All things God orchestrates for the good of those who love Him
This was a way a friend of mine paraphrased Romans 8:28, reminding me that God doesn't just make things work for our interest but he makes them be for it, he orchestrates them! I was reminded by this lately because one of Josh's friend from college was here with a team from his church to help us evangelize Acireale.
Ben Kreelof went to college with Josh and at one point both Josh and Ben had to lead evangelistic team outside of the US. among the choices where Italy and Jamaica. Now I don't know all the details of the story, what I know from Josh is that he gave Ben the choice and he picked Jamaica, Josh then came to Italy... and it was that the year we met.
Obviously God had planned everything and 3 years later we were engaged and then married. It is amazing to see all the pieces of the puzzle coming together, sometimes in life there may be thing that we don't understand or thing that we don't necessarily like but God has not forgotten us and He is still and indeed in control. especially in the mission field we have to remember this often because of the many trials and attacks from the enemy.
But I praise God for making Ben chose jamaica because I was able to meet my husband and I am glad God put him next to me to guide me and my family in his steps.
As I mentioned before we had a team from Lakeside Community Chapel in Florida that came to do some physical work at the Academy and to do some evangelism in the streets of Acireale. The first of May we had a picnic, before lunch the team had prepared an evangelistic program for the kids, they did puppets, told stories and sang songs. after lunch instead we had a time to share the Gospel. The team did a mime and gave a couple of testimonies and then David Standridge, the director of the missionaries, gave a Gospel message from the word of God.
we also did ministry in the streets of Acireale, we had a program for kids at the park, we were able to tell a couple of stories with the Gospel message and leave some literature.
the kids program at the picnic on the 1st of May
a moment from the mime on the 1st of May
evening mime in the main street of Acireale, there was a good size crowd and good conversations about the Gospel. Pray for all of those that listed and talked after the mime, that the word of God can continue its work in their hearts.
kids ministry at a primary school
In the evening instead they did mimes in the main roads of Acireale. there is a place where people just walk back and forth and the mime stopped them and they were able to watch and then have some conversation with the people of our church. I wasn't there because it was late in the evening so I stayed at home with the kids, but Josh told me that there were many people and you can see it also from the pictures.
Benedetta and Hannah really enjoyed having American speaking friends and that helped a little their English since they are loosing a bit of it. They also enjoyed the mime that they learned some of the parts and played doing the mime at home. I think this for me is the nicer part: to see your own kids be involved and wanting to be involved in what you do.
Last month we had a couple from Perugia. They were here with us and since they have been church planting in Perugia for many years they have been able to encourage our team and the believers on the subject.
During those days we were also hit by another car, we were able to fix it sooner than last time, but it is hard with one car, a friend let us borrow his scooter for the days that our car was at the mechanic but Josh had to do a million trips to bring the kids to school and then get up to the Academy to be with the team....
(Hannah with the elmet ready for Josh to bring her to school on a friend's scooter)
Pray that the Lord provides for another small car or scooter or something... besides a bicycle:)
Pray for our health, Josh's surgery from last year didn't go very well and now they have told him he should get a new surgery...
The kids are doing fine and as time goes by we are able to make more friends with their friends parents, so pray that the Lord would also gave us opportunity to share the Gospel to them and to see people coming to Christ.
