December 2016
The Superbook series was first broadcast on primetime national Klan TV in Albania in 2015 and in Kosovo in 2016. Children, young and old, both in Albania and Kosovo were able to hear a life-transforming message, shared in a simple and engaging way. Superbook became a phenomenon, discussed on social media and secular news and was rated by the secular rating agencies as the most watched program on television.
In December Radio 7 in Albania hosted a special Superbook Christmas celebration at The Albanian National Art’s Academy in Tirana. This celebration included a very special visit from Gizmo, the beloved robot. Children and staff alike were bringing the love and joy of Jesus to those in need.
They also ran a number of outreach programmes including a visit to the pediatric hospital in Tirana where 200 children had the opportunity to meet Gizmo. There was a choir of children who sang about the Prince of Peace to those in need of hope and healing. With the support of the charity Samaritan’s Purse, they were able to give a gift to every child. Children received “The Gift” a book of the author Norma Fisher that explains clearly the message of the Gospel for children.
The mother of a sick child from a church in Tirana shared:
“I was so moved by your visit at the hospital. The Lord touched me in a special way. I was depressed and angry with God for my child’s sickness, but your message right there at the hospital filled my heart with HOPE again. You brought so much joy to my child! Thank you!”
Gizmo also visited the Junior High “Ibrahim Hima” Prush, Tirane where over 400 children in very poor areas near Tirana attend. In this school, all children come from Muslim families and for them, it was the first time that somebody brought them a gift to say Merry Christmas. During one of these outreaches, our team was confronted with a teacher who said that the children were not allowed to say the word Christmas because they were Muslims. Our team was brought to their knees to pray for these children to be free to choose what they believe, and for more opportunities to bring them the message of the Gospel.
The outreach in the community continued as The First Christmas was shown to two schools at the Albanian National Arts Academy where children saw what happened on that night when Christ was born.
More than 500 hundred children and adults attended and more than 200 children were trained to share the true meaning of Christmas on stage through music, dances and a musical drama. Children performing on stage were of different age groups, churches, denominations, public schools and cultural backgrounds. Many of the children came from underprivileged families and they have been waiting all year to have an opportunity to perform on a real stage.
Written by Naomi Downes and Radio 7
