Local Church Steps Forward
To Help Ailing Albanian Boy
By Sandy Vondrasek

Armando, lower right, and his mom, Merushe, center, are coming to the U.S. in two weeks, in hopes that doctors at the Shriner Hospital in Springfield, Mass., can save his life. Members of the Green Mountain Gospel Chapel are helping the duo, who will stay, at times, at the Randolph Center home of Bette Lambert. Armando's four sisters, Mirela, Daniella, Sultone, and Filanxa (not necessarily in that order) stand with their brother. (Provided)

Brent and Carol Lindstrom of Randolph, in their sixth year of doing missionary work in Albania, are bringing a little bit of Albania—and an extension of their good works—to the U.S., later this month.

On March 25, the Lindstroms will accompany a seven-year-old Albanian boy, Armando, and his mom, Merushe, on a flight from Albania to Boston.

A week later, on April 4, doctors at the Shriners’ Hospital in Springfield, Mass., will do an evaluation of Armando, to see if they can help him. Armando has a rare condition that is causing his ribs to curl inwards. The problem, if not addressed, will compromise his lungs and other internal organs, and likely result in death.

Members of the Lindstroms’ church, Green Mountain Gospel Chapel in Randolph, are pitching in to help out with fundraising and other needs. If Shriner doctors can do the surgery—and they would do if for free—the Albanian mother and son will likely need to stay in the U.S. for three months.

Bette Lambert, also a member of the Green Mountain Chapel, has volunteered to host Armando and his mom in her Randolph Center farmhouse, whenever they don’t have to be at the hospital.

"I am excited to be a little tiny piece of their being able to come here, hopefully to save his life," Lambert said this week.

The duo will stay with Lambert between their March 25 arrival and April 4 appointment, and perhaps many weeks more, post-operatively.

Until the doctors examine Armando, however, "everything is up in the air," Lambert said.

Lambert is taking potential challenges in stride.

"We’re going to have a little language problem," she acknowledged.

Neither Armando nor his mom speak English. The Shriners’ Hospital is seeking a translator, and folks at Green Mountain Chapel are hoping to find someone who speaks Albanian here.

Even the Lindstroms haven’t learned much Albanian, as they have relied on translators. The couple, in any case, will return to Albania after a short visit here.

Lambert and her three children still at home "will just kind of squish in together to make room" for their guests, she added.

Lambert can also offer something priceless to Merushe: The understanding of a mom who stayed at her young son’s side for a scary 17 days, a dozen years ago, while Shriner doctors treated him for severe burns.

Lambert, who calls the Lindstroms "our best friends for 20 years," also opens her home to Brent and Carol every summer.

The Lindstroms do their missionary work in Albania nine months of the year, spending the three summer months in Randolph Center, where they earn enough money to fund their missionary work.

Dairy farmers in Tunbridge for 30 years, the Lindstroms’ big project in Albania this year is developing a 14-acre market garden.

Debbie Price of Randolph, also a Green Mountain Chapel member, noted this week that the church has begun a fund drive to support efforts on Armando’s behalf. She noted the Lindstroms spent thousands out-of-pocket for four round-trip tickets.

Those wishing to help may mail contributions to Green Mountain Gospel Chapel, Fund for Armando, 106 Hebard Hill Road, Randolph, 05060.

Those wishing more information may contact Price at 728-9793.