Imagine you’re a four-year-old boy living in an ‘unrecognized country’ struggling to recover from the scars of war. This was life for Elvin in the Gjakova district of Kosova. Barely surviving, with little food, electricity, or funds, life was bleak, and hope seemed distant.
Elvin’s world began to change when he found a haven at Cornerstone Kosova. Every Saturday, he eagerly attended, drawn to the love and care of the community. As he recalls, “I didn’t know much what we were doing when we were coming here, but my heart was getting filled with joy, and I couldn’t wait for the next Saturday to come!”
Now 15, Elvin understands why he was so excited for those Saturdays. “The love of Jesus was feeding my heart and that was the reason I was thirsty to know more of Him. Each time [I came], I learned many new things that I didn’t learn from school or family…I learned about love and care! This year I am so overwhelmed with Jesus’ goodness and the people who love Him! They (Cornerstone Kosova) are helping me with school supplies, a new school bag, and are willing to invest in my future! This is really God and His love!”
Elvin’s story is a beautiful example of how love and hope can transform lives, even in the most challenging circumstances. There are countless children like Elvin who are longing for help and hope. They’re waiting for someone to reach out with love, care, and the chance for a brighter future.
Through the support of our programs like Cornerstone Kosova, children like Elvin are experiencing peace, joy, and the love of Jesus. As Jesus said, “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
Elvin shares, “Everywhere around me at school, friends or relatives all talk about hatred and how we need to pay back everybody who treats us wrongly, but here I learned about love and care. I have lived with hatred, and it made me so angry; I didn’t have peace or any good friends. After I started to read my Bible and come to church, I started to see things differently. I learned that love can help me and my heart, and life started to change. Not only me, but friends around me can see it and they ask me questions. I wish everybody and all my friends find this love!”
As we reflect on Elvin’s story, we’re reminded of the incredible impact of love, support, and community. More children like Elvin are waiting for the chance to experience this transformation. Through your support, we can continue to offer children the resources and love they need to grow, thrive, and find hope.
If you feel moved to help these children experience the same transformation, your generosity will provide nutritious meals, education support, clean drinking water, and the love of a community that cares.
Many of us have seen profile photos of children in sponsorship programs; they are often solemn, sad and sometimes down-right angry looking. I know I have thought at times, “Wow, that poor child must be so unhappy!” But then I come across a video from the same organization in which
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture where most of your community—and even your own family—follows a different faith? In Kosova, where Ramadan is a time of fasting and nightly celebration, young believers often feel the tension deeply.
This blog, written by our Kosova program directors Nora and Metush, shares the powerful story of Ymer—a boy learning to hold onto Jesus in the middle of cultural and spiritual pressure.
Bold Obedience In life, some moments stand out as divine interventions, where God’s hand is unmistakably at work. Mission trips are often such moments, where lives intersect with purpose, and hearts are transformed in ways beyond measure. Jilese’s recent journey to Oaxaca, Mexico, serves as a testament to this truth.
Berenice was used to seeing the same narrative play out around her growing up: a life marked by poverty, wealth inequality, and barriers to education. Most families in her area in Oaxaca, Mexico have traditionally come from smaller villages in search of a better life and are facing severe unemployment
13 yrs. old
Entered the Program: February 2025
Estrella lives with her mother and older sister in a one-bedroom house made of adobe brick with a tin roof and concrete and dirt floors. They share a piece of property with another family member, but each family has their own kitchen space. They cook with wood and have access to water from a hose on the property. The bathroom is outdoors.
Estrella’s mother became a single parent when her husband abandoned the family in 2022. Estrella had not seen her dad since then. Estrella’s mother is the sole provider for the family and works farming other people’s fields as well as her own.
Estrella’s sister, Mayrin, is also in the JUCUM program.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
