December 2009-January 2010

PISTOIA, ITALY
DECEMBER 2009-JANUARY 2010

Greetings from Pistoia, Italy where we are learning the value of long underwear! It has been cold here. At the beginning of December a snow storm hit Tuscany and, with much of our area being dedicated to Greenhouses and Nurseries, a tremendous amount of damage was sustained. The city was blanketed by 6 inches of snow in one night and it was not completely melted away until 3 days later. The snow itself is not uncommon for this area but the quantity and the duration made an impact.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed the snow. We built snowmen and snow angels. Noah even had a snowball fight with the girl next door! But after 45 minutes it was time for a warm-up. We all went inside, took off our snow-covered clothes and tried to warm back up. When we came inside, Elaina grabbed some toilet paper and started rubbing it on her feet. When Heather asked what she was doing, Elaina said, “bua” which is the kids' way of saying they are hurt. Elaina received a decorated hot water bottle for Christmas from school, so we used it to help her warm up her feet. A few minutes later, Noah was on the couch with Elaina complaining about how his feet hurt as well. Elaina took her hot water bottle and put it on Noah's feet. Then she proceeded to take care of him. She covered him with a blanket, tucked him in, and even brought him a couple of her dolls to lay beside him. It was incredibly sweet to see Elaina taking care of her big brother, and Noah enjoyed it too.

ACTIVITIES
The snow slowed things down for a while and pushed some of our appointments into the holiday season which was already packed with activity. But we survived everything and had plenty of time to enjoy the kids while they were out of school.

The concerts for the International Choir of Pistoia are now done. Heather especially enjoys participating. We had five concerts in all, most of which were on Sunday evenings and a decent audience was present for each. The choir is an interesting story that I'll retell in person if you are interested, but in written form it is a bit lengthy. That being said, we have essentially been participating with a completely different choir even though some of the members are the same. Approximately 30 people participate and it is another instance where we can come into regular contact with the same people. This allows us more opportunity to develop and nurture relationships and conversations about God's word.

BUILDING RENOVATIONS
For this month, and part of December, Giovanni and I have been painting the interior of the church building. I have decided that white paint is not the best selection for large areas that are hard to reach. The ceiling of the building is about 25 feet high and rolling paint on it one time is not an easy task when you aren't accustomed to it. The problem with white paint, or at least the white paint we had, was that while it is wet it is the same color as the old paint and it is extremely difficult to determine where paint has already been applied. So a job well done turns into a splotchy unsightly ceiling when the paint dries and reveals where paint was applied. Three coats seems to be the required amount. The upper walls and ceiling are white. The lower section is a cream color. For the lower section I have two words – ONE COAT. The worship area is finished, except for the metal trim of the windows which will have to wait until condensation doesn't form inside the building. All of this work is for two reasons: first, the repairs on the roof are completed and it no longer leaks; second, the church will be hosting a meeting of sorts on January 30th.
CHURCH EVENTS
The meeting on the 30th is an experiment of sorts. It will will be a time of personal experience. Numerous speakers have been organized to talk about how their lives have been changed since coming to Christ. It is not something that we from the church of Christ are accustomed to, however the concept of sharing how we have been blessed is biblical. It will not be a time to boast about how one person is better or more blessed than another, but a time to be encouraged by the good things that are happening to our brothers and sisters.

A good deal of planning and time have gone into this effort. Posters will be placed throughout the town to advertise the event and we will have a booth at the local market for two days to distribute fliers of varying kinds. The church family is preparing a buffet meal to follow the meeting. The goal of the meeting is to help people see the practical benefits of faith in Christ and, from that point, we pray that opportunity will be available to talk about God's word.

FINANCIAL MATTERS
No minister or missionary enjoys talking about money, but we feel it necessary to make an appeal to you all. We are in the process of planning our summer furlough to the United States and will be purchasing tickets in the near future. At the same time, we are also completing our tax forms for 2009. In the past, both of these items have been added to credit cards. While we don't believe in purchasing on credit, our credit card debt is almost solely from insurance expenses, taxes and airline tickets during the last five years. If there is anyone who would be willing to contribute to these expenses through a one-time contribution, it would be greatly appreciated.

In addition, we have been asked to extend our time in Italy by our church family here in Pistoia and feel called by God to prolong our time. (A copy of the church's letter is posted on our blog site.) With that call comes a need to raise some additional funds. Until this past year, we have run a negative balance for our entire stay in Italy, and our buffer for debt is at its maximum. With the economy in the US being as it is, we know that it is difficult for many of you as well. However, we are essentially at 90% of what is necessary for us to continue working with the church in Pistoia. It means that approximately $200 per month would make it possible for a missionary family to stay on the field. We have faith that God provides for his children and for those who love Him, and we know that he will provide for us as well, but not without your help. We believe that with the additional funds we will be able to come through the next two years without incurring additional debt. Without that 10%, the remaining 90% would be rendered useless, as we would most likely be forced to return to the US. If you are able to contribute to help us meet this need, please contact us or the elders of the Richfield Church of Christ in Richfield, MN.

IN CLOSING
We thank all of you who keep us constantly in your prayers. We know that it makes a difference in the work of the church! May you all continue to feel God's blessings each and every day of your lives.

In Christ,
The Mahans