The First Seventy-Five Days

Ten days after I returned from Italy in February, two young men in Vicenza were baptized!! [Yes, I should've reported this news two months ago.] Praise God for His incredible work in their lives; I will relate in part their amazing stories as best I can.

Davide (17) comes from a Christian heritage: his father always leads singing, and his aunts and cousins make up a substantial part of our church, but he never attended until after camp last July. At camp he demonstrated a remarkable change since the previous year's camp, completely surprising the counselors. His good friend Marco, whom Davide had actually introduced to the camp, was baptized at the end of that week, and Davide then began to think about taking that step himself.

Giovanni (21) had also been contemplating baptism since last summer. During that time his older brother, who lives in Moldova, where his family is from, was basically on the brink of death and in spite of various medical mistakes miraculously survived. Giovanni wrestled with some hard questions and last summer began working with Davide at his family's company, which gave them an opportunity to talk and reflect together. Marco has also been very close to these two boys and was a great encouragement to them. Being able to witness Marco's growth over the last few months was a blessing, and I am thrilled that now all three can walk together on this new journey of faith. Of course I wish I could be there to see these transformations in person and encourage these boys. The people and places in Italy are all still so vivid in my mind, and being so far away and unable to know everything that's going on in their lives is hard.

meet my new brothers: Davide, Giovanni, Marco !!!

Thank you all for participating in my journey through reading my blog and lifting me and my mission up in prayer. I truly appreciate every comment and word of encouragement! Getting to catch up in person with so many of you since my return has been a delight.

At the end of February I traveled to Searcy, Arkansas (the home of my alma mater, Harding University) and enjoyed getting to see many friends still in town plus quite a few who now live elsewhere but came back that weekend.

dinner with several of my closest college friends who are still in the country

While in Searcy I had three opportunities (two planned, one impromptu) to speak about Italy to large groups. I was the guest speaker for the Women in Missions class in which I was a student three years ago, so being on the other side and sharing what I have learned since then was interesting. I also spoke briefly to the girls in my social club about Avanti in order to spread the word about this opportunity to join God at work. And I "just so happened" to be in town on the weekend College Church was honoring Howard and Doris Bybee for their years of work for the Lord as missionaries in Italy and now with the Avanti Italia program. I was honored to be asked to say a few words at the reception for this wonderful couple who planted the congregation in Vicenza where I was blessed to have the opportunity to work a few decades later!

My mom and I went on a grand Texas road trip (nine nights in five towns) to visit various and sundry cousins and friends and attend the wedding of a dear friend I've known since second grade. Seeing the town where I grew up and the schools where I have so many fond memories was quite nostalgic.

Lamar Consolidated HS reunion at Ashleigh's wedding

Earlier in April I attended a re-entry retreat at my church with the InterMission team who put together the missionary retreat I attended in Italy last August. Hearing the stories of the other participants who had recently returned from the field and being able to discuss the process and difficulties of cultural adjustment with others in my shoes was refreshing!

Last weekend I returned to Searcy for the annual Spring Sing spectacle and got to see many more wonderful people. It was all so exciting that it took my mind off what I was missing in Italy: the Easter weekend youth retreat in Bologna and the fun cultural traditions such as the giant chocolate eggs and the giving of dove-shaped cakes.


In-town highlights between all these travels have included translating letters from Hispanic inmates for the prison ministry, teaching fourth and fifth graders on Wednesday nights, taking advantage of the chance to be in two ladies' small group Bible studies, watching more basketball than I ever have in my life thanks to March Madness and especially the Oklahoma City Thunder, and witnessing the exuberant blossoming of the Bradford pear trees all over town. After having time to rest up and reconnect with family and friends in America, I am about to begin the job search per forza. Pray that God leads me to just the right opportunity!


I suppose it's about time to start unpacking...