At home in Paraguay, attending seminary, Ema heard God call her into mission and she knew it would be for life. She served in her home country before joining OM and after a few years, found herself at a meeting in Holland, seeking God's will. "I had been asking God to guide my next step," she remembers, "and on one of the final days I was crying out, 'Lord, why did you bring me to Europe? I need an answer.'" The next day, she heard about the huge needs in Kosovo and Albania, a country she had served in on a short-term outreach. "God spoke so clearly," she says, "as if He was using a hammer to strike me -- His nail -- into the right position!" So she went to the region to work with women and girls and says, "I'm here until God calls me away."

She's gotten to know the people in her 11-year stay, and Erna feels this is the work God made for her, explaining, "I've always wanted to see people realize their potential, be all they can in God. Women and girls here have fewer rights and freedoms than men, and I love working with them to overcome their disadvantages." One disadvantage is among believing women whose husbands will not allow them to go to church. "It's a privilege to pray and study the Bible together, give them a lifeline of fellowship," says Erna. "I so enjoy, too using my abilities in sewing and baking, teaching these to ladies in isolated rural villages. Learning new skills increases their self-respect and boosts their income. Scarcity of jobs means many men work abroad. I can also share about Jesus with them, studying God's Word."

Her heart is also with the women on the margins of society. Erna says, "I befriended some girls whose mother was in prison; the oldest of these girls had herself been in prison after being previously trafficked. Having a female relative in prison is especially shameful here, and if a girl has been trafficked into prostitution, she faces rejection by her family, even if she can get back to Albania. To support herself, she may have to turn to crime. That's a tragic situation."

Erna is part of the leadership team in the local church, a church started by OM Albania in the early 90's. She's been pioneering women's meetings that involve all the evangelical churches there. "I could bring this about because I have been here so long and people see me as someone of integrity. Plus, I speak Albanian fluently. I enjoy a lot of trust from everyone, which is rare here; lack of trust seems to be a legacy from communist days, sadly even the younger generation is affected by it, and believers too. I suppose as a foreigner I am seen as 'neutral', so that also helps."

Though she may be a foreigner, Erna has become European in her heart and longs to see others share her burden. "The special thing about Europe," she concludes, "is that all the other cultures of the world can be found here, and that's an immense opportunity and challenge. Let's use our freedom so people can see the love of Jesus lived out in us!"

Please pray for Erna and the women she serves, that many more would come to know Jesus through her ministry. And ask the Lord how He might use you to reach the people of Europe.