He is taking over from Kai Uellendahl, who, together with his wife Anne, will now focus on the further development of Nehemiah Gateway Switzerland.
STANDING UP AGAINST DRUGS
For Christoph (Chris) Lipski, volunteering is a way of life. He brings his professional expertise to NG, in Albania as well as in NG‘s German branch. The police officer, husband and father from Germany, has been traveling to Albania regularly for 18 years, working with our students on the hugely important topic of drug prevention.
A large proportion of crimes in Albania are drug-related. This creates an environment in which young people have easy access to both legal and illegal substances. Alcohol is an integral part of daily life and community culture in Albania, and raki (a hard liquor which is often homemade) is particularly common”. Children are often unaware of the dangers.
The Albanian school system still pays little attention to these issues. This is why Chris is happy to accept invitations to teach in public schools in Pogradec. He has developed customized lesson plans for each class.
Our students always look forward to his classes, pay close attention and, hopefully, leave well-prepared for life—and, as has become a tradition, they also leave with a tasty piece of candy to take to their next class.
When asked why he became so deeply involved with NG, his answer comes instantly: “I’ll never forget my first visit to Albania. Just watching the children at the Amaro Tan School alone
touched me deep down in my heart. I still have tears in my eyes when I think of them. I can only recommend for everyone to make the trip and get this experience first-hand.“
Another reason is crystal clear to Chris. As a paramedic, lifeguard, and church member, he has a lot of experience with volunteer work. “All too often, there’s no real plan on the ground for exactly how to deploy the volunteers. Valuable time and energy are wasted, which is incredibly frustrating. At NG, I can focus entirely on my task; everything else is perfectly organized.”
“That’s also a reason why I’m now getting more involved with the work of NG here in Germany. I can help to ensure that everything here continues to run smoothly and efficiently. That way, we can optimally support the incredibly important work in Albania. After all - that’s what we’re here for!”