buon anno!

 

Happy New Year friends!

Yesterday was my first day back at work. Mariarosa--my ridiculously adorable student continually FULL of advice--and I were doing a counting game:
Her- 1 is for Class 1, like Ms. Raffa's class!
Me-Yes and 2 is for Ms. Allie's class!
Her-Yes, yes--the nicest one...

Not a bad welcome back ;)

DECEMBER UPDATES:

Our house party went really well and my two non-Christian friends L (Rome) and F (here in the Castelli) came out along with 3 of the 4 baby Christian girls from our Albano study. Tania had some other non-Christian friends as well. I loved listening in on conversations about life as I bounced around the room. My siblings gave us an awesome private concert and my mom made some amazing food :) We pray our next event includes more of our friends--our heart really breaks for these people!

The boys remained a few days after the rest of the family before I sent them off to India on New Years. It was sweet. You can follow their journey at www.corianchai.com :)

THE NEW YEAR:

I'm not one to make resolutions. Just take each new season as it comes with the 'trouble of its own.' But now that I am 'settled' into Italy, with a big holiday season behind me, I am a bit overwhelmed with the opportunities in front of me. As we've been discussing vision collectively as a church, I've been reflecting personally. Sorry this got a bit long, but here are some things to take to the Lord's heart with me:

Church:
Lorenza- the young single mom I've discussed before. She is not easy to penetrate but by God's grace we are bonding. Her 6 yr old son came up behind me when I was in the kitchen at church Sunday and pressed in to give me the sweetest hug. Holding her newborn girl is my reward at the end of a long week (Friday night bible study). Precious. Last week I told Lorenza I would love to help her with the kids/house anytime I can (she lives 45 mins away, I have no car, work 6 days a week...but). She was really touched and also brought up the fact that she really wanted to learn English. Pray we can work out a way to spend more time together, that God helps my Italian improve, that Lorenza reconciles relationships in her life and grows in love and knowledge of Christ.
Giulia- 13 yr old girl in our Sunday School. She comes to my house every now and then for English tutoring. She has a split family and is battling Leukemia. Pray I can be an encouragment and example to her.
4 Albano Study Girls- praying for more ways to reach them/how to encourage them as they live 45 mins away and no one has a car/we all have busy schedules. They are ages 16-22 with dysfunctional families etc...
Young Adults- needing direction on how to meet needs of the 4 of us in the church while also reaching out to our non-Christian friends... community/discipleship vs. evangelistic needs....
Teams- who does God want to send here to work with us this year? What does He want to do?
Sunday School- needing good Italian curriculum. Praying for wisdom and creativity with multi-age Sunday school (from 2 months to 16 years)!
Location- praying for strategic new building for the church. By Easter Lord?

Personal:
Work- LOTS of internal drama that can be stressful at times. Trying to stay above reproach. Want to be a good friend and witness to each one of my colleagues and bless my students and their families. More opportunities and boldness to speak God's truth.
Friends- On the one hand--I just miss my friends back home. It's hard 'starting over' and just missing the people you know and love...wanting someone 'like you.' You can pray with me for more friends in general. Also for my non-Christian ones especially, that I can speak boldly, honestly, and compassionately with them as we grow to know each other. I want to be a more caring friend--more sensitive, thoughtful and hospital with my time. I need wisdom as I meet people all the time, to know who to invest in. For now, F, L, A are forefront....
Home- God give me wisdom to encourage Tania/continue to bless my relationship with her.
Book- dragging my feet. Gotta get it published.
Singleness-amazingly, I have not been bombarded too much more than expected with questions, stalkers or people trying to set me up, haha. Italy is ridiculous when it comes to this. God is faithful as always to give me peace. I just want continued prayer that he keeps me safe, that I maintain healthy relationships with my male friends here, and that I know how to handle challenging situations.
Language- progression with ITALIAN!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRAYING! I NEED IT SO VERY MUCH. May God be glorified in all things, not my stinky putrid flesh. Amen. Write me and let me know how I can pray for you.

xo, Allie

Top-Christmas breakfast joined by A who had no family to go to

Mid- Sunday School

 Bottom-Fam at Christmas :)

buon natale!

Merry Christmas, friends!

My family has arrived and we've all been bustling around--I just finished my last week of work so we actually haven't spent a ton of time together yet! My parents spoke at the Marriage Conference my church hosted (reaching out to the Castelli region--read previous posts for info) and my dad will preach today and next Sunday. My two families (birth and adopted Congolese-Italian) will celebrate Christmas together at my apartment... you can be sure I am counting my blessings and thankful for the precious gift of JESUS and His love that makes familial love all the sweeter.

Thanks to all of you who have reached out and sent packages or Christmas cards or kept in touch on facebook/skype etc. Missing you this Christmas! Frascati is bustling with Christmas spirit this month. The town is covered with lights and there's a literal red carpet covering the cobblestone streets with music resounding from speakers on every corner... the Christmas stalls with artisan products are out each evening. Tania and I have set up our (fake) tree and I am trying to decide whether 4 months seems like a lot or a little... time is a funny thing. Thankful for a God who does not measure time and that I find my home and peace in HIM. Thankful to be loved and used by Him. Thankful for you!

Below is a summary of some things you can be continuing to pray for.
May the God who came as a piccolo bambino bless you richly this Christmas!
Lots of love, Allie

*Marriage Conference...that people now process & apply the things they heard
*Christmas Sunday outreach and dinner at church Dec 23
*Praise God for my family here with me!
*Praise God for my job, students, coworkers--a great semester
*Praise for an amazing weekend in the north at an Italian women's retreat :)
*Prayer for loving friends new and old that they might know Jesus (F, A, M, L, S, R--by initials)
*Blessing on our House Party Dec 29--meaningful conversations (we are throwing a party to connect our Christian-Non-Christian friends...includes live music from my siblings!)

Pics top->bottom: Austen & I, my brothers getting ready to play music at the conference, parents getting ready to speak, Christmas bus downtown Rome, my xmas pic with the Diamubeni fam :)

 

 

 

 

date change

DEC 8 EVENT POSTPONED

First thing: our event on Dec. 8 has been postponed. It really doesn't have to do with the holiday. We weren't ready. It has to do with strategy (and lack of prayer on our end). After talking and praying together and with our friend Alessandro, we realized since, for most of our non-Christian friends the idea of God and church is so misconstrued and foreign, it would be better to start with more natural approaches. Our desire to randomly connect all of our different friends in one place to have an intense spiritual discussion is a great thing, but it was out of order. That's maybe the best way to put it: it should be event 3 or 4, not number 1. That said, the next step is to pray pray pray through this month in a very particular way for our non-Christian friends. Then the last Saturday of December, Tania and I will host a holiday/new house warming party (haven't had time yet!). Here we will be strategic about inviting non-Christians and Christians to mix and pray the Lord helps us establish a good foundation for a January event. My siblings will be here to give us some live music! If you want more details or have advice in reaching European, urban young adults (not people off the street--but actual friends), send me an email! I don't mean to sterilize ministry into simplified strategies. I know God is working in ways beyond what our human minds can fathom. May His Spirit move!

My pastor shared on Philippians 4 recently. "I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles." (vv. 13-14) It is true that the God who created the universe and is love Himself cannot fail in providing all things so that we CAN do all the things He gives us strength to do. BUT I think we don't often read verse 14. It is good for you to share in my troubles nonetheless. God desires that for our Christian community. I am so immensely BLESSED by those of you who pray for me and write me and send me packages and support me financially... I cannot express it enough. Know that the Lord is pleased with us. I hope I can share in your troubles and pray for you as well! Thanks for keeping in touch and caring about what Jesus is doing here.

Lots of love, Allie

event december 8!

Hi!

I am in a rush. Just wanted to get this out so you all can be praying. I value your prayers and encouragement so much! I would appreciate prayer for productiveness and joy in the midst of work and ministry when I am often tired and missing my friends and the strength of my old communities....

That said: Last Saturday all the girls cancelled on us for the tea. So no update there, but I continue to see them Fridays and pray I get to know them better. Two of them in particular have alot of family problems etc.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 8 we are stepping out and doing something that hasn't been done here before. We're hosting an event at my apartment where we can share about the nature of God and basic Christian teachings and then create an intelligent dialogue. This is aimed to all of our non-Christian friends in the Castelli region and will be from 5-7pm Rome time if you are able to pray then! We are hoping people come and feel safe and loved and open their hearts to further dialogue and the possibility of surrendering their lives to this God. I just found out today that it is a holiday so we are hoping that doesn't hinder people from coming, but the Lord knows. 

Here's a quote from AW Tozer's 'Knowledge of the Holy' has been an inspiration: "All the problems of heaven and earth, were they to confront us together at once, would be nothing compared to the overwhelming problem of GOD: that he is, what he like, and what we as moral beings must do about him."

Please pray for me, Tania, Marco and Michelangelo as we host and for our friend Alessandro from CC Rome who we have asked to come speak.

I continue to ask for prayer with Italian. May God anoint my mind and tongue to speak here.

Lots of love to you from Frascati!
Allie

PS, Hope all of you Americans had a great Thanksgiving. We celebrated as well on this side of the world :)

novità

Hi friends!

Since I last wrote: I participated in a world-record breaking flashmob in Rome. I was gifted some fresh-picked olives and taught how to cure them. My friend found a 'Thai' restaurant and we tried it out. I paid my first bills successfully (a few bumps, but...done). I held my friend Lorenza's precious baby in my arms. I've had some good conversations with my room-mate, Tania. I've stayed healthy. I went to the bank by myself without a friend to help me. Let's just say God is good, and I am learning to breathe here. Trying to keep a record, to remember to be thankful. It's so so so important.

MINISTRY UPDATES

The Albano Bible study is going really well. Last week we had 4 new people!! I want to help Lorenza now that baby Giulia is born and she is exhausted raising two children alone. But she lives out in Albano and I don't have a car. Plus my schedule is very tight. Please pray for God to work something out according to his will. I am inviting the 4 young girls from that study to lunch next week. Not sure yet what kind of devotional God is putting on my heart--something about relationships and worship? Please pray for Tania and I as we seek to reach out to Valeria, Claudia, Sara and Veronica. We also have another unwed and pregnant friend (pictured with us below) in need of lots of love and truth. So much opportunity--so much room for the Lord to move!

Tuesday night Biblestudy is also going well. One of the members, Hilde (German-Italian) is in need of lots of prayer. Her husband died 3 years ago and she is currently astranged from her daughter in a very messy web of events. She leaves for America for 4 months, but her son (my age) and his girlfriend (who attended our study twice) are really on my heart to pray for. I don't want them to fall through the cracks just as we're starting to make a connection. Lots of confusion in this family. Another member Jenny has had a third robbery in her home this year. Her car just broke down today. Her sweet daughter has a rare Leukemia. Also, Chantal my pastor's wife and Italian mamma, continues to battle her own rare blood disease and pulmonary complications. Please pray for complete healing and wisdom and care from the doctors.

Just a lot of needs for love, truth, reconciliation, health and maturity in our church!

On a positive note we had a BLESSED and FUN sleepover event with our junior high/highschoolers last weekend!! We started the evening off with 30.000 other Romans in Piazza del Popolo and went home to cook, play, pray and eat together. May God continue to bless the kids here!! Click here to see the mob:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNvKe8BNRl4&feature=relmfu

 

Work has been a bit chaotic (not on my end, but major issues internally among staff and legal things...). Anyway, could always use prayer for grace and energy! Feel like I am gaining trust with parents which is huge. Here are some comments from my students when they saw my finger yesterday (major gash from kitchen knife while skyping with my dad!):
Mariarosa: Oh Allie, it's nothing! Just go to bed and snuggle up under the covers with a good film.
Alessandro: Blood!! Did you call the ambulance?!!
Giulio: Daddy...knife...cheese...blood!

Haha. I love them so much.

Hope you are well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for praying for me and the people here in Italy. XO, Allie

*To donate to the Marriage Conference fund, click: http://www.chapelmissions.org/where-we-work/italy/location/frascati-calvary-chapel-frascati

let's talk about marriage.

No, not mine. Don't get excited ;)

SOME THOUGHTS ON MINISTRY

On Tuesday night I looked around the room at our weekly Bible study. We were going through a heavy text in Romans that addressed marriage. Of the 11 people represented, besides my pastor and his wife (and myself), everyone else either was previously divorced, or currently living with a partner or dating a non-Christian. And Tuesday night is our night with the more 'mature' Christians in the church. The rest of the church isn't any cleaner. There's the young single mom Lorenza who just had her baby girl last week. There are brand-new baby marriages and old tired-out marriages.

Let's look at my workplace. I have a colleague currently divorcing his wife. One who lives with a man she 'doesn't love,' one who was devastatedly scarred from a previous relationship, one whose husband left her 3 months ago for Romania (with 3 children...not a word of contact), one who fights with her husband every day, one whose husband travels more than he's home.... And there's only ten of us at the school!

Italy is a bleak, bleak landscape for all kinds of relationships. And sadly, you can't look to the church for a healthy model. I'd like to share two ministry plans coming up to address these needs. First, at the end of November I will host a lunch for some college-age girls from the Albano Bible study Friday nights. Last time we talked they opened up about this discouraging relationship aspect and the fact they've never had boyfriends before. We'll see how it goes and what God wants to start for the new year. Second, December 21-22 my church is hosting a free marriage conference with guest speakers and fabulous marriage counselors... MY PARENTS! We are really excited about this and have just booked the conference center in faith that the funds to rent it (900 €) will be provided. If you are interested in giving to this fund, see http://www.chapelmissions.org/where-we-work/italy/location/frascati-calvary-chapel-frascati (I wrote this blurb btw!) or contact me at alliecase@gmail.com.

Above all, please please pray for this culture, that the people of Italy would find love and transformation in arms of Jesus. Pray that those on the right path would stay strong, relying on God.

LEARNING TO LIVE

I'm learning to get around my neighborhood and settle into the routine of things. I am still getting requests to tutor or translate/research for people on top of my regular work and ministry and need wisdom on how much to take on. I still need lots of prayer to get a handle on the Italian language. But slowly, my apartment feels more like a home. Last night Tania and I invited the family for dinner. We made such a vegetarian feast (I found curry spices so I made thai curry)! It was fun to be able to bless everyone like that. I am eternally grateful to be adopted by such a beautiful family.
                                                       Haha I love this photo. Typical.

Making a mess nella cucina!

 

Thanks for all your love and prayers!
xo, Allie

6 saints & the two young girls

SALVE!

Sorry that I have been absent from this blog for a few weeks--a combination of moving, work, church, errands, being without internet, and other random duties that call for my time. Thanks to those of you who remember to pray for me anyway. Once I am more settled, I look forward to reporting more on certain ministry aspects. There is always a lot going on, and I currently need prayer about what to say 'yes' to because new relationships and opportunities are around every corner and I'm feeling a bit stretched-thin.

6 SAINTS ETC.

We moved into our new apartment last Saturday. We found 6 saints in the electric box. A reminder of the old, reluctant, rich and Catholic culture in which I live. This year the Pope himself visited Frascati, to urge a 're-awakening.' I pray that the Spirit of GOD and not MAN, reigns in this place.

We painted and cleaned and ran errands for days. Now Tania and are happily living here, and the whole neighborhood watches in strange curiosity at the two young girls in the big house. This kind of thing is NOT done in Italy. You live with your parents til you marry, stereotypically. Even we admit it doesn't feel quite homey yet, but we look forward to getting fully organized and unpacked and filling it with people and love! THANK YOU to all who donated for furniture. God blessed us with some good deals at IKEA. Pics to come.... We are hosting our first 'event' next Saturday--a sleepover with the church youthgroup!

ROMA

This Tuesday I went to Rome to see my cousin's grandma who was visiting from LA. I met two people who would be interesting to keep in touch with. I'm headed back tomorrow to see my friend Livia who now lives in Brescia but is visiting her parents this weekend. I've also been put in touch with an Italian-American family (friends of a friend) in Rome. None of these people are Christians, and adore Rome, so pray with me about the kinds of investments I should make.

WORK

Work is going really well and I am coming into my own. My teaching is getting better and so are my students. I am finding a rythm. I've begun teaching Saturday mornings as well (tried to avoid but there was no one else...). Since this is the place where I spend 80% of my time, I need prayer to love God, my co-workers and my students well, even when I'm tired.

I also need to finish publication on my book this month or it will never get done. Please pray I have time and wisdom for the last stretch.

Hey, my local gelato-man assured me that my Italian has improved since I first moved here. I'll take that! And my local coffee-man put a smiley face design on my cappuccino this morning because I am 'always joyful' apparently (my boss got a sad face, haha). Oh God help me to be thankful for the little things....

xo, Allie