Bread, Salt, and Heart: A Thanksgiving Reflection
Pastor David with a mother abandoned over 15 years ago to raise three children alone, including one with severe autism. She shared, “He became a father to my children when no one else cared.” Her story reminds us that every gift plants seeds of hope with eternal impact.
As we approach Canadian Thanksgiving, I find myself reflecting not only on the blessings we enjoy here in North America but also on the deep lessons I’ve learned during my time in Albania.
No matter what you think about governments, rising food costs, or the daily challenges of life, one truth remains: we have so much to be thankful for.
Albanians have a saying: “bread, salt, and heart.”
Its meaning varies across regions, but at its core, it speaks of hospitality and generosity. Bread represents the basics, salt represents the best you have to offer, and together they bond hearts as friends. As one Albanian told me:
“When you have only a piece of bread and someone else has none, you break it in half, dip it in salt, and share it.”
I’ve sat in some of the poorest homes in Albania where families, with little to give, offered me their bread. Their generosity, even out of poverty, humbled me. This Thanksgiving, I want to invite you to join us in sharing our bread with Albania—dipped in salt and given from the heart.
A Story That Inspires Our Mission
One day, we visited a young mother in a rundown home. She had four small children and very little food. Her husband, addicted to alcoholism, would drink away the money and return home demanding food to eat. When she had no food to offer, he beat her, and sometimes the children too, going after them with whatever he had available, even a chain. He even pressured her to abort her youngest child, but she refused and eventually fled.
This is just one story, but sadly, it is not uncommon among those we serve. These are the types of women our ministry at Global Christian Centre Ministries (GCCM) has been able to support. And with your help, we can do even more.
Creating Safe Spaces for Women and Children
Through the renovation of our new building in Durrës, we plan to expand our ministry to abused and vulnerable women. This centre will be a safe space where women can:
Receive practical training to build sustainable skills and start small businesses.
Regain dignity and financial independence.
Access childcare while attending training programs.
Heal in a supportive, Christ-centered environment.
In May 2026, our first training will begin. A Calgary-based ministry will bring sewing machines and spend two weeks teaching women not only how to sew, but also how to build a business. They plan to return each year to provide advanced training. Other programs will follow, meeting needs in multiple areas of life.
Love Albania Banquet & Fundraising Goal
At our Love Albania Fundraising Banquet 2025, and over the next few months, our goal is to raise $130,000 to renovate this building and bring these dreams to life.
Even if you cannot attend the banquet in person, you can still make an eternal impact. Just 13 people giving $10,000 each would help us meet this goal—but every gift, no matter the size, moves us closer to transforming lives.
How You Can Help
🌍 Give to Renovate the Centre – Your generosity builds safe spaces for women and children.
👩👧 Sponsor Training Programs – Equip women with skills that lead to independence.
💛 Support a Child – Ensure orphans, the poor, and the abandoned have food, safety, and hope.
Remember, all donations to GCCM are tax-deductible and go directly to transforming lives across several nations through the power of Jesus Christ.
A Thanksgiving Call
This Thanksgiving, as you share “bread and salt” with your own families, will you also share from your heart with the vulnerable women and children of Albania?
Every gift today is more than charity—it is a seed planted for eternity. Together, we can create safe spaces, restore dignity, and build futures filled with hope.
Thank you for being part of this mission.
Visit https://www.global-ministry.com/ to give today.
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