As is well-known, years of strained relations between Albanians and Serbs living in Kosovo led to international intervention in 1999. Hundreds of thousands of people fled to neighboring countries for safety. After many returned, Witnesses from Albania, and later from Austria, visited the brothers in Kosovo. What did they find? Devastation everywhere. During the winter, electricity, water, and heating oil were in very short supply. Temperatures in their places of meeting were often very cold, but meetings were not canceled. Brothers and sisters gave comments and talks by candlelight, and it was so cold that they could see their breath as they sang praises to Jehovah. Two homes belonging to Witnesses had been destroyed, but a fine witness was given as brothers and sisters from Albania and Italy helped them to rebuild. Because of the whipped-up ethnic hatred around them, great care is needed as the publishers share in the ministry, but they eagerly seize opportunities to witness—at the market, in the post office, on the street, and in their neighborhood.

[Picture on page 14]

Joyful Witnesses gathered for a meeting in a garage in Kosovo