Blest be the tie that binds

"May the LORD keep watch between you and me

when we are away from each other."

~Genesis 31:49

Just wanted to write a brief update! My recovery has gone slower than expected, but I am feeling better and starting to get stronger. I should be able to return to Italy in January and am very eager to begin my work with the church in Vicenza! I've been keeping in touch with some of my English students and friends in Italy and am looking forward to seeing them again soon! Please continue to pray for my complete healing. Thank you so much for your encouragement during these last three months!

I am delighted to report that one of my English students in Catania was baptized this month! She is a very sweet and intelligent Chinese girl in her last year of high school; she studied extensively with both Kensey and Chad, and I am glad I had a chance to study with her a little as well. We are so proud of her momentous decision and are glad to have been a part of her faith journey.

Kensey and I with our new sister in Christ :)

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all enjoy the holiday season with family and friends!

The best-laid plans of mice and men...

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." ~Proverbs 16:9

My plans with Avanti Italia have taken another slight detour. Unfortunately my health condition necessitated that I come home for the fall to recuperate. I am already starting to feel better but will need to rest for a few more weeks and then regain my strength. In January I will return to Italy and begin my work in Vicenza, if it is the Lord's will...

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" ~James 4:13-15

Before leaving Florence, I contacted my students to let them know that Emily and Jill will be in touch with them to continue their studies. I will also be keeping in touch with my friends there and some of my English students via e-mail or skype, as I will miss everyone in Italy dearly! While I am in America, I have volunteered to be a grader for Bible correspondence courses for women in my church's Prison Ministry and for Africans enrolled in World Bible School. Though I am disappointed about all the events and activities I will miss in Italy this fall, I know that God has a plan for this time and can still use me in His service. I would like to encourage each of you that no matter your current life situation, you can find ways to minister to others. And if you are not an invalid and can actually leave your house, the possibilities are truly endless!

Here I am with Sveta (Florence church member / English student / very dear friend), her husband, and their daughter Lisa (almost 3!). We skyped while she was visiting her family in Russia this summer and will continue to do so while I'm in America! I will miss hanging out at her house on Thursday afternoons!

Ermenita and I :)

Agosto con Amici

August in Italy is a cultural phenomenon! Yes, the whole month. I had read about it before but had never witnessed the vacationing mentality to this intensity. Basically the entire country shuts down as everyone flees to the mountains or to the sea. Most businesses close for a minimum of two to three weeks, making running errands slightly complicated (as if it weren't already enough of an adventure).

Here at the Bible School we have been using this time to do much-needed renovations. For example, we have reorganized the library, and in preparation for re-painting the classroom, we have been scraping off the old paint (that which hadn't already fallen off).

We have also been spending a lot of time with our friends who are in town and with Italian Christians who have been traveling to Florence. Last week it was almost like we had a Florence youth group :) Twice I have had dinner in the gardens of my English students and their extended families (some of whom are current and former workers at Harding's villa). Both evenings were delightful, traditional big Italian family gatherings, and they shared photos of their travels.

Two Sundays ago, we had a cookout at the Bible School for Florence church members and their families and friends. We had a delightful meal, the inaugural of our new backyard, and sang together. Also last week, I attended the birthday party of a little girl from camp who lives in the nearby town of Pistoia; she is just about the most adorable and animated girl I know! A new team of AIM (Adventures in Missions) workers has arrived in Prato, about half an hour away, and we have been enjoying getting to know them as well.

On Ferragosto, the gigantic national holiday on August 15 commemorating Mary's Assumption into Heaven, we hosted an American pancake breakfast at the Bible School, attended by Americans (including the AIM workers), Albanians (Ermenita and her roommates), and a token Italian. Not that we were celebrating the Assumption, but it seemed like a good day to congregate for pancakes and bacon.

Tomorrow the Avanti workers who will be joining us in the upcoming months will complete their two-week training session in Searcy! August 26-30 (Wednesday-Sunday) is Florence's annual convegno di fine estate (end-of-summer retreat) held up at the Harding villa, with people also staying at the Bible School. In attendance will be almost 100 Christians from all over the country, and I am looking forward to seeing lots of people I know! A lot of preparation goes into this event, so please pray that all goes smoothly and that everyone has an enjoyable and spiritually encouraging time! Assuming that I get well in time (as some of you know, I've been quite sick the last few days), I will be helping with the younger children's class. If I have any exciting Italian hospital adventures when I go in for bloodwork Friday, I'll let you know.

the cookout in our backyard

Alexsandra's eighth birthday! (also pictured are the AIM workers)

with some friends in front of one of the castles associated with Dante

Venire a Vicenza

Last weekend I visited the church in Vicenza (in the Veneto region of northern Italy, about an hour from Venice)! I had never been there before but knew some of the children and adults from working at camp, and I enjoyed getting acquainted with the church and its work. The structure of the Avanti program is for workers to spend their initial months in Florence and then have the option of being sent to a church in another part of Italy, and I have decided to accept Vicenza's invitation to come work with them for the remainder of my time here. Though my time at the Bible School this spring and summer has been valuable, I am very excited about this wonderful opportunity and plan to move around mid-September.

At the end of August we will be welcoming to Florence two new Avanti workers, Emily and Jill! Katy, who has been working with the church in Milan, is finishing up three years with Avanti and will be returning to the States next week. Pray for all of us as we make our transitions to new cities and countries!

Vicenza, Ponte degli Angeli (Bridge of Angels):

the back of the church building is on the right side

To see some more pictures from the youth camp and read an inspiring report by one of the directors, please visit http://www.aspettandoilsignore.it/luglio2009/inglese.htm

Momenti sul Monte

Camp was incredible! I hardly know where to begin or how to describe it all. Getting to know 91 kids (divided between the two weeks) as well as my fellow staff members was such a joy. We were way up in the mountains (hence the name, which means "Moments on the Mountain"), and it was beautiful!

The first week I co-taught the nine-year-olds, and we had lots of fun with our various crafts. The second week I co-taught the seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds. Upon returning home, one of the boys from our group (who lives in Paternò, near Catania) decided to be baptized! He had been attending the church there for about a year, and we are so excited to welcome a new brother in Christ. Another girl in our class, also from Paternò, has decided she wants to be baptized and is planning to do so next Sunday. None of her family members is a Christian, so this is a very hard decision for her, and we are proud of her faith and courage.

Also, on Monday Chad's former landlord was baptized! He had been attending the church in Catania and studying English for a few months after having been invited by co-workers who are members of the church. Praise God for all these new births!

The campers were a combination of Christians, kids who have grown up in the church or started attending more recently but have not yet decided to become Christians, and their non-Christian friends. Thus the camp, and even the youth in the churches in Italy, are huge mission fields.

Hopefully I will have the opportunity to work at camp again next year! Lots of the kids asked if I would come back, and it's hard to think that it will be a year until we can all be together again.

Throughout the week we were able to see transformations in some of the kids, and in others we may never know how this experience affected them, but we know that seeds were planted, life-changing ideas contemplated, friendships forged, and memories made. Being able to participate in and observe God's work was such a blessing!

nine-year-old Bible class

the 17/18 class

This is what the kingdom of God is like...

Last week I had the opportunity to attend my friend's cooking school with a group of Harding students! We made homemade pasta with tomato sauce; chicken with a mixture of spinach, pine nuts, and parmesan rolled inside; and biscotti. Everything was delicious!

This week I added two more students! One is a 29-year-old lady who found the Bible School online. She studied English previously but seems to have forgotten most of it. The other is a seven-year-old boy whose mother works at the Harding villa. He is adorable and brought his English workbooks from school to show me all the words he has learned!

Tuesday one of my students brought me a book by a Florentine author so that I can get some practice reading in Italian! Since she didn't have to go to work the next day due to a holiday, she stayed for three hours (until midnight)! Also Tuesday evening one of my students invited me to a pizzeria so we could have one last time to hang out before she goes on her summer vacation.

Tomorrow I'm going to work at the Italian Christian youth camp, Momenti sul Monte, for two weeks! The first week is for ages 6-13, and the second week is for ages 14-17. The theme is LOST: Stories of the Lost Who Were Saved, based on Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Each day we’ll be studying a different character (David and Bathsheba, Naaman, blind Bartimeus, the prodigal son, and the thief on the cross), and I’ll be helping with the Bible classes (for which I have created a pin-the-eye-on-Bartimeus game!), the theater/chorus class, the sports, and I’m sure many other activities. Please keep this camp, both the children and the staff, in your prayers! I’m very excited about this opportunity to meet people from all over the country and hopefully touch some lives. And I will be getting lots of great Italian practice!

Our backyard has now been transformed from asphalt to grass! Here are pictures of the work in progress and the lawn one month after the seeds were sown. It's a veritable jungle out there, and we are excited about envisioning how this area may be used for hospitality!

"This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.” ~Mark 4:26-27

I will greet this day with love in my heart

The seminar on the four Gospels was a great time of learning and fellowship! I enjoyed seeing friends from other cities and also meeting new people, and it was a very encouraging weekend! Hosting events at the Bible School is always so much fun.

Seminar on the Four Gospels

Saturday night our church, in conjunction with Harding University and the Italian charity ANPAS, hosted a benefit concert for Abruzzo, the region affected by the earthquake in April. A couple of my new friends were able to attend, and we raised over 1,000 euro!


The last week has also included a couple of fun cultural experiences. A lady who has visited our church a few times just opened a cooking school, and she invited me to the grand opening to see the school and sample some of her delectable cuisine. On Sunday afternoon our cook, Rosa, and her husband, Felice, were in a dance recital, so we went to cheer them on. The performance was quite elaborate and lasted over four hours!


Last night my 9-10pm student stayed an extra 45 minutes because she was really enjoying reading the Bible and wanted to keep going! She is very involved at her church but said they do not study the Bible a lot there, so she is glad to come here to learn more about the Bible as well as English! The day before another student commented that our studies have helped both her faith and her English. She expressed her conviction that faith is an important decision that each person must make, not merely following one's family or culture. When she was younger she was not as interested in it, but now she is truly exploring and is also reading her Bible at home in her native language!


This month, while Sarah, the church secretary, is in America, I will be assisting with some of her responsibilities, such as making the weekly church bulletin!


Recently I read a book recommended by a friend who was a missionary in Prague, and I would like to encourage you all to read it as well (it's only 111 pages)! The Greatest Salesman in the World, by Og Mandino, is an inspirational story, set about 2,000 years ago, that includes principles for becoming a successful salesman, but it can also be read as an allegory of evangelism. I'll close today's post with a quote from the book:

"I will greet this day with love in my heart. For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men and until I master this art I will remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on whom I call can defend against its force. My reasoning they may counter; my speech they may distrust; my apparel they may disapprove; my face they may reject; and even my bargains may cause them suspicion; yet my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest clay. I will greet this day with love in my heart."

I Was Ready for Some FOOTBALL!!!

Spring has quite suddenly turned to summer! We have been busy with preparations for a seminar at the Bible School this weekend. The theme is the Four Gospels, and the speakers and attendees will be coming from churches throughout Italy.

As much as I love Italy's soccer obsession, I was ecstatic to attend last Saturday a game of the other kind of football, American football. Thursday night on the way home from the Bible study, Robbie, Ermenita, and I had stopped by to watch the Firenze Guelfi practice. They are currently in the third league of the NFL Italia, players are unpaid, games are free, and the field is 80 yards/meters. Robbie once played on this team and also coached the current coaches, and they gave Ermenita and me free [XL] t-shirts! We found out about the upcoming game on Saturday in which the Guelfi would take on the Roma Barbari [Barbarians], so we attended, along with some HUF students, to cheer them on, as both teams were 6-0! The game became exciting at the end as the Guelfi came from behind to tie it up in the fourth quarter and then go ahead (16-8) after running back an interception for a touchdown! Apparently they really like 2-point conversions. Ermenita brought a friend, and it was the first time either of them had seen American football. Her friend also came to church with her on Sunday!

Ermenita and I at the football game!

Last week Ermenita gave the HUF students a tour of part of the University of Florence. The various departments of the University are dispersed throughout town; the library and Law/Economics/Political Science schools are quite close to the church building, but I had never been there before! We enjoyed learning about the differences between universities in Italy and America.

Tuesday night I added another English student! She is 32, works for a subsidiary of GE, and teaches a catechism class at her church. Thanks for your continued prayers for my students as we delve into God's Word together!

Camaraderie

Italians are notorious for going on strike, and I recently had my first encounter with this phenomenon! Going to Sveta's house before the Thursday night English lesson and Bible study at church has become a delightful weekly occurrence of tea and company, except, of course, when the bus drivers decide to go on strike. After waiting over 45 minutes on a bus that generally comes every 12 minutes, I learned from fellow would-be passengers that a strike had been declared for part of that day, which coincidentally was the day before Labor Day. At least Italians usually announce strikes in advance, which is helpful unless one misses the news! This week I was much more successful in arriving at Sveta's, and she brought a friend to our English study! The lady has a daughter about a year younger than Sveta's (who is 2-and-a-half) and is from Georgia (the country)!

Saturday night was our first English movie (and popcorn) night! We watched Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark and introduced the American cultural marvel of coke floats during intermission. Only one English student, a young man who studies with David, was able to attend, so he got lots of English practice with four of us Americans, and we had an enjoyable time. Several of my students are interested in watching English movies but already had plans that night, so we will be having more parties in the future! We want the Bible School to not only be a place to study English/Bible but also to foster a sense of community and the building of friendships. Working outside in the yard so much has also provided ample opportunities to get to know our neighbors, such as the lady at whose request I trimmed our hedge (aka jungle) that was intruding upon her roses on the other side of the fence. Having neighbors who monitor our progress from their balconies is an interesting cultural experience!

Each day has a saint associated with it, and today is the day of the patron saint of Scandicci, San Zanobi, so the whole town has been celebrating. This afternoon a group from church played soccer! Several planned or random encounters throughout the last week with church members or students, outside their normal context, have been enjoyable ways to build rapport! I am so happy to be getting to know so many wonderful people, who are from over a half dozen different nations and have ended up in Florence for various reasons. Italians are usually in the minority at church on Sunday. Another neat aspect of being in Florence, and especially at the Bible School, is that so many visitors pass through. Though unfortunately they all have to leave eventually, meeting new people or seeing familiar faces has been very encouraging! A new group of HUF students arrives on Thursday. Last week Ermenita, Kyle (the HUF assistant), and I met to discuss ways to plan events incorporating the HUF students, Ermenita's friends from the University of Florence, and perhaps also some of my students or other people we know. My first trip to the University was that evening when we went to watch a new documentary about the history of Albania. Event planning (coordinating schedules and hoping people actually attend) can be somewhat complicated, but I am excited about the opportunities that abound and would appreciate your prayers for their successful actualization! Thanks to everyone who has been praying for me and my students and acquaintances! I am convinced that everything has been going so well here due to a combination of God's sheer awesomeness and the prayers of so many of you!

Festa!

Despite a brief shower of hail this afternoon, spring seems to have finally arrived! We've been doing work in the backyard and planting flowers. It's been so much fun spending time outside preparing the yard to be a nice place to relax or have parties during the summer!

The word "festa" refers to both holidays and parties. We are now apparently in the season for lots of them! April 25 (Saturday) was Liberation Day, commemorating the Americans' rescue of Italy in World War II. That evening we had our friend Winter from Prato and our Nigerian friends from Empoli over for dinner! It was great to spend time with them, and Debbie made me an early birthday cake! Afterwards we went to a beautiful choir concert in Prato. My birthday yesterday was a fantastic and very special day! I am very blessed to have already made some wonderful friends who threw me a surprise party : ) Ermenita orchestrated the festivities, which included friends from church, English students, American and Catanian visitors to Florence, one of Sarah's delicious cakes, and thoughtful presents! May 1 (Friday) is Labor Day; my students are very excited about all these holidays because it means they get a day off from school!

Debbie departed for the States on Monday, and David will be joining her in a couple weeks. Their youngest daughter, Erica, is getting married in Searcy on May 23! They will then return to Italy in time for a conference at the Bible School the last weekend in May.

My Wednesday slate of students has changed entirely in the last week! The girlfriend of one of my students began studying with me last week; she is in high school and is very sweet. My other Wednesday students, a girlfriend and boyfriend who study together, told me today that they will be unable to come for the next month because they are very busy with all their exams. A few minutes after I found this out, another student showed up at the Bible School to take their time slot. She is the grandmother of David's eight-year-old student and wanted to come talk with me at the same time as his lesson, so it worked out perfectly!

My schedule is a combination of weekly events and different opportunities that arise. I am really enjoying getting to know the church members better and meeting more of them each week. A couple weeks ago I began helping in the children's class; when there are enough kids to have two classes, I am with the younger ones. They never cease to entertain me! Next week I will add one more English student on Tuesday. Several others have expressed an interest but have yet to set up appointments. A waitress at a local restaurant, a lady we met on the bus, and a friend of a student are all potential students!

Bologna conference on Easter Monday

Ladies' Prayer Breakfast at Liliana's

Living and Active

Building relationships with my students and seeing them encounter God's word is such a blessing! Even between the first and second weeks of studying together I have already seen progress. One student was not particularly excited about using the Bible to study English, but at the end of our second session together told me how interesting he thought the stories he'd read were and thanked me at least three times for studying with him. Another student got an English Bible so that he can make notes in the margins, and his girlfriend wants to start studying with me as well. Tuesday night I added a new student, a young lady who works in a laboratory and is studying for a Ph.D. in pharmacology. I feel privileged to be part of these people's spiritual journeys and pray that in time the small seeds I am attempting to plant will bear fruit.


"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." ~Hebrews 4:12


David, Debbie, and I have begun to have a short devotional and Italian study each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. We have each selected grammatical concepts we wish to improve and are helping each other practice. These are also the days which Rosa makes lunch, so we get to converse with her as well. And Friday I helped her make home-made pasta!


Sveta invited me to her house to practice English with her Friday afternoon! She is a member of the church who studies English (her fourth language!) with David and me on Thursdays before the Bible study. I really enjoyed getting to know her better and sampling various Italian and Russian foods. Friday night at 8 p.m. was my first assemblea, a monthly meeting at church to discuss business matters and plan upcoming events. Everything was settled in record time of about half an hour; I've heard these meetings sometimes last until midnight!


Each Sunday morning a different man is responsible for the opening of the worship service, which can range from presenting an interesting thought to teaching new songs. Today we wrote cards to church members who are sick, needing encouragement, or are far away from the church either physically or emotionally. I actually haven't yet met any of the people we wrote to, though Wednesday morning I will get to meet Liliana. She was widowed a few months ago and is a shut-in, and we are having a ladies' prayer breakfast at her house! I am supposed to think of a short devotional thought to share in Italian.


Today while picking up lunch at the rosticceria, David got into a conversation with a man waiting on some chicken, and he happens to have studied English at the Bible School over ten years ago! He said he'll drop by the school later this week. I've also been in touch with a few other former and prospective students who intend to set up appointments to study with me, and I look forward to meeting them!

Buona Pasqua!

Easter in Italy is my new favorite holiday! I've heard Christ's resurrection emphasized more in the last week than I have in years, and I love how the Italians joyously celebrate this time of year. Everyone, from shopkeepers to neighbors, has been wishing each other "Buona Pasqua!" [literally "Good Passover"] for several days now, and Easter Monday is even a big deal. Friday night we went to Grassina, a town about half an hour away where the communists put on an annual procession about the Passion of the Christ. Vendors of sweets, nuts, popcorn, and balloons were abundant, and the town square looked like a county fair. We found a pizzeria for dinner, and our waitress happened to be a girl from the church in Florence! After sunset the townspeople put on a show on a hillside about Jesus' life and crucifixion. Unfortunately, excessive rain necessitated the halting of the performance right after the arrival of the magi, and it was rescheduled for Monday night. A dear family from Naples was in town this weekend, so we spent time with them on Saturday and Sunday and had a big Easter lunch with them and a couple other church members!

Today David, Debbie, and I went to a conference in Bologna, a little over an hour away. Many of the churches in Italy hold annual conferences, which are a great opportunity for people from various churches to gather together. This weekend Bologna had a youth weekend for the first time, and today was the culmination of that with a meeting for all ages. A couple young people spoke, and a great discussion ensued. A lot of the youth want to get more involved in the church and in living out their faith, and it was a very encouraging day! I was surprised and excited to get to see a few friends from Catania and some people I had met on my mission trip to Italy last summer!

Ermenita, a university student and member of the Florence church, and I are going to be working together to plan events for young adults and teenagers in the hopes of providing an avenue for encouragement and fellowship, drawing back those who don't really feel part of the church, and creating opportunities to invite friends to join us. We met together on Friday and have begun formulating ideas. Please pray for our efforts and for greater participation on the part of the young people, of which there are few!

Make New Friends But Keep the Old

The parents of the high school girl I studied with Monday brought me an Easter cake on Tuesday! They couldn't believe that we teach English for free. Easter cakes here are traditionally in the shape of a colomba (dove), and it was delicious!


One of the highlights of my week is the evening women's Bible study of Beth Moore's The Patriarchs. Though I am the only Avanti worker in Florence right now, two former Avanti workers are still in town: Sarah is the church secretary, and Kelly married an Italian and teaches English. Sometimes an Albanian lady joins our little group of Americans, which includes Debbie and Mona, and each week is so refreshing and full of new insights.


My newest English students all attend the university. Tuesday I met with the son of a man who works up at the HUF (Harding University in Florence) villa and wants to be a translator. Wednesday I studied with a girl in law school and her boyfriend. So many of my students have studied multiple languages, and I am very impressed with how much they know and how eager they are to learn!


Frankie Mitchell has been introducing me to her friends here, and I am glad to get acquainted with these ladies so that I can go visit them on a regular basis. Wednesday afternoon we went down the street to the Casa di Riposo (House of Rest). I talked with an 88-year-old widow named Anna for a long time and met a few others. The workers and nuns there were very excited to have a young new volunteer and want me to come back next week. This morning Mrs. Mitchell brought me along to visit Rosaria, who used to be a cook for HUF. She is so sweet and showed us around her house, insisted that I eat quite a few cookies, and gave me a beaded purse. Some of her children and grandchildren have studied English, and she wants me to meet them sometime. Being able to brighten a lonely woman's day simply by paying her a visit is such a joy!


"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." ~James 1:27


My friend Claire is visiting me this week! We went to Harding together and also on a mission trip to Peru a few summers ago, and she is now teaching English in Spain for a year. This afternoon we went up to Fiesole, an Etruscan town with a beautiful panorama of Florence and some Roman ruins.


The death toll from the earthquake is now up to 281 with the search continuing and aftershocks disrupting rescue attempts. Tomorrow is a mass state funeral and national day of mourning. Easter will be bleak for many in the region, so please pray for peace and healing and that good will come out of this!

Though the Mountains Quake

In case you heard about the earthquake in central Italy early this morning, I just wanted to let everyone know that I am alive and well! I am about 200 miles away from the epicenter in L'Aquila and did not feel anything. The earthquake registered at 6.3 on the Richter scale, and at least 26 towns were affected with 130+ dead, 1,500 injured, and 50,000 homeless. Please keep this area in your prayers!

"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging."
~Psalm 46:1-3

This afternoon I met with four new English students for the first time! In addition to conversing with them to get to know them, I began studying the Gospel of Mark with each of them. The student would read a passage and ask questions about any unfamiliar words, and then we would discuss the content and proceed to the next story. The students vary in their level of English and knowledge of the Bible, and I am excited to get to know them better and see their progress! One young lady is from Marseilles and has been in Florence a few years working as a tour guide; she is from a nominally Catholic family and said she is spiritually searching. I am also studying with a high school girl, a young lady studying to be an interpreter, and a young man who is a free-lance public relations specialist. I'm looking forward to meeting more new students in the next couple days!

There and Back Again

The conferences in the four cities went well and had a pretty good attendance! Since the Catania church is the largest in the area, a group of us went to the conferences in the other cities as well to provide encouragement. Sunday was the monthly agape (from the Greek word for "love"), or potluck. Potlucks here are all-day affairs complete with a first course of pasta, a second course, dessert, coffee, and lots of fellowship. In preparation for the agape, I spent Saturday with the family I stayed with on my mission trip last summer and learned how to make eggplant parmesan! Here are some pictures of the last three weeks in Catania:

Kensey, Chad, and I with the Mitchells and Corbins

some of the young people at church

view of Mt. Etna from our apartment


the Ionian Sea

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. 'Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" ~James 4:13-15

While I had intended to spend two years in Catania, plans have changed. Kensey decided for a variety of good reasons to conclude her time with Avanti Italia, and my remaining as the only American girl working in Catania would not have been the safest situation. The transition happened so suddenly due to the issue of the apartment contract. Since this is a public blog, I am not posting more details about our decision, but please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to hear more about it. Though I am sad to leave that wonderful church, I truly believe that everything has worked out for the best considering the circumstances, and I learned so much in the process.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." ~Romans 8:28

Thus I returned to Florence this week. While I contemplate the possibilities of going to work with another church and await the potential arrival of more workers with whom I could go, I am helping out here at the Bible School. This afternoon I called those on the waiting list to study English as well as Kensey's and Chad's former students from their time in Florence last fall, and I already have several appointments set up for next week! I have also been hearing a lot about volunteer opportunities in the community and ways to help out at church, so I am excited about the possibilities and hope to soon be in a weekly routine! Since I am the only Avanti worker currently in Florence, there is lots for me to do, and I am looking forward to serving however I can and planting seeds for whatever length of time I am here.

Home Improvement

Italians certainly know how to demonstrate Paul's injunction to "Practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13b). Over the past week, a family from church invited me to share a meal in their home just about every other day. I greatly enjoyed these times of fellowship and getting to know my brothers and sisters in Christ!



The last two days we have had adventures with wall repairs in our apartment. Workers came to fix the falling interior wall in the bedroom and the moldy walls and ceiling in the bathroom. I wasn't expecting the process to be quite so chaotic, but I am thankful to have a landlord who takes care of such matters for us! Also a couple weeks ago we had workmen rappelling off our terrace to fix some precarious marble on the side of the building so that it would not fall on unsuspecting passersby below!



We had more visitors from Searcy yesterday, Carl and Frankie Mitchell and Bob and Joyce Corbin! While people seem to be always coming and going through Florence, not as many make it all the way down to Sicily, and it was great to see them! Dr. Mitchell is speaking about depression at a series of conferences today through Saturday in Messina, Enna, Paterno, and Catania. We've been distributing flyers in these cities and are hoping for good attendance! Please pray that the conferences go well and are able to positively impact people's lives.

Give Me Your Eyes

This week I'm teaching Kensey's students because she is in the UK. Brandon and Kristin are also in the UK for two weeks visiting churches to decide where they will work for the next 5+ years. Please pray for their safe travels! I would like to introduce you to some of our students, but I also want to maintain their privacy so won't be using their names.


A Chinese girl who is in high school has been coming for English lessons for over a year. She has read lots of Bible stories and recently asked Kensey about the overall composition of the Bible, so she made an outline of the books, authors, and genres for her. After presenting the outline, Kensey and I are going through a brief overview of the books and selecting stories for her to read. While sometimes she has seemed close to belief, at other times she is incredulous about the stories she reads. Last week she asked if the creation story came from someone's imagination. Her family has a Buddhist background.


Last Thursday afternoon a man saw a sign in the window of the church building advertising English lessons, so he came in and started talking to Chad and some Italian church members. He stayed for the Bible study that night and really enjoyed it and also came to church on Sunday. He plans to keep attending church as well as English lessons.


One of our most faithful students comes by the building often just to talk with whomever is available. His wife and three-year-old son also come with him sometimes to events at church, and he recently became Chad's new landlord.


For more about these and other students, you may read Kensey's post entitled "Nomenclature," currently the second from the top of her blog: http://www.kenseylynne3.blogspot.com/


Now that there are three of us Avanti workers here, we are hoping to acquire more English students. We also would like to get more involved in the community in order to serve and make more contacts. Please pray for opportunities and wisdom as we seek to expand our work and spread the kingdom of God in this city! While we have been generating ideas (finding a children's home or retirement center to work with, serving the homeless, or volunteering in schools), figuring out how to implement them here in Italy is the hard part. For example, right next to our apartment building is an all girls' school. A couple months ago two students killed themselves due to a new grading policy, and a group of parents stoned the school. The effects of the riot are still visible on the building and I'm sure still felt in the hearts of the students. Stories like this remind me that there are so many opportunities to reach out to people here if we only have the eyes to see them.


"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." ~Colossians 4:2-6


Brandon Heath's song "Give Me Your Eyes" portrays the type of vision I wish to have. You may listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTsYAZvHsEQ

Where Two or Three Gather, or A Kilo of Kiwi

Each Saturday afternoon, several church members distribute flyers to let people know about the church. This week we went along Via Etnea, the main street in the center of town. It's technically a pedestrian road with only certain cars allowed and is lined with shops. Seeing people's reactions to the flyers is always interesting. Some won't take one, some look at it and decide they don't want it, some just take it and say "grazie," and some immediately throw it in a trashcan or on the ground. Occasionally someone will get into a good conversation with one of the church members. Regardless of the seeming lack of receptivity, at least the recipients of the flyers are forced to think, if even for a second, about how they relate to Jesus.

Sunday I had lunch at the home of a young couple from church! Everyone here is so hospitable, and I really enjoyed our afternoon of fellowship as well as a great meal of Sicilian pesto and a couple kinds of breaded meat stuffed with cheese.

Enna, the European city at the highest elevation, is about an hour away and is home to a church consisting of two people, a husband and wife. One Sunday a month they come worship with the church in Catania, and each other Sunday evening a few people from Catania go out to Enna. This weekend was my first trip to Enna, and it was neat to meet Carmelo and Lucia and have a small worship service together.

"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." ~Matthew 18:20

Right outside our apartment is a market every Monday morning. The vendors have a colorful array of very fresh fruits and vegetables as well as a wide selection of household goods and clothes. Yesterday was my first time shopping there. I came home with 9 zucchini, 7 pears, 19 kiwi, and 5 eggs, all for just 5 euro ($6.25). When I agreed on a kilo of kiwi, I wasn't really thinking about how much that is (2.2 pounds), but it was only 75 cents ($1)!

It's a Small World After All

Sunday evening some of us from Catania went to Paternò for their worship service and agape (potluck). Their congregation has about 20 members and lots of energetic children and young people! I also got to meet some relatives of the Giordano family with whom I went to church in Texas. What a small world!

This week I've been getting to know some of Kensey and Chad's English students and starting to help teach. We're sort of in a time of transition now with Brandon and Kristin about to leave, and now that the new team of workers is complete, we will be re-evaluating our schedules and then start advertising for more English students and hopefully also begin some new initiatives.

The church meets together twice during the week, besides Sunday mornings. Tuesday night is a singing class, and Thursday night is a Bible study. This Tuesday we had special visitors! Shawn and Donna Daggett and Don and Joyce Shackelford are in Sicily for the week, and it was great to see some familiar faces from Searcy! Afterwards we all ate pizza together.

Snow & Lava

Friday evening I arrived in Catania, my new home for the next two years! Catania (population 300,000 with a total of 750,000 in the metropolitan area) is on the island of Sicily and is situated between Mt. Etna (Europe's largest active volcano) and the Ionian Sea. Both are visible from my apartment since it is on the tenth floor (which would be the eleventh floor in the USA). Kensey and I are living with Brandon, Kristin, and baby Charlotte, Avanti workers who will be departing in April, at which point we will be taking over the apartment. It's so nice to already have a fantastic, furnished place to live!

Every Friday night a group (of men; I was the only girl) from the church plays soccer. The field is a little higher up on the mountain, and when we got there, it was snowing! Then a few minutes later we saw lava flowing out of Etna!

Saturday afternoon Kensey and I walked around town so I could familiarize myself with our apartment's surroundings, and we also went to the center, where there is a Saturday market with all sorts of food and household goods. I enjoyed both seeing familiar sights and exploring new areas!

Church this morning was wonderful! It was great to be back and see everyone and know that they are glad to have me here. Six-year-old Giulia even drew me a picture!

FYI: The internet connection at my apartment does not allow me to upload photos to my blog, but I will be posting them on facebook. If you do not have facebook and would like to see my pictures, let me know, and I will send you the link where you may view them. Also, if you would like to receive an e-mail notification whenever I make a new blog post, you may sign up in the "subscribe" box to the right under the blog archive box. Below that are several links where you may check out Kensey's fantastic blog, Debbie's newsletters, and Avanti's main website. Moreover, I highly recommend that you view this comparison of the differences between Europe and Italy for a nice little introduction to the culture: http://www.infonegocio.com/xeron/bruno/italy.html

Farewell, Firenze

My second week here has flown by! Tomorrow I'm moving to Sicily to begin my work with the church in Catania. While I will miss Florence and all the wonderful people I've gotten to know here, I am extremely excited about joining Kensey and Chad and reuniting with all my dear friends there. Last summer I spent a week and a half in Catania and am so glad I have this opportunity to return and work with such an incredible, joyous congregation.

Wednesday afternoon I taught four of David's English students. Each lesson had a totally different dynamic, and talking with each of the students was enjoyable.

Today I got to have lunch at the HUF villa! Then this afternoon before the English class and the Bible study at church, I met up with two other girls whose mothers are in my mom's Moms In Touch prayer group! It was neat how we all ended up in Florence at the same time, and I'm so glad we were able to get together!

Rosa

After church on Sunday, we and our friends from Prato had lunch with our new Nigerian friends in Castra, a little town in the hills outside Empoli. The landscape was beautiful, and our hosts were so hospitable and generous! Jacinta had made all sorts of food, and her uncle, the priest, kept insisting that we eat more and more. We ended up having twelve different items: salami, olives, liver pâté, lasagna, ribollita (minestrone soup with bread), a spicy Nigerian soup, chicken, pork, greens, roasted potatoes, ice cream sandwiches, and blueberries. We had a delightful time, and Jacinta wants to come to the Bible School again to hang out and so Debbie can teach her how to make rice krispy treats, etc.

a fantastic feast and fellowship!

Sunday night the HUF group came over for a chili supper to round out our weekend of festivities!

Today when we were out and about we happened to be near Rosa's house so stopped by so I could see where she lives. Right after we drove onto her street, so did she, so she invited us in. I met her husband, Felice, and saw their beautiful garden. I've really enjoyed getting to know Rosa and learning some cooking tips from her! She has had a cough for over six months, and the doctors hadn't been able to figure out what was wrong until last week when she was diagnosed with a hernia. She is glad to finally know what the cure is. Please keep her in your prayers!

Rosa, the cook

Tuesday Night Ladies' Bible Study

This week at the ladies' Bible study, we didn't just have Americans, so we did the study in Italian. This is such a great group of women, and I'm going to miss meeting with them when I move in a few days!

Family Convegno

This weekend is full of big gatherings and birthdays! Thus a lot of my time recently has been spent preparing for these events.

Thursday afternoon I turned all my permesso di soggiorno paperwork in to the post office, after which a celebratory gelato was in order. That evening David and I went to the church early for an English study with a church member who is from Russia! The mid-week Bible study here is on Thursday instead of Wednesday; in attendance were four people and Mario's eternally happy dog.

Friday was Mona's 50th birthday! She and Robbie are the directors of HUF (Harding University in Florence). We had a surprise party for her at the Bible School with about seventy people and then paraded (literally) to Gallo's pizzeria. The parade involved fifty black balloons and about as many of those party noise makers, and Robbie pushed Mona in a wheelchair. It was quite a spectacle, and the Italian bystanders were definitely wondering what was going on, and some of them asked what kind of celebration this was. They only thought Carnevale ended Tuesday.

Sorpresa! Tanti auguri Mona!

Today was a Family Convegno (a word used for conference/convention/retreat). About 75 people from Florence, Prato, and Pistoia gathered at the Florence church building, and Vittorio and Tonia Vitalone came up from Rome to speak about parenting. Two other ladies and I watched the 18 children, which was lots of fun though of course slightly crazy. Since an adorable little girl named Deborah turned 7 today, Sarah made a beautifully-decorated and delicious cake. The convegno went really well, and I'm glad so many people were able to participate!

the children at the convegno

Scandicci

I haven't taken many pictures since I've been here,

so I thought I'd post a few of Scandicci that I took two years ago.

il Comune, where I went to register with the police

pedestrian area


Saturday market


il Vingone


on the road to Harding's villa


motocicletta

I've only been here four days?!

The past few days have been full of a variety of activities and new experiences! I will only hit the highlights since I can't possibly relate everything, but this post might be sort of long since there are so many firsts!

One function of the Bible School is to host visitors; thus, people are always coming in and out of this very hospitable place! Right now there are several travelers here from my hometown of Edmond! Last weekend a couple American girls from the nearby town of Prato were here. One of the girls had met a brother and sister from Nigeria who have been living in Empoli for the last year, and she invited them to church Sunday. It was great to be back with the Florence church again after being here two years ago, and I more or less understood everything that was said! A dozen people came over to the Bible School for lunch afterwards for a great meal and fellowship. The siblings from Nigeria really enjoyed it, and their uncle, who is a priest, invited us to Empoli for lunch with them next Sunday!

the Florence church building, formerly a chapel in a Russian family's palace

In the mornings I meet with David and Debbie Woodroof, the directors of the Bible School, for a devotional and to discuss upcoming events. Jim, David's father, is also here for 3 weeks helping out with all sorts of projects around the Bible School. It's been great to have him here!

Rosa, the cook, makes lunch every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. After working here for over twenty years, we think she has picked up some English, but she pretends to not speak any so that we all have to practice our Italian. Yesterday I got to help her make lunch, which was so much fun! She is so sweet and said she likes me because I can understand what she's saying!

Monday afternoon Debbie and I went to Sarah's apartment for tea and amazing scones! Sarah is a former Avanti worker and is now the church secretary. I really enjoyed getting to know her better and learning more about the work here.

This morning David and I went grocery shopping at the Coop, the largest European grocery store I have ever been in. It was quite an experience. More on Italian grocery shopping later...

This afternoon David and Debbie attended the funeral of the mother of one of the members of the Florence church, so I worked with David's English students. He had given them homework the week before, so we went over that and discussed their questions. In the first lesson we actually ended up speaking Italian about half the time as I was explaining grammatical concepts (isn't the logic of English verbs wonderful?), and then he translated the Parable of the Tenants. The second student spoke English very well and had read John 8:1-11. He asked lots of questions about the story and so we discussed concepts such as justice and forgiveness, and then cultural matters such as Carnevale (Mardi Gras), which is being celebrated today.

Tuesday evenings a women's Bible study meets here and has just begun going through Beth Moore's The Patriarchs. Tonight we had supper together and then studied Abraham. Events are always happening at the Bible School or the church, so I'm just helping out however I can and learning so much. I can't believe I've only been here four days! The two weeks I am in Scandicci/Florence before moving down to Catania are going by so fast. Each day is full of a wide array of activities and the many adventures that come with life in a foreign country.

I am here!!!

Last night I arrived in Florence! Thanks to everyone for your prayers for safe travel; my flights went smoothly, and all my luggage made it! For the next two weeks I will be here at La Scuola Biblica di Firenze (Bible School of Florence, home to the Avanti Italia program), located in Scandicci, a suburb of Florence and home to Harding's villa where I studied two years ago. It's great to be back!

La Scuola Biblica di Firenze

Today I registered my presence with the Scandicci police (which entailed filling out some paperwork and getting lots of very official-looking stamps). Kensey and Chad, my future co-workers in Catania, were in town attending to their permesso di soggiorno (permission to stay) paperwork, and Katy, an Avanti worker in Milan, is also here for a few days, so it was nice to see them all before they head back to their respective cities today!


I am so grateful for this incredible opportunity to work in Italy for the next two years and am looking forward to all the joys and challenges that await me and to seeing how God will use me!