I had never met anyone who had experienced life after death until that day at Tirana's Central Hospital. Some coworkers from The Family and I were visiting people in their rooms when we met a man who didn't seem to be very sick. He invited us in and we gave him the tract "True Love, Forever Love." He said that he and his family were Muslim, though he himself did not go to any mosque. Nevertheless, he believed in spiritual things, and he believed in Jesus.

He didn't know anything about Jesus, really. He had never seen a movie about His life or read the Bible, but he had had a personal experience that convinced him that Jesus was who He said He was.

"It was two years ago," he said. "At the age of 58, I had some health problems. Then one day I had a heart attack. I was brought to the hospital in a coma. As the doctors were working on me, my heart stopped beating for 11 seconds.

"I don't remember anything else, except suddenly seeing a beautiful place I had never seen before. It was amazing! I did not know I was experiencing a clinical death, because everything seemed so real. The place was full of light--more than any place I've seen here on earth. There were rivers, streams, trees, and a lot of green. I didn't know where I was, but I felt wonderful.

"I don't care if they believe me or not. I have met Jesus. I am sure of that!"

"To my astonishment, I saw Jesus there and I recognized Him from pictures I had seen on earth. But believe me, He was much more real and alive. I was on my knees, holding on to Him, and I said to Him, 'Even though I'm an old man, I can still serve You. Please take me with You now!' But He gently said, 'No, you have to live.'

"I was still begging Him to take me when suddenly I was revived, brought back to life."

As the old man told this story, he was trembling and his eyes filled with tears. He said he had told this experience to his sons and other members of his family, but they hadn't believed him. "I don't care if they believe me or not," he said. "I have met Jesus. I am sure of that!"

We explained to him more about Jesus, His love, and His plan of salvation. "You can not only believe in Jesus," we told him, "but you can have His presence in your heart always. He wants to be a part of your life."

Then the man prayed with us to receive Jesus as his Savior. When his day comes, Jesus will welcome him back to Heaven and he will get his wish--to serve and stay with Jesus forever.

Esen Kalemi is a full-time volunteer with The Family in Albania.