Mar-April 2007

March and April

PISTOIA, ITALIA NEWSLETTER

The Lord Almighty sustains us with his continual blessings and encouragements. The work in Pistoia is progressing by his blessing and we give thanks for the prayers and support which you all offer on behalf of Christ's kingdom.

Since our last update we have confirmed the arrival of a campaign group which will spend a week with us in the middle of June. We again request your prayers for God's blessings upon this effort. We pray that the local church will jump behind the effort and be actively involved. We recently studied from Luke 10 the event when Jesus sent out a group of 70 to prepare the way for his coming. Before he sent them out he warned them of dangers, calling these dangers wolves, while these disciples were to be as sheep. Defenseless. Vulnerable. Trusting their shepherd for protection. Near the center of our discussion was the way it was necessary for those disciples to go out in order to participate in the joy of the results of the work. We want to experience the joy of God working through us and for this we pray that the church be highly involved with the efforts during the campaign week.

During March and April we began distributing information in mailboxes and on doors of houses. The fliers say, “All roads lead to Rome, but only one leads to God.” We will continue distributing those fliers when the campaign is here, but we have also again begun advertising English classes using the Bible as a source of discussion. Permission still needs to be obtained from one of the larger schools to distribute the information among the students. Our hope is that some of them will take the opportunity to study during the summer so that they retain what they may have learned in during the school year.

This year's campaign will only be the second that we have had in Pistoia. The last was two years ago and was about twice as big as this group. For our small congregation the number will be more manageable. We have a number of activities that we are hoping to complete. As always we will have puppet shows in the park (most likely performed by the AIM students from Prato). We will pass out cold water at a local park one day, and on another pass out air fresheners for cars at stoplights. These are the two more costly activities but we are praying for a good impact. On the water bottles and the air fresheners we will place a sticker with the churches name, address and a catchy verse and phrase. The leading suggestion is: “Let Jesus refresh your life.” Beyond these two activities we will keep busy with picking up the trash at a couple of parks.

Of late, the church in Prato has been preparing for more apprentice missionaires(AIMers) to come. I have gone to help a couple of times with taking apart, moving, and reconstructing furniture. The AIMers have been a real blessing to the church in Prato and Pistoia. Members of the church are encouraged by their enthusiasm and others are impressed that young people would give a year and a half of their lives to serve God very specifically.

Here in Italy, two holidays passed within a week of each other and that brought the total up to three holidays in the matter of a month. It wouldn't be so disruptive if the last two had not fallen in the middle of the week. The holidays were enjoyed very much. For two of them, we were able to spend almost full days with Carmelo and Dina. It was a nice encouragement for us and hopefully for them as well. One of the days we spent up in the mountains behind Pistoia and enjoyed the cool air.

Speaking of Carmelo, we have recently been studying things that will help him with his devotional life. As a taxi driver, he has periods of time when he has no clients and so he has time to read, or study, or meditate, or pray. He commented just the other day about how he has already observed that when he takes the time to read from the Bible on breaks he is more relaxed while driving. We enjoy seeing how he is maturing as a new Christian, how he is more comfortable reading the Scripture on Sundays and how he has improved with public prayer. We thank God for opportunities like these when Spiritual growth is easily seen.

On the homefront, things are going well. Elaina has started displaying the teeth that she has kept hidden for a while. For almost 5 months the doctor said he thought her gums were swollen because the teeth were about to come through. Some of them have finally shown themselves. Her smile is a bit crooked but it is a beautiful smile nonetheless.

Noah's Italian is constantly improving and he is making friends well at school. I have a feeling he will really miss it this summer but we will still be able to make play dates with his friends at the park where we normally do our puppet shows.

We recently finished getting all our plants in the ground for the garden. We had a garden last year as well, but since we were in the US for 2 months we only planted things that could pretty much be neglected and still grow. This year we will remain in Italy and have time to tend to the gardening so we planted tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash and some herbs. Noah has enjoyed helping plant the seeds and Elaina sits in the sun and watches. It is one of our family activities for the moment.

As I finish the letter, Heather's mom is on her way to Italy for a brief two week stay. We are looking forward to spending time with her and at the same time it reminds us of all our family and friends back in the US. We are tremendously thankful for you all and miss you. We thank God for sustaining us through the contributions that many of you make financially and that all of you make in your prayers.

Jan-Feb 2007

January and February

PISTOIA, ITALIA NEWSLETTER

Greetings from Pistoia! It looks as though we are coming out of a very mild winter as the trees begin to bud and the flowers begin blooming. The signs of new growth are always welcome and we continually pray that new growth in the church will be seen as well. The start of spring reminds us that it is God who causes the growth and that it is our responsibility to be faithful in planting the seed, cultivating the soil, and encouraging maturity.

With the start of the new year, a new series was begun for our midweek studies. Several had expressed interest in studying the personalities of the Old Testament and in making connection from one to the other. We set out to study the chronology of the Old Testament but were sidetracked by a question that was jokingly posed at the end of the first lesson, Creation. This question that was intended to be 2 seconds of discussion resulted in a 30 minute discussion. From that point we studied some Christian evidences for a relatively young earth and the importance of taking God's word at face value. The same issues resurfaced in studying the universal Flood in Genesis 6-8. We have now, after 8 weeks, completed the life of Noah and are moving forward. It will be necessary in the future to continue reinforcing principles of understanding/interpreting the Bible.

On a more positive note, we had been having some difficulty finding efforts which the congregation as a whole would get behind. Our New Year's Eve party was a bit of an eye opener for us as to the interest of the congregation in Pistoia. While we did have some interesting reactions to the visitors who were present, the congregation is now expressing an interest in reaching out in similar ways. In Italy, the day after Easter is a holiday and typically a day to spend with friends and/or family. It was decided that we will organize a meal at the church building for people who may not have family or who may be far from family. All the members are being encouraged regularly to be aware of those around them who may be lonely and who may enjoy such an effort. We request your prayers for the organization and attendance of this event as it could be pivotal in the growth and encouragement of our congregation.

At the beginning of February we also began distributing fliers to the houses near the church building and near the homes of the members. The flier is one that was designed by my brother several years ago when he was working in Naples. It is a simple invitation to study the Bible. A picture of the Colosseum is in the center with an inscription above and below saying, “All roads lead to Rome, but only one takes you to God” and then a reference to John 14:6. We do not have Kinko's or anything like it in Italy, but we were able to get around 1,000 copies and took them to a typesetter to be cut in half. I was thankful to find a way to quickly cut the sheets so that I didn't have to spend an hour or more cutting them by hand. Then, on top of that, the typesetter was very nice and charged us nothing to do the cutting.

In February the ladies also had another study which Heather led. They have been following the book, “The Power of a Praying Woman.” Dina has led the discussion section with Heather doing the summation and teaching portion. The ladies are pleased with the lessons and have been very encouraging to Heather regarding her preparation and growth in the Italian language. We pray that the participation will continue and increase. The ladies were also encouraged by a non-Christian who has shown interest in attending future classes.

We are beginning to make a few more contacts and have opportunities to share our Christianity with the Italian people. Recently at Noah's school one of the teachers asked me to speak to her class when they do a section on different cultures. We also met a man who lives in the apartments behind our house, when he fell from his wheelchair as a result of an uneven sidewalk. We are hopeful to see him again, especially as the weather warms up and makes it easier for everyone to spend time outside. Heather has also been pushing herself to interact with others when she takes Noah to the park, especially the mothers of Noah's classmates.

Soon, we will be preparing ourselves and the congregation for a campaign group coming this summer. We will put on puppet shows at the park, distribute materials in town and try to organize a few more activities to accomplish while they are here. Two years ago the church got their first taste of campaign groups and learned a bit about hospitality. We anticipate the congregation's participation and interaction with the group to be increased this time around.

In family news, Elaina just got her first tooth a week before her first birthday. The pediatrician has been saying for over 3 months that she would have teeth any time. Otherwise, she is doing well. She doesn't move much as far as crawling or walking, but she wants to stand more of the time now. She gets a kick out of her big brother and laughs for him more than anyone. Noah has also been doing well with school. The teachers comment from time to time about how his Italian is maturing. His circle of friends seems to change about every two to three months. The other day I asked him what he would be doing at school and he responded, “I'm going to build with blocks.” I asked if he was going to draw and color too and he promptly informed me, “Drawing is for girls. Boy's play construction.”

Heather and I are both plugging along. The flu finished it's course on our family just prior to my parents coming, thankfully. My parents have arrived and will be with us for about 3 weeks (half the time at our house and the other half at my brother's). We thought Elaina might take a little longer to warm up to them since she is more selective about going to people, but she was in their arms giggling before we knew it. We are very thankful for that.

In closing we want to thank all of you for the support and encouragement you give us. We know that we could not be here serving God without you. We covet your prayers regarding the church here and how we can be of assistance to them.

Nov-Dec 2006

PISTOIA, ITALY

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2006

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We trust that you all had a safe holiday, whether at home or on the road. And we pray that as the old year passed and the new year began, everyone was able to recall the numerous blessings we have received from our Heavenly Father.

In Italy, our holiday season doesn't end until January 6^th (the epiphany) and then things return to normal. Last year we went to the center of Pistoia for the event and ended up being seen on local television. This year we enjoyed watching a parade in Florence with the kids. We have enjoyed having Noah home from school during the holidays, but we were quite pleased to see him go back to school on Monday and resume his normal routine.

RECENT HOLIDAY EVENTS

Our November and December schedule was a little fuller than last year, since we participated with the Prato church in a singing event. They had decided to go to a couple of nursing homes to sing for the residents. It was a great opportunity for them to be able to make a demonstration of the church's presence in the city of Prato. It was also enjoyable to see the faces of the residents light up as we sang about Jesus and as Noah, Miriam (Noah's cousin), and Luigi (Miriam's cousin) played together after the singing. We have also already discussed attempting this with the church in Pistoia next year. The idea was warmly received, but will take a bit of planning and probably, much more practice than that which the church in Prato required.

This year we planned our second New Year's Eve party with the church members in Pistoia. This year we had several visitors besides our normal visitors for fellowship meals. It was an encouragement to see each of them. For a congregation that does not see groups of non-Christian visitors on a regular basis, it was also an opportunity to see how we interact with those outside of our little circle. We sometimes get into habits of whom we speak with and need reminders to extend ourselves for the purpose of drawing others closer to Christ. Our visitors have helped us to look more closely at our comfort zones. We ask for your prayers concerning the seeds that were planted with these guests, as well as growth and maturity for our members in dealing with visitors from outside of the body of Christ.

CHURCH STUDIES

Our mid-week studies came to a transitional point during the holidays. For most of December, we made a shift toward asking God's guidance and blessings on the activities we will undertake in 2007. We finished our series on prophecy and fulfillment at the beginning of December and this month (January) we started looking at an Old Testament Timeline. Many members showed interest in having a better understanding of the interweaving of the individuals and examining their character.

Attendance at worship recently has suffered a bit, but it is almost entirely due to work schedules that cannot be changed. Heather and Dina are now guiding a children's study during the time that the sermons are being presented. The children are benefiting from lessons at their level and the adults are benefiting from a reduction in distractions.

The sermon rotation among three men continues to go well and the congregation benefits from the insights of three rather than just one. On my part, the sermons are taking a look at practical Christianity. If we want to make a real impact on our community we have to show that we will practice what we preach. We have to be more than just nominal Christians who attend worship and Bible study. In a recent sermon we looked more specifically at Jesus' teaching in Luke 6:30 regarding our generosity. Beggars are more common in Italy than the places where I lived in the US. After a while, one begins to develop a common reaction to them, especially when stories circulate about some of them driving Mercedes SUVs. We rationalize many ways to refuse and then we run the risk of caloused hearts towards those who are really in need. Jesus said simply, “Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.” We are not encouraged to enable sinful living in which we suspect some of them may habitially participate, but we can be generous and help in many ways.

At the end of December the ladies had their third monthly study. Heather has been leading the discussions from the book, “The Power of a Praying Woman.” The preparation is helping Heather with her Italian and the participation of the ladies in Pistoia has been good. One young lady, in particular, has been regular in attendance for both this and the mid-week study. She was baptized years ago but has since stopped attending worship. Any encouragement to righteous living she receives is a blessing. We pray that one day she will return to worship and a more active commitment to God. Please keep Silvia in your prayers.

2007 PLANS AND EXPECTATIONS

In December we took time one night to discuss 2007 and what the church would like to see accomplished. Among the more passionate discussions were the topics of more efficient usage of the building, becoming more visible in the neighborhood, and opportunities for fellowship.

One effort that surfaced was the organization of a meal for individuals who may be seperated from families at the time of traditionally family focused holidays. So we will be considering an organized traditional meal around the time of Easter. The purpose behind it will be simply to provide companionship for some who are feeling lonely.

Near the end of January we will distribute materials near the church building. It is a bit less confrontational than door-knocking in the United States because we can place the information in the mail boxes of the houses and apartments. One never knows how this small seed may spark interest. And before we know it, we will be planning more puppet shows in the park and will meet some of these same people. In addition, with Noah being in school close to the church building, we are having more opportunities to meet parents and become more recognized as individuals in the area. We pray that God facilitate and increase these meetings.

FAMILY NEWS

Our family is doing well. We are continually thankful for how God provides for us through many of you and we know that we are blessed by your prayers as well. Noah is doing well at school. We've found that he can be quite sly and independant at times. When he does not want to do what the teachers at school are asking, he will sometimes act like he doesn't understand Italian. Sometimes it may be the case, but more often he is exercising and testing his boundaries. He is also an exceptional big brother giving toys to his sister and making her laugh.

Elaina also doing very well. Everyone says that the second child will be the opposite of the first. Elaina shows us the truth in that statement in several ways. She is not quite the eater that Noah was at her age. She does not sleep near as much as Noah did. And she is very selective about giving out smiles, although she will smile at herself in the mirror every time we hold her in front of it. In addition, we are still looking forward to the day she sleeps through the night.

Heather is glad the holiday season is over. She was cooking for two full weeks in preparation for cookie baskets for the church families. Now she can recover from that and get back to her other responsibilities.

I have been keeping busy with study preparations and continue to study the language. Each day I spend half the day at the church building studying. Usually, I'll spend about an hour with Giovanni visiting or sometimes going on a little errand. Other days I will also go to see Nedo at his warehouse, drink a coffee and visit with him, his brother, and sometimes one of their workers.

IN CLOSING

The church in Pistoia sends their greetings. It is a tremendous blessing for us to be here working alongside them. We pray that our partnership with them and with you will be an asset to the Kingdom of Christ. The support that we recieve from the US shows us God's generosity and faithfulness through you.