The vast of the Muslim community lives and works in the area around one main street in Luton. This particular area (Bury Park) is facing many needs and challenges. It has been identified as one of the neediest communities in England.
Since 1967, when Albania proudly declared itself atheist, it had been known as the “most closed country in the world” to the gospel. An evangelistic campaign was held at the national stadium in the capital, Tirana, for the first time in history. It was there that Beni met Jesus. No active evangelical churches had existed anywhere in the country, but miraculously within a few years new churches were planted in most towns and cities in Albania.
Most asylum seekers in Austria live in refugee reception camps. Others find places to live and search for work to earn money. More than half of these people are Muslims; they come from about 24 countries. Ali lived in a refugee camp for ten months. There he received visits from Christians, who gave him a Bible. Ali was a Muslim and did not intend to change his religion. He only wanted to find work, save some money and then continue on to Germany. Ali found some unpleasant and unsatisfying work, and sometimes he was unemployed.
In Western Europe, materialism, secularism and a tendency to confuse historical Christianity with the prevailing culture have become the obstacles to the advancement of the Gospel. In Belgium, a country of 10 million people, however, God is still building his Church. The following story illustrates well how God is calling former Muslims to Himself.
During the war, Middle Eastern nations helped finance and supply the Bosnian Muslims. Some even came to fight themselves and after the war, took Bosnian wives and stayed in the country. Muslim fundamentalists are funneling into the nation
Nora and her family belong to the Millet ethnic group (300,000 Turkish-speaking Gypsies). They are part of about one million mainly Muslim Turkish-speaking people living in Bulgaria (which has a total population of 8.2 million).
Cyprus has been divided between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots since 1974 when Greece tried to impose political union with Cyprus by force. Turkey responded by invading northern Cyprus. Within three weeks the Turks had occupied most of the northern part of the island.
Most former Muslims say they came to faith through the steady witness of French Christian friends. Some are growing in maturity but others still carry heavy baggage from difficult childhoods. It is no simple task to proclaim the gospel in the Lyon area. About 25% of the French place their faith in astrology and mediums; over 15% spend several billion euros per year on occult consultations. Others profess no religion.
There are over 100 mosques in Italy, 65 of which are in the North. Italian Muslims are increasingly gaining official recognition, which helps them open mosques and Islamic schools. Many Arabs from North Africa and the Middle East believe that Islam is the absolute truth and consider it their duty to promote their religion in Italy.
Reports from the Christian Community: The Kosovars were very touched to see that the Turks, who originally brought Islam to Kosovo, were open to the gospel and wanted to know more about Jesus.
