismantled." 

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