O Fiorentinaaa...

Last week I journeyed to Florence to participate in a youth weekend, welcome the new Avanti workers, and get together with friends and former students...

First was the youth weekend! We had times of singing and Bible study, an excursion to Florence and a picnic overlooking the town, high-spirited rounds of Italian pictionary and charades, a barbecue, and a pancake breakfast. We also divided into four groups and translated In Christ Alone from English into Italian, with each group translating one verse. We then presented the new song to the Florence church on Sunday and hope to spread it to other congregations as well.

Three different cities were represented among the young Italians; I brought along one from Vicenza. One of the girls in attendance was baptized a month ago and excitedly showed us a video she had compiled with photos and footage of the event. At the summer camp she had been seriously contemplating this decision, and we are so happy for her! I also found out that another girl from camp who had also been thinking about taking this step was recently baptized!

some of the girls at the youth weekend

Six new Avanti Italia workers have recently arrived in Florence (a seventh is coming in October), so it was fun to get to know and spend time with them. They are all so eager to learn Italian and build relationships, and I can't wait to see how God will use them to impact countless lives. On the right of this page, I've added links to their blogs, which exude their enthusiasm for this new journey and chronicle how God has called them to and equipped them for this mission. Monday night we had an orientation where several former and current workers shared advice.

The next morning I went shopping with Ermenita, who joined the Avanti program in April and is about to graduate from the University of Florence. Ermenita was looking for a dress and shoes for when she defends her thesis and thereby graduates a couple weeks from now, and I am glad I got to take part in this special moment. She has worked so hard on her thesis, and we are all so proud of her!

shopping with Ermenita

While in town, I got together with several of my former English students and enjoyed catching up on what's been going on in their lives. I was especially delighted to get to see a student who last fall had moved to Arezzo, an hour outside of Florence. We have kept in touch during the last year but were never able to get together on any of my trips to Florence last winter... so I went to Arezzo! She invited me to have lunch in her apartment, and then she showed me around town (where Life is Beautiful was filmed). A few months ago, she had written me, "I always remember our lessons with the reading of the Bible and it was very nice! You took part in my spiritual progress, so... thank you!" Probably I'll never see most of the growth from the seeds I'm planting in these two years, but I know God can use all our efforts to advance His kingdom and make eternal differences!

reunion in Arezzo!