The past month was the last month of school and so we were busy with recitals of all kinds and it was for us a good opportunity to meet with parents of Hannah's friends and get to know them better. We have to say that for being new in the area we have made ourselves known and we are having opportunities to establish friendships with some of them. Mostly all of them know of our faith and people have watched us and now they are not scared of our diversity. After spending time even just sitting at a birthday party waiting for the kids to be done, I personally was able to talk with some moms and I was very encouraged when the other day a mom told me that next time she comes over to my house she wants to know more of my faith. Another mom told me that we look like the MULINO BIANCO family... that will be like saying we are like The Little House on the Prairie family... we know people are watching us and examining us so pray that we can witness first with our life to the point that they are going to want to know more about what makes our lives different from theirs.
In the pictures below you can see two dads with their kids that Josh is getting to know closely. They play soccer together, we have had dinners together. At times it is hard because our focus is to bring the gospel to non-believers but the fear is that you never know what kind of people are going to come into your home (will they have clean or dirty language around your kids). It is physiologically challenging because you want them to be comfortable and enjoy being together yet you know that they are examining you up and down trying to figure you out at the same time! But God is good. So pray for strength that is needed often, both physical and mental. We are blessed by seeing these people wanting to spend time with us and calling us good people, pray that we can see changed life in them!
Please pray also for Valentina, one of our English students, she is very open to the Gospel and wants to know more. She wants to some to church but is very busy with work and study.
Pray also for Maria Pia.
The last day of Hannah's school was a game day with one of your parents, Hannah chose Josh ( she said because he plays soccer and he would make her win!!!) and he had to sing the Italian national himn!!! It was funny and I had to put the picture up!
Our little girl had also another sport day, she had to do some games and at the end got a medal with her friends.
In May we enjoyed the visit of my sister and brother-in-law, we spent almost a week together and we went up on Mount Etna but it was soooo cold! When we left Acireale it was a decently warm day but when we got to the top we were freezing! It seemed it was snowing but had a lot of fun! Carlo got saved 2 years ago while visiting us in Sacile and this coming October he is going to be baptized. We are so proud of him and hopefully we will be able to be up in northern Italy when he gets baptized.
This is a video of Benedetta dancing in the city square. Valentina's dad played and sang in the square that day and he really wanted us to go see him. He came to church one day while we were having class with Valentina and told Josh that he had been under a christian evangelical tent many years ago and he still remembered a song. He and josh spent time playing the guitar and singing christian songs.
Cannot help but putting video up of my little dancer...she has an innate talent!!!!
Keep us in your prayer for health, a few weeks ago Josh almost passed out in church we think it was a consequence of some medications he was taking but I also noticed that we are not really adjusted to the weather. Also now is the hot season here in Sicily and he can get really hot and energy zapping!
