Puppet Show

Our first public evangelistic outreach went well yesterday.  We are so thankful for the initiative that Danilo took to organize this event in conjunction with a group of young adults from our church in Torino.  It was their first experience as a group in putting on a puppet show.  They did well, and have taken note on how to improve for the next time.  For example,  next time it would be good to have a mediator person between the puppets and the audience to help draw the kids more in to the program.  The length could be shortened to about 25-30 minutes so as not to lose attention, not to mention sitting out in the direct sun even at 5:00 in the afternoon can still be pretty hot for more than a half hour.  Overall, things went well and we were very pleased.     

We left fliers about this event in shops around Caselle last week.  We didn't know what kind of turnout to expect.  We purchased 100 balloons to pass out and we left empty handed.  So there was a huge crowd with lots and lots of kids!  We also offered the opportunity to receive a free children's book (a Bible story -- Daniel and the Lions Den or the Parable of the Lost Sheep).  We just asked for their name and address so we could get it to them at a later time.  This was done so that we could have personal follow-up to the family and gain more contacts.  As it turns out only 2 people took us up on the offer.  It may sound incomprehensible to an American mentality--which rarely turns down any free handout.  However, in this culture there is so much distrust and skepticism to anything attached to the word "free."  We are thankful for these 2 new family contacts and we don't see the event in any way as a failure even if the numbers don't reveal that. 

If anything, we are letting the community know who we are and what we are about.  We have not received any feedback from our card distribution, but that's not to say that was a total failure or waste of time either.  It will take a while to built the trust of the community and so we continue to be faithful and proactive in our initiatives to engage our community.  We have at least gotten the attention of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Caselle, which have a very strong presence.  Several encounters with them have brought out the comments of "we were wondering who else has been evangelizing around here."

A perfect park location including: amphitheater, bar, playground and a favorite local hangout on a Sunday afternoon.  The owner of the bar was very excited about our presence and told us to come back again.  She might have made a record in sales yesterday with all the Popsicle, ice cream and cold drinks sold.

Opening comments and introduction

Sorry if these pictures don't really serve the event justice.  You have to be super cautious when taking pictures around children here.  Again, this goes along with the distrust comment made earlier and that we might use the pictures inappropriately. Therefore, I was trying to be discreet.

Balloons had written "Jesus loves all the little children" or "Jesus loves me"

The "youth group" (i.e. 20's and 30's group)

And lots of play time for the kiddos...

Little Graduate

Yesterday, the Scuola Materna that Emma attends held their annual end of the year program.  This year the program included the entire school, instead of dividing up the school in half for 2 performances like they did last year.  Therefore, there was less time devoted to the individual classes and students in addition to making the program much longer.  Emma's class performed a dramatization and sang several songs.  She also received her diploma which officially makes our little girl a 1st grader!

My video camera ran out of battery life just minutes into the program so Jonathan was strictly ordered to catch every moment on his camera lens.  Therefore, that left me on Luca duty.  He was being a total stinker pushing both big and small kids around as he tried to weasel his way on and off playground equipment.  I was able to mostly watch Emma when she performed.  However, I was so thankful when the nearly 1.5 hr. long program concluded because Luca gave me a crick in my neck again from the lifting and restraining I had to do with him.  In his mind you should not be restrained when at a playground--makes total sense to a 4 year old, right?  

 I'm big and you know it...

Emma never wants to wear pig-tails.  I think maybe because we go overboard in how cute she looks in them.  Who knows.  For whatever reason I think it has been close to a year since she wore them.  However, she was telling me the day before her spettacolo how she wanted to wear pig-tails for her program.  Sure enough she still insisted on them, but of course had to remove them later so her cap would stay on her head.

 playing her role perfectly in the skit

 an enthusiastic participant

 Her class theme this year was food, health and cooking

 Cutest ever "Cuoco Pasticcione"

 A very serious moment for Emma to receive her diploma

 The graduates from Emma's class section

 Emma's teacher for 2 years, Patrizia.  (Marisa was sick)

As a side note:  This week Emma also attended an open house at her new school.  She is excited to go to the same school as Samuel but a bit nervous at the same time.  Her class size is small which we are very thankful for.  9 girls and 4 boys.  There are just 2 other kids from her current school that will be in her class, so lots of new friends to be made.  Her teachers: Maestra Giuseppina e Maestra Chiara seem very nice and we know that Emma will thrive in her new educational setting.

Book Fair

May has been speeding by at lightening speed.  Is it seriously Friday again?  Just 20 days away from being stateside and so much is going on between now and then.  Our focus is just taking one day at a time and accomplishing that which God has given us for today, and to do it well.  Over the past few weeks Samuel has been reminding us that "we don't have to worry, for tomorrow will worry about itself."  I don't think we have voiced worry, but he has been moved to tell us just the same.  It is so sweet--thank you Samuel!  [And a shout out to Steve Green's "Hide 'Em In Your Heart" CD, because truly that is what Samuel has been doing with these scripture memory songs.]

Last Sunday Jonathan was able to attend the annual Turin International Book Fair.  Giancarlo is always there with a booth from Casa della Bibbia and we praise the Lord that around 600 Bibles were sold during the 5 day event.  There were around 1,400 exhibitors in 10 different rooms.  An enormous event and a book lover's dream.  To be honest I was a little nervous sending Jonathan off on his own, being the book lover he is, but just for the record he only came home with ONE book (for the kids) and two CDs.  I was impressed!

During his four hour visit he had the opportunity to speak with various people coming by the Casa della Bibbia booth.  He met someone who has a house church about an hour away from us that would like for Jonathan to come preach at some point.  It is always encouraging to hear of new church plants in the area.  Then there was another woman who came by to talk.  She has been a believer for about one year and was super excited to hear about our church plant in Caselle.  She has a mother who is confused spiritually clinging both to Buddhism and Catholicism.  She seems to be searching and is very curious about her daughter's new found faith.  However, the daughter being young in faith doesn't know how to always respond or answer her mother's questions.  Further conversation revealed that her mom lives right around the corner from us! Definitely a God-thing!  This woman was giddy with joy and called her mom right then and there to tell her about us.  They are both coming by our house this coming Thursday evening for us to meet.  We praise the Lord for the people he keeps putting in our path...makes our leaving harder, but gives us great excitement to pursue these new contacts upon our return.

This weekend we have another service in Caselle.  Jonathan will be preaching.  Then following the service we will have an agape.  The weather is finally staying near or above 70, and it is so nice!  Thanks for your prayers for this coming week.  It will be busy so you may not hear from me for another week.  Ciao-ciao!

Happy Mother's Day

My dream from early childhood was just to grow up and be a mom.  I know that not everyone has been blessed with a godly mother in their life like I have, but it was her godly example and daily demonstration of sacrificial love that let me see how fulfilling and joy filled the life of a mother can be.  Okay, so there are those hard days in which I am not so joyful and motherhood is way less than glamorous.  And I'm pretty sure my mom felt the same way too with us four kids!  But what greater honor and privilege is there than to train and nurture your children in the Lord?  An overwhelming task, but thankfully one that I don't have to do on my own.  By God's grace, strength and His word, He leads me.  With an amazing husband, we learn together and sharpen each other as parents.  With our wonderful parents, we seek and receive advise, love, encouragement and the reassurance that on those hard days and long trying phases, that one day we will reap the rewards.

I am so thankful for my Mom.  

I am so thankful for my Mom through marriage.  

I am so thankful to be a Mom!

Happy Mother's Day Mom...
We love you more than words could ever adequately express!

Jonathan and the kids decorated a cake for me. (I kind of helped out on the baking of it)  You can also see the pot Emma painted for me filled with some basil plants.

The kids thought the cake looked like a giant doughnut.

I think Luca's expression was saying: "What??!! We have to wait until tomorrow to eat it?"

Precious Ones