Patience

by Leslie

Living in Italy without a car definitely has its perks... One is that I don’t have to spend time looking for parking. It also gives me the opportunity to get a lot of exercise as I walk from place to place. The best part though, is how God uses it to teach me patience… and to go with the flow.

Today was a perfect example of this… Our friend, Jessica, (who the girls helped with the army base junior highers in the fall) lives in Pisa and invited us to come for lunch under her beautiful mimosa tree that is in glorious bloom at the moment.

underneath the mimosa tree

We wanted to get there by 11:30 so we could lunch and then have time to see the ocean before we headed back to Florence. From here to Pisa is supposed to be about a 45 minute drive, but on public transportation it’s about 2 hours (this includes two buses and a train). So, we were going to get on the 9:35 bus to get started.

When we got to the bus I realized I forgot my eye drops (needed for dry eyes). I had 5 minutes to get them… so off I dashed, back to the house. I was home and back by 9:32 and the bus was still at the stop! Or so I thought – the bus that was there wasn’t the same bus!! It was the next bus that wasn’t scheduled to leave for another 20 minutes! And the one carrying my family had left THREE minutes early. Course, now I was sweating in my wool sweater, down coat, and scarf (it was under 40 degrees this morning…) and I was mad that the guy had left early. EARLY!! Really?? In Italy?? Unheard of!

But there I sat, on the 9:50 bus…and this driver didn’t leave until EXACTLY 9:50. On the way down the hill I was listening to praise music, trying not to be anxious about missing the 10:28 train to Pisa. Grace was calling to keep me posted on what platform the train was on, and what car they were in.

The normal 20 minute ride to the transfer spot was taking longer than usual…. And of course, I was on the bus that needed to switch drivers – sitting in the seat near the front, I had to keep myself from huffing loudly as the two drivers exchanged pleasantries. “Lord… maybe I’m going to miss this train because you want me to be alone today…” But, as we pulled to the stop, my next bus was sitting in front of us and I was able to jump on - 10 minutes before my train was to leave… Standing on the swaying bus, I thought that this was just God’s hand, gently teaching me to just “relax”! (How many of you just love to hear someone say, “relax” when you’re all wound up??)

Somehow, the voice of God actually does help me to relax. So many times in this strange and wonderful country, there is just nothing one can do to change a situation… might as well just go with it. Of course, we hit every light on the way to Santa Maria Novella train station and I leapt off the bus with 3 minutes to get to the train. Oh yeah… it was on the farthest track from the bus stop. As I walk-jogged trough the terminal, I was thankful for the freezing temperatures that occupy the place. I boarded the train with just one short minute to spare. Whew!!

So, our little foursome is back together… sitting in our little quad-seat section, facing each other. Mark and Em have assumed their normal train positions of dozing while Grace and I talk quietly. The conductor comes in to check our tickets and when we hand them to him he looks at them for a long time – always a signal that something is not quite right. Then he asks why we have a 20% discount on our tickets… since I wasn’t there when Mark bought the tickets, I have no idea. So, I wake up Mark and he says, “Well, the ticket booth machine gave me the option of a 20% discount and I thought, ‘Sure!’” The Trenitalia guy tells us that the discount is for persons under 25 who have a special card and that we have to pay the difference at the station before we make our return trip. Do I not look under 25??

All Aboard

We arrive on time to Pisa and have a lovely time with Jessica. While the air is quite cool, the sun is shining! I have learned to be thankful for the weather in So. Cal., but that’s another blog!

After lunch Jessica drops Mark and me off at the beach to walk along the water. It’s crowed with other people looking to soak up a little sun on this nice day. We have a general idea of where to catch a bus back to the train station, but don’t know exactly. I only have to ask for directions once and we find the stop. Miraculously, the bus pulls up only a minute after we get there.

When we get to the station we have to exchange those troublesome tickets so we jump in line. We see that we have about 10 minutes til the next train to Florence leaves. We finish our transaction there with only 2 minutes to spare and take off running for track #4. We leap onto the train just as the whistle blows and as we sit down we give each other a victory knuckle bump! Im thinking to myself that except for this morning, the day has gone off without a hitch.

Then the train starts to move…. In the WRONG direction!! We look out the window and see track #4 right across from us and figure out we are going to La Spezia… Well, Mark starts the laugh attack that lasts us almost to the next stop. We decide to get off and take the next train back in the other direction.

the deserted station, in the wrong direction!

The station is completely deserted and in a very sketchy part of town. But we look on the screen and see that a train will be by on track 2L in about 6 minutes. We discuss the fact that our track says #2, but since the station is so tiny we figure we must already be on #2L. We stand there and watch a train (that looks more like a long bus) pull by a track about 100 yards away and wonder what that little train is. Then Mark uses his eagle-eye vision to see that the train just left track 2L…. another laugh attack!! Now I am thanking God for such a wonderful, go-with-the-flow husband. Many men I know of would have been furious.

To put you out of your misery, I will just tell you that we finally arrived BACK in Pisa exactly one hour after we left. The rest of the journey home was, for the most part, seamless. And yours truly has more patience and stamina than I did 24 hours ago.

So much of this Italian journey seems to include God’s hand helping me to trust Him even more in the little things – to not try to put my own agenda before His; to let God be God in my life rather than my feeble attempt to control my own life. I thank Him for today!!

And, I will thank Him when I get back to the USA and get to drive myself around!!

Jesus @ the Gym

by Mark

It killed me to join the gym here in Firenze! In the U.S., 24-Hr. Fitness costs me $49/yr…and I can go to any of hundreds of their gyms across the U.S. as I’m traveling. My Florentine gym, StillNuovo, costs me 50 Euro/mo (which, at today’s exchange rate is $67). Everyone here says it’s a great deal. I disagree, but still joined. Of course, I justified this expense by thinking this is a great ministry opportunity…

The first guy I met was the cleaning guy, Arnold. He has Jesus all over his countenance, as he works at his job as unto the Lord (c.f., Col. 3:23) so I said, “Buon Giorno”. It was the later part of the afternoon, so Arnold replied, “Buona Sera”. (Ooops, wrong greeting Mark! Greetings are day 1, hour 1 of beginning Italian school…Geeesh, what was I thinking?! ). Arnold followed up with, “You are American?”. I was surprised that English came out of a Pilipino dude living in Italy. Turns out Arnold speaks 6 languages – including English – so we have delightful conversations about God’s goodness in our lives. Arnold shares Jesus with the members of the gym regularly, and tells me which ones he’s invited to his church.

Luca is by far the fittest looking guy in the place. He looks like a really fast runner, but his upper body is ripped too. His English is better than most, so last week I ask him if he competes in races. “Yes, this Sunday I will race 21km in Scandici.” Luca looks to be around 40-ish, so I’m thinking he’s shooting for 1:30 to 1:45-ish. “What kinda time are you hoping for?”, thinking even though I don’t look as fit as him, I could probably kick his butt! “I would like 1 Hour 17 minuti…how do you say seventeen?”. Jaw on the floor, I said, “Just like that, Luca, seventeen…you got it…how old are you?”. “I am not old. I have 44 years”. I wished Luca well on his race, fully expecting he would report back with a time closer to 1:30.

I saw Luca yesterday and asked if he ran his 1:17. “No, I run 1:16, but only 10th spot…you say spot?”. Once again, not quite speechless, I muster the wind to respond, “No, we say place…10th place in English. Wow, Luca that’s really great!” “Oh, thanks you. The first five, um, places were African”, as we chuckled together, knowing how Africans dominate distance running these days.

BTW, the 44-year old Luca raced at 5:46/mile pace for all you math majors…

Into the locker room strolls Xavier. He is mid-40’s, effeminate, and dresses the part. Seriously, dancer’s booty shorts, a spaghetti strapped tank top, all on a hairy Italian guy with flowing blonde hair…c’mon, dude, there are women and children here!

Xavier’s English is excellent and wants to speak to me while lifting weights. On a previous occasion Xavier asked about my work…then faith…then wanted to talk about the 70’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar. I think that was his way of getting into my world…

But yesterday, in the locker room, just after I congratulated Luca on his stellar half marathon, Xavier blurts out in perfect English, “So, what about Jesus?”

I love this gym…mosquitoes and all!

“Well Xavier, I’m not sure where to begin, or what your interest is”. We were interrupted by a flurry of Italian speak, and so ended that particular conversation. Xavier was off to the shower and I was off to the bike, thinking to myself, “What the…?”

Last anecdote from another day in the life of this gym rat. An American man, I now know as Robin, walks into the gym wearing a Pepperdine University sweatshirt looking confused. Being the helpful guy I am, I asked, “Are you really from Pepperdine in Malibu, CA?” “Yes, I am”, he responded curious as to why I would take an interest in him. We exchanged pleasantries about what we are each doing in Firenze. Turns out Robin and his wife Cindy are here teaching the Study Abroad students from Pepperdine this semester. It wasn’t long before Robin invited us to come share with all their students about our work with Maddalena. Pretty sure this is going to be both informative and a Gospel opportunity.

OK, one more…this is hilarious.

I take the cycle spin class on Tuesday and Friday. There are usually 4 or 5 middle-aged women, one old guy, the 30-something female teacher, and me. It’s fun, but she barks her instructions in Italian, so I’m always just a bit behind in following her lead. If you know me, you know I sweat a small pond beneath the bike after an hour’s effort. I think the teacher appreciates the effort, and wants to try to speak English occasionally to encourage me to ‘feel part of the class’.

Quick language side note: The terms bellisimo and bellisima literally mean ‘beautiful’ and are used in a variety of contexts depending on the ‘gender’ of the word it modifies. The words are used in contexts that we would normally not say beautiful. For example, Italians speak of a ‘beautiful pizza’ or ask about what ‘beautiful thing’ you did today. We would say, ‘that was a great pizza’ or ‘what did you do today’?

So, in wanting to speak English and encourage me in my effort (and to come back to class!), the teacher literally shouts out, “Mark, you are beautiful!” instead of “Good work Mark!”

Awkward!

Would you pray with me that I have Gospel opportunities with Luca, Xavier, the students from Pepperdine, and the spin class?

Maddalena Update!

by Leslie

“We sleep in a crypt!!” This is one of Mark’s favorite things to tell people about our house. Most will look at him with skepticism in their eyes, while a few obviously think it’s really cool that we do. In fact, our bedroom is mostly underground and has some walls that are over 2,000 years old. It’s a room you might see on a tour of a museum… complete with rock arches and walls. Mark is certain that these walls contain dead men’s bones… To me, it’s kind of cozy – it’s warm, and dark, and quiet… all things I like when I'm sleeping!! I guess that is what perspective is all about, right?

People often ask me, “How’s Italy?” And I know they really want to know, but I never quite know how to answer that question. If you are reading this blog, then you REALLY want to know how Italy is, so you can read on for the latest. But I think mostly, I am formulating a perspective on Italy that won't be fully developed until I get home and have the birds-eye view. So, that will be in a different post.

OK, so what’s the latest??

We are planning a distribution of Maddalena for March 8, 2011. This is International Women’s Day, which is celebrated world-wide, just not so much in the US. Here it is called “Festa Della Donna” or “Party of the Woman”. I love that in Italy, they make everything a party!! So, we decided to celebrate women here by giving them the Maddalena DVD in order for them to see, hear, and know the love of Christ. Since the film demonstrates how much Jesus cares for women, we thought it to be a perfect holiday to share it.

Last week I was in Rome to meet with our Agape Italia staff teams there. I came away very encouraged by their ideas and plans for how to use the film in their ministries.

the Colosseum in Roma

So far there are plans being made to:

• show Maddalena in a movie theatre


• give Maddalena as gifts to college students who will be invited to a jazz club


• give Maddalena to pastors of several churches who will show it to their congregations and use it as a tool to explain the Gospel to their friends


• give Maddalena away on the college campus along with Agape Italia contact information


• use Maddalena in an English club for language practice
  
  

Additionally, I am working with a team in Bologna who wants to do a large campus distribution of Maddalena on March 8th. They are also researching how to be able to show it in a women’s prison there!

We are also in the process of getting the film on television here in Italy.

As you can imagine, there is a lot of work to go into planning and executing these kinds of outreaches. Please be praying for all of the teams who have been given these creative ideas.

In all of it, my daily prayer is that my focus be an eternal one. The spiritual battle is fierce here and so often my flesh wants to bail out. I want to be true to the calling to which we have been called. I want to see possibilities rather than obstacles. I want to live moment by moment in the power of the Holy Spirit. I want to see lives changed here in Italy. Lord, give me Your perspective!

Wow, What a GREAT Weekend!

by Leslie

A Wonderful day Frolicking in the snow a couple weeks ago!

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Jesus in Matthew 6:24

I have been thinking about this verse a lot in light of living here in Italy. The thing is, we all know that no matter where we live, each day has its own trials. And, if we look for them, each day has its own blessings too. I am thankful to live in a place so unfamiliar that I get up each day knowing that I will be faced with brand new trials and adventures – like walking in the rain, but always looking for a rainbow.

So, I arise each morning wondering what will happen. Something always happens. Yesterday was no different as my precious husband decided that he wanted to unclog the drain of the sink in our bathroom. It drains… but slowly. I was thinking that I see a lot of Drain-O products when I go to the store, and have wondered if this was because Italians don’t break out a wrench to unclog pipes…. But, Mark likes to go after the real problem, so off he went to the bathroom. About 30 minutes later he came upstairs with two coins in his hand (both bigger than quarters – later we determined that one was an Italian Lira and one was a Dutch Mark!) and declared that he found what was clogging the drain. This was pretty amusing since neither has been used as currency since 2002.

In Mark’s other hand was a piece of broken pipe. And “PING” there it was…our trial for the day! See, getting a piece of pipe here isn’t like it would be at home. In the USA, on a Saturday afternoon, you would hop into your car and zip over to Home Depot and get your replacement pipe. Then, you zip home and put it on and everyone could brush their teeth in the usual fashion that night.

Well, Mark walked out the door to our little hardware store (Utilita) here in town – which we love, by the way! But they didn’t have the part, and told Hubby where he might find it down in the city. Mark left for the bus stop with a look of determination on his face that would shame a Spartan… he WOULD conquer this problem! I won’t drag this out, but… the other store was closed, and there would be nothing open until Monday (tomorrow) so the sink drain is still in pieces. I only accidentally turned on the faucet once… so far!!

Today (Sunday) was a rainbow day. My sweet Italian friend, Laura, invited me to her son’s basketball game. I became a fan of basketball last year when our (U.S.) high school team went to CIF playoffs, so I am kind of missing it this year. The boys who were playing are all freshmen in high school and in Italy they play year-round club, so I knew they would be pretty good. Turns out I wasn’t disappointed. Aside from the cheering being all in Italian, I could have been in America. They played the same way… and the gym smelled just like they do in the U.S.! The best part was that afterwards the girls and I were invited to lunch with a few of the families from the team.

I love any opportunity to interact here. Our lives touching Italians lives in hopes of shedding some light in a dark place gives us courage to go on. So, it was pranza (lunch) for 11 people. I met two women who were very warm and kind. The one sitting next to me was talking and gesturing so much that I (seriously!!) almost got stabbed by her knife several times.

The Italian speaking was quick and lively… I understood only some of it, but they tried to include me. The food was amazing making me think that we should always bring locals when we eat out. A giant plate of spaghetti was in front of me as they all spoke together… I was working hard at eating without cutting it. And I was trying to finish, but the pile of pasta wasn’t getting much smaller. Looking at that plate and being so full made me laugh to myself as I was trying to ingest foreign words into my over-full head!

The most hilarious moment came when the waitress brought out some mushrooms on a yellow toast-ish looking thing. When I asked what the rectangular wedge was, they told me very clearly, in English, that it was “mice”, as a big piece was placed on my plate. I asked again and was given the same response… after I took a bite (I know!). I said, “You do realize that ‘mice’ is the plural of ‘mouse’?” At this, they roared with laughter at their mistake…. I too was laughing, of course. It was actually corn…or “maise”, which was delicious. I love the Italian sense of humor and their way of making you feel comfortable. What a lovely rainbow day we had!

Hope you're having a great weekend too!

Love,
us all

Speaking of the Blog...

Both Emily and Grace are now blogging here:

http://em-caughtinbetween.blogspot.com/ Em

http://compared-to-what.tumblr.com/ Grace

Enjoy their musings!

Preach the Gospel Everyday...to Yourself!

“The Gospel isn’t the ABCs of the Christian life…

...it’s the A-Z of the Christian life!”

Tim Keller, Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church

Been so good to have Joe visit the last few days!

Observations on Culture

by Leslie

This picture was taken...

after this picture!

I’ve been pondering on the idea that, as humans, we are conditioned by our culture to believe that there is a “right” way and a “wrong” way to do things. Being immersed in a new culture, I am learning to let go of my attachment to the correct way of doing things. Maybe OUR American way of doing things is not always the best. I mean, what would an Italian think of our methods of doing LIFE? I think an Italian Mama would struggle with a few things in America. For example, she would have to get used to the idea that she needs to send a sack lunch to school with her kids every day. Here, the kids get out of school at 1 PM (1300 in Italia!) so they can get home for lunch.

So, here are some things to think about - you can try these at home if you would like a little slice of Italian life!!

Eat your salad last

Drink your coffee really fast and out of a tiny little cup

Don’t put milk in your coffee any time after lunch

Cook your pasta for less time

Put your pizza toppings on separate parts of the pizza, not all over

Don’t put ice in any drink

Drink lemoncello after dinner to help with digestion

Never use a dryer – hang everything up outside

Hang your intimates outside for everyone to see

Rest every day from 1 (1300) – 4 (1600)

Don’t try to shop on Sundays (everything is closed)

Take the month of August off

Pay for your grocery bags and bag your own groceries

Rent your grocery cart at the store entrance and return it when you are done

Wear a plastic bag on your hand when you get your produce – weigh and price it

Don’t try to buy a fan in the fall/winter or a grill for your fireplace in the summer

Go to military time

To turn a light on, push the light switch down

Push a button on the wall to flush the toilet

Always wear a scarf outside starting September 1st… no matter how warm it is

Pick your 3 or 4 favorite sweaters and only wear those for the next three months

Push a door to go into a store, pull to exit

Don’t wear flip flops except to the beach

Speedos all around for men’s swimwear

Pay for your coffee after you have it

Always say hello when you enter a store

Don’t use your disposal

Make all your food from scratch

Spend more time with your family – stroll the streets on Sunday afternoons

Buy a fresh loaf of bread every day

Invite people in if they stop by – ALWAYS offer food and drink

If it gets below 30 degrees, wear your snow suit out in the world

Don’t expect people to be on time (hmm, this one might not be too hard to imagine)

Kiss people on both cheeks when you greet them or say goodbye

Ok, so you get my point? Im not saying that any of these things are morally bad or good… they are just different from how we do them Some of them I like, others I don’t. But I am learning to accept the changes and am even starting to embrace them.

Jesus said in Matthew 22:37 – 40,

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all you soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

In His words, there is no gray area; no room for cultural differences. I am choosing to focus on these things while Jesus conforms me into His likeness. I am well aware that He is using our time in Italy to show me my own weaknesses… and to help me love others better.

Wondering what “rules” from Italy that I will bring back to the USA… stay tuned. And be ready to give me kisses on my cheeks when we return!!

Mark's Addendum:

Just to be Superty Duperty Clear: All this talk of cultural differences might lead some to think that we need to change the message of the Gospel to insert into this culture. Not happening!

Consider this:

Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Peter said, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

So we "...contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." Jude 3b

So, while we enter this culture - and even embrace it to have a platform from which to minister - we carry the message of the Gospel of grace alone, through faith alone through Christ alone.

In the end, we are here for One reason - and here it is:

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." 1 Cor. 2:2

Leslie Reporting Back to her Women's Bible Study Group

by Leslie

Les with Staff in Bologna (read her 260 words below for deets)

Hi My Praying Sisters,

Thank you so much for praying for me yesterday. We had an amazing meeting!!

It was under 30 degrees here yesterday with the wind chill and I took my usual two busses to the train station. What a So. Cal. WIMP I am!! We arrived in Bologna, where it was even colder and walked about 15 minutes to a really cute little restaurant where we met with two couples and a single woman who live and do ministry in Bologna. One couple is on Campus Crusade for Christ staff, and the other are with a church planting ministry called TEAM. The second couple (linda and andy) have lived in Bologna for 23 years!! They were not aware of our film (even though they had used The Jesus Film in the past, they didnt know about Maddalena) and were SO excited about it. They want to join our effort for the March 8th distribution and said they have contact with 30 evangelical bodies in their area and think that they can help get 3,000 copies out. They are also interested in using the film with their work with rescuing prostitutes off the streets and Linda also had the idea of using it in a women's prison there. I guess they know one of the guards. We came away very encouraged and are excited to see what God will do!!

Thankful that today I get to be home!! Fire in the fire place, tea kettle going, George Winston on my itunes....

Love you all and miss you!!!
Leslie

As you can see the weather has changed in Fiesole - Very CHRISTmasy

Our True Home

by Leslie

this is where I spoke to the Italian salesman in Italianish, (or was it Engliano?)

Well, our time in Italy is almost ½ over… In some ways it seems like we have been here forever, and in others as if we have just arrived. I am still struggling to speak and understand the language, but thankfully God is giving me grace upon grace as I wander through the confusing maze of this culture. In the process, I am learning to fix my eyes on my eternal home.

Just this morning I got to have another new experience. Trying to get over jetlag, I had just gotten up and was making coffee when the doorbell rang. There was a young man standing at my gate with a badge and a notebook which might have meant a delivery of our long-awaited mail from the USA. Although I was still in my pajamas (at 11 AM!!) I answered the door. He immediately began talking to me in rapid-fire Italian… to which I gave my usual response:

“Per favore, piano, piano… Non parlo bene Italiano.” So, he spoke more slowly – alas, I STILL didn’t get what he was trying to say. (SO frustrating for me!!) Then he said the magic words, “I speak English.” Ahhhh, thank you!! In slow, measured words he tried to explain his reason for being at my door.

(Here, I have to tell you that my compassion for non-english speakers has increased a thousand fold. I have first hand experience with how it feels to try to communicate in a language not my own!)

I listened with amusement as he picked through his sales pitch using his limited English vocabulary, throwing in some Italian words when he couldn’t come up with the English – I do this every day in trying to communicate the simplest things in Italian. He explained to me that I was being charged too much for my utilities and that I only needed to sign some form and the company would lower my payment. I was wondering why they don’t just lower my payment, but reminded myself that this is Italy and they do everything differently.

Thinking through his pitch, I started to wonder if in fact what he wanted me to do was switch companies. But when I tried to ask him this he kept assuring me that it was not like that… and that I should just sign. Hmmmm. These are the times when I feel like a child because I cannot discern what is REALLY being asked of me and I start to feel taken advantage of. Thankfully, we have an amazing landlady who almost always answers her cell phone, so I called Marzia. She spoke to the man and then told me that it wasn’t a good deal. Grateful for her advice, I sent the Enel man on his way.

This is just a snapshot of the kinds of things that go on every day… the strange balance between feeling completely inept, and knowing that these trials are making me SO much more dependent on God. He is giving me a very clear understanding of what it means to be “Not of this world.” I am a stranger here – and He is reminding me that I am also a stranger in this world because heaven is my true home. I am thankful for how He daily gives me reminders of this truth.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." 1 Pet. 2:9-12

In Our True Home we will worship with people:

"...from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Rev. 7:9b-10

and

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” Rev. 5:12

The Girl's English Club

by Grace

Emily, Courtney, and Grace



Just the thought of starting an English club here in Italy was overwhelming. How are we going to even have anyone to invite - let alone get them to come bi-weekly to just speak English to us? But Emily, Courtney (another staff girl here) and I felt strongly that that is exactly what God wanted us to do…to be in that difficult position where we rely on Him, to do something we don’t really feel comfortable doing. We knew we had to listen to Him! 

The three of us got together for our first official meeting. We discussed what we wanted to do, who we wanted to invite, how we were going to get them to come, etc.

We decided we wanted it to be just girls, because it would be a more comfortable environment. We invited them through Facebook (Courtney already knew some girls from going to school when she was younger)… Facebook is a great tool people!!!

Every other week a group of Italian teenage girls sit across from Emily, Courtney, and me waiting eagerly to hear what crazy American traditions and words we’ll teach them. Our normal schedule is: a game, food (Americana of course!), and then some sort of discussion in English. We have taught them Telephone Pictionary, Never have I ever, and my favorite, English phrases that don’t make any sense!! “The early bird gets the worm”, “Break a leg”, “Smart as a whip” are just a few examples. You should have seen their faces when we tried to explain these things to them!

We have a lot of fun with these girls. Sometimes our clubs are great, and sometimes we feel as though we failed. But we know God is working. We go into each week with lots of prayer and planning. God keeps giving us new ideas, and it always surprises me. “Yay God!” (as a good friend says).

The best part of this whole thing for me has been God showing Himself to me in incredible ways. Not only just the relationships with these Italian girls, and not just having our English club pull through each week (only by God), but how HE is growing ME.

It truly amazes me watching Him work here. He has been working in me more than I could have ever expected. Even in only about four months God has shown me things from His word and His world and His people that have grown me so much. I'm told Italy will strip me of everything but Jesus, and I want that. I want to only desire Him.

More than anything, God has been teaching me patience and humility. These things that I wouldn't have learned in America, not in the same way, anyway. He is humbling me to know there is no way I can do this on my own. He is teaching me patience in learning the culture, language, and earning relationships with these Italian people. I feel closer to God than I ever have because of having to trust Him more than ever. I am so thankful.

Our hope is to eventually make our English club evangelistic, as of now… we are building relationships, because as some of you know, that’s what Italians are about: relationships… oh, and then food! (Seriously).

We would love prayer for these girls’ hearts to be softened and for God to completely shine through us so they can see His love. Also for our strength to keep up with this, and to trust and rely on Jesus. We couldn’t do this without your prayer, so thank you!

God is showing His faithfulness to me… and for that I’m truly thankful.