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November 2024

As we navigate this journey together, we are filled with gratitude for the ways God continues to work in our lives, even amidst challenges. Here are some updates from our family and church ministries that we hope will inspire and encourage you.

The Mustard Seed Concept

This month, we’ve been reflecting on the powerful imagery of the mustard seed. God’s Kingdom often advances in ways we cannot see or measure. It’s not about the numbers; it’s about perseverance, endurance, and obedience.  Even in the smallest acts of faith, we can trust that God is at work. We hope this encourages you to continue to sow seeds of hope in your spheres of influence as it has encouraged us.

Remembering a Dear Friend

Last month, we said goodbye to our dear friend Vito.  His passing was quite sudden and unexpected.  Just two days before we had been chatting about heaven while sitting at a bar.  He was a great neighbor who acted as a grandpa to our kids. We have been praying for His salvation for years and we shared the gospel of Jesus with him many times.  We know that this was light in his life, and we find comfort in the hope that he is in heaven with Jesus. This loss reminds us of  how fragile life is and how we must trust God’s plan, even when it’s hard to understand. It reminds us to cherish every moment and share the love of Christ with those around us.  Thanks to all of you who prayed for Vito.

Celebrating Love at a Wedding

We recently had the joy of participating in the wedding ceremony of our friends, Stefano and Valentina. It was a beautiful occasion where we were able to share the love of Jesus with over 60 guests. We emphasized that Christ is at the center of marriage, and it was heartening to witness many people hear this message for the first time.

Updates on Our Children

Adrien is in his last year of middle school and is at a crossroads, choosing a high school that aligns with his passion for sports yet has a very large work load in science and math. In Italy not all high schools are alike and the decision to choose a direction of study comes at an early age. It can be a stressful time for kids and even for parents.  He’s been doing well in soccer, but is currently sidelined due to an injury. We’re hopeful that his recovery with be quick and smooth and it will enable him to return to the field even stronger. Rinat has started middle school and is doing pretty well.  He’s willing to do his homework more than we thought, but we are thinking it would be good for him to have some after school tutoring. Ruzanna is blossoming as she finishes elementary school, she’s helping in Sunday school, and showing a tender heart for younger children. Our youngest, Sitora, continues to impress us with her intelligence and leadership skills; her teachers adore her! Rinat, Ruzanna & Sitora all struggle with trust and honesty issues. We are asking God for wisdom on how to confront those issues in a loving way while helping them to understand that lying is wrong. We would love your prayers for that.

Conferences and Connections

We’ve attended several encouraging conferences recently, connecting with new friends and finding inspiration. It’s refreshing to see how God is moving among us and to share ideas for ministry.

Practice painting for new commission 

Creative Worship Conference

Art and Worship Initiatives

McKenzie has been commissioned for new paintings, and we’re thrilled to see how the pieces she’s created for different churches are inspiring spiritual conversations. Additionally, we’re working with, Robert, our worship leader to develop Italian worship songs along with a group of Christian musicians in Italy.  The desire is to foster a deeper connection to faith through music written in Italian instead of being translated from English.

Soccer as Ministry

We’re excited about our plans to use soccer as a means of ministry. Andrea is taking steps to receive training for the development of technical skills in soccer.  In the future we will be working on training that will equip us to teach young athletes important life values while developing their skills.  We feel it could be a unique way to reach the next generation, instilling not only a moral foundation, but also providing opportunities to share our faith.

Church Growth and Future Plans

Our church is slowly but surely growing, and we’re encouraged by a few new faces. We feel a pressing need for a youth group and are praying for the right people to help us with this.  The Persson family plans to join us in January of 2025 and their two daughters will be part of the youth, so we are excited to have them.  They are in the support raising phase so please keep them in your prayers.

Our Pioneer’s teams in Italy are continuing to find a rhythm in meeting together and continuing their language and culture acquisition.  Our newest member arrived a month or so ago and she is getting set up in her new home and language school. We are walking alongside everyone as they integrate and develop, and we’re excited about what the future holds.  McKenzie will be making a trip to visit two of the women in Florence in November.

God’s Provision Through Your Giving

In our previous newsletter we shared that we were in need of some extra financial support.  As some of you were prompted to meet that need by your giving we were filled with gratitude for how God moves and works in His people. We are humbled and thankful for your love and care and your willingness to partner with us.

Final Thoughts

Thank you for being part of our journey. Your support means the world to us. We can continue to lift one another up in prayer and trust that God is working behind the scenes, even in ways we cannot see.  Please send us a message for how we can be praying for you.

With love and blessings,

Andrea, McKenzie, Adrien, Rinat, Ruzanna and Sitora

PLEASE PRAY WITH US:

  • For seeds to continue to be planted and for them to take root

  • For Stefano and Valentina to come together to church on a regular basis and for their salvation

  • For Adrien’s next steps for choosing a high school, his full recovery and reentry into his team and in the game

  • For Rinat’s desire and progress at school and he and his sister’s trust and honesty struggles

  • For direction and wisdom in the arts, soccer and worship ministries

  • For McKenzie’s trip to Florence to visit PI members, Hollie and Charlotte

  • For continued growth for il Granaio and for the Persson family’s support raising plus our need for a youth group and leaders

Thank you so much for your partnership. It is so valuable to us and the ministry here in Italy!

YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US.

CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY!

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July 2024

Mid Summer Days

We are nearing the end of July and this week Andrea and I are recalibrating at home. The kids are at camp and so we are taking the week to get organised at home and in ministry and spend some alone time together. As a family we have been focusing on prayer. We have been enjoying listening to the Lectio 365 app and learning to quiet ourselves before God’s word.

We had a restful family vacation in Tuscany where we marvelled at God’s beautiful creation. We beach hopped and took country and small town strolls. It was really nice to get away.

When we returned from vacation we got right into preparations for our Pioneers Area Retreat. We had our three units join from Pisa, Florence and Milan. We hosted the retreat at our home and in nearby locations. It was a great time of fellowship and encouragement. We talked about our individual callings and how they are not ours, but God’s to mold, shape and use. We talked about Jesus’ example and strategy in how to come alongside those who don’t know Him and represent Him as His followers. We had creative worship and prayer time and it was just nice to spend time getting to know one another better .

Il Granaio is awaiting this family’s arrival! We are excited to have the Persson family join Pioneers Italy and our team in Opicina. They are working on raising support and completing their PI requirements before they can depart. We are hoping that they will be joining us at the beginning fo January 2025. They will be coming to serve long term with two of their four daughters. The older two will be staying in the US to continue their studies in college.

Valentina and Stefano are getting married. Many years ago Andrea and I committed to praying for this couple to read the Bible with us and God made it happen. We are still walking with them and praying that they would commit their hearts and lives to Jesus, and we trust God’s timing. We have also prayed for them to decide to get married for many years and the day has finally come!. The coolest part is that they’ve asked Andrea and I to play a part in the wedding ceremony. Andrea will be Stefano’s best man as Stefano was in our wedding 20 years ago and they have asked me to share a reflection from the Bible and they’ve given me the freedom to say whatever God lays on my heart. We are totally honoured and excited to share this moment with them. We are also desiring that the words spoken from God’s Word would be heard by all of those who have ears to hear.

Matthew 6:28-29.

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. The do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.”

We took a hike in the mountains one day and the view was absolutely breathtaking. This photo is one of the many that was taken of the flowers that decorated the path we walked. They had no gardener to fertilise them, prune them or water them. They just shined their beauty left and right like splashes of colorful patchwork scattered around in the green carpets of grass that surrounded the peaks of solid rock. Only God can make things this amazing and care for them in this incredible way and yet…..we are more than these.

Our family has lately hit some financial obstacles and we know that God will provide, because He always does. So, although this is not easy for us to do, but we trust God’s lead in it, we are asking you if you might feel led to donate something extra in order to help us in our present financial needs. Grocery and gas costs have increased significantly and we have some broken appliances that need replacing. We also have many new school books and supplies to buy before the new school year starts. We would be so humbled and blessed to have you help us out.

Please Pray with us:

  • For us to finish the kid’s summer vacation well as we get organised and the kids come back from camp.

  • For Andrea to lead well as PI Area leader and for his leadership with Il Granaio.

  • For our new PI Tuscany team member, Charlotte who plans to arrive mid September. She is waiting for her visa and is struggling to find a rental apartment in Florence.

  • For the Persson family. Pray for their completion of PI requirements and support raising and also their family needs before departure.

  • For our financial needs and those who might feel led to help us out.

Thank you so much for your partnership. It is so valuable to us and the ministry here in Italy!

YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US.

CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY!

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February 2024

As Winter Fades

It’s a gray morning here in Friuli Venezia Giulia. A light, misty rain falls and I’m sitting in the studio with the heater on. The cats are curled up in here too since it’s cozier than the rest of the house. The kids are off to school and Andrea is on a zoom call with the rest of the PI Europe South AL team. Usually, on Tuesday, I’m meeting with Valentina to read the Bible and drink tea. Today she wasn’t able, so we should meet on Friday. She’s really been opening up to the scriptures and we just keep praying for her in this journey of discovering Jesus. This past week the kids seemed to be coming down with fevers and colds, which we’ve been battling all winter, but thankfully they were well enough to face our busy weekend. Adrien had a game Saturday and got knocked in the head so hard that we think he may have had a mild concussion. This is after breaking his front tooth at home, getting it repaired, getting elbowed in the mouth at practice, breaking it again and getting it repaired again! Thankfully, it didn’t get broken this time. He’s tough though so, he’s most likely going back to practice today. Sunday we drove to Bologna where I was invited as a guest artist for a Gospel outreach event. I exhibited my paintings and shared a bit of our story. I think about 80 people came and heard the Gospel shared through, music, art and testimony. The kids all helped in unloading, setting up and loading the paintings back in the van. Adrien and Rinat helped hang some paintings from a balcony plus Rinat liked using is hands by helping me make a frame. Ruzanna was the natural baby-sitter to many of the little children running around and Sitora was so proud, because some of the paintings were portraits of the them and she had to find the perfect spot to set hers up. It was sweet to have them with me and have them participate in sharing the light of Christ in a creative way. Andrea was at a celebration/miniconference near Bologna with an Impatto (Acts 29 Italy) church. They celebrated their 10th year anniversary and talked about church planting in rural areas. He hopes to apply what he learned to the ministry we serve here at home. He was close enough to be able to join us at the outreach event shortly after. So, the weekend ended well and now we are back into the weekly routine. I’m encouraged that spring is around the corner. It always brings me inspiration and joy. I’m encouraged by God’s attention to details and His way of whispering to us when we need it.

Please take a minute to view the rest of the photos and read about what else we’ve been involved in. Don’t forget to take a moment to pray for the details as you go. God is attentive to them. Thank you!

Sharing about how my paintings are inspired by God’s creation and his Word. Pray that God would continue to inspire me and use my artwork to share His gospel and bring Him Glory!

Below is a creative ornament making workshop for our kids and their friends. It was a great way for them to share their faith with their friends and serve others. We sold the ornaments at a Christrmas market and gave the proceeds to a ministry for women recovering from difficult human trafficking situations.

Andrea and I went to Kenya in January for a PI leadership conference. We were filled to the brim with knowledge, encouragement, inspiration and a desire to get back to Italy and put it all into practice in the ministry God has called us to. We were reminded that “we” the church, God’s people, are called into mission not “I”. Therefore, as leaders we are to be abiding in Christ as we align with the body (His church) in order to walk in the way He desires for us in the steps He’s planned for us. So, we need to be attentive to His voice. You are called with us in this mission to reach those in Italy who do not know Jesus yet. So, please pray for us as God leads us to lead our PI Italy missionaries, the missionaries we hope will be called to Slovenia and Malta and the future teams we pray He provides for these areas.

Our church, Il Granaio, needs your prayer. We have been praying for God to open doors for us to be more connected with the people and the community of Opicina where we meet. So far, God has led us to an American family that is now working very hard to prepare, raise funds and make a transition out of their full time job to come and serve with PI in our area! We are so thankful for this answer to prayer and hopeful for what God has in store. In the mean time please be praying for the Persson family as they take these steps of faith. We also ask that you pray for ways for Il Granaio to be known in Opicina. It seems that God hasn’t really led us to an answer for that yet, but we are asking for wisdom, direction and resources. For example: our own location that could even be used for gatherings and events. The costs in Opicina are quite elevated and there is not much to choose from when it comes to rental space. So, please keep all this in your prayers!

Please remember to pray for Vito. He has been much more open lately to recognising that “someone” is watching over him. I still meet with him every other week when Adrien has piano lessons. This time I got to take my mom with me. It’s pretty cool that even if my parents live so far away and they only see Vito maybe once a year He holds them dearly in his heart as do they.

We got to take a day trip to the mountains in Austria. The kids had fun brushing up on their skiing skills and the best part was seeing them working so hard and enjoying it! We were really grateful for a little family fun time. Please keep praying for our family. We are always learning and growing. Sometimes that is painful and sometimes it’s joyful. In it all though we are blessed and need your prayers.

Thank you for being with us, pausing to lift a prayer up and aligning with us as God leads! May you be blessed today as you seek Him in what He has for you and please don’t hesitate to connect with us so we can pray for you too!

YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE DORIGOS!

BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE AND BEAR A SON, AND SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL. ISAIAH 7 : 14

Let us today go down to Bethlehem, and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi let us see Him who was born King of the Jews, for we by faith can claim an interest in Him and can sing, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Jesus is God incarnate, our Lord and our Savior, and yet our brother and friend; let us adore and admire Him. Let us notice at the very first glance His miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before, and unparalleled since, that a virgin should conceive and bear a son. The first promise concerned the seed of the woman, not the offspring of the man. Since venturesome woman led the way in the sin that resulted in paradise lost, she, and she alone, ushers in the Regainer of Paradise. Our Savior, although truly man, was as to His human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that He may be formed in us, the hope of glory. Do not fail to note His humble parentage. His mother has been described simply as “the virgin,” not a princess or prophetess, nor a woman of influence. True, the blood of kings ran in her veins; and her mind was not weak or untaught, for she could sweetly sing a song of praise. Yet how humble her position, how poor the man to whom she was engaged, and how miserable the accommodation provided for the newborn King!

Immanuel—God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our daily work, in our punishment, in our death, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendor.

Excerpt From

Morning and Evening

Charles H. Spurgeon

YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT. PLEASE BE SURE TO MAKE YOUR END OF YEAR DONATIONS BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2023. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US.

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September 2023

“

Buongiorno a tutti!

We have so much to catch up on. The months have flown by and it’s crazy that spring and summer are coming to a close. So, for this update we are going to fill you in with lots of photos and some tid bits and prayer requests so you can whisper a prayer for each thing God lays on your heart as you enjoy seeing what we’ve been up to.

McKenzie was given the opportunity to paint some images for Adrien’s coaches and other staff of his soccer team.

The season ended well and Adrien was signed on again at the end of August for another year with Udinese. We are excited for him, but ask for your prayer as it can be quite intense and taxing for our family. Adrien continues to pray and ask God to use him and this opportunity for His Glory!

We were blessed with a visit from the Carmichael family. They served with us in Trieste for 5 years and are now back at Port City Community Church in North Carolina. It was a great time to reconnect and enjoy some time together.

Time with other Christian friends is so important and encouraging for our kids.

The Nelson family from Port City Community Church in North Carolina also visited us this summer and it was another wonderful time of catching up, fun and encouragement!

We were able to hike and bike in the mountains and marvel at God’s beautiful creation!

Pray that ministry around the table would be fruitful. We listen a lot and pray for the timing, right words to comfort, speak truth in love and lead to Jesus. It’s not always simple and sometimes you feel defeated as if you didn’t say the right thing or you think of something you should have said after everyone has left. We continue to pray that God would use us even in our flaws to draw hearts to Jesus. We are so privileged and blessed to be a part of that.

Keep praying for Vito. We meet a couple of times a month and conversations are always salted with God’s word.

This is a gorgeous gem in Abruzzo called Gran Sasso (Big Rock). “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:2. Pray that God would be Italy’s stronghold!

We were able to visit one afternoon on our way to our IMPATTO (Acts 29 Italy) conference.

Our time with these Italian church leaders was such an encouragement for our family. We were able to reconnect after not being able to attend this conference for a few years. We came away refreshed, recalibrated and excited for the future opportunities that came up while having fellowship with everyone there.

Please pray for these men, Andrea included, who are pastors and church leaders throughout Italy. Pray for inspiration, wisdom, stamina, grace, humility and joy as they serve!

Please pray for abundance! This image of the fruit of our labor in the garden stirs hope for the many hearts in Italy who need Jesus. God knows their names.

Our home became “the place to be” this summer. We had neighbourhood friends dropping by on a regular basis. Often they would stay for a meal and we were able to share a quick devotion with them or a simple prayer before a meal. This was strange for them at first, but now they smile and expect that we will be thanking God for the food He provides us every day. Little seeds!

Pray for our close friends. We have been walking with many of them for years and sharing the truth of the Gospel with them. However, only God can truly help their unbelief. Pray that their hearts would soften and that they would want to truly know Jesus. McKenzie has started reading the Bible again with Valentina once a week. Pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal truths to them as they study the book of Mark.

Pray for our church IL GRANAIO. We desire to be known in the community and surrounding areas. We trust that God will lead us in each step. Pray for openness in our hearts and minds to be active in prayer and practice for what He is calling us to be and do. Pray that He would lead the right people to be a part of His mission to make the Gospel of Jesus known.

Pray for Andrea’s leadership as a pastor, a dad, a husband and an area leader with PI. Andrea will be traveling for different Pioneers conferences and leadership engagements. Please pray that he would be inspired, encouraged, equipped and that God would give him all he needs in order to put everything into practice.

Andrea attended an IMPATTO ITALIA leadership meeting just this past week. There were two guest pastors from South Korea who came to share how God has laid Europe and its mission field on their hearts and how they are seeking to collaborate in ministry. They said that they have around 1300 people committed to praying for Europe 24/7. How amazing! God is connecting His people all over the world to further His Kingdom! You are a part of that too!

Pray for McKenzie as she finishes up two large commission pieces for an evangelical church in Pordenone called Serenissima. She will also be working on a series of paintings that she would like to use in making a devotional calendar in Italian. The paintings will need to be done and printed by the end of November. Some of these pieces will be used for an art exhibit at an evangelical church in Bologna in February. These are all great opportunities to share God’s creation, His love and His Gospel.

We all struggle with something and need help and we all have certain gifts we need help with too. So, we’ve thought about some areas where our kids struggle and strive so you can pray for each of them.

Adrien-perfectionism, but he has great determination; Rinat-discontentment, but he’s very outgoing and not afraid to speak up; Ruzanna-insecurity, but she is very helpful and attentive to other’s needs; Sitora-control, but she is extremely bright beyond her years.

Every prayer you whisper, breathe, yell, God hears. “Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” Psalm 139:4

Thank you for taking the time to pray.

YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US.

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March 2023

The little things

In these past few months we’ve been talking a lot about the “little things” in life. There are those little things that become big things that don’t really need as much attention as we give them. Then there are those little things that do need more attention and we unfortunately tend to miss them. God has impressed upon our hearts this season to recognise these moments. We are seeking to capture the small things that are gifts and cherish them. At the same time we are seeking to release the things that become burdens so He can carry them.

"I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”

Psalm 9:1

Ruzanna

is our horse girl. Here she is enjoying some last moments with a horse from the barn McKenzie helps out at. They were both very sad to see her sold. Hopefully, one day their paths will meet again. Her name is “Shamira.” Which in Hebrew means, “He who defends.” We thought that was pretty cool.

Sitora

is playing soccer now! She’s timid during the beginning of matches, but then her confidence kicks in and she makes bunches of goals!

Rinat

is growing up so fast and doing so much better in school this year. I’m so thankful for his great teachers.

Adrien

is dedicated at school and soccer. He is maturing so much. He has a corky side to him that makes us smile.

A Weekend in Malta

Since becoming a Pioneer’s area leader, Andrea has felt led to visit the areas He will be serving. So, we took advantage of having McKenzie’s parents visiting and left the kids with them for a few days! We had a nice time together and a fruitful time for ministry.

Sunday Worship in Malta

We got to meet with a local maltese pastor who has been planting evangelical churches for many years in Malta. We are excited to have connected with him and look forward to how God will use this relationship in the future.

OUR CHURCH

“My church is small, but just what we need. We pray that it will grow so the Word of God would be spread.” Adrien wrote this for one of his assignments at school. It is such a blessing to know that our children are feeling at home in their church family. We are continuing to pray for guidance and favour for a new meeting place. We are deciding on a logo. To the left is one example McKenzie has been working on. We are planning to host an evangelistic worship evening this spring. Two other evangelical churches will be joining us.

As a dad, husband, pastor & area leader

I want to be a good steward with what God has given me. I feel that it isn’t always easy and that the enemy is always ready to prowl like a lion searching to bring distress. Sometimes I let the little problems become bigger ones and I don’t see those little gems that God gives us. I can sometimes miss them, because I’m too distracted. I would love your prayers for God to give me patience, strength, wisdom and love to be a good husband, dad and pastor. At the end of April I will have the privilege to speak during a morning slot at our Pioneers Europe Conference. Please pray for wisdom as I’m looking on what to preach for a group of missionaries ministering in Southern Europe.

Coaching Soccer

Spring season is starting and Andrea has been coaching the 7/8 year olds. However, he has recently been asked to help out Rinat’s team since they have not won a game yet. So, Andrea will have this extra obligation once a week, but we are praying that it would be good for his and Rinat’s relationship and also for the relationships with the families involved.

Thankful

McKenzie’s parents not only helped out a lot during their visit, but loved on some very special people…Aunt Mariella and Vito.

McKenzie’s Art

I finished this very large piece. I entitled it “Quilted Moments”. I am happy to say that it is now hanging beautifully on a wonderful lady’s wall in her home in North Carolina. It taught me a lot and I’m excited to start on my next piece. It will be for an evangelical church in Pordenone. If you’d like to stay up to date with the progress follow me on instagram @mckenzieraeart

These Moments

God continues to surround us with people we are deepening relationships with. From classmates to barn friends to neighbours and church family we pray for these relationships and ask God to do His work.

Stay connected with us through the photos we post. We’re not great at it, but we do post from time to time.

Follow us on instagram @awakenitaly

Praises and Prayers

Praises:

  • For God’s grace and encouragement in parenting

  • For our children feeling connected in their church family

  • For McKenzie’s painting getting finished and hung right on time

  • For a wonderful trip to Malta

  • For the people God continues to surround us with

Prayers:

  • For our children to continue to grow in their understand of their relationship with Jesus

  • For grace, patience and wisdom in parenting and for our enjoyment in the process

  • For our church to grow and for a new location to meet

  • For our worship evening

  • For Mariella and Vito’s salvation in Jesus

  • For each person God has put in our lives to sense His presence and come to know Jesus as their saviour

  • For our Pioneers conference coming up at the end of April

  • For soccer season and all that entails

YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT. PLEASE BE SURE TO MAKE YOUR END OF YEAR DONATIONS BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2022. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE DORIGOS!!!

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

With Love,

Andrea, McKenzie, Adrien, Rinat, Ruzanna & Sitora

From Paul Tripp Advent readings…

Jesus knew he had come not just to preach the gospel of sacrifice, but also to be that sacrifice, yet he was perfectly willing.

We’re often unwilling to do what God says if it doesn’t make sense to us. We’re often unwilling to inconvenience ourselves for the needs of someone else. We’re regularly unwilling to wait. We’re often unwilling to be open and honest. We’re too often unwilling to consider the loving rebuke of another. We struggle to be willing to say no to our own wrong thoughts and desires. We often struggle to be willing to answer God’s ministry call. Often we are unwilling to admit that we are wrong. Too often we struggle to serve willingly and to give generously.

So here’s what the Christmas story is all about: a willing Savior is born to rescue unwilling people from themselves because there is no other way. Jesus was willing to leave the splendor of eternity to come to this broken and groaning world. He was willing to take on human flesh with all its frailty. He was willing to endure an ignominious birth in a stable. He was willing to go through the dependency of childhood. He was willing to expose himself to all the hardships of life in this fallen world. He was willing to submit to his own law. He was willing to do his Father’s will at every point. He was willing to serve, when he deserved to be served. He was willing to be misunderstood and mistreated. He was willing to endure rejection and gross injustice. He was willing to preach a message that would cause him personal harm. He was willing to suffer public mockery. He was willing to endure physical torture. He was willing to go through the pain of his Father’s rejection. He was willing to die. He was willing to rise and ascend to be our constant advocate.

Jesus was willing. You see, it’s not just the Christmas story; rather, the entire redemptive story hinges on one thing—the eternal willingness of Jesus. The Advent willingness of Jesus is your guarantee that he continues to be willing today. And he remains willing to do everything necessary to feed, guide, sustain, and protect you until eternity is your final home.

YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT. PLEASE BE SURE TO MAKE YOUR END OF YEAR DONATIONS BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2022. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US.

CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY!

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November 2022

GIVE THANKS!

This is an image of a design I, McKenzie, made for the napkins I gave to our guests at our Thanksgiving meal last year.

Thanksgiving is here and it’s always nice to take a moment to reflect on what we are thankful for. We are thankful for:

  • You! Thank you for your financial and prayer support, your love, your time, your sacrifice.

  • Our kids doing well in changing schools

  • Our church working well together in understanding next steps for unity and growth

  • The men and women who have been interested in having spiritual conversations

  • The seeds planted last year at Thanksgiving and the opportunities God has given us throughout the year to continue watering and caring for them

  • Everyday life with no restrictions after the pandemic

  • God’s grace, provision, direction, patience, and love

  • A Pioneers team forming in Tuscany

At the beach with some friends. In November!

After returning from the USA this summer we’ve been experiencing life in Italy as a family of six without pandemic restrictions and in full activity for the first time. It has been nice to be fully active without interruptions at school or after school activities, but it has been a lot.

HOW YOU CAN PRAY

  • Energy and strength to keep up with all the organising of all the activity

  • Adrien: middle school work load, soccer practices and games, his skills and gifts to be used for God’s glory

  • Rinat: continued enthusiasm for new school and homework, confidence in who he is and who God has created him to be as an individual

  • Ruzanna: continued health and strength in her back, her understanding of God and His love for her to continue to grow and her gentle and kind spirit to never leave her

  • Sitora: for her to love to be the youngest and enjoy being little still, for her intelligence to help her to be wise and trusting in what God has for her

We gathered our two churches, TrE and Il Granaio, one Sunday after two years of not being able to gather all together. It was an encouraging time to worship in the same place.

HOW YOU CAN PRAY FOR IL GRANAIO

  • For a meeting place that would facilitate growth and outreach

  • For unity and passion to reach others with the Gospel

  • For ways and resources to develop consistent encounters with people and the Bible

  • For the men and women who have shown interest in Spiritual conversations and Bible studies to find the time and the desire to make it a priority in their life

Leaving Charlotte in Florence for the continuation of her vision trip

Since Andrea took on the area leader position for Pioneers Italy we have been working with three units who are headed for Tuscany! So far one young woman, Holly, is in Florence already getting set up for life and ministry there. Another, Charlotte (pictured above), is visiting a couple of different churches in the Tuscany area to eventually join and start ministering full time in one of them. The last is a family of three, Hunter, Chelsea and Maren, and they are support raising and planning to be in Pisa by summer 2023.

HOW YOU CAN PRAY

  • For guidance and wisdom from God as we help to lead these Pioneers team members into the ministry God is calling them to here in Italy

  • For each one of these team units as they raise support, make decisions for where to serve in Italy, for their setup in country and for the process of joining a local church and serving well with them

The back fields in our area.

Please pray for God to bless our efforts and give us the strength, inspiration and passion to share His truth with those around us.

We wish you a blessed and very Happy Thanksgiving! May God fill you with gratitude for all that He is and all that He has done.

The seeds that were planted last year around our Thanksgiving table have been watered and cared for throughout this year. We pray that they would continue to grow in this next year and that God would continue to help us plant more and more seeds.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Awaken Italy is on Instagram! We thought it might be a helpful way to stay more connected with prayer needs more easily. We will be posting prayer requests as they arrise. Follow us @awakenitaly

Link to our ministry video CLICK HERE

Thank you all for serving with us. We are so thankful for you. Your support is so precious to us. May God bless you this day and may He fill you with peace and joy. Much love to you all!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH US PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW. YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT.

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June 2022

Heading Over the Ocean

USA Here We Come!

It has been four years since the last time we traveled to the US as a family. Getting ready with one child was a big job and now we’re really working hard to get prepared for the six of us! All school and extracurricular activities have ended well and now we’ve got just a few days to really focus and get everything together for our trip! The kids are soooo excited. We are very excited too, a little tired, but definitely ready to enjoy some family and friend time!

We leave from Venice this coming Saturday, July 2nd and we arrive in Wilmington, NC that same day. We’d love your prayers for smooth travel as we’ve been hearing that flying is not so easy these days. Our flights have already been changed three times. Thankfully, we’ve been able to work out the kinks so far. Our layover in Atlanta was either going to be 7 hours long or 2 and a half hours, so we opted for the shorter wait. However, this means we will need to be quick to get through customs and onto our connecting flight.

Where We Will Be and When

  • Wilmington, North Carolina July 2nd-24th

  • Charleston, South Carolina July 25th-28th

  • Wilmington, North Carolina July 29th-August 11th

  • Parker, Colorado August 12th-16th

  • Tequesta, Florida August 17th-26th

We’d love to see you! Please check out our engagement schedule and come and see us!

  • Port City Community Church of Leland, NC Sunday, July 10, 2022 at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM services.

  • McKenze Rae Art Sale/Fundraiser, Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM ET,

    Peaceful Pastures, 5389 NC Hwy, 210 Rocky Point, NC 28457, RSVP http://evite.me/E36PxaCwP3

  • Port City Community Church Wilmington, NC Sunday, July 17, 2022 at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM services.

  • Port City Community Church Wilmington Luncheon, Sunday July 24, 2022

  • McKenzie Rae Art Sale/Fundraiser, Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM ET,

    717 Paisley Ct Wilmington, NC 28409, RSVP http://evite.me/zDVfWCtC5Y

  • Redemption Parker, Parker Colorado, Sunday, August 14, 2022

  • Dubois Park dinner (BYOD), Jupiter, FL Thursday, August 18, 2022 at 6:00 PM

  • Gathering in Tequesta, FL (location to be determined) for more info call Megan @ (561) 262-7097, Friday, August 19, 2022 at 6:30 PM

If you can’t make it to one of these engagements and you’d like to connect some other time while we are in town please shoot us an email so we can organise something with you!

Awaken Italy is on Instagram! We thought it might be a helpful way to stay more connected with prayer needs more easily. We will be posting prayer requests as they arrise. Follow us @awakenitaly

Please Pray With Us

  • For strength and peace as we finish up packing and preparing our house and ministry things for the time we are away.

  • For grace and patience while we travel and for God’s favour in all our flights and airport connections.

  • For Adrien and Rinat as they embark on the adventure of American, overnight summer camp with Centrikids! Camp is from July 5th through July 9th. Pray for their jet lag and for their adaptation with many new faces, new culture and a second language. Pray that their relationships with God would grow immensely as they worship and enjoy fellowship with other Christian kids! Pray that they would have a ton of fun and be blessed by this experience.

  • For rest and relaxation with family and friends

  • For God’s guidance, strength and blessing in all the engagements we have ahead.

Thank you all for serving with us. We are so thankful for you. Your support is so precious to us. May God bless you this day and may He fill you with peace and joy. Much love to you all!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH US PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW. YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT.

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UKRAINE UPDATE AND SOME EXCITING NEWS!

THANK YOU for supporting the Ukraine! For those of you who donated to IMPATTO we’d like to share that some of the funds went to purchasing a stove, a washer, mattresses, medicine and about 50 sleeping bags. It has been amazing to see so many Italians joining together to help these refugees. God’s people have been working together to meet as many needs as possible and it has been so amazing to be a part of that. I know many hearts have been touched by it. Nothing will be wasted, God is using it all to draw His people to Himself and it’s an honour to be part of His work. Please continue to pray for the people of Ukraine and for all those helping them in this time of crisis. There is still much to be done and we will keep you informed on how you can help. Thanks again for your sacrificial giving.

WE HAVE PURCHASED AIRLINE TICKETS!

YES, we are finally making our way across the ocean to the USA! It’s been a long time coming and we are all so excited. We know that in these times things are quite uncertain, but we went ahead and started making travel plans with the faith that God will guide the way. We are praying that nothing will hinder us from traveling and we ask that you would do the same. Our dates in the USA are from July 2nd until August 25th. We will be starting out in NC, traveling around a bit and then finishing off our stay in Florida. We’d love to see you when we are in your area so we’ll be sending out more info on engagements and travel plans once we get them all put together. We’ve also made a video that you can share with whomever you feel led to. It’s a window into our world here in Italy. We hope that it encourages you to stay on mission with us and that it encourages others to jump in and join. So, find a comfy spot and spend some time discovering a bit more about where we’ve been, where we are and where we are headed!

We all got Covid in January and this was our first day out after testing negative!

Thank you all for serving with us. We are so thankful for you. Your support is so precious to us. May God bless you this day and may He fill you with peace and joy. Much love to you all!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH US PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW. YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT.

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Together for Ukraine

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.


Buon giorno, As people flock to the borders of Ukraine we pray and ask God to help us reach out and help those in need. There are many people joining forces in order to prayerfully and practically help those in need. Would you please join together with us? You can do that praying and sending financial help that will allow us to buy what is needed to give some comfort to the refugees of Ukraine.

There are many, many people continuing to arrive in Romania and Poland and they have put up tents, but they are not heated and it’s very cold. Many houses are absolutely full with refugees already and they are opening up churches to host people. They are in need of mattresses, sheets, blankets, food medicine, etc…

Men are being obligated to stay in country and join the military forces and the women and children are hesitant to leave them and leave the country. 😢

There are so many people coming and there are so many needs…. it’s snowing, people are cold and are very tired. With the vulnerability of the people, there is also human trafficking going on. We are collecting all kinds of goods from people and looking for funds. So if you would like to donate click the link below and it will take you to the donation page.

DONATE NOW

All the funds received will be collected by IMPATTO ITALIA a church planting network we are part of.

What you’ll read in this update below are the steps our network is working toward. Ukrainians are also arriving in Italy in this moment and we are seeking many ways to help! Keep praying and keep helping!


UPDATE FROM OUR NETWORK:


The situation in Ukraine and the surrounding countries is increasingly serious and the needs are even greater.


UKRAINE - the greatest needs are in Ukraine. Several towns and cities are under siege and it becomes difficult, at this moment, to reach them. Other areas are, for now, less affected, and therefore more accessible. The areas close to the borders see people huddled together waiting to leave Ukraine.


ROMANIA - three border areas, with extreme need in the south (a fairly poor area of evangelical churches). Multiple organizations, churches and charities are working well (so far) to accommodate arriving refugees. Food is not lacking. However, many other needs (related to accommodation) are lacking.

POLAND - is where the bulk of the refugees are arriving. The situation is similar to the other nations. Here we have contact with a network of churches that are moving to welcome refugees.

MOLDAVIA - the poorest nation, the most in difficulty that is receiving so many refugees. We are trying to make connections in the area.

 

A. LONG PLAY - In general, in these moments everyone is making themselves available. Currently in neighboring countries the situation is manageable (albeit increasingly difficult). They have food and supplies. For now, there is no need for more food (storage is not always easy) or general clothing. From what we are told, we must rather plan for the days to come. The influx of refugees could increase exponentially. The needs could be multiple. 

B. TRUSTED MEN - it is essential to identify trustworthy men, ministries that function well and, ideally, our brothers on the spot who can live and transmit the gospel even in the midst of this humanitarian catastrophe.

C. BETTER 1 THAN 1000 - obviously each of us has direct contacts or sees various kinds of initiatives (collections, sending, etc.). The same is true of our churches - we have people we know, ties that perhaps already exist. So obviously each church and individual do freely what they think is useful. However, there is an advantage in identifying some projects, adopting them as IMPATTO ITALIA and supporting them with a certain continuity and commitment. The ocean of need is vast, but every drop counts. And maybe we can come together to hug a couple of drops (it will allow meaningful contact with individuals for prayer, human contact, etc.). 

Times are tight. We pray and act. 




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BUON NATALE!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!! 2021

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas!

May Jesus fill you with His peace this season and may He lead you into a new year of hope as you depend on Him.

With Love,

Andrea, McKenzie, Adrien, Rinat, Ruzanna & Sitora

YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT. PLEASE BE SURE TO MAKE YOUR END OF YEAR DONATIONS BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2021. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US.

CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY!

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November 2021

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are so thankful for you! God has blessed us with your love and support as we continue to journey together in His mission to bring the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. We love you and wish you a Thanksgiving filled with gratitude, hope and joy!

We enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving a bit early this year. It was a wonderful time to be together with our church family and friends. Unfortunately some neighbours had to cancel at the last minute due to Covid issues, but those who were able to join us really loved it and some even experienced Thanksgiving for the very first time. We were able to share that the source of our joy and gratitude is Jesus and He was definitely present throughout the evening.

Much love to you all! Have a great day!

Thank you all for serving with us. We are so thankful for you. Your support is so precious to us. May God bless you this day and may He fill you with peace and joy. Much love to you all!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH US PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW. YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT.

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October 2021

A new season

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We had many wonderful visits this summer from family, friends and colleagues. The kids started back to school mid September, but after the first day of school they were home again due to Covid. Andrea tested postive that day and so we were all quarantined. Thankfully, no one else got it and Andrea wasn’t too sick. After about ten days we all tested negative and we were free to leave the house again. The kids are back in school now and we are trying to get a regular routine. Adrien is loving soccer and doing well. Rinat is finishing up his baseball season and is starting a break dancing class! Ruzanna and Sitora have started dance too and they are really happy. Ruzanna had a doctors visit in Genova in September and the doctor said everything looks good. She will only need physical therapy for a while. Her next visit to Genova won’t be until next year. Andrea and I are doing well. We are tired and needing a bit of refreshment, but we are hoping to get that as we recalibrate.

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After prayer and council Andrea has decided to move into the area leadership role. We are looking forward to what God will do in and through us in this next chapter. We will be traveling to Hungary on October 22nd for a leadership conference. The kids will be taken care of by Andrea’s dad and aunt. We hope to be refreshed and enriched by God as we spend time together and with the other leaders.

Andrea and I are continuing to use our hobbies and passions for the Gospel. I am brainstorming, painting and developing my art. I was recently asked to paint two large scale pieces that will be hung in a gospel ministry space here in Italy. Andrea was asked to coach a soccer team here in our new town. He was able to bring Paolo along from their last coaching commitment and together they are trying to round up a group of over 50 little kids! It can be overwhelming and they need some help, but it’s a great opportunity for Andrea to mentor some kids, continue his relationship with Paolo and meet some new families!

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Praise God for a wonderful nursing home for Andrea’s mom Graziella. God provided a different nursing home that we moved her to and we are so thankful for the kind and gentle care she is receiving. Thank you so much for praying. We were even able to take her out to the park for a little fun with the kids.

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We finally have a place to gather! Il Granaio had its first worship service in person this past Sunday. We have decided to rent a space on Sunday evenings as a step forward in having a meeting place. Montse and Valentina have been consistently participating in our church gatherings. I’ve been leading the kid’s studies and activities and it has been amazing to see God moving in all of their lives. On Sunday Andrea preached about Noah and faith. It was pretty significant to Andrea, Robert and I, because 11 years earlier on that day October, 10 2010, the three of us met in a field to worship. We prayed for God to build his church. Now on October 10, 2021 there we were again stepping out in faith and asking for God’s provision. As we left the building and gazed up into the sky the sun was setting and there was a giant rainbow bending over us. How cool is that? God’s presence was felt and we were reassured of His incredible care and promises.

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While my sister was here she led us in a bit of exercise and meditation on God’s word. It was an intimate and moving time for all of us. Then after all that physical activity we enjoyed coffee and sweets together. Ha ha….Please pray for these ladies to come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

Praises:

  • Getting through Covid and quarantine

  • The kids doing well at school and in their activities

  • Graziella’s new home and the care she is receiving

  • Granaio’s gathering place

  • Montse and Valentina continuing to draw into Jesus

  • Ruzanna’s great Doctor’s visit

Prayers:

  • Spiritual, Mental and physical protection over Andrea and I and the kids.

  • Andrea and I as we move forward in this leadership role

  • Our time in Hungary and the kids at home

  • For our hobbies and passions to bare fruit

  • For God’s provision for the growth and health of Granaio

  • For our friends to know Jesus and that we can help them to know Him

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October 10, 2010. God is faithful!

October 10, 2010. God is faithful!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW. YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT.

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May 2021

Adventures in moving, Lockdown, Online life…and a

special visit from very special people!

A little watercolor I did for a mom in the hospital in Genova. “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

A little watercolor I did for a mom in the hospital in Genova. “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Hey everyone, we are so excited to share some updates with you all. It’s been a while since we’ve written. Life has been quite full even though Italy has slowed everything down for the past months. We hope that you will take a couple minutes to read about what we’ve been up to. We’ve got much to praise God for and several prayer requests too, so stick with us.

Such an amazing time of bonding for Ruzanna and I. Crazy how in the midst of suffering there can be joy.

Such an amazing time of bonding for Ruzanna and I. Crazy how in the midst of suffering there can be joy.

Right after Christmas…

Ruzanna and I, McKenzie, drove six hours to Genova to a children’s hospital that specializes in caring for children with spina bifida. Ruzanna had quite a complicated and painful spinal surgery, but she was so strong. The surgery was a success and we were both cared for very well in our 15 day stay. She recovered incredibly and is now running and jumping and playing as if nothing ever happened. We will continue to travel to Genova for periodic check ups and we continue to pray that she grow normally and not have any other issues caused by her spinal malformation. We Praise God for how everything went and are so grateful to all of you who were sustaining us in prayer. Please continue to pray that Ruzanna will develop and grow normally.

Last moments at the Sistiana house…bitter sweet

Last moments at the Sistiana house…bitter sweet

Life in the Red Zone

The kids were in and out of school since December with various quarantines and lockdowns, but through it all they handled it quite well. We had about a 4 to 5 week period where Italy went into “zona rossa” (red zone), which is a kind of lockdown where you are only allowed grocery shopping, outdoor physical activity within 500 meters of your home and other outings only if absolutely necessary and if accompanied by a written doc. to confirm your needs, so you don’t risk a hefty fine. During this time we were just finishing to move all of our belongings into our new house, which still needed a lot of cleaning, painting and mantenance work, and the kids were all home and doing school online. Which has its various challenges. It was exhausting. However, each day we got out of bed, got to work and somehow had enough energy to get things done. Let’s just say moving houses in the middle of a pandemic is not ideal and I would never do it again LOL!

The big move…

The big move…

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This was all very intense and we were literally at the end of our rope, but God gave us a very special gift in the midst of it all….

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….. It was a long time that we were searching and trying to discover if it was at all possible for my parents to come to Italy and visit. We all longed for them to meet Rinat, Ruzanna and Sitora in person and just dreamed about the day. Well, after many questions and phone calls we finally found out that, because I am an Italian citizen my parents would be allowed to enter the country if they tested negative for COVID twice before departure on a COVID free flight and once upon arrival. So, on March 15th they journeyed across the ocean and arrived in Rome only to be told that the country of Italy was on lockdown and that they had to return home! Andrea had written a letter expressing our needs to have them here, but they wouldn’t budge until something changed in the mind of the director and he suddenly had compassion and allowed them to stay! Did we celebrate? Oh yes indeed! For a month we were on lockdown at home with my parents, and it refreshed us greatly. They helped us get our house set up and they just loved on the kids in such a special way. Our new home provided the space we needed to all be together comfortably and we are so grateful. The kids have been adapting so well to the change and we are really excited to use our home for our ministry needs. We got to celebrate 5 birthdays, 2 wedding anniversaries and Easter in the time my parents were here. It was really a blessed time and we all were so sad to have them leave. However, we hope and pray that we will be able to come to the US sooner than later and be able to spend time together with them and the rest of the family!

Working together, playing together, celebrating Easter and Birthdays…

Working together, playing together, celebrating Easter and Birthdays…

Before our last lockdown we had a amazing day hiking and picnicking with our friends and Andrea’s mom

Before our last lockdown we had a amazing day hiking and picnicking with our friends and Andrea’s mom

Ministry

Our church plant, Il Granaio, is continuing to meet via Zoom each Sunday and our core leader group meets via Zoom every Wednesday evening for some prayer time together. We’ve been seeing this time that we aren’t able to gather as a preparation time for what is to come. As Andrea, along with the other two leaders, preach and lead the gatherings on Sundays we have sensed God uniting and growing them as leaders. We are praying that when the time is right God will lead us to the right meeting place. We do long to worship together in the same room and be able to invite others to join. We have found it difficult for our friends who have children to connect via zoom.

Our friends and old & new neighbours have also been heavy on our hearts. We are praying regularily for them to encounter Christ in a way that captivates their hearts. Since being in our new home we have met several of our new neighbours. Two young families have children, one of which have become great friends of the girls. They actually have made a meeting place in the hedge and play together for hours. We are enjoying becoming friends with their parents. We are so excited that there are people around us that we immediately connected with. We feel like God has really put us in a place where our family can naturally share our lives and our faith in Christ in simple ways. We are still in contact with our neighbours from Sistiana. Adrien has gotten back to piano lessons with one of them and some ladies have been asking me when the next tea party will be. Once the lockdown lifted we were able to meet up with Vito too and we plan to do that each Friday when Adrien has his piano lesson.

Montse and Vale are finally able to come to our house. This Sunday we will be able to have them over for Zoom church. I will be preparing a Sunday school lesson and activity for the kids and then we will have our worship time and message. Everyone is staying for lunch outside in the yard. It has been a long time that Montse and Valentina have been curious about Jesus. Just the other day Valentina shared with me that they both are really wanting a relationship with Him and they have started praying each morning. Please pray for them to surrender their hearts, their fears, their doubts. Pray that Jesus would captivate them like no other.

Andrea has been asked to pray about taking on a position as a PIONEERS area leader. We have been praying regularly about this and asking God to lead him in taking or not taking it. Please pray for wisdom and guidance as we make this decision as it would effect how he spends his time as a leader of Il Granaio. However, it could be a great opportunity for him to help others get connected and set up as missionaries throughout Italy.

Praises:

  • Ruzanna’s successful surgery

  • My parent’s visit and all the help we received from them

  • Loving our new house and new neighborhood

  • We are back in the “yellow zone” which means shops and caffès are open, kids are back in school, we can move about more freely and have people over to our house!

  • How we are maturing and growing in unity as a church

  • Montse and Vale’s desire to know Jesus more

Prayers:

  • Ruzanna’s continual healing and normal growth

  • Wisdom and guidance for our church to have a place to meet

  • For our old and new neighbors

  • For Montse and Valentina to be captivated by Jesus and for nothing to come in the way of that

  • For wisdom and guidance for the decision for Andrea to become an area leader

  • Andrea’s mom, Graziella, has recently needed 24 hour care and we felt the best way for that was to have her move to an assisted living. However, over the last month she has not been well. We don’t feel the place she is in is the right one. Please pray for God to make an opening at a new place where she will be better cared for.


Thank you all for sticking with us. We are so thankful for you. Your support is so precious to us. May God bless you this day and may He fill you with peace and joy. Much love to you all!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW. YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT.

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Buon Natale!!! Merry Christmas!! 2020

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

John 12:46

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We wish you a very Merry Christmas filled with the light of Jesus. May He fill your Holidays with peace, love and great joy!

With Love,

Andrea, McKenzie, Adrien, Rinat, Ruzanna & Sitora

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN END-OF-THE-YEAR DONATION PLEASE MAKE SURE TO HAVE IT IN BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2020. YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT.

CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY!

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December 2020

One Day at a Time

A drawing and a verse McKenzie did for a boy in Rinat’s class who recently lost his father“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand…

A drawing and a verse McKenzie did for a boy in Rinat’s class who recently lost his father

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

Lately, conversations outside in the school yard are quick and don’t go further than what happened that day and what might happen tomorrow. It’s crazy how our perspective changes when you realize that tomorrow isn’t really up to you. Sure, you can plan and prepare, but truly you don’t have total control of the events that may take place. Covid has accentuated this fact in our lives. At times it’s frustrating and somewhat depressing to think that we can’t plan much ahead and enjoy dreaming about it. However, at the same time it is making us think hard about how fragile life truly is. One day, we have school and the next day kids are home for a week because there is a teacher who is covid positive. Then stores are closed and extracurricular activities cancelled. It’s uncertain how the upcoming holidays may play out and it tempts you to feel depressed. Then a boy in your son’s class loses his father to a heart attack after falling ill with covid, leaving his wife and five children. A life, fragile like a breath, in and out and gone. So, what do we say to kids and ourselves when life and it’s circumstances are so unpredictable and out of our control? “Do not fear, because God is the ONLY certainty we have and in Him, through all circumstances we can live each day held up by Him knowing that tomorrow is in His hands and so are we.” At least Covid is helping us to recognise that we need our Father more than we need stability in our circumstances. Our prayer is that as we find our stability in Christ we can encourage those around us to do the same.

Our gathered worship celebration before multiplying TrE into two congregations, TrE and Granaio, back in August.

Our gathered worship celebration before multiplying TrE into two congregations, TrE and Granaio, back in August.

Since our last gathered service il Granaio has been meeting with zoom each Sunday. We are very thankful to be able to worship together and grow in God’s Word. However, we really miss being able to meet in the same room and cannot wait until that will be possible again. Our core team meets with zoom each Wednesday to pray and it has been a much needed and special time. Andrea has been preaching and leading worship regularly. McKenzie is leading the kids church at the moment and they are creating videos and activities for each Bible lesson. It’s been a great way to share the Bible truths visually and virtually.

First day of school

First day of school

Even though school has been on and off the kids have enjoyed every minute of it and they have excelled in their learning. The teachers have been so impressed and excited to have them in class. We are so grateful for this!

Ruzanna in the hospital in Trieste

Ruzanna in the hospital in Trieste

Ruzanna was born with Spina Bifida. In 2018 she was operated on in Russia to correct a malformation in her spine. We recently had some things checked out, because the information we were given about it was very limited. The MRI that was done showed that she still has a vast malformation in her spinal cord and they referred us to a specialist in Genova. Andrea and Ruzanna drove to Genova yesterday and are in the hospital today. We will keep you posted as we find out what steps we will need to take.

Our Thanksgiving meal with Vito!

Our Thanksgiving meal with Vito!

There are so many things to be thankful for…..A family of six all together celebrating Thanksgiving for the first time, a wonderful neighbour and friend, an amazing God who loves and cares for all our needs…..need I say more?

Our new house!!!

Our new house!!!

We are moving!!! We are so excited to say that after praying and searching, we have found a new home that will allow us more space! Although, we have loved living in our current house and have enjoyed these past 6 years in our neighbourhood we need more space. All four kids are in the same bedroom and it has been great, but as they get older we would like to be able to at least separate the girls and boys. Plus the new house has more bathrooms so we all don’t have to share one! The new house has space for Andrea and I to have an office/studio, it’s closer to Andrea’s mom so we can help her more and closer to many people who are part of our community group. We can’t wait to be able to host community group nights once Italy’s restrictions are taken away. If all goes smoothly we should be moving by mid January.

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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN END-OF-THE-YEAR DONATION PLEASE MAKE SURE TO HAVE IT IN BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2020. YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT.

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We wish you a very Merry Christmas and thank you for all your continued love and support.

Praises:

  • For il Granaio and the intimate bond God is growing in us with Him and each other

  • For how great the kids are doing in school and how much they’ve learned

  • For next steps for Ruzanna

  • For our family and celebrating the holidays this year together

  • For our new home

Prayers:

  • For the instability in Italy right now and the opportunity to share with others the stability we find in Jesus

  • For the possibilty to meet in person as a church sooner than later

  • For Ruzanna and the next steps in understanding how to care for her spinal malformation

  • For the possibility to at least invite immediate family for Christmas

  • For all that is involved in moving

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August 2020

Be Still and Know

Wow… 5 months have gone by since landing home from our crazy trip to Russia, arriving at the beginning of Italy’s total lock down and diving into a totally new family dynamic. Crazy!! It feels like every moment of our lives since then has been very full and very intense. However, we have felt God’s presence and leading and we are so thankful that He has provided for us each and every step of the way. In all the challenges in life right now with a pandemic that continues to threaten, a family that has doubled in size and a difficulty to see how it will all play out we are reminded to “be still and know.” Know who our God is and know that He is good all the time no matter what.

We couldn’t have chosen a better fit. God sees, He knows and He always has a plan. We are so thankful!

We couldn’t have chosen a better fit. God sees, He knows and He always has a plan. We are so thankful!

Quick Updates

The kids have been so excited to meet new people. We’ve enjoyed seeing them warm up to many people in our church community and neighbourhood. From the first day that they saw Vito they called him Grandpa. Their grandparents on the Italian side have loved on them and they have eaten up every bit of it. Unfortunately, due to Covid they have only been able to meet their USA side of the family through a screen, but they’ve been so eager to chat and cannot wait to meet them in person!

In these past few months we’ve spent time discovering, learning and making lots of trips to the doctors for the necessary visits required by Russia. It’s absolutely amazing to see how much they’ve learned in such a short amount of time. We’ve explored the woods, made a garden, read many, many books, and done a lot of cooking together. The kids are speaking Italian almost fluently. They know the alphabet, they can write and count and play board games. They love to do crafts, draw and color and they unfortunately cannot speak Russian anymore. They have grown up so much they actually think and talk about when they arrived as “when we were little.”

We are so thankful to have had this time in the summer to concentrate on family. We face challenges every day in learning to be a family of six and parents of four. Training up children is hard, but even with its difficulties we have many beautiful moments. All four kids play so well together the majority of the time. The kids love the beach, Juventus, nature, animals, gelato, pasta and just hanging around at home playing with legos. Adrien continues to be a great, big brother. He leads all of them in many games and activities. They adore him. He has matured so much it’s awesome.

Adrien has a big season coming up! This summer he participated in a soccer camp where there were scouts for a team that is associated with the professional seria A soccer team here in our region called Udinese. At the end of the second day of camp Andrea was approached by one of the coaches and asked if he would be interested in having Adrien join the Udinese youth team. The coach said that he and several other coaches there had seen some qualities in the way Adrien played that they would love to see developed. They said that he has some real potential! This is a pretty big deal! We all were super excited and although it will be a big commitment with practice three days a week (40min away from home) and games each Saturday, we didn’t think we could pass up the opportunity. Adrien has been so passionate about soccer since he was two or three years old and we love his determination. Please pray for him and for us in this next season.

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Big changes for our church community


Covid has affected churches all over the world. Fellowship has changed, worship has changed and gathering has become much more difficult. In Italy our meeting spaces are small and many are not equipped for accommodating adults and children with social distancing. We are unable to meet all the required regulations so we’ve been meeting virtually and worshiping together, but apart. This is not ideal, but at least it’s something. The beauty of it all is that God is still on the move. He is still drawing His people to Himself and we cannot lose sight of that. A pandemic cannot and will not stop our God, instead He will use it to bring Himself glory. His church in Italy is still growing and we are excited to announce that some of that growth is happening right where we are! TrE church is multiplying! Our family along with two other families from TrE, the Mulders and the Macoveis are leading up a new church plant called “Il Granaio” (The Granary). With this new church Andrea will be stepping into the lead pastor role. Our hope is that God would use this new church to draw those who live outside the city of Trieste to a community group and gathering more reachable to them.   It is hard to think that we will not gather to worship all together each Sunday and there is mourning that comes with that, but we know that God has been leading us to this and we are confident in His provision as He expands His Kingdom. TrE church will be celebrating the history of TrE and the future of Il Granaio and TrE with our first gathering since February. We will be meeting in a location that is able to host everyone with the necessary regulations on Sunday, September 6th. The following weekend we will have our first Granaio service. We will be meeting virtually until we are able to understand how we can meet in person. We would love your prayers for this big, new step!

“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24

Praises

  • For how well the children have adapted, learned Italian, become brothers and sisters, summer fun

  • For how we have grown as a family and worked well as a team

  • For all God’s provision in these pandemic times

  • For the multiplying of TrE

Prayers

  • Kids starting school

  • Adrien’s new soccer season

  • For Andrea and I training up our children together as Jesus would do

  • Il Granaio and TrE …this new chapter in our lives as a church family

  • For Andrea to have wisdom and confidence in Jesus in taking on this lead pastor role

to partner with us please read the information below


There has been a change to our Pioneers account number.  It is now 136144.  If you make your donations with an automatic draft this change will not effect you.  The draft will be automatically switched to this new account number. However, if you normally send a check or make donations online please use the new account number.  For those of you who send donations with a paper check, you can download below the updated support slip with the new account number.

Thank you so much for your faithful partnership of making disciples of Jesus in Italy!

CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY!

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January 2020

A Rose in winter

On some of our darkest days nature can reflect the intricate beauty of God’s creation and it reminds us of His presence and care. This rose reminds me of how God is always working. He works all things for the good of those who love Him and He is tak…

On some of our darkest days nature can reflect the intricate beauty of God’s creation and it reminds us of His presence and care. This rose reminds me of how God is always working. He works all things for the good of those who love Him and He is taking what’s ugly and making it beautiful. These last few months have been of great testing. Our faith has been stretched as we’ve been waiting for this adoption process to come to a successful conclusion. We are still waiting patiently for the day we will buy our tickets to go and get the kids. We would love and appreciate your continued prayers into this next phase.

In These Past Months

Trials really open doors for conversations about God’s control, His sovereignty and His care. As we’ve shared with those around us how we are trusting God in the trials we’ve faced and in all that we’ve experienced God has used these conversations t…

Trials really open doors for conversations about God’s control, His sovereignty and His care. As we’ve shared with those around us how we are trusting God in the trials we’ve faced and in all that we’ve experienced God has used these conversations to deepen understanding of who He is and how He is directly connected in our lives and intimately caring for our needs. Andrea’s cousins, especially, haved opened up to talking more about spiritual things and we can sense our relationship growing on a deeper level. Adrien really enjoys his third cousins and we look forward to spending more time with them. We pray that God would use moments like these to reveal Himself to the longing hearts around us.

Coaches ready for the game!

Coaches ready for the game!

Soccer continues to be Adrien’s passion. He and his team are really growing and working well together. Andrea and Paolo’s coaching has not only been teaching them to play the game of soccer, but to support one another as teammates, to practice good …

Soccer continues to be Adrien’s passion. He and his team are really growing and working well together. Andrea and Paolo’s coaching has not only been teaching them to play the game of soccer, but to support one another as teammates, to practice good sportsmanship and to respect and trust one another. The parents have seen a difference in the way these kids have been coached and they really appreciate Andrea and Paolo’s dedication. So far this season they’ve only lost one game!

We enjoyed spending the holidays with our friends and family. At Thanksgiving we had several guests, including Valentina’s mom and Montse’s mother-in-law. At Christmas McKenzie’s parents were able to come and stay for a few weeks. We had many meals …

We enjoyed spending the holidays with our friends and family. At Thanksgiving we had several guests, including Valentina’s mom and Montse’s mother-in-law. At Christmas McKenzie’s parents were able to come and stay for a few weeks. We had many meals with many people. We celebrated Jesus and really had some great intimate moments with our group sharing and seeking God together.

This week we will be starting a six week workshop with our group that will focus on the map of our lives (past, present and future). How God uses all of it and draws us into relationship with Jesus.

This week we will be starting a six week workshop with our group that will focus on the map of our lives (past, present and future). How God uses all of it and draws us into relationship with Jesus.

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Celebrating Christmas with our Community Group

Celebrating Christmas with our Community Group

Christmas Eve dinner with Vito and McKenzie’s parents

Christmas Eve dinner with Vito and McKenzie’s parents

Our church’s Christmas celebration

Our church’s Christmas celebration

This Christmas McKenzie worked with a group of creatives called CreAzione to make the advent season extra special. The group organized creative touches for each advent Sunday. There was artwork, music, reciting of scripture, poem reading, decorating…

This Christmas McKenzie worked with a group of creatives called CreAzione to make the advent season extra special. The group organized creative touches for each advent Sunday. There was artwork, music, reciting of scripture, poem reading, decorating and food! It was a step into something we will continue to develop, and desire to see God use in order to communicate His truths in a unique way. We are working on organizing a church family retreat for the spring that will also be filled with creativity.

This is the painting McKenzie did for advent, representing the hope and mission we have to spread the good news of Jesus and see followers of Him growing and shining throughout Italy and beyond!

This is the painting McKenzie did for advent, representing the hope and mission we have to spread the good news of Jesus and see followers of Him growing and shining throughout Italy and beyond!

Adrien reading a passage about advent.

Adrien reading a passage about advent.

First time celebrating Christmas Day together with McKenzie’s parents and Andrea’s family.

First time celebrating Christmas Day together with McKenzie’s parents and Andrea’s family.

Lunch out with our teammates the Carmichael’s

Lunch out with our teammates the Carmichael’s

One of the last photos taken with the kids. They kept saying, “Italia, Italia, Italia!” We were just informed that after the withdrawal is official (after February 3rd) we will know when we can start the documents for the kids visas. However, since…

One of the last photos taken with the kids. They kept saying, “Italia, Italia, Italia!”
We were just informed that after the withdrawal is official (after February 3rd) we will know when we can start the documents for the kids visas. However, since things have recently changed in the government one of us will have to be physically present in the country of adoption to sign the documents. This means one of us, Andrea, will have to make an extra trip to do so. It will be a very long trip for only one day, but there seems to be no other option. Once that is done it may be a few weeks before they communicate that we can finally go and get the kids.

Praises and Prayers

Praising God:

  • for the court attorney’s withdrawal of the appeal

  • for so much love and support from all of you and everyone praying and trusting God with us

  • for the opportunities God has given us to share about Him through our trials

  • for the wonderful times spent with family and friends throughout the holidays

  • for another year of God’s provision and the privilege of continuing to serve Him in Italy

Please pray with us:

  • for everything to continue smoothly for the finalization of the adoption

  • for Andrea as he travels to sign documents

  • for Andrea along with the elders and leaders of our church as they pray and discuss some steps that will bring changes to our congregation.

  • for the changes to be driven by the Holy Spirit and His guidance

  • for the changes to produce growth and fruitfulness for God’s Kingdom

  • for our community group and their commitment to doing this six week workshop

  • for the organization of the spring retreat

ATTENTION IMPORTANT INFO

There has been a change to our Pioneers account number.  It is now 136144.  If you make your donations with an automatic draft this change will not effect you.  The draft will be automatically switched to this new account number. However, if you normally send a check or make donations online please use the new account number.  For those of you who send donations with a paper check, you can download below the updated support slip with the new account number.

Thank you so much for your faithful partnership of making disciples of Jesus in Italy!

CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY!

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February 2019

“Get Out of the Boat”

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I posted this painting on Instagram last week. It was one that I had started a while back, but hadn’t worked on in a while. Anyway, I had written in my post that while I was observing it I kept thinking, “get out of the boat.” I wasn’t sure why, but I felt Jesus urging me to take a step of faith and trust Him with something. I thought, “well, haven’t I been trusting you Jesus? Are you asking me to trust you MORE?” As you know we’ve been in the process of adopting for the past five years and have had some upsets. I feel like I’ve been stretched and my faith has been stretched more in these years than ever in my life. However, God was about to reinforce that it wasn’t enough. The next day, February 13th, we got a call from our agency asking if we’d be open to adopting a three sibling group. It wasn’t a match, but an inquiry to if we’d be open to these specific three, two girls, ages 4&5 and one boy, age 7. If we were to say “yes” it would put us in a group of available families who were interested in adopting these three. Even though our “yes” wouldn’t  gaurantee us being chosen it was a big decision to make. I went numb. Soooo many mixed emotions. From excitement to disbelief to panic. So many questions. Are we able? How can we afford it? How will it affect Adrien? What if it totally destroys us? Andrea and I spent the next few days talking through it all, praying, laying out our fears, taking moments of silence to seek God’s voice in His Word. Even when the heat was rising as we discussed our points of view and we wrestled with this possibility of growing our family so rapidly, Jesus continued to beckon us out into the rough seas with Him. Over and over again there was confirmation of God’s greatness and strength in our weakness. He is the one who will provide what is needed. He is the one who will hold us when we are collapsing. If it destroys us then He will be glorified. This is where He wants us. Totally and completely surrendered to Him. Reliant on His sovereign control. He wants us broken and stripped of ourselves and this is part of the test. “Do you trust me enough to step out of the boat?”

In the end our decision came down to this...”we are not in control and we don’t want to be in control. If we say “no” then we are putting ourselves in control, but if we say “yes” we step out in faith and trust Him to decide.” Yesterday, we called the agency and we said “YES” to the possibility of adopting these three children. We are out of the boat and we are trusting Jesus to keep us standing on the water.  Would you please pray with us? Pray that we would continue to keep our eyes fixed on the truth that Jesus holds everything together and pray that if these three children are the ones we’ve been waiting for then God would have us be chosen in the matching process. Thank you!

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Enjoying a somewhat American breakfast with gruppo Nomadi!

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Team building on the slopes with the Carmichaels! We are so thankful for the nice time spent together.

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A couple shots from Thailand trip. The conference was so encouraging and McKenzie was filled with new inspiration and drive to develop and use art and creativity for the Kingdom!

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Robert, Ambra and Liam came to the conference too. Robert was surrounded by musicians who encouraged him in His worship leading and writing of music.

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Praises

  • That we were asked to consider these three siblings for adoption!

  • Individuals from gruppo Nomadi showing a desire to grow in relationship with Christ

  • Great time spent in the mountains with the Carmichaels

  • Successful and encouraging conference for Creatives in Thailand and the inspiration that has come from it

  • God’s ever presence and guidance in our lives. His peace and strength that sustains us.

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Prayer Requests

  • For God’s will to be done with this matching process and for us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

  • For gruppo Nomadi to develop a steady rhythm of meeting together and for the power of the Holy Spirit to open hearts and minds to receive Jesus.

  • For our teammates, the Carmichaels, Edwardes and Vanellis to rest in God’s hands, to be used by Him and encouraged by Him. To trust Him with their future and to seek His wisdom every step.

  • For this creative inspiration to develop into a solid ministry where creativity is encouraged in order to draw people closer to Jesus.

  • For our family to draw closer to each other and to Jesus.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT!

CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY!

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