passi avanti

Hi! Hope 2014 is treating everyone well.

I've been busy back at work. If I can even say--been enjoying the calm that a nasty virus going around has brought me. I had to stay home from work last Friday. I also have had very few students this week. I am sorry that we are all sick, but it has given me more time with certain students which is a blessing.

UPDATES

The sex-trafficking ministry I work with, Schiavitù Mai Più, had a training session last week. We saw 6 women come interested but I don't know if any will actually come out with us in the end. Part of me is ok with that because the faster our Rome team grows, the sooner I will be branching out nearer the area where I live with a new team. I want more time in Rome. I'd like to at least make it to a certain point. Make a 'friend'. I was sick last Friday but apparently S. (one of the girls I LOVE) asked about me. Please pray with me that I can reach the coffee-date point with her. If you want to know more about our procedure, you can email me. Suffice it to say we are now researching a good mobile phone plan to have for the team so we can use it to make appointments with girls as that develops. For many safety reasons we cannot use our personal phones or go by ourselves to meet girls. Anyway, keep praying for all of this--the personal relationships we are forming (mainly Romanian girls--the new area I will eventually start will be mostly Nigerian), the European prostitution laws, and the future of our ministry.

Related to this in a roundabout way are general issues of sexuality, self-esteem, sexual purpose and value, virginity, marriage...I have been asked by the Albano girls to do an event for them discussing Biblical sexuality. They have a lot of questions. So many problems are preventative. It is important to work on prevention as a church instead of always striving to clean up messes once they've blown out of proportion. Pray for this! Thank God for the spiritual growth of these sweet girls. Pray for me and Marti (the friend I've asked to help) as we prepare.

I am getting closer with my coworker Olga. Seeing her tonight. Pray I can speak Truth and love her as God would desire.

Today Pastor Robert and I went to open a bank account for our non-profit. Side-note: please pray for me as I will take over the 'accounting' sphere of our association. Not my strong suit even in English. Anyway, once again God divinely orchestrated things so that the lady helping us opened up to us about how she can't have children and is encountering lots of obstacles in her adoption applications here in Italy. She started crying. We prayed for her right there at the office! She is SUCH a sweet lady and is open to visiting our Bible studies. Praise Jesus for Pasqualina.

Blogs. I've started a new blog carrying out themes from my book. I've also started an Italian version. Great 2014 goals. But so far they've been really hard to keep up. Pray that I can keep these up if they are a good idea.

SUMMER

I've purchased my flight for SEATTLE this April 19-27 (my brother's wedding). If you are in the area I hope to see you! I am also planning on being in LA (mostly) at some point mid-July to end of August. I have already lots of requests for visitors both in LA and here in Italy the end of August/beginning of September. Pray that all plans work out according to God's heart. Besides resting and being with family and friends, I hope to make more church connections and spread the word about what God is doing here!

Thanks for all your love and support.
Allie

Giulia & I x

a new year

THE HOLIDAYS
I really don't know where to start in "counting" my blessings. This year ended in such a sweet way. I spent a wonderful few days making and eating African food with my pastor's family over Christmas. I wonder at how easily they have accepted me as family, and vice versus. Our church events were small in number, but sweet nonetheless. I spent the perfect New Year's with an eclectic group of Irish-American-Italian-Iraqi friends and watched Rome on fire(works) from the top of the city. Last week I visited Bracciano, a stunning lake-town north of Rome. I toured the castle and imagined what life had been like as an Odescalchi Lady (the castle has a room dedicated to women because apparently one of the Ladies defended the castle from invaders one year...). I also understand why Tom Cruise got married there :) And perhaps most importantly, I visited the small town in Puglia where my great-grandfather came from when he took a boat to America at age 19. This was incredibly special and a trip I got to experience with my dear uncle Charlie who has inspired me with his motto: "Talk to everybody." You never know what can happen in Italy! Pray for my uncle Charlie to know Jesus. Pray for my connection with this town, Bovino, and all of the wonderful people I met. I know there is a reason. Stories that are unfinished.

RETURN TO ROUTINE
I am back to taking the bus. Teaching my lovely students. Going to bed "early." Hosting Bible Study. Visiting my "girls" on the streets....

No big news. Needing time, love, and energy to invest in my relationships right now....

NEXT YEAR

I have however made a decision about next year. I have yet to discuss issues with my boss because the school is its usual chaos this week, but I have decided to continue with the job next year as long as I get the same contract/class. I have decided this because #1 I realized I had NO TEAM behind the coffee bar project, or rather, that it had fallen apart, #2 Financial stability, #3 Continued ministry opportunity with my colleagues. Honestly, I am still open to things changing, but the project is too big for me. I have decided that the concept will still be relevant when we finally get a location for our church. We can do weekly coffee-houses and go from there. This way I can devote more time to Schiavitù Mai Più. I am still in need of revelation, confirmation, direction, inspiration, calling...here. I want to be fruitful. Please continue to pray for my church, ministry, neighbors, friends, coworkers, students, a church building, possibility of getting a license/car, and direction for the future.

Be still my soul!

Thank you. A very happy new year to you! Thanking God that He continues to give us life and breath.

Allie

Below: Bracciano (castle), Me in front of my great-grandfather's childhood home.

trusting He rewards those who diligently seek Him...

"O LORD, Teach me to seek you and reveal yourself to me when I seek you. For I cannot seek you unless you first teach me, nor find you unless you first reveal yourself to me. Let me seek you in longing, and long for you in seeking. Let me find you in love and love you in finding."
Ambrose of Mila