Metush and Nora Kaja were both and raised in Gjakova, Kosovo. They lived their young and early adult lives under the shadow of communism in a region where most families were Muslim.
When the war erupted in the late 1990s, their lives were forever changed. One night, as military forces went door to door killing men and burning houses, Metush and Nora hid inside their home. Bullets tore through the walls, and a bomb set the house on fire, but they miraculously escaped and fled with their two young children to Albania. Later they found safe passage and work in Switzerland with the offer to start a new life there. But Nora felt strongly their future was still in their homeland and they returned to Kosovo.
After the war, while Nora served as an interpreter for relief organizations working with widows, she was invited to a gathering at the house of a neighbor. There she heard, for the first time, the singing of Christian worship music, followed by a message from the Bible about the parable of the lost sheep. That night, she and her son responded to a gospel presentation and soon surrendered their lives to Jesus. Some months later, her husband Metush joined her at a similar gathering and received the message for himself.
The war opened the door for Christianity in our country. Amid all the trauma and difficulties, God found a way to reach us and give us new hope and purpose for life.
–Nora Kaja
In 2004 the couple began serving children and families in Gjakova, which eventually became Cornerstone Kosova. This ministry now serves more than 300 children across ten villages through Bible clubs, tutoring, and nourishing meals. They also reach many Roma children who face poverty and discrimination. Over the last two years they have come alongside Browncroft teams helping to lead Bible clubs for kids as a part of our Kosovo partnership.
Just two years ago, Nora and Metush also launched a church at their center in Gjakova. This fellowship is one of eight churches, along with the church in Fushe Kosove, in the network overseen by our lead ministry partner, Pastor Femi Cakolli, whom you may recall spoke at our church in the spring of last year.
This Sunday, October 26th, Metush and Nora will be briefly introduced in our services and then be present for a short interview and open conversation about their ministry and its connection to our Kosovo partnership. All are welcome and lunch will be provided. If you are interested in coming you can help us by registering in advance, here.
I hope to see many of you there.
Pastor Rob
