the mustard seed

Hi Everybody!

I'll give some quick updates since my last post.

1. Did not end up making it to Bovino last weekend. I'm still hoping for an opportunity to see these new friends...will have to wait til summer I think!
2. After LOTS of scheduling difficulties and drama, we are moving forward with our girls' breakfast/tea THIS SATURDAY for the young girls in our church. We will talk about Biblical Sexuality. Please pray for Tania, Marti and I as we prepare. You can't even imagine the questions we get...please pray for Sara. Her sexuality is the one thing keeping her from surrendering completely to Jesus. We want to have a deep, honest, fruitful time and establish support for these girls!
3. Heading out again this Friday to visit with the "treasures" on the streets. Pray I can re-connect with S and M and that God allows us to meet with girls outside "work hours."
4. Radio: I might have the chance to play some songs on an Italian radio show...connection through the buddhist son of a church member. Never know what God has in that! It's an answer to prayer as well because I am wanting to use my musical gifts despite feeling shy or busy....
5. Matilda. My lovely student Matilda's mom is dying. I don't know how much time she has, but there is no cure and she is at the end. Please pray that she may know Jesus and that God helps me to know how to support Matilda and her family...and the rest of my class when it "happens."

THE MUSTARD SEED

Recently I'd read story about a missionary in Ivory Coast. She would visit a remote village each month and pray for a crippled woman. Each time she returned to her town, she felt guilt and burden. Why couldn't she just say, "Get up and walk!"? Her faith was so small. This really tormented her. After much study and counsel, she was encouraged by the words of Jesus (Mt. 17:20): I say to you if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move!'" A few months later, she returned emboldened to the remote village. The crippled woman was not at her usual post! The missionary knocked on the door of the house. The crippled woman opened the door. She was walking! The missionary, astounded, asked what had happened. The lady explained that each time she had prayed for her, she felt a little better. But then her family would give her tribal medicine and chant demonic prayers over her, and she felt worse. She noticed the connection between her health and the missionary's prayers. One day when her family was enforcing their ritual upon her she said, "That's enough! I will walk in the name of Jesus!"

This story touched me to tears. So often I feel like this woman. I moved across the seas, and yet my faith is still SO SMALL. But even if I had the greatest faith in the world it would be small to the Lord. I can't impress Him. It's not about me. HE WORKS. With any offering. Last week my coworker Raffaella came to me as school started. "I need to talk to you," she said, "I think I need a Bible...I wanted to go to my priest but then thought, 'I'll talk to Allie.'" This was my mustard seed sprouting! I brought a Bible the next day with a daily devotional. She has been eating it up!! We haven't been able to talk much, but are organizing a time we can get together. I see her so open. Such a miracle. I love her more than anyone in Italy!!! God knows. God works. When I am weak. Then He is strong. Please keep Raffy in your prayers.

I'm sorry that I don't have time to recount so many stories. There is so much to say that my blog becomes very list-y. But know that God is working! Thank you so so so much for your love and prayers.

xo, A

trips! (overwhelmed).

Hi Everybody.

BUILDING UPDATE:
About the location request we had put in at the town hall. THANK YOU to everyone who prayed. My request now is: please continue to pray. In true Italian style, the meeting they were supposed to have months ago, was actually postponed on Friday. We don't know when they will actually assign spaces to different organizations that have made requests. Hopefully this month! It is hard to live with such a constant level of inefficiency. We pray to have a building in time for our Easter outreaches.

TRIPS:
A sudden rush of opportunities seemed to almost knock me over today when I had a moment this afternoon to look at my calendar, finances, time commitments. They look like this:

• Event in Puglia (Bovino) Feb 22 hosted by the Radio of my new friends I met last month...my room-mate Tania and friends Olga and Nina said they would all go and make a road-trip of it!
• Women in Ministry Conference in France the following week (Feb 28-Mar 1)...to go I need to register/buy ticket asap and re-schedule my Biblical sexuality event here at church.
• April 31-May 1 All-Italy Calvary Chapel Church retreat. A time of unification and growth I hope.
• May 30-June 1 is a Human Trafficking ministry training in Tuscany. My team here in Rome has been invited to participate and it would be very important for me to go. I need God to move in my bosses heart to give me the Friday off. 
• My friend Livia and her mom have asked me to find a weekend we can go to the Marche region together to visit their family. They have invited me so many times and I would love to be able to go and invest more in this sweet family!
• Visitors--I also have various requests from friends to come visit starting June. Need wisdom in organizing time.
• We are also hoping to plan a church retreat just for us in June. Lots to organize for that.
• Of course: I have a big trip to Seattle coming up April 19-27 for my brother Ian's wedding.

When I am gone a weekend, it creates problems in that I could miss Friday night (Bible study/Schiavitù Mai Più) ministry or Sunday night (children's ministry at church). I need wisdom to decide what to say yes/no to. It also is difficult not to rest from work or have time to do lesson planning. Please pray that I can hear the Lord's will on these things!

SAN VALENTINO

A little reminder to pray for us this Friday as we hit the streets to minister to the "treasures." We are bringing special valentines treats. BIG NEWS: our team has purchased the cell phone we hoped for to make contacts with the girls. Pray now that we will have opportunity to use it! 

STUDENTS

A little prayer for my students and the various behavior/learning problems would be much appreciated. I need Jesus to help my heart stay calm and full of love. I need energy and creativity.

Thank you!

1st pic: friends Olga and Nina walking downtown in glorious Roman SUN. 2nd pic: Shepherds and sheep behind me while waiting for bus from work.

tomorrow.

Hello!

I wanted to send out a quick prayer request. Tomorrow (Friday) we are supposed to hear from the town hall about a request we made a year ago to use a public building as our church meeting place. Please pray God moves in the hearts of those at the Comune di Frascati to give us a place where we can have space to expand out of our house-church phase and be more of a presence in the community!

Also: Keep in prayer our Schiavitù Mai Più outing on Valentine's Day. We are preparing soaps and cookies as something special for the girls. M and S are particularly on my heart. Pray God moves them closer to Himself. I am concerned that I didn't see S on the streets last week (a strange thing to say but...).

Plus: March 1 we will be hosting a girls tea to discuss Biblical Sexuality. This has already been a hot topic for 2 of the young girls in our church and I. Please pray for Marti (my friend I've asked to help share) and I as we prepare and that the girls are enlightened to live honoring the Lord with their bodies-minds-souls.

And finally: We have set March 20 as the date we will present the documentary NEFARIOUS on global sex-trafficking here in Frascati at the town hall. Pray that many people come and are informed, and ultimately open to the Gospel. Pray for wisdom and energy in the organization of this.

Thanks!! Love to all.
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