heaven & earth

“I know The Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Psalm 16:8-11 NLT)


Perhaps it's a mixture of talking with my elderly grandparents over skype, spending time with 13 year-old Giulia who has cancer, watching Daisy Merrick's memorial live at 1am, my cousin hearing someone scream as his NY subway ran over them, and the hopelessness of voting in my first Italian presidential election---I'm thinking about Heaven. One day soon. We will not have to choose the lesser of evils. We will not suffer. We will not want.

And until that day--God only knows how weak I am!!--until THAT DAY. I want to be faithful. This earth is such a fleeting glimpse washed up in Eternity. Despite how tired I am, I want to be hopeful and live with the Eternity of Heaven in my heart. I pray we can all strive better after this, with the Holy Spirit, to share this Hope with our friends and family.

Prayer Updates:

CHURCH

We really want a location! The house was packed yesterday and we are eager to move out of the house church-phase. Pastor Robert has drafted a letter to the county to possibly receive a public space to be used as non-profit. We know a Christian lady who works there and are praying for the Lord's favor. Ultimately, we hope that one location helps to foster unity among the different 'groups' in our church and calls each to serve and participate in a deeper way.

Slow progress with Lorenza...maybe this weekend?

Our youth group is growing! 2 other kids have returned to the group making 5 (Lorenza's neice and nephew). We are also praying that Giulia's brother (16) decides to come. Currently, Tania has stepped back from Kids Min for personal reasons and it has put me in a rough spot with language etc. (2 kids are half American so they can help me, but I'd much rather assist Tania because she is really gifted with them). Anyway, pray for growth and wisdom.

PERSONAL

I've been praying a lot for my friends and for more friends in general. Process is slow, but I am feeling encouraged:

Andreas & Brenda remain hard to get together with, but communicate now and then.

Fation & Roberto are coming to see Mumford & Sons with me in 2 weeks (friends gave me 2 extra tix to be used 'missionally')!

Alberto has invited us to dinner at his place.

In the mean time, two of my precious college friends are coming to visit in March!

I am using the local stores more and trying to be known on my street however shy I am.

Still need lots of wisdom in the situation with Tania--how to challenge and support and counsel her.

We hosted a Bible Study with the church in Rome last Saturday. Matteo (pictured @right)came and continues to open his heart to Jesus! Keep praying.

Marco, Michi, Tania & I just had our 2nd of our monthly meetings and it went SO well in the sense that there was a lot of vulnerability and productive, honest discussion. PRAY SO HARD with me for these 3 precious people. They are the only young adult Christians in our church/city and carry a lot of responsibility in their influence. Pray for hope, vision, conviction, courage, comfort, wisdom.... The last picture is Michi and friends playing an acoustic set at the opening of their youth association--proud of how they bridge the 'gap.'


Lots of love to all.
A.
(I love this song!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc8x33lAnAk&list=PLM4MVfz1v3LVOY2S1ORgU53Pc92xJQ46_

learning to love

If I came here to do anything it certainly had to do with loving people. I love because He first loved me. And yet ironically God brought me here when I was most empty on love. And he brought me to a people that fight and complain like it's their favorite sport. Through a series of events and things I've been writing and reading, God is really renewing my heart to love people. He's renewing my heart to love as He loves. That is a grand and impossible task, but it can always be my compass. "By day the Lord commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me" (Ps. 42.8).

The requests from last week still stand, but here are some snippets to fuel your prayers specifically regarding this them of love. Wow!! It is thundering like craaaaazy as I write! Lots of love from inside my cozy apartment on this gorgeous stormy day!

*Fation and Roberto (26). I love these guys. Fation has been my friend for 5 years and I know Roberto through him. Fation came here as an Albanian refugee (age 11) during the war. His parents are currently divorcing. Roberto is from Napoli and has been disappointed a lot in life--he continues to struggle through the Italian university system though it is discouraging. They were over for dinner Saturday and Fation initiated, "If you want to do that prayer thing before we eat go ahead--even if we don't believe in that stuff..." He is so hard but at the same time he feels "peace" at our home. I hang out with these guys all the time. Please pray I can love them well and that they open their hearts to the love of Christ.

*Alberto (mid-twenties?). I don't really know him but he lives near us and went to university with Tania. Occasionally when we are out we run in to him. Yesterday was SO pretty and cold and sunny--and it was Carnevale here in Frascati!! So Tania and I went out for a morning walk before church. Literally, Tania had just said a prayer out-loud as we were walking, for God to have mercy on Frascati and to pour out His Spirit and to use us--and we run into Alberto. He was near tears. He just vomited how his whole life is falling apart (lots of curses interspersed)--let down in love, lost his job, complications at university. I wanted to cry! Ask God to give us more opportunity to love Alberto.

*Youth kids at church-Moira (16), Elijah (13) and Giulia (13). On Sunday I was teaching about prayer and the Persistent Widow parable. I started asking some personal questions about each one's prayer life and was SO blessed by their vulnerability. But I wanted to cry!! I got responses like: "I don't really pray"--"My prayers are too superficial"--"I don't know how"--"I don't want to talk to Him".... These are kids raised in the church. They are each so precious. Please pray we can love them well, and that they learn to talk with God who loves them so much!

*Raffa, my coworker (40). I love her!! She is so fun and has such a compassionate heart. But she often seeks love in the wrong places. And she is filled with anxiety. Please pray I can love her and speak truth into her life. Pray she finds complete satisfaction in the love of God.

*Lorenza (32). Again, I've been trying to get together with her one on one. She responds to my texts but we still haven't met together and I know she is really struggling personally, spiritually, as a single mom.... I am hoping to go over Thursday, which ironically is Valentine's Day. Pray that she is overwhelmed with the love of God.

*Tania (24). Growth happening, some walls being broken...still lots of miracles needed in her situation.

I could go on but this is already super long! Thanks so much for your love and support!

Top- when we try to make Fation have fun haha

Middle- with colleagues at beginning of year, Raffa @middle

Bottom- sweet kids Giulia (Ital-columbian)& Mo & Eli (Ital-Korean)

6 months and counting...

TIME

So yes. I realized last week that I passed the 6-month mark. That really doesn't even penetrate. I've always had goals and boundaries where time was concerned, and now I'm just...here. Living. Time has really flown. I was talking with Tania and realized it's true that my Italian has improved even though it seems really discouraging. And yes, I do walk through the town many days and run into people I 'know'--kisskiss--that sense of being a local :) I've discovered an organic foodstore and a vegetarian restaurant, and am finally able to see Les Mis since it opened yesterday! Haha...God is sweet to give me these little comforts. It does feel like a kind of home. I thought today about how I live a city life in a small town. That will continue to be a bit difficult. I am so busybusybusy that I don't really get out in the town, I don't know my neighbors very well, I don't know what's going on in Frascati (though you can be sure people know about me haha). That will be something to figure out now that I'm past my 'settling' time. How to be more present in the community. Frequenting the same shops. Making more friends. Anyway, I'd like to thank God for sustaining me--above all emotionally--in this beginning. It has felt fairly 'natural' and I know that is supernatural :)

UPDATES

• The first (of what are for now monthly) of our meetings with just me-Tania-Marco-Michi went really well. We are all leaders and the only young adults in our church. It was nice to just check in spiritually with everyone and pray together. I pray for God to move to unite us more to Himself and to each other!
• Lorenza, my single mom friend, and I have been texting trying to get together and we had a nice chat on Sunday. She really wants me to teach her English. Scheduling has been rough, but continue to pray we can work something out as she is opening up.
• Work has been soooo draining this week, and on top of it I'm sick. There is a lot of chaos at work and I have just been joyless which feels yucky. I want to love my students and colleagues well. Today was better. Please pray I can always be full of love even when things aren't fun.
• Book. Making some progress, praise God.
• Tania. Still need LOTS of wisdom to be led by the Holy Spirit in this time. Not quite sure how to help her with what she's going through.
• Giulia. My sweet little 13 year old friend came over Wednesday to go over English homework. I just lover her SOOO much. I noticed her hair is thinning. Her mom was teary-eyed on Sunday. They've upped her medication...it's just so hard. We've written this on our church blog: http://servingicastelliromani.wordpress.com/ Please pray for her healing from cancer.

 

Sorry---couldn't resist sneaking this picture of 2 of my favorite students

during our morning Circle Time! Ahh I love them.

treasure

Salve!

I've been thinking about treasure. About God as my treasure--not my means to my own brand of treasure. This came from a sermon I was listening to from back home (Mark 10:17ff). Yesterday, after a difficult week with both students and staff, I remembered the verse, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). Seriously it PAINS me to think of all of the phrases, looks, stories, songs--things my students say and do and learn that can never be re-played! I always wish God had a videocamera recording these precious moments to replay in a montage in heaven. It was just a good reminder to take every opportunity to love. To take every opportunity to treasure things--people--that really matter. The things God calls treasure. My pastor asked a great question in his sermon that week: Would you accept heaven without Jesus? In other words, are you striving so much after the gift that you don't know the Giver? I don't know... I want to be more mindful of these things. Missionaries are viewed often through false lenses. But I am even weaker here. May we all seize each moment to love and treasure, not embitter and hoard.

UPDATES:

* Michi, Marco, Tania have agreed to meet together to pray and encourage one another as the young adult community here at the Frascati church. It is a hard thing to meet together when the attendees are simply your own family members, but I know God wants to work a mighty work to bond us and model a familial community to our zone. Of course we pray this group expands one day, but it is an answer to prayer that we will begin meeting on Mondays for the sake of love, unity and accountability.

*Lorenza has asked me to find a day I can come help her out with the kiddos. My schedule is insane, please pray this is a sweet time and we work something out in the next few weeks.

*The Albano girls- inviting them to hang out next Saturday. Pray they come and find a place they can be honest and loved.

*Emilia- forgot to mention her last time. She's our amazing, loveable, chatterbox land lady. We've already had a few spiritual convos with her and she is quite open about her life and its troubles. Pray God continues to bless our relationship with her toward her salvation!

*Tania- would love prayer on helping her through some things right now.

*Connected to Tania and the NEW CHURCH LOCATION we are praying for this year, is the dream to open a Christian bookstore/coffee shop. It has loooong been the dream of Tania and her dad, and ultimately a dream one day I would love to leave my job and commit to as well. Of course projects like this involve lots of paperwork, money, organization--it is a grand task! But we see so much potential for reaching Frascati and the Castelli, so please pray for God's will and progress toward this end.

Thanks! God is always moving on His behalf and listens when we pray.

 

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