January-March 2011
Well we are off and running for the New Year with many new and exciting changes. We had a wonderful time with Ben and Bruno from Toronto in February who were here for a few weeks ministering at various churches. We were privileged to go with them to a few in our area and help them minister. As usual we are totally blown away at how receptive the Italians are becoming to being ministered to by the Holy Spirit and their desperation to know the Father and to push into our Saviour with their whole heart. It is so encouraging for us to see so many young people just hungry and with a go for broke attitude. What was really fun about this was that we met Ben in Toronto when he was 10 years old and actually spent Christmas with his family in 1995. He had no idea we were here in Italy and when he walked into the church and saw us here, it was cool. It is so fun to be part of the family of God and exciting to see these young men and women rise up and take their places in ministry and be able to be a part of it together. Wow.
I also came with Bruno up to Verona to join back up with the students from the School of Ministry from Toronto. I really felt that I should go, it was so spontaneous and not at all in my planned day, in fact I woke up with the thought in my mind but had to run off to work. I called Bruno and asked if they could wait for me and bring me up. I also asked if I could leave early and my employer said yes and joined me in cleaning her house. 3 hours later I’m stepping into our future. It is 4 days of unbelievable time in the Holy Spirit. The Lord showed up and ministered through these young adults in such a powerful way that lives will never be the same. Guido came up early Sunday (2:00am) and we had the most incredible time in prayer together, blessing one another and the nations. Being that there were so many European nations represented in the room there was time of repentance and reconciliation and releasing the chains that past events have put on them. Some were specially touched when we released them to have warrior Spirits, something which some felt they couldn’t have because of the war that took place over 60 years ago. Our fight is not against flesh and blood but is Spiritual and we are warriors.
We then went up to the centre of the small town they are in (San Pietro di Cariano) and prayed that the Lord would take possession of this town and establish his Kingdom. It was really powerful and the group was just in total sync with all of us having multiple visions and prophetic.
That evening for the service the group decided they wanted to speak prophetic words over everyone in attendance (about 60 people). They broke up into 3 groups and needed 3 interpreters so you guessed it; I had to do translation that really looked more like charades, pantomime and sign language all rolled into one. I have basic Italian but that was way over my ability but Holy Spirit showed up and everyone seemed to understand so in the end everyone was really ministered to and touched. You’ve read in the scripture where it talks about the times that the Word of the Lord was scarce in the land, well that is what it is like here for many so this was like a long cool drink of water. I love that the Lord ministered to them in such personal and intimate ways, giving just the right amount of encouragement and hope and confirmation in their hearts to things they already felt the Lord was directing them to do or commenting on things they’ve already been doing.
During this 3 days it became known to Guido and I that Brenno & Celeste (The children of Ps. Lorenzo & Mary) wanted to go to the next School of Ministry in Toronto which started in March but couldn’t really leave to go for 6 months because their family runs a hotel. Me and Guido volunteered our time and services to the family. They of course thought we were just saying it to be nice but they didn’t realise we were absolutely serious. They just really couldn’t believe that we would be willing to move up and live in the Hotel. Why not, it’s perfect and answers many prayers that we have had regarding our next steps in Italy. They have a wonderful fellowship that is in the basement of the Hotel www.senza-confini.it with many new believers and many very established and with the heart to see the Nation transformed and changed. We were excited to do this not just for them but also for us.
A week later Trevor & Sharon Baker from Dudley England came for a conference in Florence & Senza Confini Comunita Cristiana (Brenno & others) came to do the worship for the event. There was incredible time of worship, prophetic, releasing and equipping the Italians for what the Lord is preparing to do in the earth in these days. A youth group came up from the Amalfi Coast area that also did worship and wow did they ever do a good job translating Kim Walker and Jesus Culture into Italian. The anointing was incredible and they just were encouraged to
dance and dance they did. They said afterwards that they didn’t dance in their church but they were never going to stop after this day. Guido had a prophetic for them, just one word “Revolution”. When he told it to the group they all starting crying. It turns out that they had started going out into the streets in Sorrento and were evangelising and playing music and they wanted to name their band “Revolution” but were waiting on the Lord to be sure it was His desire and not just theirs. The Lord is just so loving on the Italians, being a Father to them, it is so tender and incredible to watch.
We had been praying that the Lord would remove all the barriers for Celeste & Brenno so they could go to School. So Brenno told Guido that after we left Verona (midnight Sunday) the very next day someone came to the Hotel and gave their parents €10,000 so they could go to school. The giver didn’t want the children to know who gave the money. In just a matter of a few days the Lord had laid in their heart a desire to go, and opened all the doors so miraculously that there was no way to deny that it was what the Lord wanted for them. Their parents also informed us that they would like us to come and help them and so it was decided that on March 19th a few days after we got back from Ireland we would arrive in the Hotel. In the interim there was much to be done.
Just so you know, this really does not happen very often. Money is an issue, parents can’t just go to the bank and take out a loan and raising funds like YWAMers do is pretty non existent. Vows of poverty are very ingrained in this culture and getting money out of people to support you in a school somewhere just doesn’t happen. There are less than 6 bible schools in this country Rhema & the Apostolic are the only ones I know of for sure. There are some small Churches that have started some Bible Training and courses on the Holy Spirit movement but usually if there is, you belong to the church. I know of only 6 young adults who have left here to go to Bible school in places like Toronto, Kansas City or even Redding and their stories are all miraculous in nature. Recently YWAM put a DTS in Milano but with the exception of a few Italians, mostly just Americans & Canadians have attended. This is a new thing and needs our prayers. We need to get the Italian kids up to speed with the youth movements that are happening around the world and we need to get them trained and establish more centres for them to train in here in their own country.
The day after the conference we went to Ps. Alessandro & Katias where Trevor spoke and after the service he called me and Guido up and gave a prophetic over us that basically had us completely in tears. He had no clue the events that were unfolding but spoke right into them as confirmation that we weren’t just being nice, but in fact were moving in the Lords direction. He said the Lord wanted us to keep doing what we have been doing, don’t change a thing. But like the apostles who fished all night and caught nothing, when Jesus told them to move the nets to the other side of the boat they did and there were so many fish that they had to call for help. So that is what this move is, a net moving time. There were other things but they all were about the future and the direction and
fulfilment of the things the Lord has sent us here to do.
In the midst of all this Jami transferred into a new location (again) closer to our apartment and in need of lots of work, so we were pretty occupied tearing out old ducting, hanging sheetrock, patching & preparing walls for painting, painting, cleaning and laying flooring. It was a very huge task but as usual we all pulled it off as if we were pro’s, although our aching bodies remind us that were not.
We spent about 3 weeks doing this and when we were almost finished we headed back up to the Hotel to be with Celeste & Brenno the last Sunday they were in their church together. We laid hands on them and as a church we sent them to go and to get filled up and to bring it back. We felt lead to open the mic. to have the people in the church speak into them and although they were a little shy at first, it gave each an opportunity to be a part of what the Lord is doing among them and here in Italy. This is true community and this is entirely the heart of this congregation, to be a family together amen.
Then Guido went down to Orvieto to help Yan & Millie put a foundation into another building they will be using for their ministry there while I stayed back and helped Jami with the finishing touches of the gym. So much was accomplished in just a month’s time it was so amazing. Almost shocking, but when the Lord has a mandate of things in place, they somehow get down really quickly, which is so exciting for us since we live in a country of the perpetually never finishing anything right away, ha ha.
Than it was off to Ireland. What a fantastic time we had, perfect timing as it turned out. You think you’re in control of your life and yet you see how the Lord has been orchestrating everything perfectly. Again thanks to all of you who made this possible, it was the best birthday present ever. We needed the time away to recoup and be refreshed and hang out with Ros & Stephen Critchlow who have since returned to Ireland. They in turned introduced us to a really incredible couple (Dawn & Rob) who are working in London Derry doing a fantastic work in the community and who took us along the Coast for some fantastic Ocean views and laughs were non stop. We’ll have to tell you the furry pony story sometime.
We have had our hearts stolen by this Nation. We think the Lord has something up his sleeve. Hey I think I remember someone at New Life speaking something about that prophetically now that I’m typing this letter, it makes total sense now. I thought when I did the prayer walk in 2008 that was it, but Guido was really smitten and his heart longs to go back so time will tell if Jehovah sneaky is at it again, tugging on our heart strings for yet another nation to settle in.
We got back to Italy on the 17th, packed and drove to Verona on the 20th to a beautiful apartment that they provided for us beside the hotel. We were all packed and ready for 6 months in a hotel room, so this was over and beyond and such an awesome surprise. There were a lot of heart desires that the Lord met in this apartment, sun, space, privacy, even a violet bed cover. He really is the lover of our souls and into the small details of our lives just as well as the great and grand miraculous.
Of course when we arrived the music playing in the Hotel is Irish right since were in Italy. They were having Irish night in a few weeks including Guinness on tap and Guido is like in Heaven. Than arrives a group of students from Ireland and just a few weeks after that a young girl travelling through Europe ends up stuck because of a huge Wine faire they are having in the area. All the hostels & hotels in Verona were booked solid. I have no clue how she found us as we are quite a ways away from Verona and she was taking buses. She came out and stayed the night but the next night we had no space so she stayed with us in the apartment. Yes I invited a total stranger from Ireland to stay in our house. As it turns out Antonia is a Christian and she has invited us to come and speak to their home group sometime. It was so fun hanging out and chatting.
I was able to share a testimony with her about my father and his dying and coming back to life that settled some issues in her heart about the Love of the Father and a God who would send so many people to hell. I showed her that Jesus even in death, came to my father in his moment of death when he realised he wasn’t going to heaven and cried out “Jesus help me”. That is how great the Love of the Father is that even in death he will take us at the very last second if we will just cry out. Really when you think about it who wouldn’t cry out when they are staring truth in the eyes? I know this will shake some of your theology but my dad was there, it was his story and I believe him, he came back to life and served the Lord for 5 years and than went home. I however recommend that people don’t wait till the last moment; life is too short to waste it being unsaved.
April 2nd they launched the 2nd year of 24/7 in Tuscany and we have finished our 1-year commitment and passed the baton to others in Ps. Marco’s church. It was such a blessing to be a part of this project and to see the Lord knit together so many different denominations, and groups. We weren’t sure if it would have enough steam to do another year but everyone wanted to continue again with very few dropping off the list of prayer and others stepping into the administration. So we know that it was truly the timing of the Lord and again we thank Stephen & Ros Critchlow for coming and spending a year and a half getting this thing up and running and building and knitting people together. People truly feel and see the difference it has made in the area spiritually and now churches are doing things together (outreaches, etc). Wow…
So now we have been here a little over a month and we went back to Montecatini for a few days for our 16th Anniversary and to see our Grand daughter who was very much in need of her grandparents and Jami in need of a little break. Off to the beach and even an Easter Egg hunt. Then it was back to more learning and growing.
We hope to be a blessing to the Ps. & his wife as they push forward in their vision for the church and to help them with the building up of this Hotel www.hotelvalpolicella.net. & Restaurant which they have been running for just over a year now. We are all in a large learning curve as no one here has ever done this before. However looking from the outside in, we can see things from a different vantagepoint. Guido with his years of restaurant experience has been able to share with them some helpful tips. Of course being brothers and sisters in Christ we can be a support and encouragement to them, hopefully give them some Godly advice as they press on in the visions and prophetic that the Lord has placed in their heart. It truly is great to be in the moments of the Lord and in His perfect timing.
Again we would like to thank those of you who have been praying for us and financially providing for us. We are not being paid to be here, this is truly a love offering, but since we have no rent, no utilities and eat in the restaurant we are able to actually maintain and provide for the personal extras that we need thanks to your continued faithfulness. We will be here for sure until August and after that we do not know, but are confident that the Lord will make it very clear regarding His desires for this nation and us.
Blessings & Love
