The Weak Helping The Weaker

A few days ago I had an encounter with someone I don't think I can ever forget. You see I live in Florence, Italy (pause for ooo's and aaah's). But Florence is not a vacation for me. I'm not here as a tourist. I don't just hop from museum to museum, or run around with a ridiculously large and over-priced camera hung around my next taking pictures of every other building that's a least a century old. Neither do I tour churches day in and day out or sit and meditate from sun up to sun down in the Tuscan countryside admiring the beautiful vistas, and sampling the local wines.

Although, I do occasionally indulge in a morning cappuccino (10 times better than Starbucks and less than a Euro!), and digest some delicious handmade pizza, I am not here to just become part of the moving scenery of tourists. I am here to work. Not as some cool jet-set, American Ex-pat, who decided a 6-figure job and a mini-mansion in the burbs was too much to bear, so I booked the first flight over the pond to come find myself again in the tranquility and simplicity of Italian life and culture. I am here as a missionary.

So as you can imagine, my view of this city is quite different than most. If Jesus is boring to you or you stumbled onto this blog about Italy thinking it would give you some travel tips, well this is probably where you will stop reading and move on. That's fine. If you were looking for a travel blog, here's Rick Steeves- https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy. Buon viaggio! Ci vediamo!

If you are still here, let me tell you about my personal encounter. I think it might just change your life, or at least your perspective. A few days ago, I passed one of many beggars that I see daily on my way into the grocery store. She was not aggressive, but solemn, sitting on the sidewalk, head down, wrapped in her scarf and worn coat to fight off the bitter chill in the air. At first I walked past her like everyone else. Many beggars in Florence are controlled and used by the Mafia, but not this women. She was too old, too frail to present a threat to anyone. If fact, she was so undesirable, that she almost seemed to blend into the faded paint of the building behind here.

Just beyond her, not 100 feet or so were 2 guys in brightly colored smocks stopping people headed into the supermarket and asking for donations to some relief organization. I tried to dodge them, but the narrow sidewalks of Italy funneled me right into them. I ducked my head quickly, avoiding eye contact, and said a quick, "Ciao!" as I squeezed past and hurried into the store. I routinely went through the store buying the things I needed. This is the daily routine of Italy. No once-a-month mega grocery haul from Sam's or Costco. You buy what you need for the day and maybe a few staples, and that's it. For one thing, you have to carry it, or fit it on a scooter, or bike, and no one wants to walk half a mile home with a bunch of groceries. Even if you could, your refrigerator is much smaller. This is Italian life at it's most basic- daily survival.

I went through the check out as usual, paid, bagged my stuff, and exited the store onto the same street from which I have entered. There she was again. I would have to make it past the smocked relief org. marketers. That wasn't a problem. It was this crumpled woman, pushed against the building with her small, empty plastic cup that froze me in my tracks. I didn't find it so easy to dismiss her this time. Somehow I saw her, and in contrast it seemed no one else did. She was alone, and I was griped with fear.

I knew I had to do something, but I didn't have much. Just a few coins left in change from the store. I was thinking, my bank account is almost empty, and my daughter doesn't have a winter coat. I don't have enough for rent on the 1st of next month. All my excuses seemed so lame. Suddenly, I identified with this stranger. She and I were not so different. She was an outsider. So was I. She was being ignored. I felt the same. She was a beggar. So was I. Her campaign was a cup. Mine was on social media. But it made no difference. The parallels were too obvious to ignore.

I know I had prayed "Thy kingdom come.." thousands of times, but now the kingdom was staring me in the face. When Jesus said he would come again, and build a new kingdom, he said he would take the rejects of this life and promote them, and the prideful he would make low. In that moment, I was staring into the eyes of a future queen in the kingdom of God. How could I ignore her. I grabbed my coins, and ran to her, bent over, and dropped them in. The clanking sound as they echoed in her empty cup was deafening. All the world seemed to freeze around me and go silent as she raised her face to look at me. She pushed back her hair and scarf to reveal a worn face, lined and leathered from the fight of life. I smiled and told her "God bless you - Dio ci benedica!" She smiled back and I walked around the corner and let the tears flow hot down my frozen cheeks.

I wondered to myself, if I can't meet my own needs here, who will meet hers? Who will fight for her? As my emotions and thoughts raced over the 5 minute walk home, God begin to write her story on my heart. It took several days to finish, but I published a poem on Facebook called "Broken For The King." A lot of my friends read it, and said how much it meant to them. But only one challenged me to go back, find our her name and talk to her about how I could help her more. Today I did just that. I went back to her. I squatted down and looked her in the eyes. I dropped a few more coins in her cup, told her God bless you, but then I asked her - "What is your name?" She said, "I'm Maria." I introduced myself, and told her I was an American studying Italian. Somehow I don't think this will be the last time we talk. I hope it's the beginning of a new friendship.

Today I had less than $15 in my bank account. I spent $7 on groceries for the day. I thought to myself, God if I had more, "I would just buy her a bunch of groceries, and then walk her home." Wherever home may be. If she doesn't have a home, maybe she could stay with my family until we could find her a home. God said to help the weak. I did what I could, but it was more the weak helping the even weaker. I ask myself, if I am not here to see Maria, who will? Who will make sure she is cared for?

Sometimes we are waiting on God to do things for us, and He is asking us to risk all we have, then He will take the little and make it much. In Mark 6 the feeding of the 5000 is recorded. The disciples were getting antsy, as the people were restless and hungry. They came to Jesus with a problem, expecting a solution. Jesus turned the question back on them with a command, Mark 6:37 (NIV) "But he answered, 'You give them something to eat.” They recoiled at the enormity of the task, and said it was impossible. Jesus asked them to take an inventory. What they had wasn't nearly enough - 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. That didn't matter. Jesus took what they had and feed thousands, and still had leftovers.

Sometimes we don't give because it seems what we have compared to the need won't make a difference. We shrink back in embarrassment and fear. Jesus is calling us forward to do what we can, and trust in faith that He will make it enough. Someone has to be brave enough to go first. On that day on the hillside, it was a young boy with just enough food for a few. He was the only one among the crowd of men and women who had the courage to bring what he had to Jesus, and believe that He could make it more than enough. Don't let fear of embarrassment and inadequacy hold you back from doing what you can to help God's work go forward. Follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit and give.

Life Under the Tuscan Sun

Hello (Ciao), good evening (buona sera) from Florence, Italy. Yes, Florence, Italy. That sounds so strange for me to say. I suppose when you spend the better part of a decade planning and dreaming of something, and then it finally comes true, that it feels somewhat surreal. I just moved my family from Athens, GA to Florence, Italy a little over a month ago.

We came here under a calling from God to help plant churches and call others to faith in Jesus. I imagine that does sound ironically strange. Missionaries go to remote places with names you can't pronounce and languages that can't be written because it's a series of clicking noises, and the people live somewhat if not totally primitive lives by Western standards (which to my kids means no high speed Internet - Gasp!). Well somehow we won the missionary equivalent to the lotto when it comes to location, but this does not mean it's always a walk in the park.

I do have to say to that Italy is a series of contrasts, much like in America between the haves and have-nots, fantasy and reality. In our first few weeks in Florence I have seen Ferraris and Fiats, fancy streets with high fashion shops of Italian designs to urine-soaked alleys, architecture with exquisite design and steeples that stretch to the heavens and run down-abandon buildings, tourists with $1000 cameras hung around their necks and beggars with their faces laid cheek to the ground.

This my friends is Florence, Italy - a city of such stark contrasts it's hard to fathom. One moment you are gazing at the sunset over the Duomo and the next you are on a crowded bus sweating, walking in a daze thinking "Did Da Vinci walk on this same path?" to dodging the dog poop that some smuck's pooch left behind, or being lost in the view of Ponte Vecchio over the Arno to truly being lost and having no clue which bus to catch to get you back home.


Yes, the contrasts never seem to end. I can buy a great bottle of wine almost anywhere for $3 Euro, but if I have a headache I can only buy ibuprofen in a 12-pack for $5 Euro and only at a pharmacy, which closes in the middle of the afternoon! Yes there's McDonald's and Burger King, but trust me at $3 Euro for a large coke filled halfway up and no refills you are not "having it your way!". There are religious symbols all over the city, but Playboy magazine is right in full view at the "cartolina" - postcard and paper store at any 5 year old boys eye level. The churches are everywhere with lines out the door for tourists Monday through Saturday, but completely empty of worshipers on Sunday.

But it's not all gloom and doom. There is a bright light of hoping shining in this city - ICF Florence - International Christian Fellowship - http://www.icfflorence.com/ - a vibrant, multi-cultural church that sits in the shadow of the Duomo, is bringing hope to hundreds every month. On any given Sunday 50-75 people who sometimes represent as many nations gather to worship God, sing his praises, pray for one another and for the revival of God in this nation. That doesn't sound like a lot of folks, but hey this is a mega church in Italy and more representative of the average sized church in America than you might know. I am not here to debate large vs. small churches, because all are significant. What I can tell you is ICF is full of life, because it is full of the Holy Spirit and people who love Jesus!

God connected us even before we left Athens to pastors Randy and Diane McGehee. They are wonderful people, full of God that have welcomed us from the moment we stepped off the plan. There are so many opportunities for us to serve in music, in hosting Bible studies, and eventually maybe even to plant other locations here in Florence. We have a heart to reach everyone in Florence, but especially the internationals/permanent residents who make up a healthy portion of the 1.5 million people who call Florence (Firenze) home. These things will come with time.

Right now in the first month we are just trying to establish a routine of language school 5 days a week, and making sure Bryson and Laynie get connected with other kids their age through sports, etc. Brandy and I are attending a language school in the city center called Scuola Toscanna http://www.scuola-toscana.com/- where we are receiving instruction in grammar and speaking of the Italian language - easier said than done, but we are making progress. The kids are doing online school at home through Liberty University. They are getting used to a self-paced online school, which is not traditional, but has its benefits. Please pray for them as they get used to school in this way to be successful and have fun with it.

Laynie is playing volleyball for a local sports society called US Sales - http://www.salesvolley.it/. Getting her resistered was not easy or inexpensive, but we wanted Laynie to have something she could enjoy doing, build skills, and make friends, so the cost is so worth it. Her coach is named Sarah. She speaks great English, and is so excited to have Laynie on the team. Her first practice, Sarah asked if Laynie had played before. We said this was her first time trying it. She said she thought she was very good, and might have a chance to play in some matches with the elite team!

Laynie is making friends, but language is making the girls shy. They are kind, but everyone - Laynie included is afraid of saying something wrong in the other person's native language. I know they will work through it. Her practices are on Monday and Thurday afternoons, and are held at a school gym in the Campo di Marte area of Florence about 3km from our house (about a 20 min bus ride, if you do get off at the wrong stop like I did a few weeks ago, and accidentally left Laynie on the bus for an extra stop while all the people were trying to get the driver to let here off! Yeah we walked a little too much that day thanks to Dad!)) All in all I think she is going to do well with volleyball or pallavolo. With her height and athleticism, who knows, she might get a scholarship for college if she keeps going with it!

Bryson has jumped in with both cleats into American football here in Florence. They have an awesome team called the Guelfi - http://www.guelfifirenze.it/. Italy has its version of the NFL, with most teams consisting of mainly Italians with a few Americans here or there. If you want a good glimpe of football in Italy read John Grisham's Playing For Pizza - very accurate depiction of what football is like here in Italy. Most football is played on soccer (calcio) fields, but the Guelfi field is only one of several in all of Italy built especially in the dimensions of an American football field and built especially for football. The stadium, though is about 10 times smaller than my high school stadium on the soutside of Atlanta, and holds about 1500-2000 people, but is due for a facelift and some renovations soon.

Bryson is playing for the junior team and they are happy to have a big ole' Southern boy joining the team to give a good push on the line! The guys speak fairly good English, but the coaches are a mix of Italians and Americans, so he is hearing instructions in both languages. His teammates are helping him with his Italian as well.

His team colors are the historic colors of Florence - purple and red, and the name of the team has historical significance. Even though his practice field is only about 4.5 miles away, it can take us up to 1.5 hours to get there in traffic on Tuesday and Thursday evenings - walking, then a bus to the train station, then a tram, get off, walk a bit, met a friend who drives us the rest of the way!

I am glad to report that my ministry is coming somewhat naturally. I made a friend with one of the fathers who comes to watch his 2 boys practice football on Bryson's team. Through a few times of talking I have learned that his daughter is playing volleyball with Laynie (no coicidence there!), and the girls have made friends as well. Now we talk in the stands for about 2 hours at each practice. He speaks in English, and is kind enough to politely correct me without laughing when I stumble through a few phrases of Italian. At some point, too I would love the chance to help coach. Praying for an opportunity to emerge in God's time.

Also, we have made friends with our local pizzeria owner at Pizza della Cure. Filipo is a fun loving and kind man with a son named Alex about Bryson's age. He speaks great English and even cuts our "pepperoni pizza" - salamino piccante pizza into American slices if we ask. He has a brother who lives in Harrisburg, PA, and always loves to stop and talk for a few minutes while the pizza is baking fresh to order.

These are just a few of the early connections that God is making as we settle into life here in Florence. Please pray for us to stay encouraged, learn the language and culture, and connect with as many people as possible. Also pray for our document processes to continue to go smoothly. Rent is high here, but we know that God will provide for us as He always does. We know that God placed us right where He wanted us to be.

There is so much more to share, so please come back to find out what's new as we explore life under the Tuscan sun. If you want to reach out to us please visit our website at Http://www.wakeupitaly.org. All of our contact information is there. Also, I am using Whats App on my phone, so if you would like my new mobile number, just send me a PM through FB. Ciao for now from your friends in Florence.

I Belong To You

Good evening, God. Most of the time I simply don't take time to write out my prayers and concerns to you, but for some reason tonight it felt like the right thing to do. It seems like lately I've felt pretty lost as to what to do next. For the last couple of years it's been all about getting through school. Before that it was trying to raise missions support. Now that I'm done with school, I just feel kind of clueless as to where to start. I have a new job, and it's nice,  but I know that ultimately it's not where I am called to be for the rest of my life.

From the outside it seems that life it hitting on all cylinders. However, on the inside, my victories feel hollow. I feel like I have lost my drive and passion. I constantly feel frustrated about my lack of progress, but really I don't know what I am measuring myself against. Guess I just feel like I am not where I should be. Honestly, I feel like I've pretty much let everyone down.

We set out  almost 6 years ago with this wild dream of a calling. We jumped out, raised some support, got scared, stopped, went to school, and now I just feel so dry and empty inside. I don't feel like I am really connecting with or connected to anything or anyone. I can't seem to motivate anyone to get involved with our mission. Right now God, I am just weary. Tired. I'm out of energy. Out of ideas. Spent in every category.

I mean I have to be one of the worst candidates for ministry period. I am so unpredictable. So up and down. So untrustworthy. So clueless. So unmotivated. So down. So angry. So out of strength. So lacking in vision. So lacking in resources. So unsure of the future. So lacking in faith. So lacking in confidence. I got a degree in leadership, but no one following. A degree in evangelize, and no motivation to share to gospel.

I ask myself everyday, "If I were in your shoes what could I possibly see in me that would make me the desirable candidate for the job of missionary?" One quality that seems to fit is availability. After severing ties to most everything I held dear, there's nothing tethering me. My family could hop a plane any time. It would take only a few hours to liquidate my "estate", so mobility is not a problem.

Another quality maybe to consider is my empathy for others. This journey, especially the last couple of years have been some of the lowest and most humiliating circumstances I've ever encountered. I've been more in the position of helped than helper. The pride and self righteousness has been zapped out of me. I feel like because I have I felt more of the sting of pain, loneliness, rejection, uncertainty of the future, that I am more apt to lay down my judgements in favor of sharing your love.

My capacity to identify with your sufferings has given me a greater capacity to sense and feel the needs of others without looking down my nose. I understand more than anything that human dignity comes from the image of God that is pressed into every man, woman, boy, and girl, and that intrinsically makes them qualified to receive your love and mercy.

More than anything else though I come back to only one factor that seems to make my family desirable for bearing this calling of mission - you simply chose us. Your Word says many are called, but few are chosen. I think it's because in the process of being called their is a weeding out process to see who will actually stick it out to the end with you. Those left standing, I guess are the ones you choose. Amazingly enough in all my uncertainty, in all my lack, I come back to this one fact...you have chosen us for such a time as this to bear your message to a new generation.

I told a church group once that you have to chose to be chosen. You have to understand that you'll never understand this side of heaven all the reasons and ways of God and why He tugs at you in certain directions and at certain times. Sometimes the draw is so primal I can barely put it into words. The attraction I feel towards the mission you have assigned us. I guess that's why I feel frustrated at times, because I just want to please you Daddy. I just want to be found faithful. I don't understand why it is taking so long to get to where you want us to go.

I don't understand all the obstacles and challenges. I don't understand the delays. But tonight I simply choose to follow. There's a hymn now that comes to mind that I used to sing as a kid. Two in fact that are mixing in my mind that seem rather appropriate to mention at this time. "I have decided to follow Jesus", and "Where he leads me I will follow." God, I honestly don't know all that you may be up to, but I just want you to know that I'm still available, still seeking, still choosing your call. In your time I trust you will open the right doors, lead the right partners to us, provide the resources, etc. Right now with all the questions still lingering in my mind and heart I just choose to be yours. To belong to you. And that is enough.

Your loving son,

Stephen

More Than A Little Frustrated: Impossible Things Through Improbable People

Good evening. It's been a long time since I felt the need to write. As many of you know our family has been on a long journey to get to the mission field and work as church planters. When the call first came in October 2008 we were excited, but clueless. Now we have somewhat of a clue, but have lost the sparkle in our eye. It's hard to say exactly when it started, and it probably doesn't matter, but to say I am tired and weary is an understatement.


Maybe I am just a big baby, and need to shut it. I think my frustration, though is focused on why with all the thinking, planning, studying, and effort put forth, that we are still not where God called us to be. Many people who care a lot say, "It's not God's timing." I get that. Really I do.

But there is a fine line in surrender of knowing where you end and God begins. What is my part and what is God's. Clearly He doesn't want me to stand still forever. Nor does He want me rushing ahead bull-headed. I have really meditated on this problem for a long time, and my desire is clearly to please God in all that I do.

I have a big need to succeed at what I do, as do most humans. It's part of our code. We are little image bearers, and therefore we want to create like our Father does, of course on a much smaller scale.

The frustration is clearly understanding the objective, clearly being able to define a strategy to get there, clearly understanding what to do when I arrive at the destination, but at every twist and turn being blocked by invisible forces. You could say it was all coincidence, but its too frequent and coordinated to just be physical happenstance.Yes I know we have an adversary that delays, discourages, discredits, distracts, depresses, and tries to destroy us and the dream God put in our hearts.

However, if this really is a God dream, at some point the enemy has to flee, the tide has to turn, the battle line has to surge forward in our favor. I know God's timing is not my timing, but honestly, I am coming to the end of myself. I have done everything I can to be obedient to the point of sacrifice, to bear up under the burden of this mission, but to be honest, and I know if you are paying attention you know I am not the most stable of persons. I am cracking.

You have no idea how many times I have wanted to quit on "Waking Up Italy". No matter how frustrated I get, I always get back up the next day and dream about, think about, work towards it, write about it, and talk about it. Even my kids write it on there hands to remind themselves.

God burns like a fire in me. But God, this sacrifice is almost consumed. My heart is almost crushed. I so want to please you Daddy. I don't want to fail you, and the people who have believed for so long that this vision was possible. So God I am praying tonight, "I believe God, but help my unbelief." Help me see this mission through to the end. I can't do it alone. Forgive me for not trusting you. For not being faithful. For not being consistent. For not tending the flame as I should.

Father, I am desperate for you, and I don't care how weak I look. I am broken before you. I don't want anything else, but you. I don't want to do anything else, but the mission you gave me to go "wake up" a sleepy nation. I know I am not skilled enough, or strong enough, but you do impossible things through improbable people. In all my brokenness, I am crying out "USE ME GOD! SEND ME GOD! USE ME!"

The Power of Love

Most people outside Christianity believe God is just angry with humanity and is waiting for them to step out of line so He can pounce on them and send them to Hell to burn forever. This is partly the fault of Satan influencing the world and people, and partly the preaching from our pulpits.
 
 
Much of it is just venomous spit hurled at people outside of Christianity. This is not how God meant for us to evangelize. He said we should be known by our love. This is most clear when it is demonstrated and not just spoken. Unfortunately, many think works is a bad thing, a show of pride. "Religion is a private matter" - wish I had a dime for every time I've heard that said to me. It's a lie. Religion is highly public; especially Christianity. To remove the intrinsic urgent evangelistic thrust of the gospel is to completely inoculate it, and render it utterly useless.
 
 
Other times people think social justice works are separate from the "real gospel" - i.e., Jesus and the cross. While the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are central to the gospel, the example Christ left us to follow in his footsteps and do works of goodness and kindness are in fact just as valid a part of the gospel. We can't just focus on saving souls, and forget the body and the mind. Our approach must be holistic, because God made us holistic with a command to love him with all our mind, body, soul, and spirit - not just one part over the other.
 
 
Therefore demonstration of the gospel must work hand in hand with its proclamation. We must recover in our preaching both the humanity as well as the divinity of Jesus - 100% both! The mystery and reality of the incarnation is the greatest revelation to share with others to break down this misconception of a mean angry God. John 3:17 is even a greater revelation to me than John 3:16. The fact that God sent Jesus to save the world and not condemn it has been completely under communicated.
 
 
I am so tired of Satan spewing forward this lie that God is angry with humanity. We must dispel it and destroy it with the power of the truth of the gospel - God is crazy in love with us, not because of what we have done, but because of who made us. Only the Creator of something can determine it's worth and value. One aspect of Paul's teaching that resonates with Jesus is Romans - "nothing can separate us from the love of God." Preach that and watch God convict the hearts of people! Love is infinitely more powerful than judgment!

 

Welcome to the Jungle!

Most people don’t understand why I am so intense about my calling. I mean it’s only Italy right, how bad can it be? You get to sip cappuccino and admire the wonderful architecture. It’s not like you are going to the jungle or anything. Well, I wonder if demons prefer to gather more in jungles of leaves or jungles of people and ideas. I would think they would congregate at the intersection of human contemplation, endeavoring to influence people’s thoughts and steal their hearts from God.

Nevertheless, anything we do with God to help snatch people out of hell is risky. It doesn’t matter how beautiful the back drop scenery is when you are focused on the broken condition of human hearts. The work of God will always be intense and dramatic. After all, we are dealing with life and death. Maybe it’s easy for us to not take the words of Ephesians 6 seriously because we are not posing that much of a threat to hell. Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

C.T. Studd, English missionary to China and the Congo in the later 19^th and early 20^th century nailed it when he said, “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop, within a yard of hell.” He lived with an intensity that most of us cannot even fathom. We want to say, “hey, dude tone it down a bit. Don’t you think you are taking yourself and this whole Christian thing a little too seriously?” But Studd didn’t let up. His desire was to please God so much that he made himself a threat to hell. He said too, “I want to live in such a way that when I die, all of hell rejoices that I am no longer in the fight.”

No one else’s words seem to capture the seriousness and intensity which God has called me forward. So I say to all who will go bravely out into their spheres of influence with the cause of Jesus written on their hearts and boldly spoken from their lips, “Welcome to the jungle!”

Jesus is number F-O-U-R (4)?!

In a recent poll Italians were asked to whom they addressed prayer. Jesus was the # F-O-U-R (4)person on the list - (Jesus is Number 4 video)! It's for this reason that our hearts are committed now more than ever before to get to Italy to live out and teach the saving gospel of Jesus Christ! No matter what it takes to get there and get the work done, we will do it! No matter if anyone else follows us or believes we can do it, we HAVE to go, and WANT to go because God said to do it! He called us to wake up Italy and that's what we intend to do!

Because of what we've learned in the process of getting ready for our calling, we are not afraid of what can happen to us. We are living on the edge of our faith with our kids right there in the mix, and are having the time of our lives watching God work His plan out for us. Like Las Vegas gamblers, we have shoved in all our chips on Jesus, and bet everything that the call He spoke to us is true and is coming to pass even right now.

We have never stopped working to see the reality of waking up Italy to the truth of Jesus happen. Our colleagues are working, evangelizing and discipling and planting new churches. Our ministry partners are helping with their financial gifts and prayers each month. And we are finishing out with fundraising and school (graduating in October). We look forward to joining in the church planting work in Italy soon

Just to let you know where we are right now - I wanted to let you know that to date we have raised 63% of our monthly support budget. We have been increasing every month, and now only need just over $500 in monthly support to reach 70% of our support goal. At this point, we will be able to enter the last phase of our preparation - applying for our religious worker's visas for entrance into Italy!

We will be coming to Atlanta during the week of March Monday, March 25 - Friday, March 29 to meet with local pastors about joining our support team. We already have meetings scheduled, but if you have been praying about becoming a partner in waking up Italy to Jesus, now would be the time to contact us to set up a meeting - stephen@wakeupitaly.org. We would love to schedule a lunch or coffee meeting and tell you how you can be a part of a dynamic explosion of the gospel into the hearts and lives of those living in Italy! It's time to wake up Italy! Will you be a part of making Jesus # 1 again in the hearts of Italians?!