Stronger.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". I'm not dead yet, so I know that God must have been strengthening, and building me up over the past few days. On Sunday I landed in Kansas City for Candidate Orientation Program (COP). One major step necessary for my return to the field in Italy.

Three months ago, when I arrived back in the States, every thought and reaction was coated by overwhelming emotions. There were days that it felt like I had just stepped off the plane, and there were others that felt like I had never left. Those that felt like I had never left were the more challenging ones. My heart and mind were not in one place or the other,..rather I felt like two completely different people. Not that my character had been inconsistent, but as though I had always been in the States, but I had always been in Italy as well. Things as small as meeting with some of my closest friends felt foreign and awkward. I missed "real" food, and the reality of no public transportation set in quickly. The first week at church was definitely hardest, but I don't know that it has grown all that much easier either.

COP:
Support raising, which once looked like it would be a struggle the size of the Alps I used to admire from my terrace, has become a process of strengthening and encouragement. What an incredible opportunity to meet those who share a love for Christ, and to share the ways in which He has inspired my life.

The week has been incredibly intense and filled with long days but God has definitely been encouraging me this week through the fellowship with others who share the same beliefs and passions. We've not only been going through cross-cultural adaptation studies, but have also undergone long and tedious accounting and financial studies. However, I am grateful because it is all things I will need to know and want to be able to do for myself once I am on the field.

Praying that God would continue to guide my heart and my steps as many opportunities lie ahead.

Ciao!

Unanimous. . .

I can't believe that I am looking at only a few days left on my trip. There are so many things that I wish I had more time to accomplish, and yet God has opened up opportunities for me to accomplish things I never planned or expected.

The Sunday School this past week consisted of Noah's Ark. The story started with talking about things that don't please God. As we brainstormed, I wrote the terms onto clouds which were glued to a poster. Then, as I told the story I had them come up and color in the ark, and then the rain, and then sun and the mountains and the rainbow. Finally I had them draw a very important piece to the story,....the animals!! God taught me that perhaps I am cut out for teaching Sunday School. I once thought it was very far from my comfort zone, but am now realizing that I simply have to find my own way to present things, bringing creativity in as well. It was encouraging from many different angles.

I have also recently started teaching piano lessons to one of the girls on the team. After the lesson we do a devotional together. It has been such an awesome time to get to know the different struggles that she is facing, as well as how I can better enable her to grow spiritually. What a blessing it has been to see her grow just in the few moments we've had together and to be a part in her life.
For a while now I have known exactly where it is that God has been directing me. From the first month I was here in Torino, there was no doubt in my mind that I had every intention of pursuing the option of coming back on a one-year commitment. My head and heart are overwhelmed with the knowledge that I will be returning to the States only for a "visit". Last night the team announced the unanimous decision to allow me back. I am now a part of Team Torino and look forward to seeing how God is going to use this next year!

Ciao!

Turning the Pages. . .

Things have continued to go well this past week. I spent the majority of my mornings at the Caldbeck house helping with homeschooling while Tom was away. Things are starting to fall back into a little bit of a schedule, although I highly doubt that will last for very long. We're looking at having a much needed team meeting this week. With all the hustling of trying to get the kids into a school routine, as well as people traveling we have not been able to get together since the arrival of the McEwens. It will be the first team meeting with the whole team being together.

It looks like tomorrow I will start piano lessons with a few of the girls on the team. I am hoping that not only it will be a time of learning, but that in the time spent together the girls may find a bond, or be able to strengthen their friendship. I know that a few of the parents have expressed a desire to have some of the other children learn as well. With only one full-sized keyboard available I am limited on time and availability. However, it is not an opportunity that I have closed the door on either. For now I am going to see how the initial lessons go, and hopefully may be able to open the opportunity up to the other kids later on.
Mindi has some incredible ideas, and it has been such a blessing to be able to brainstorm and work alongside her. Originally we had a few different ideas such as a girl's day (movie, hair, nails, etc. including mini-devotions or object lessons on being a godly woman and the importance of inner beauty), a baking day, and a craft day. However, considering that there is only a month left in my time here, we are running incredibly short on time. It was eventually concluded that we would have a "Fall Day" filled with cookie decorating, games, yummy food, crafts, etc. We are praying that God would show us the best way to draw His message into the day in a non-offensive or pushy way. Please be praying that the plans for this day continue to come together as we attempt to reach out to both our contacts and team. It has the potential to be such a great opportunity!

A Vapor in The Wind. . .

This week has definitely been one of reflection. It has been a slower week with the kids back at school, but has provided great opportunity to be still, and see God's hands at work. It truly is incredible that He can be doing so much, and in such indiscreet ways that we cannot see it until looking back. In the past few months I have come to see His love in such a different way!
Mindi and I have been bouncing different ideas off of each other and have come up with some that I am greatly looking forward to organizing. I am hoping to be able to start piano lessons with a few of the older girls who have been interested. Although it is a great opportunity for them to learn (which they have expressed a desire to do), but the underlying purpose is that it will bring them together, as they do not always get to see each other. I am hoping that having these lessons together will allow a friendship to form and get them involved using the talents that God has given them both!
Another idea was that of an Arts and Crafts time. It is the hope that something like this would be able to continue twice a month or so over a long period of time. However, I'm now working with a month! Hopefully we can get at least one day of Arts and Crafts together. This can also serve as an outreach to some of the Italian children, as most of it can be done through demonstration, rather than verbally.

All in all, it has been a slow week, but looking at all that I hope to be able to start up, October is going to be a very busy month. The time slips away so incredibly fast,..."like a vapor in the wind".

Just Smile. . . .

I cannot believe that I have been here for over a month now. Time continues to fly entirely too quickly. The last family (The McEwen's) of the team has arrived safely and settled in. However Laura, and the Calbeck family are out on vacation, so I am still yet to experience the full team together. Italian school starts on Monday, and some of our kids will be attending. That will yet again switch up schedules, but after this week some sense of routine should be established. I look forward to getting the kids feedback on their first week of school.
Mindi had the opportunity to invite some of the contacts from the park over to bake one day. What an awesome opportunity to begin to build a trusting relationship with them! I absolutely cannot wait! In coming out here, I expected to have incredible moments of ministry involving the missionary kids. Never did I have true expectations of being able to reach out to the Italian kids as well! What a blessing and encouragement to see God working.
Also while I was at the Heizer's House watching the kids,.....I some how traded our girls for Valeria's (Their neighbor)! Needless to say, I learned more Italian than I have the whole time I have been here. Personally, it was a very neat experience to see that her girls have accepted me enough to A) listen to my terrible Italian, and do their best to understand it. B) That they trust me enough to come over, even though all my kids were at their house.

I am taking care of Lili, the dog this week while Laura is away. She stresses me out beyond belief, but she has her positive moments as well! Overall she is a great dog. While walking her I managed to be stopped by two separate people who tried to linger and converse. It broke my heart that I could not communicate with them, but was encouraged at their efforts in trying, even after they realized I was a foreigner.

Overall, things continue to go incredibly well. God's hand is working in the everyday lives of the team. Who knows what tomorrow or the next day may bring!!

One Step at a Time. . .

Things continue to go incredibly well, and as summer comes to an end and Italian school is about to start each family is falling back into their regular routines. My schedule has filled very quickly, but I look forward to having areas to help out with.
This past Thursday, I took the younger group of kids downstairs during "Team Worship" to do a story that may hold their interest longer. I walked away feeling a little discouraged the next morning. The kids were bouncing all over the place and I wasn't sure that a word from the story had been absorbed. However, in the following days I had encouraging words from the parents that the children had come back talking about "David and Goliath", . .. the story we had discussed. It put a huge smile on my face, and to know that they absorbed even the context of the story meant a great deal.

Today I had an opportunity to help with homeschooling for the second time. It is definitely one of the more structured things that I have helped with, but I LOVE it. Since being here, I feel like God has completely reignited a passion for learning in my own heart. It is such a blessing to be able to learn in a culture so full of history and art.

Also in the past week or so I have gotten much more comfortable with the public transportation. I can at least get myself out to Rivoli where the other families are. The little bit of independence has been rather refreshing and has left me feeling like I'm ready to take on the world!. . . . I'm undecided as to whether or not that is a good thing or not.

Bonding Time . . .

This week, while I have been house sitting for the Caldbecks who took their children for a surprise vacation, I have been able to spend a great deal of time at Ken and Mindi Heizer's house with their seven children. The time that I have spent at their house the past three days has been such an incredible blessing, and I learn more and more everyday. Ken has a way of describing things that I have heard over and over again in a way that makes it seem completely new.

Yesterday Mindi had two of her italian neighbors come over too bake cookies with the Heizer clan. While baking, Ken sat and read the passage about God being the potter, and we the clay in italian. So fitting for the days activities! He then compared it to the cookies that we were making. That without the hands to combine the ingredients, mold the dough, roll it out, put it in the oven and take it out, then the ingredients are nothing. The dough cannot move on its own, it cannot function. In the same way, we cannot function without the hands of Christ. Julia, one of the neighbors was soaking it up!

After cookies, the girls mother came over for coffee and instantly began to open up to Ken and Mindi about different struggles that she is facing. It was captivating to see how everyone was interacting so intimately and trusting, in a culture that would typically do the opposite. It is miraculous that the Heizer family is able to have such an open-door relationship so quickly that would cause their neighbors to have a desire to know more about the Lord and hear from the Bible.

Ken today said how our purpose is often secondary to God's. Again something that i have heard, but have seen in such a new light since I've been here. I came with the purpose of helping missionary families, to do whatever I can to allow them to minister more effectivly, and yet in coming i have learned so much already. God has completely reignited my desire to know Him, and my desire to learn more. He has opened my eyes the the fact that there is something new everyday, new people, new possibilities, and always something to learn. To come and see the passion for people that the Heizer family has has been incredibly encouraging.
Another conversation that took place was how so ofteen, we as people begin to take credit for that which God is worthy of. Instead of God speaking to the people, it slowly turns to "I" spoke to these people. I pray that I never get to that point, that I would never look back and believe that I am the one who is coming to help these families, but that it is God who is simply using me as a way to accomplish his plans. I cannot wait to see what changes may occur over these next few months.