• Mandi might be writing this, but she is away at the beach with two families from the church.  She has been staying with one of them and is a guest this morning of the other.  She’s staying with a 13 year-old girl and has been encouraging her all week.  On Wednesday, she played her flute and sang, accapella, in English at a women’s meeting.  God used this to encourage some Peruvian women who have recently begun to attend the church.  For the first time in about 6 months they took the initiative and offered a song in Spanish.  It was a defining moment for them in their relationship with the church.  Please pray for her to finish as a great encouragement to Serena and to the church.
  
• Scott has been busy.  He did some electrical work for Giulio and spent a day encouraging that brother.  Giulio’s eye is much better.  He will still be off work for three weeks.  Scott has the continual job of working with the kids, “ragazzi”.  He is staying at Simmons.  Mark Maricle, is also there.  Mark wants to be a career missionary to Italy and has been a valuable translator for us.  Scott has had an encouraging ministry with him, too.  Scott keeps us current on the connection between the sights we see in Rome and the Catholic theology behind them.  Pray for his work with the “ragazzi” in the next few days.
  
• Tom’s testimony has been in high demand.  His story of not being an active Christian and then having God change his heart to be a servant in the church and the leader of his family has been a great encouragement to the church here.  Last night he hit a home run at a men’s dinner.  He may have an opportunity to go to the Roman supreme court on Monday with the lawyer from this church.  Pray for the seed planted by his testimony and for his time with this lawyer.
  
• Colleen continues to be the most in demand of anyone on our team.  Young women and older women alike want appointments with her.  Since the church is primarily women she has a lot of doors open to her.  The Italian language has two forms, one formal and the other informal.  They use the formal form with Colleen to show respect to her because of her age.  It is getting warm here, a lot like home, and that is wearing on her a little.  Please pray for her strength.
  
• As for me, God has encouraged me a great deal.  The men at the Bocce club remembered me.  Scott, Tom, Dan and I played a game.  I won’t say who won but clearly Dan’s time in Italy prepared him for the competition better than the Oregonians.  Yesterday I met a man who knows friends of mine in the States.  It is a small world.  He is the trainer for the Italian national basketball team and has a vision for a Christian basketball camp here in Ostia next year.  I have also had sweet times with Michele & Anna.  I have seen both the other churches Michele has started over the past three decades.  I saw him weep as we reviewed photos of the times when he led the pastor of one of those churches to Christ, when they went to Bible school together, and when they started the church together.  In this alone, the investment I made in Italian over the past few months has paid off.  I’ve been encouraged by Dan & Alice.  Their faithfulness and sensitive spirit inspire me whenever I see them in action.  And, I’ve been encouraged by each of our team members, by their love for Christ and each other.  I am proud to be their pastor.  I feel a little like a father taking his children out in public for the first time, not sure how they’ll behave.  They could not have done better.

• Please continue to pray that we would make an impact with the people we interact with here in Italy.  Several people have been very open to talking with us, wanting prayer, etc.
• Everyone on the team is doing well, and we ask that you would continue to pray for our health.
• Sunday will be a busy day: Pastor Scott is preaching, Tom is probably giving a testimony on baptism, and Amanda and I are working with the kids.  Please pray that all these go well as there is still much work to do for Sunday.

We miss you all, and thank God for your support.

Love, Your Italy Team



Wednesday, May 18, 2005  11:49am PST  (8:49pm Italy time)

We arrived today, Wednesday, in Italy.  Everyone is feeling the effects of the lack of sleep, and we are looking forward to a good night's rest . We had a safe journey and enjoyed our first evening in Ostia at Michele and Anna's house eating pizza.  Tomorrow the real work begins.

Right now, the church is working on two major events.  The church is putting on a musical to be performed outside in a park this Friday, and they are hoping that it will be a significant outreach event.  Also, the church is currently displaying an exhibit on antique Christian literature. This is also geared to be a significant outreach.

However, several complications have come up with these two events.  The weather has not been cooperating with us, and the muscial might have to be cancelled.  As well, there are some issues about getting the appropriate electrical power for the event.  In regards to the Bible exhibit, the church is not being allowed to publicize the exhibit as they had hoped due to concerns of the owner of the property.  This has greatly reduced the number of visitors.

Please pray that God would remove these road blocks, and that many people would have the opportunity to hear the Gospel.



Saturday, May 14, 2005  8:00am PST  (5:00pm Italy time)

Ciao!  As we prepare to leave Tuesday, May 17th, for Ostia, Italy, prayers in abundance flow from our mouths, to our God who is anxiously listening.  We invite you, as our church family, to pray along with us as we prepare for this exciting and challenging mission overseas.  Some of the things we ask you to be praying about are:

-Willingness to leave it all behind (work, school, etc.) and go to be servants, in obedience to Christ.

-Traveling mercies- as the flight is long. That we will rest on this flight too.

-Health, energy, and focus as we give ourselves to ministry.

-The language barrier (specifically for Dan and Alice being our translators)

-Finances to be in order, and support to continue to come in to cover this mission trip.

-Our family and friends we will be leaving behind.

-Wholeness as a team, even though we will have separate housing arrangements. We want to continue to feel connected to on another as a team even when we are apart from each other.

-Smooth transportation arrangements. (As far as getting from Rome to the church in Ostia.)

-Full dependency on God- that His will be done in our work and our ministry.

Each day will hold different tasks and opportunities.  We appreciate your willingness to follow us on this trip through prayer and encouragement, as well as your financial support.  We look forward to sending updates regularly, and reporting back to you on the 5th of June.

We've done what we can here in our preparation for this mission, now we look forward to seeing God do the rest.

God bless you all!
Italy team (Pastor Scott, Tom, Amanda, Colleen, and Scott C.)