Our children’s program in Kosova is located in a region where most of the population practices Islam. Ramadan is a sacred month when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and gather each evening to eat and celebrate (called Iftar). For young followers of Jesus, it can be a time of quiet tension—feeling the weight of family expectations while holding onto their faith. But it’s also a time when God often opens hearts in unexpected ways. Ymer’s story is a powerful glimpse of how His light can shine even in the midst of cultural pressure.
Please enjoy this blog, written by our program directors in Kosova, Nora and Metush, as they share Ymer’s journey firsthand.
In our small town where the echoes of faith blended harmoniously, Ramadan was a month of reflection and devotion for us, the children/youth ministers of the local church. This year, however, the spirit of Ramadan was challenged by the struggle of young believers, especially the children like Ymer, whose hearts were full of Jesus yet faced immense pressure from their families to fast.
Ymer is a bright and talented boy known for his skillful hands on the drum. However, as the month of Ramadan began, his life took on a different rhythm. Instead of joining his friends for our tutoring classes and engaging in the vibrant discussions about faith in youth group meetings, he found himself playing the drum every evening for the community’s Iftar gatherings. The rhythms of the drum called for him to earn money to support his family, who depended on him, especially in this month of fasting for those of the Islam faith.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Ymer would rush to the town square and in the streets, the warm evening breeze catching the notes of anticipation from all around. The sound of his drum beat echoed through the streets, intertwining with the laughter and joy of families as they broke their fast. However, for Ymer, every beat reminded him of the Bible studies he was missing with his peers, leaving him feeling isolated in his faith.
Sitting at the edge of the square during breaks, he watched his friends gather in prayer and discussion, sharing stories of their struggles and victories. They would talk about the peace they found in Christ, even as they observed Ramadan alongside their families, most of whom were Muslim. Ymer longed to join them, to share his own experiences, but the weight of responsibility held him back.
One evening, after an exhausting session of drumming, Ymer sat alone, gazing at the stars above, his heart heavy. He whispered a prayer, asking God to help him balance his family’s needs with his desire to grow in faith. As if in response, one of his friends, Laura, approached him. She noticed he looked worn and weary.
“Ymer, why don’t you join us for prayer before Iftar?” she asked gently. “You can still support your family, but it’s important for you to feed your soul as well.”
Together they sat on a bench, and as the sky darkened, they prayed. The warmth of their prayers filled Ymer with a sense of belonging he had missed. Laura encouraged him to share his burdens with the group. The next day during their youth gathering, Ymer opened up about his struggles, revealing how torn he felt between his responsibilities to his family and his faith. Friends reminded him of the theme of our last summer camp “Strong in the Lord” from the life of David.
To his surprise, his friends rallied around him, offering to help in any way they could. As they all had the same struggle with their families and relatives, and even their friends in school that were angry with them because they weren’t fasting.
As Ramadan continued, Ymer found new strength in attending his youth meetings, balancing drumming for Iftar while still sharing in the spiritual growth with his peers. The dwindling days leading to Eid Mubarak (Bajram, sugar feast), which marks the end of Ramadan, became a beautiful tapestry of faith, family, and friendship, reminding him that he wasn’t alone in his journey.
Through the struggle, Ymer learned that sometimes the drumbeat of life may lead us down unexpected paths, but with faith and community in our hearts, we can find our rhythm again. This Ramadan was not just a test of not fasting but a celebration to remember that the faith in Jesus binds us all together—a strength that fueled all our hearts with love, mercy, and resilience.
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8 yrs. old
Entered the program: September 2022
Ian lives with his grandparents in a shack on a 100 square foot piece of land. To provide for their small family, his grandparents rent a plot of land to farm and raise a milk cow. They survive on the food they harvest and have no other source of income. Ian’s mother abandoned him to her parents before the age of two and ran off with another man. Her whereabouts are unknown.
