February 2010

We thank God every time we think of you. Your generosity makes it possible for us to be here working alongside the church in Pistoia, where God has richly blessed us with a loving Christian family. We pray for you all often, thanking God for the partnership that we share in this effort.

The beginning of the year has been busy, and that is good! We pray that the busy-ness translates into fruitfulness for Christ. We held our first conference on the 31st of January. In February, I was blessed to attend the nationwide men's conference which was held in Prato. And at the start of this month Heather attended the women's conference in Florence, which she also helped to organize. These opportunities have proven to be very encouraging, as we have been able to meet and get to know better some of the brethren from around the country.

Christian Testimony Conference
For those of you who know the roots of the “church of Christ”(which is almost all of you), the title alone is evidence of something a bit different. It was an afternoon where Christians from all over Italy could come and share what God has done in their lives. Among the speakers was a young man who is paralyzed and in a wheelchair after an automobile accident, and several others who told about how they have come through great difficulties by placing faith in God. It was a day to focus on God's blessings and to glorify HIM.

More than 55 attended the conference, and we received many encouraging comments and feedback afterward. One person said that they appreciated the conference because it provided encouragement and fellowship without the “arguments” or doctrinal debates that sometimes arise at the church meetings. Doctrinal discussions and in-depth studies certainly have their place and are most definitely beneficial, but this day was organized as something different. It was more like the church's Thanksgiving Day. And there was a meal that followed!

Men's Conference
The men's conference was organized by my brother's congregation in Prato this year. That in and of itself was a blessing because travel is not exactly cheap in Italy. Between travel, food, and accommodations, it is easy to spend more than $150 in a weekend. While it may not seem like much to some, our budget doesn't sustain those increases very easily.

The conference was very encouraging! The topic was “The Joy of Finding Yourself Indispensable in the Local Church.” Sometimes the challenges of the work in Italy can be very draining and topics like this are necessary. The men who attended were predominantly the full-time workers for the congregations in Italy and the topic focused on stimulating us to see the potential of the resources at our disposal, those being our brothers and sisters in the Faith. Collaborating with the body of Christ in the efforts of the local congregation help us realize that we, along with everyone else, are indispensable.

Women's conference
Heather has recently been busy with helping in the organization of the women's conference held in Florence. Several Saturdays have been occupied by her traveling to Florence for the organizational meetings, as well as hours of preparation here at home. The topic for the conference was the book of Esther, looking at her characteristics and how they translate into our current relationship with Christ. This conference was also a great opportunity for members of our church to work alongside members from the Prato and Florence congregations. Approximately 65 women attended the conference and left with renewed focus on what characteristics strengthen a woman's relationship with Christ.

Mid-Week Bible Studies
We began a series of studies in November on appreciating the contribution of our brothers and sisters. The goal of the series has been to heighten awareness of our Christian family and consider how we can move forward as a unit. Hebrews 10:24 relates the sentiment well, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” It is too easy to be critical of others or even to just drift along in our Faith. We have been focusing on applying ourselves to helping each other grow, be encouraged, and enjoy the company of Christians. We are now moving into a period of forming our activities and efforts for the upcoming months and years. Please mention these in your prayers.

Prayer request
We also request your prayers for a young lady in the church. She had some pain on the left side of her ribcage for a few days and is now in the hospital being treated for an embolism. Upon further tests they have found that a portion of a clot had broken free from near her heart and stopped in her lung on the left side. The remainder of the clot is still at the point of origin. The situation is very grave and the treatment will last 6 months to a year. Her name is Silvia.

Family News
Our family is doing well. God has blessed us immensely. Elaina and Noah are plugging away at school. Elaina is finally able to spend significant time with other kids her age and that makes us happy that she can make her own friends. Noah says he wishes he could go back to preschool sometimes because play-time is limited in 1st grade. Heather has been very busy with various preparations for activities, running the kids here and there, and taking care of me. And I don't really have anything to report on a personal level except that I can't wait for Spring to arrive. The good weather has not coincided with my free time very much and I'm ready to get out on my bike for some rides.

We look forward to visiting with as many of you as we can while we are in the States this summer. July is our month for Minnesota and August is for Texas. We are still looking to top off our budget so PLEASE let us know if you are aware of possible funding. It is not a great amount that remains, but perhaps that posses a problem. Many might think, “Oh, well someone else will contribute that.” We need someone to step up in this respect.

Thank you again for your support of us and this work!

In Christ,
Roger, Heather, Noah, and Elaina Mahan