Italy Report 2011 - 2010

Lets start at Now and than walk down memory lane together….

New Years Eve – We wanted to start our New Year in the presence of the Lord and surrounded by our brothers & sisters in Christ so we went to the Big Tent where we ate and ate and ate and ate some more.  We had some awesome time of worship & fellowship and left about 20 till midnight to head down the road to the Vigna with Ps. Guido & Lorraine’s group.



Got there at 6 minutes till midnight, just in time to bring in the New Year.  It is always so much fun to hang out with the people at this church.  We feel so loved and so welcomed. Oh and did I mention worship is awesome here.


Ps. Maurizio & Tuula asked if we had found a car yet and then invited us to their home around 1:30am to see a car they wanted to give us and stay with them instead of driving all the way back home (1 hour away).  WOW.  So at 2:00am we arrive at their home, to find a really cute, clean Fiat Punto that belonged to a missionary couple who had to return to the USA.

 I told Guido besides not having any clothes except what was on our back, that all that we needed now was toothbrushes and directions to Jan & Millie’s house for the next day. Comes a knock on the door of the room and there is Ps. Maurizio with toothbrushes.  Prophetic proclamation is born in my heart at that moment, really, or I should say confirmation of what the Lord was already saying to us.

We wake the next day to making plans for the future in church planting, helping Ps. Maurizio & Tuula with their work in Florence and an email from Jan & Millie with directions to their house.  So after a big breakfast and lunch we start off to Fabro (about 2 ½ hours away) with no Tom Tom and my slight recollection of how to get there from my last visit. 

We spent the next 24 hours with a couple sharing hearts, vision, worship, prayer, testimonies & hospitality.  We arrive home around 9:00pm on the 2nd having nothing more than the clothes on our backs and donated toothbrushes and decide we are never ever going back to business as usual.  God has totally wrecked us for the normal status quo of life and we are so excited and encouraged for our future in this nation and the nations of the world.  The Holy Spirit is on the move and we are moving with Him as our Lord directs and we believe it is going to be packed with His business in the earth.

Christmas was with Jami & Chloe here at home.  Thank you Jesus for grandchildren, it is so awesome to be a grandparent, even if we are probably the youngest grandparents in Italy.  Most are having their 2nd child at this age, can you imagine that.

December we had Ps. Santhosh & Mani with us from India for a few days.  He was a contact from our friends Ps. Pedro & Mary of Washington State.  We had to give them a special letter so they could obtain a Visa to come as He felt the Lord was calling them specifically to Italy & Norway.  They were with us a few days and spoke at Vigna Della Signore (Ps. Guido & Lorrie) and then we drove them up to Varese to Ps. David Ben Joseph  & Lube (awesome prayer warrior).  For 10 days they went all over Northern Italy meeting various other Ps. from Milan to Verona and beyond.

We spent Thanksgiving under the Big Tent of Cristo e la Risposta and brought Chloe with us.   Dinner, which included Turkey, Gravy, mash potatoes, peas & pumpkin pie also included a time of testimony and a play from the children.  It was so much fun and the first time that we have had dinner together with so many people.  It is really hard for us sometimes since we are not around all our natural family, but it is such a blessing to be part of the family of God and it has helped us tremendously over these past 6 ½ years to still celebrate.  We miss you Barbutti Family as well.

We went down to Rome to meet up with Karen Dunham of Living Bread International Church from Jerusalem.  If anyone is interested in their ministry in Jerusalem check out their website.  www.livingbreadchurch.com.  There were joined by our friend Lida Lockard from Bread & Wine Ministries out of Modesto, Rev. Edna Overstreet with Reach the World International Ministries also of Modesto, Janiece Peppers from GA (not sure what ministry she is with) and many others who we met only briefly. They came with a prayer mandate for Rome.  As we shared about our prayer walk in 2005, some of the same proclamations we spoke then were the same ones that the Lord was having them speak now.  Prophetic dreams and visions were shared that were identical to what was seen back in 2005 with Steve Lowton & his team. We found it so cool that as Steve Lowton’s team came from London to Rome and then onto Jerusalem, this team was doing in reverse.  They prayed at many locations as the Lord lead but one particular area was the 7 hills of Rome.  They split into 7 groups, which included Ps. Lippi from Florence, & Ps. Montecchi of Milan along with others I do not know and at the same time blew the shofars and spoke prophetically into the nation.  We were not there for that event as Guido was working, however we did make the connection for their next visit sometime in 2011 where we will meet up and pray at various locations around Rome and possibly other locations in Italy as the Lord leads.

November – I put out a letter to people on our newsletter for Guido’s 50th birthday.  I did something I didn’t feel quite comfortable with, which was ask for finances for something as trivial as a birthday.  I really felt strongly impressed by the Lord to do it despite my feelings and I just want to thank all of you who blessed Guido over and above.  Guido not only got his knife & oven, which he uses all the time, we also have booked ourselves for Ireland in March for 9 days.

Wow I am so glad that I listened to the Lord and I apologize if I made anyone feel uncomfortable or caused some of you to question our calling here in Italy.  We are called to sacrifice and give up some of the normal comforts of life as did the apostles and others called to the mission field.  I must however learn to listen to the Lord and put my pride aside in these matters regarding finances or what others might think.

It isn’t easy to live by faith and it isn’t easy to receive.  I would much rather take care of myself and my family and give the shirt off my own back as it is how I was raised.  It is humbling to ask for anything specially something that isn’t at all necessary for living.  Thank you again for all of you who blessed us and showed us that it is truly better to be obedient.

Pastor Dennis McNally was also here and we had a few meetings, one being at our Church with Ps. Marco in Monsummano.  Ps. Dennis talked about the importance of the 5-fold ministry like a basketball team was essential for the church and explained about prophecy to bring clarity from the year before when he prophesied over some.  Encouraged and uplifted them as they press on in the things that the Lord is revealing for them to do.  Then it was off to Empoli in the afternoon to the Worship Center of Guido & Lorraine Foccardi for some awesome worship & ministry time.  Ps. Dennis was able to give some insight and direction to the leadership as they transition into a Church with the Worship Center being a ministry of the Church.
 

The next afternoon I set up a place to go and baptize some of the leadership in a local swimming pool by Dennis.  You can NEVER get anything done here in Italy on short notice and from the time they called to the time we were standing in the pool were only a few hours, it really truly was a God thing.
 
September 2010  -- Official time to start the year again after the summer and time to re-evaluate where we were concerning the 24/7 Prayer movement During the summer we lost 4 churches and had nearly 50 hours that were uncovered.  I managed to shuffle many in the Church of Monsummano over to hours that were uncovered to bring it down to about 21.  I have to say, this little church is like the Who’s in Whoville in the scheme of the whole world, but let me tell you, when we shout, “We are here” God hears us and the enemy has had to take notice.  Ps. Marco has continued to reinforce the need to pray and the church has willingly taken up the challenge to stand in the gap for this Nation.


Our Ministry Calling

1. Plant churches
2. Apostolic anointing
3. Prophetic Intercession
4. Helping and equipping leaders
5. Assisting with 24/7
6. Building a Christian network among the European nations
7. Serving the Body of Christ in whatever way possible.

Ministry Needs

1. Car is on loan to us for 4 months, insurance is €400 for that time
2. We have to move into another place before July at the request of Guido’s mom.  Current Rental rates are 350-500 for about 450sq. ft. 
3. Really seeking the Lord as to whether we are still suppose to be here in Italy and if so what is our next steps for this year..
4. Prayer Partners


WE SEND ALL OUR LOVE AND BLESSINGS.
THANK YOU!!!!  GUIDO & JOYCE BASSI
YOUR MISSIONARIES IN ITALY & EUROPE

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New Life Christian Church
20394 San Miguel Avenue
Castro Valley, CA 94546            or

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