Redemption & Reevaluation

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I am off to Italy for a quick 10-day trip. Of course, in Italy, the 12 days of Christmas are recognized so I will jump right into the festive season. Here is a quick re-cap of what's been going on:

In Summer 2015 I moved back to the US. I got counseling, took a trauma/abuse therapy certification, got a job teaching preschool, taught at a Christian camp in Sweden, enjoyed lots of family time, and was able to support my Grandpa Wally until his death in October 2016. Things have been fruitful here. I even had the privilege of introducing my former boss to a loving Jesus and baptize her this year! I am still writing small children's stories and poems when I can, and hoping to do some publishing.

As happy as I am in LA, and thankful to be with friends and family that lift me up, my heart often turns eastward. Although I have made decisions to no longer work formally with Calvary Chapel Frascati or Little Genius International School, there are many doors still open to me. And new ones opening! So I have decided to take a short trip to reconnect with friends and prayerfully consider a return to Italy.

I value your patient prayers with me in these areas:

1. Healing and redeeming the memories of the hard times I had in Italy
2. Encouraging re-connections with both Christian and non-Christian friends
3. Safety
4. Wisdom and clarity for new direction in Italy and working in the anti-trafficking field
5. Willingness to "let go" of Italy (or wait) if that is what God reveals
6. Logistical smoothness as I try to arrange meetings with people I care about

Thank you so much and God bless you with all of the riches of His love and kindness!
Allie

                                                                 With Grandpa Wally

                                                With dear Moller Family in Sweden!

                                                         My family at Thanksgiving

Sweden

Hej Everyone! (That's Swedish for "hello")

I don't have time to do a full update but I wanted to ask for your prayer this next week.

I leave tomorrow (with my mother!) to teach the children's program at the Calvary Chapel Scandinavia Missions Conference in Sweden. As mentioned before this is a "random" God-ordained project I am very excited to help with. Aside from prayers for health and safety, I have 3 very specific prayer requests:

1. That God would guide and inspire my teaching.
2. That the children's hearts for Jesus would be protected from the burden of their family ministries and they would know Jesus in a real and personal way!
3. That we would communicate across language barriers.

Thank you so much. I look forward to telling you good news!

Lots of love, Allie

jobs :(

Hello dear praying friends!

Thank you for your prayers. I wanted to give a few updates:

• My Allender Center course was finished with many tears and gratitude for what I've learned and can integrate into my life and give to others. 
• Thanks to the donation of Robert Richardson (grandpa!) I have my ticket to Sweden and am able to bless my dear friends in their transition from Germany to this new community in need of great support. Unexpected, but I am very excited about this. 
• Schiavitù Mai Più has produced an EXCELLENT video on our work. Please watch it here:  https://vimeo.com/162434051 

I would ask you to pray for:

• A JOB!! I will be ending my current, part-time job in June. I will take some time off to be in Sweden and Seattle and then hope to have a full-time teaching job in LA by August. I've sent applications out and am starting to receive some rejections. I know this is completely normal, but I really need God to guide and provide!
• With the job need, I want to be open to moving to Italy earlier if need be, but I need much clarity, strength and provision for this. What way, Lord?
• Grandparents. My grandpa Wally is declining in health and this creates a difficult dynamic in the house. Pray that I know how to support them and that they are open to Jesus. 
• Last night I was able to attend a free showing of the film Emergency Exit at the Italian Institute of LA. It was powerful and sad--why young people are leaving Italy. My schedule does not often permit me to attend these functions, but I'd really like to make some Italian friends here. Pray that I would know how to do this.

I am thankful for all the wonderful friends and family I am able to enjoy and for all that I am learning. I hope you are well in the Lord!

xo

                                                      *My Allender Center cohort

happy easter!

Happy Resurrection Week to all in Christ Jesus, who, has not stayed in the grave!

I highly recommend the film RISEN, if you haven't seen it.

This time last year I was celebrating Easter with my sister and the Believers in Frascati. I am praying for their outreach this weekend.

Since my last post...

ITALY

I have made the difficult decision to NOT transfer back this summer as hoped. I am not ready financially or emotionally.

However: I have been in contact with Robert and various members of the church in Frascati.  Their website remains active thanks to Michelangelo: www.ccfrascati.com. I have helped them set up a PayPal account for anyone interested in donating to Robert's family or to their summer outreach with our wonderful friends, Red Rain, who will return! They need about $500.

I have also been in touch with Schiavitù Mai Più founder and mentor in Rome, Sarah. She has been clear that there is much work to do if I am interested in rejoining them, possibly under the umbrella of the newly crafted national coalition, begun last year. Our team in Rome greatly diminished as three of us women left the country and our co-leader had a new baby.  Needless to say, SMP's presence on the street has been slow and we plead against the devil for an outpouring of God's healing and justice in Rome as we are seeing in some other cities.

Last week I recieved a phone-call from my sweet 6 year-old Alessandro who wanted to talk to me about la Pasqua (Easter). It made my day to hear his voice! I miss my old kiddos in Rome. I miss my friends. I am thankful for technology that allows for calls and messages and photos. Please keep my friend Fation in your prayers as he is super discouraged and needs to open his heart to Jesus!

USA

In Los Angeles, I have been blessed to spend great times of fun and fellowship with some of my dearest friends.  I am involved in a local church and discipleship group that has helped me grow. At my part-time job I am experiencing much favor and opportunity to build relationships with my coworkers that has been a blessing, and I am trying to not feel relationally overloaded. The world is so full of broken people! My family here is still very closed to the Gospel, but I am happy to be here.  My grandfather's health hasn't made too many significant changes.

Next week I complete my certificate in counseling for abuse/trauma care at the Seattle School. I am so humbled and honored to have been able to do something like this. I really don't have any words. I've grown so much and am so thankful.

SOME THOUGHTS ON CALLING

As I've held a return to Italy with open hands, I've had to address my strengths and weaknesses and giftings according to the "kingdom" in which God has placed me. It is very clear that these passions include, in general: Women, Children, Advocacy, Education, Writing.  In particular they include third-culture or immigrant children, racial and sexual justice issues, writing children's curriculum/books, writing poetry, learning language.

This said, I will begin to explore more opportunities in these realms and less in church-planting or administration which are not necessarily areas where I thrive, and I unfortunately am not super-human and can "do it all" as I was attempting.

With that, I ask you to continue to pray that God would guide my steps and that I would follow. For now, I am set to keep working in LA and dedicate some time to writing, as I help out my grandparents. I wait to be back across the sea!

PS, Here's a good article Relevant just produced on missions:http://www.relevantmagazine.com/reject-apathy/5-ways-do-mission-work-will-actually-change-world

SUMMER

For financial and practical reasons, I have declined many international invitations this summer including Korea, Australia and Ireland. And of course, Italy! However, I am considering one: my DEAR missionary friends, Kurt and Tiffany Ibbotson have requested that I help run a conference for missionary children in Sweden this summer. They are a family I know would not ask if they truly did not trust and need the help. The task is so suited to my passions, and though I started typing to decline their invitation, have decided to pray about it.  I will need to decide soon!

These six months most of my earnings have gone to pay my certificate course in Seattle, and unfortunately I could not fund the trip with my current job.  If you are interested in donating a plane ticket or any contribution, they would be so appreciated. Estimated trip cost: $2,000. Likewise, if anyone knows someone good with international children and organizing Bible lessons and activities, please let me know! Whoever is supposed to go, is much needed! I am sure that if I go, we will need supplies, so those would also be helpful donations.


Thank you for praying and supporting me in a time of transition.

Love, Allie