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PRAYER UPDATES
Posted: June 11, 2010
Dear praying friends,
So much has been happening on the Italian side of the ocean as well as the American side. I (Rachel) will try to catch you up on a few of the blessings and challenges.
As you read this letter Jonathan is in the hospital in Perugia. A malignant sore under his tongue was surgically removed a couple of weeks ago, and as a precautionary measure his left lymph nodes were removed this week. We are trusting the Lord to be glorified as this story unfolds. Thanks for your prayers for him as well as Melodee, who is expecting their first child.
On May 1st we held our second evangelistic soccer outreach. Teams from 8 different churches in Italy participated, and brought with them a required number of unsaved players. Between players and fans there were about 500 people at the event. Around 50 from our church banded together to help prepare and host the event, which was held on two playing fields. Everything went smoothly and we left a fantastic testimony to all those who were there. Ze Maria from our church, as well as several other Christian soccer players, gave a great testimony. As I watched the faces of some of the guys during the time of singing and testimonies, it was clear that they were hearing something that they had never heard before. Some were clearly uncomfortable as they heard a well-known soccer figure say that the most important thing in his life was not playing on the Brazilian national soccer team, nor even being a part of the Milan International team that once again this year took the Italian championship, but it was knowing the forgiveness of a Holy God and having a daily walk with Him. Thank you for continuing to pray for the seeds that were sown that day.
In our many years in Italy one of our recurring prayer requests has been to find a way to touch the lives of Italian men and reach them for the Lord, as well as get our own church men to spend time together. A big "Thanks" to our son Jeremy who had the vision to begin this sports ministry upon his return to Italy. It has become a reality and an important part of our church's outreach to the community. Pray that our church men will have a lasting impact on the unsaved guys.
Right now, Fred is holding the fort in San Sisto while his wife is enjoying playing ?Nonna? with her sweet two granddaughters in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. You may have heard that Elisa joined her parents and two year old sister, Cristina, on May 15th.
Daniel has continued going out for services on the weekend and we are praying that the last 7.5% of their support will come in soon. They were commissioned by Summit Baptist Bible Church, their sending church, on the 6th of June, and I was thrilled to be here for that special moment in their lives.
Please pray for the ministry of two converted nuns, Cristiana and AnnaMaria, who recently ministered at the church in Perugia and on Radio Luce during the 34th anniversary celebration of Centro Evangelico Battista. For this occasion Fred gave away DVD copies of the testimony of Dr. John Carrara (now with the Lord), who God used mightily in our church in the last 6 years before his home-going. These ladies are not as old as Dr. John (who was 95 when he last visited us), but AnnaMaria is in her 70's and Cristiana in her late 80's. They, like Brother Carrara, are using the time that God gives them to reach out to lost Catholics in Italy.
Rachel will travel back to Perugia with our nephew, Ryan Bump, on the Tuesday, June 15th. Pray for Ryan as he spends his summer in an internship program with us, seeking God?s direction in his service for the Lord. Ryan will then be completing his last two years of undergraduate work at Baptist Bible College of PA.
Last but not least, Lucio and Cristina have not found an apartment or home in Perugia yet, but they hope to be full time at the church in San Sisto by the middle of June. We know that God has the perfect ministry home for them, but right now God is growing their faith as they wait to see what how God is going to meet this need!
We are doing fine health wise though we have noticed that we do have to take some days off once in a while. It gives us a good excuse to enjoy our grandkids at Imola and Clarks Summit. We will miss that day off while Josh and Sara are on furlough from August to November! (They are still looking for a van to use for those months so please keep praying for that and please email us if you know of one they could use.)
We love you all and are so grateful that you are part of our ministry team. Thank you for praying for us and giving. You have probably seen that God has been meeting our needs by strengthening the US Dollar for us. We are not sure where the Euro is going to end up, but we do know that our sovereign God is in control of our lives, and we are expectantly waiting to see what He is going to do.
On May 1st we held our second evangelistic soccer outreach. Teams from 8 different churches in Italy participated, and brought with them a required number of unsaved players. Between players and fans there were about 500 people at the event. Around 50 from our church banded together to help prepare and host the event, which was held on two playing fields. Everything went smoothly and we left a fantastic testimony to all those who were there. Ze Maria from our church, as well as several other Christian soccer players, gave a great testimony. As I watched the faces of some of the guys during the time of singing and testimonies, it was clear that they were hearing something that they had never heard before. Some were clearly uncomfortable as they heard a well-known soccer figure say that the most important thing in his life was not playing on the Brazilian national soccer team, nor even being a part of the Milan International team that once again this year took the Italian championship, but it was knowing the forgiveness of a Holy God and having a daily walk with Him. Thank you for continuing to pray for the seeds that were sown that day.
Rachel will travel back to Perugia with our nephew, Ryan Bump, on the Tuesday, June 15th. Pray for Ryan as he spends his summer in an internship program with us, seeking God?s direction in his service for the Lord. Ryan will then be completing his last two years of undergraduate work at Baptist Bible College of PA.
