About Crossroads
Our mission is to proclaim the transforming presence of Jesus Christ through Biblical teaching and practical training, equipping men and women for service in His church worldwide.
Our Purpose
Crossroads began with the local church and it's outreach into the community - which is still a main focus of Crossroads today. Out of the Kossovo Refugee Crisis of 1999, we were able to aquire land which we now use to run camps for Albanian children and a short-term Torchbearers Bible school program, for the purpose of leading people to Jesus Christ and helping them learn what it means to walk with Him.
What we believe
- The entire Bible is the inspired revelation of God to man.
- The Lord Jesus Christ is God and a co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. By Him the Father created all things.
- The Lord Jesus Christ became man by the miraculous operation of the Holy Spirit. He was without sin.
- The Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, died willingly in the place of sinners, to become the redeemer of this fallen world, and the only Mediator through Whose atoning Blood we receive the forgiveness of sins.
- The Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead, appeared to His disciples, and returned to the Father. Now, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, He dwells in the lives of those who receive Him (His church).
- The Holy Spirit is a co-equal member of the Trinity of God.
- The Lord Jesus Christ is returning in person to earth. By Him, God will judge the world.
Our Team
Linda Osborne
Linda, together with her husband Bob have been the house parents of the Bible School from its inception. When Bob went to be with the Lord in 2013, “Mommy Linda”, as she is affectionately known to the whole Erseka community, graciously offered to continue on as House Mom.
Mark and Ruthie Stoscher
Mark and Ruthie are from the US and have lived in Erseka since 1994. Mark is the Director of Torchbearers - Albania. They have four children. Mark and Ruthie also have an additional 10 children that they live with in the House of Hope - a children’s home that is run by the Erseka Church. Bible School students help with these and other children in the community by tutoring, playing with them and sharing God’s love.
Eric and Kathy Gundy
Eric and Kathy are also from the U.S. and came to live in Erseka in 2000. Eric is a member of the leadership team of the Erseka Evangelical Church and Program Director of the Crossroads camps. He is the principal of the Bible School, while Kathy oversees the finances of the Foundation. They have three children, Andrew, Abi, and Josiah.
Liz Codington
Besides being a nurse, Liz leads the ministry to elderly people in the community. Liz is also involved in different church ministries and sometimes translates at the Bible School.
Angela Kumani
Angela recently finished her Masters degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management here in Albania. Angela is our wonderful, warm, efficient Facilities and Kitchen Administrator. Her niece, Ana, is often with her around campus!
Julie and Rozela
Julie and Rozela are sisters who grew up in the Erseka Church. They are amazing with children and provide critical leadership and mentoring for the Foleza program’s at-risk children and young people. Julie is also a canoe instructor and Rozela leads the crafts program in the summer camps.
Walter and Manjola Zeqo
Walter and Manjola lead in the at-risk children’s program. They love hosting Bible School students in their village home. Their two young daughters, Deborah and Eisela (Ice-ella) are lots of fun!
Our Kitchen Ladies
Mile (Me-lay), Moza, Elvira and Eva are our amazing kitchen ladies! They cook a wide variety of Albanian and International food for the Bible School and Summer Camps. (We don’t want to brag, but the food here is excellent)!
Jesse Scott and Klodi Pepa
Jesse and Klodi became friends at Bible School here in Albania. After several years of praying and thinking, they both returned to Erseka to spearhead a new soccer ministry. Now they have several teams and also help lead a national tournament with churches around the country. Bible School students have played on the team in this tournament too.
Sonya Harnish
Sonya served for three years in the capital city of Albania as the office manager for the national missionary organization AEP. She also worked in several other ministry capacities around Albania and has a heart for discipleship. Sonya is a gifted administrator having been involved in business in both Albania and the US.
A History of Crossroads
In 1999, the Erseka Evangelical Church began to care for refugees which streamed in from Kosovo. 600,000 refugees flooded into Albania. The churches began to respond.
The Erseka Church formed a partnership with Schloss Klaus, a Torchbearers Center in Austria to aid the refugees. The Erseka believers worked side by side with their Austrian brothers and sisters in aiding those devastated by war – especially widows.
In 2001, Torchbearers-Albania began through the prayers, wisdom and help of other Torchbearers Centers – notably Schloss Klaus. The Albania Center main building was purchased during the Kosovo war. We began summer camps in 2000. These have grown steadily. Each summer nearly 2000 Albanian campers come to Crossroads.
In 2003, we began to pray about the possibility of a Bible School. The Lord put the vision on the heart of Albanian Doni Lilo, himself a graduate from the main Torchbearers School in Capernwray, England. The Bible School began in 2004 with Doni as principal. In 2016 we celebrated our 12th anniversary as a school.
Albania
Albania is located in south-central Europe. Crossroads is in Erseka, in the southeast of Albania near the Greek border and is the highest city in the Balkans. That means spectacular views and sunsets, as well as gorgeous snow covered mountains in the winter.
Erseka is not far from historic Thessalonica and Philippi in Greece and students may choose to visit these places on one of the free weekends.
Albania
Albania is located in south-central Europe. Crossroads is in Erseka, in the southeast of Albania near the Greek border and is the highest city in the Balkans. That means spectacular views and sunsets, as well as gorgeous snow covered mountains in the winter.
Erseka is not far from historic Thessalonica and Philippi in Greece and students may choose to visit these places on one of the free weekends.
1st Year Bible School
Crossroads offers a 24-week course (two 12-week semesters) with a focus on in-depth studies of many of the books of the Bible. Christ-centered, theological topics are taught as well. Resident staff and international guest speakers teach at the school.
Summer Camps
Since the year 2000, children and young people have been coming from all over Albania to camp at Crossroads. Crossroads was the first camp center in Albania and has been running summer camps each summer for 19 years now with nearly 2000 campers coming each summer.