Now to Albania.

Tony Budell is not one to ignore a need. He has already led 88 aid convoys into troublespots in the former Soviet bloc. So when he heard of the exodus of Kosovar Albanians he began organizing a convoy of 35 vehicles to help them.

Plans have not been finalized as FAC goes to press, but the convoy is due to leave on 18 May. The lorries, campervans and cars with trailers will take dried and tinned foods, toiletries, vitamins, nappies, clothes pegs, washing lines and a whole range of `basic goods'. His charity, British Humanitarian Aid, prefers to leave supplying clothes to others.

The convoy will drive from Dover, Kent, to the Italian port of Bari. From there they plan to cross the Adriatic by ferry to Durres in Albania. Budell is concerned that NATO has commandeered all the ferries, but assured FAC, `we'll work it out'. Their final destination is Shkodra, a few miles from the Kosovo border.

Budell hopes that his party will spend two or three days with the refugees, giving them `moral support during this time of immense unrest for them'.

`The larger charities look after the masses,' he said. `We specialize in looking after individual families.'

As told previously in FAC (Jan/Feb 1993), Budell is a former truck driver who in 1988 felt led `into a life of serving people'. At a time of personal despair, he had an experience of God's love which made him feel that he was no longer alone. He felt that God was calling him to `carry the cross of humanity'.

He launched his first initiative--carrying aid to Romania--after seeing destitute women and children on TV. Since then many have offered gifts or help. `There are good people in this world still,' he says. `Out of every bad case you hear of, there are hundreds who care.' His experience seems to bear this out.

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