Farewell Tour Part One: Under the Sicilian Sun

This weekend I went down south to visit the congregation in Catania, where I worked during my first month in the Avanti Italia program. Though it had been nearly two years, it seemed like I had seen these friends just yesterday! The buildings and streets were all so familiar, including the intersections in which no direction has a stop sign, not to mention the wide streets and highways with no lane divisions: "Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line!" Get ready for a lot of pictures in this post, for some of you know these people and I'm sure would like to see them!


The day before my trip, Etna, the volcano at the foot of which Catania lies, was erupting! The following photo was taken by a church member from his balcony. The flow of lava disappears from sight thanks to a most convenient valley that collects all the lava, protecting the inhabitants below.



I arrived in time for the Thursday night Bible study, which is attended by nearly all the church members. Seeing firsthand the changes in the past few years, since my first visit on a summer campaign in 2008, was a joy: engaged couples now married, babies growing into adorable little girls, and new babies welcomed into several families. The church has also had a relatively large (for Italy) number of baptisms recently: six in 2009 and five in 2010. A man who, interested in studying English and the Bible, had randomly stopped by the church building when I was there two years ago is now my brother in Christ! The most recent sister converted had been struggling with depression and visiting psychologists for years, to no avail, until she met the Great Psychologist, who transformed her life. The Catania church is so loving, active, enthusiastic, and evangelistic, and seeing God at work among them has been such a blessing!


I stayed with the very hospitable Spina family! Saturday morning, Giulia, the 8-year-old daughter, wanted me to go with her to see some horses...

...and on the way home we stopped by the (Ionian) sea! The sunshine and temperatures in the 60s were a nice change from the winter up north.

Stefano Spina, Catania's evangelist, celebrated his birthday Saturday, and so I joined in the festivities with all his kids and grandkids!

Stefano, Rina, and Giulia, my wonderful hosts

Massimo and Cinzia with Davide, the baby I did not even know had been conceived

Saturday afternoon I helped out with the weekly distribution downtown of flyers about the marvelous grace of God. That evening I went out to eat with half a dozen young people from Catania and Paterno (a town about half an hour away and, for all of you from FCCC, the home of the Giordano clan). I set a new record, breaking the previous one also set in Catania, for my latest ever dinner: a quarter past midnight! The "normal" dinner time in Sicily would be 9:30 or 10...or so.

Sicilian supper, technically on Sunday morning

Sunday at church I of course enjoyed seeing everyone again!

Giorgia, Elisa, and Viviana

the amazing Mililli family, who hosted me during my campaign

After church a large group of young adults went out to eat appetizers together.

almost half the appetizer group:

Giada, Nino, me, Sara, Giorgia, Claudia,

Miriam, Massimo, Luisa and the baby on the way

Then for lunch I went to the home of this young family...

Adele, Ester, and Orazio

...along with her sister's family and their mother. They are among the most hilarious people I know, so needless to say it was an enjoyable afternoon. That evening we all went to a gigantic mall, in the parking garage of which we ran into another girl from Paterno and her boyfriend from Rome, who had been supposed to meet up with our group the night before. I love surprises like that!

Somehow the trip gave me perspective on my two years and my life, not to sound vague or melodramatic. I'm so glad I was able to see my Sicilian friends again! Here's a parting shot from my trip home yesterday:

Catania and a much calmer Mt. Etna!

Until our next encounter, I'll echo the words from a framed cross-stitch in the Spina family home:

"May the Lord keep watch between you and me

when we are away from each other."

~Genesis 31:49