Friday June 19th we went to Switzerland to be with Giancarlo & Catherine Elia of Light to the Nation Ministries while they did a conference for the Revival Training Center. This is an awesome ministry as every year they take students who are leaders from different countries and train them further for their leadership roles . This is no small task as they have 3 children, homeschool, church and many conferences where they bring in speakers from all over the world and travel to some of these countries as well. When we arrived at nearly 11:00pm the school had just finished a meeting and so we went off to stay in their music center where they have a few very comfortable guest rooms, kitchen and bath. The next day we were off to Pastor Tom & Lisa's home where they have a training center and church. Giancarlo had an awesome message and then ministry time with the students. We were so blessed with the countries represented in this school. 3 African men, Martin from Uganda, Martin from Zimbabwe and John from Kenya, Ellora & Rita from India, Bella & David from Switzerland and a few others as well. It really was an International school. The students have only to get there and the training center pays for everything else for the next 3 months. They rely on the Lord and His people to financially support them as well as sell puppies, and whatever else is needed for this endeavor. We were really quite impressed with the whole ministry. Then we all sat down and had a very nice meal together, packed up and went to a Christian Retreat up in the mountains. This is when the conference began and families from Germany, Austria and Switzerland came together to worship and hear about the Fathers love. There were lots of fun things to do as well, swimming (too cold for me), ping pong, hiking, etc. It really was a beautiful building that once belonged to the Salvation Army but was bought by a private party and Revival Training Center has made an offer to buy it. This would be a great facility for the work they are doing in this region. There are rooms for singles, married couples, bathrooms, showers, large industrial kitchen, dining hall, conference rooms, etc. If any of you feel so lead to give into this adventure, please contact Tom & Lisa. This second link is in German but you can read some things in English. They also do speak English if you wish to contact them. So Friday evening we started the conference on the Love of the Father. Giancarlo has such a heart of the Father and delivers the message in such a loving and tender manner that makes you want to know this God. He is humorous, loving, tender, kind and powerful when he speaks. You are completely wrecked when he is done sharing. You want more and more and you see as ministry time starts that people's hearts are open for the love to be poured into them. Saturday we started with 3 meetings stopping for lunch and dinner but after each message the people were going deeper and deeper into the river of love. There were many who cried, laughed, soaked and were healed emotionally. By Sunday we were really beginning to feel the effects of being so emotional involved with people in ministry. The Holy Spirit just broke our hearts as people came with their pains, their confessions, their desire for more, their repentance, regrets and the Father and the Lord just melted away all the past with Mercy, Grace and Love. It is for sure no one will ever be the same, I know we won't. It was such an honor to be a part of this work that was done in the region. People were encouraged, inspired, released, healed, loved, equipped and confirmed. As Guido put it "God showed up and all love broke out". Pastor David thanked us for coming and loving on the people, which for us isn't too hard since we love the body of believers and believe they are our gift and treasure. Pastor Martin from Zimbabwe said he wanted us to come and give this love away because he said they need this in Africa. He is setting it up for Feb/Mar. when they have their leadership conference and he wants to take us around to where all their churches are. How exciting. We are always so blessed that people see our hearts and know we aren't here for us but truly really for them to bless them, however we walk away so much more touched ourselves and convinced that this, mixed with discipleship would set the world on fire for the Glory of the Lord and would indeed set the captives free, open blind eyes and raise the dead and be a true witness to the world that the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit are alive and love them. We made some awesome contacts and made new friends that we are sure will open other doors in the future. We have such an awesome body of believers, this family that we so often take for granted. Yes we are a little quirky at times, I think peculiar was the word the Bible uses and sometimes obstinate and hard headed (stiff necked) but we are also the representation of Christ Jesus on the earth. It is such an awesome thing to meet up with total strangers and yet be as close as if you were raised together in only a matter of hours simply because you both share the bond of love given to us by our Father and paid for by our Lord Jesus on the cross. We can pray for one another, encourage, love and just hang out together. We have so much to give and so much to get from one another because we are all tapped into different aspects of our Lord. He is many faceted and we only see in part but when we get together we can see so much more. We are ever learning and growing and changing and where better than among fellow brethren. As for me and my household we will serve the Lord because in doing so we inherit such treasures, we inherit you. Even though some did not speak English, the language of love is understood. Turns out that many of them could speak some Italian, how funny is that. We met Bella & her husband David. She is Italian but was born and raised in Switzerland but you wouldn't know that by talking to her or the way she is dressed. She is cento per cento (100%) Italian. David is from the UK and they are students at the school. They received prayer and words over their lives for various things, one being for a baby so we are believing along with them that next year they will be three. This couple is up and coming in the Kingdom and we believe they are going to play a very vital role here in Europe and abroad. We have invited them to come and stay with us as they are currently in transition from the school and awaiting the Lord's direction for the future and we felt led to bless them and refresh them. Her sister Daniela came to the conference and we are believing for a Godly man to come into her life. It is so exciting for us to meet other Italians since our love and passion is to the Italians so these are our people, it's like meeting extended family and even more so Christian extended family. Giancarlo & Catherine are just a blessing to us and we feel so privileged to have met them back in 2002 when we went up to Toronto to meet John & Yvonne Pressdee about doing a prayer walk in Italy. Giancarlo was born and raised in Italy, was an attorney who went to work in London, got saved and then met and feel madly in love with Catherine who is Irish from a very large family and speaks 4 or more languages. The two of them travel extensively in the world bringing the Fathers love and are a testament that you are never too old to get started in ministry. They were in their late 40's. They have some of the most awesome testimonies and experiences that you could ever want to hear and all because they said "Yes Lord give me more". They make serving the Lord fun and possible because of their simplicity. They love the Lord and they love people.

PRAISE REPORT

I just wanted to send this little praise report out while I remembered. In our blog talking about praying in the Valdineivole you'll remember that we met a young man named Daniel who we prayed for and lead to the Lord at the City Gate of Montcatini Alto. You also remember that after 3 days he left and didn't want to give us his contact information.

This was our first person that we lead to the Lord in Italy, our first baby. We have prayed for people to be healed, to received the infilling of the Holy Spirit and other things but this was our first true baby. Anyhow we pray for him always that he will do well and that the Lord would continue to work in his life but since May 1st we didn't know where he was. Everyday I pass by a parking lot where his car was parked and I think where are you Daniel.

Today I said out loud to the Lord, where is Daniel, where is the baby we birthed, our first in this country, he is all alone without us, please have him call us. That was about 3:30 as I was on my way to pick up my grand daughter at school. About 4:30 Daniel called us, can you believe it. He sounded good, clear of mind and now we have a contact and will keep in touch with him and will for sure go and see him. He said that he is reading his Bible and the material I gave him when he has time.

Guido said see, ask for parking spots, financial blessings phone calls, etc. Father God delights to answer us. Ok parking spots versus souls, I try not to bother him with trivial stuff but after today I'm going start asking for a lot more regarding the lives of the people here because He is listening.

Love Oxford

May 15th we went to Oxford to see Heidi Baker. She came to St. Aldates for the Love Oxford event. For those of you who don't know, this is the church where Gordon Hickson is a vicar. Him and his wife Rachel Hickson of Heart Cry Ministries are dear friends of ours and we had the awesome privilege of staying at their home while we attended the many festivities of the church. Unfortunately Rachel was in the USA so we didn't get to see her, but Gordon treated us with special sit down dinners at their home even though he was extremely busy with all the events. Frankly I don't know where that couple gets all the energy to do all the things they do. We must pick up the pace. Also Rachel has another few books out that you might want to pick up and read. Check out her web page for all the info.

We spent the first day passing out fliers to a free barbecue that St. Aldates was having in the center square where worship and ministry was going on and also fliers for the Love Oxford event in South Park. That night Heidi spoke on orphans and adoption. It was a very powerful and inspirational challenge to draw closer to our Father who adopted us.

The next day was Love Oxford where many of the local churches got together for corporate worship and prayer for Oxford. The gathering was quite impressive and the weather held quite nicely as it had been raining on and off for a few days. We were joined by our good friends Lorenza from Italy who is in London for studies and her fiancee Peter. Peter and Lorenza were just engaged the day before. They make a lovely couple. Talk about people who have given their all for Jesus, spending all of their youth following the course the Lord has laid out for them to finally in their midlife find each other. What a awesome testimony of the Lords perfect timing. Check out Peter's blog, he is a wealth of information with quite a testimony. It truly is a blessing to have brethren in all parts of the world. It blesses us to be a part of the body with the same goal, to see Jesus high and lifted up and all men saved.

Wow time is flying by, can you believe it is already June? We put out a newsletter in March and since then so much has happened. We started our prayer sites in the Valdinievole area of Tuscany. This was quite exciting as we felt really led of the Lord to go to the old water sources (wells) from the Medieval times and pray that healing waters would flow into the communities. As many of you may or may not know, this region since the beginning has been fought over by the surrounding territories. Some of these communities have their start as far back as 1100 AD, so that is a long history of fighting and many years of wounds and unforgiveness. Some of these communities have only in the past 100 years been released from rival territories to be their own governed communities. Then you have the very fresh wounds from World War II. So off we went to the 11 communities starting with the furthest.

This region use to be under water or marshland, in fact you could sail a ship from Larciano which is inland about 60 km. from the sea on the waterways and all communities were on the hilltops until the very powerful Medici family started the waterways projects which dried up the marshes and allowed communities to move into the valleys. Pretty amazing, so finding these wells was quite the adventure, it isn't like they have a map showing where these are. So doing what works the best for gaining information we went to the local bar (cafes) and asked the elderly gentleman (over 70) where they were. Amazing the conversations that are started among them and the directions and stories we got. In case you didn't know, older retired gentleman congregate at the bar and just hang out, talk, play cards and basically stay away from the older woman at home.

We would find these old wells some still working, others had been capped off, some communities didn't have them anymore, others had cisterns where water was stored since they were on rock, others were hidden around the corner and up the hill, but they were all there. Some communities had several where others only had 1. We went to all and prayed and made the proclamation that healing water would flow into the communities, some the Lord gave us scriptures to speak over them (PS. 24). We poured oil and wine over the spots and then took communion together. We just finished Tuesday which was Italy's day of the Republic.
One story we want to share that was just so awesome for us was on another Italian Holiday, Liberation Day. It has been raining here since October and since we are on a scooter we really have to go and pray when the weather is not a downpour and when we are not at work and those weren't lining up to well. This Saturday was perfect, we had already prayed at 5 communities and we were now at ours. We went up to Montecatini Alto and when we past the old gates. I really felt we should stop and pray but decided to go up to the top, to the fort and church and pray, which we did, there was a few wells up there.

Than coming down we passed the gates again and I felt we should stop and told Guido to turn around. There was a water source (all communities have them, water spout coming out of a wall or something). I turned on the water to see if it was working and a young man saw me and asked if the water was drinkable, which it is. He than came over and filled a bottle and Guido told him we were there praying over the water and that just opened up a whole conversation and the long and short of it we lead him to the Lord, prayed for him to receive the Holy Spirit, called a friend and got him a place to stay for a few days, took him to church the next day, or should I say he drove us to church since it was pouring rain. This is one liberation day this young man will never forget.

For 3 days we ministered to him and poured love, encouragement, prayer and teaching into him and than he disappeared. We know that a seed was planted into a young man who came here from Rome for refuge got more than he was looking for. He not only got refuge, he got set free and although he isn't totally out of the prison, at least the chains were broken. He has some work to do but he has our number, he has a bible, he has some teaching and he has the Holy Spirit and we know that the Lord found him. Now were off to pray the Green Line.

We were in Rimini a few weeks ago at a conference and went over to Fano which is the start of the Green Line, which for you war buffs was a supply line for the Germans against the allied forces that stretched from Coast to Coast in Italy, over 300 km. The locals told us that the bridge in their city was the first that the Germans blew up to prevent anyone from crossing. It was bombed also by the allied forces. The Germans destroyed a lot of it when they left. We walked across the new bridge which has a memorial on all 4 sides and prayed and asked that the Lord would send His healing across this land and that a spiritual gateway to Italy would be open and that any doorways of death and unforgiveness would be closed.

Across this 300 km. stretch was the most intense fighting outside of France to occur. Allied forces from many nations, America, Canada, Poland, etc. fought and died along with the Italian Resistance Army who opposed the Germans. It was a blood bath and many innocent non military people were killed during this time. In fact this is a very fresh wound in this region. Many wonder if this isn't the reason for so much spiritual death in the Tuscany and Emilio Romagna zone. Churches just can't seem to take hold here and find so much resistance.

We actually tripped over this information when getting a map at a local bookstore for the Tuscan region as we felt the Lord was leading us to pray in specific areas. This lone map on the battle fields of Italy peaked Guido's curiosity and he bought it and brought it home. We have never ever seen this map before or ever heard about this information. Apparently it is part of the history that many want to forget, but some of the locals have been reviving some of the old history by monuments to the dead, museums and websites so that others might be aware and remember and pray for the healing in this land. If you have information regarding this Green Line (Gothic Line) or know of anyplace we can get more please email us.