Lots of updates. Most notably:
- We had an excellent soccer outreach ("The Cage") at the beginning of June. We have not seen any new people in church, but we know the Gospel was preached and those who came had a "positive" christian experience. We were blessed to collaborate also with neighboring churches.
- I finished, with a few tears, my 3 years at Little Genius School. The opportunity to work there is always open, but either way something that has been a part of me for all the good and bad. I praise God for a good end and for this month to focus on other things.
- Thank Jesus, the Lay Counseling course I organized to equip the churches in Rome was a grand success! Our professors from L'Arca Teen Challenge were phenomenal and all of the participants, myself included, were challenged and edified. So thankful that God brought everything together despite the obstacles! We finished the course yesterday and already some classmates have been testifying to how God put their newly-aquired skills to work right away: one man whose friends lost an unborn baby (gift of silence/presence) and another woman who counseled a depressed/suicidal Japanese tourist in her hostel room (the girl accepted Christ!).
- I will probably participate in only one more outing with Schiavitù Mai Più before I move. Last month we had a very close meeting with one of my really favorite girls D, but she didn't show up. The next week she told us she had lost her cell phone. But we had talked to who we assume was the pimp, after 5 hours of calling her, who said he was the hairdresser and she had left her phone at the salon. Lots of things coming to light. It seems that God may be adding to our team with a Romanian couple and another young Italian man, so continue to pray for this providence as our team is greatly reduced this year.
Coming up...
- I move all of my things out of my apartment on this WEDNESDAY. I will be sleeping at a friend's apartment in Rome. Not only will this help me to relax my last weeks (already packed!) but it may give me an idea of what it's like to live in Rome. Bittersweet and slightly emotional. I am so thankful for the blessing my lovely house has been and for all that God has done while living here! Please pray everything goes well with my landlady when I turn in the keys FRIDAY.
- July 11-17 I will be traveling with my friend Olga in Lipari and then up to see my Uncle in Perugia. All non-Christian contexts, pray I can be a light.
- We have our all-church retreat coming up on JULY 19! Please pray for all of the details concerning this and the financial resources to come through. Pray for Stefano and Alessia who will be baptised! I will be teaching whatever children that come so please pray for me as well.
- The departure: all of the last details of saying goodbye and packing up and getting to the airport... I ask that you would pray a special prayer for me in this time. I head off JULY 28 to Los Angeles via a one-night stoppover in London to see my dear friends the Dingmans.
A letter.
I just want to encapsulate everything by a very suprising birthday letter I received from my dear friend Olga. Surprising because--for as psycho-emotionally difficult this year has been for me--in some way God managed to use me. I hope it is an encouragement to you, in whatever season you find yourself. Olga wrote:
"Thank you for gifting me with your precious friendship, and for deciding to share your 'being' with me--so pure and generous, honest and respectful. Thanks for opening worlds of possibility, knowledge and faith. You don't take things for granted but observe the things of the world through your spirit. I feel this in common with you. I thank God for having us meet. I will miss you so much, but I am coming to visit!! Happy birthday! Enjoy this day."
Please pray that my dear friend can know Jesus personally. Thanks for walking with me here in Spirit that past 3 years and more.
Love, Allie
Some people I will miss...
Above: Olga and I
Me and the boys. Fation->Roberto
Livia and Simone
Alessia! (left, at Cage event, below)
