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.