Hi everybody, 

Dear Saints,

Blessings from bella Roma! It has been a busy month or so here in the city set on seven hills, more specifically out here in our zone of Tor Bella Monaca, so we have a lot to share but will try to keep it as brief as possible. By God’s grace we have been busy following after a fresh mandate this year to be focused on doing the work of evangelism. We have been trying various ways to reach out into the community and get into the hearts of the people; at least get the gospel into their hearts anyway.

God has been speaking to us and reminding us afresh of the importance of demonstrating and the implementing His love, showing people that we are his disciples by our love one for another, then, practically loving them in His name by helping them in practical ways.

At the end of February we were granted permission by the city to do some outreach out under some of the high rises near sort of a mall area in our zone (pretty run-down). We took this opportunity to clean things up, do a little music ministry, set up a gazebo for our association, get out information via flyers and tracts, as well as do some video interviews using the “Good Test”. People were very curious of course, wondering what these crazy people were doing cleaning up a bunch of doggie doo-doo then trying to talk to them about God. Our organization, officially called ‘The Vine’, has been tapped by the city as a partner in offering social assistance. Being such a small fellowship we don’t have much in the way of resources, but God is leading, and we believe things will fall into place as we step out in faith to help people in practical ways. We are using some of the resources we do have to give people some basics, groceries, and usually diapers since most are single moms struggling to survive. Recently, we delivered some food and diapers to a house that contained a family of four, a single mom with a four month old, plus two other single ladies all living together trying to make ends meet with only one of the single ladies employed. Pray for Francesca and Tania, which are sisters and both moms in the midst of that situation. Pray together with us, as we desire to be God’s arms and hands helping people in these desperate times.

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Seeking to do some video interviews with the Good Test, God brought us a guy who works in an aquarium shop next to where we were set up. Amazingly enough, as we moved through our first interview with Enzo, God touched his heart and he prayed to receive Christ. We almost didn’t know what to do!! Though we haven’t been able to have much contact with Enzo since, we rejoice in the possibility of the sincerity of his heart and prayer. We pray for concrete discipleship opportunities with him and for him to grow in faith and in the Word. Our time out that day opened up great opportunities to talk to many people, along with about ten teenage Italian guys and a lady named Anita, about Jesus and salvation by Grace.

In trying different approaches to see what the Romans might respond to, a week later we put on a free showing of the ‘Jesus Film’ in Italian in that same area in an old film room that the city granted us access to. The turn out was very discouraging as only three people showed up apart from our own fellowship team. And two of them were already believers! God knows. The one lady that was there that we didn’t know we had actually met in the market area that day when we were handing out invitations. Her name is MariaAngela and she is a high school teacher in our zone. She is a charismatic Catholic who worships Mary and makes pilgrimages to the apparition sites. But we were glad she came and watched the film with us. We gave her a free copy of the film, some literature, and challenged her to read her Bible and put Jesus at the center.

Last week we had an outreach team from the Calvary Chapel Bible College in York, England. The team was a great blessing and got out tons of gospel tracts. Making one day a work day, we went outside of Rome to help a lady in a practical way that had recently lost her husband in a car accident. When I went out to be with her and the family several weeks ago at the time of the accident, it weighed on my heart how run down her house was on the inside. I asked her if it would be offensive or insulting if we were to offer her to paint her main room, which seemed that it had never had paint put on it along with the children’s open art expressions along the walls with crayons and pencils. Pray for Rachel, little Omar (6yrs. old) and Sara (3 yrs. old) as they continue to grieve and move on without their husband and daddy. She responded positively so we went out with the students and got crazy for five hours cleaning the place up. She was greatly blessed and super thankful.

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Our ministry time at the “Pista”, or the recreational area behind our house where neighborhood kids hang out, was also fun and effective. There was plenty of soccer being played, some ping-pong and so forth. The guys on the York team really connected with a few of the boys from the neighborhood. One in particular was Daniel. Pray for Daniel and all of these kids, for their salvation and more opportunities with them.

As we passed out tracts in the market place on Saturday I ran into a young lady named Rosanne! It has been a while since we have run into someone so soft, hungry, and open. Tears of thanksgiving welled up in her eyes when we gave her a free copy of the Jesus film along with some Scriptures to consider. We had an amazing conversation and really believe that she is right at the edge of receiving Christ in a personal way. Pray that Rosanne will contact us soon to continue our dialogue, that she’ll come to church to study and hear God’s Word.

Coming up we have some good friends arriving for a visit over the weekend, then the first week of April we have a large team of high school students from New Jersey with us for outreach. It will be quite week as there are 41 of them. Please pray us all up. On the 4th of April we are putting on a concert at the stage behind our house in the youth rec. park! Pray for God to prepare the way. We’ll have a couple of local Christian bands plus our American guests ministering through music while we throw a good ole American BBQ (they love it). The third week of April we have a couple of bible college students coming down for outreach from the CC Bible college in Montebelluna, Italy, then the last couple of days in April we have an all Calvary’s in Italy retreat in a town called Sirolo out on the Adriatic coast.

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As far as the church goes in general, things are good. We are still in the house and still looking, praying, and waiting on a building. One major change in the fellowship will be Robert going out to start a church up on the hill in a town called Frascati, which is where he lives. We will miss him greatly but it is time and there are folks up there who need a church home and good teaching. Please pray for him and for our fellowship as we make the transition.

On a personal front, we are resting and recouping after a busy month, spending quality time as a family. The girls are great, growing, doing homework, and learning Italian more and more. Braydy is sweet and fun, ready to break into the English-speaking world… we hope. I recently tasted one of the greatest victories in all our time here by acquiring my Italian drivers license. Quite a process!! Hope recently enjoyed having a good friend visit from Boise, is enjoying her little mamma’s boy, and is back in action with doing Sunday school. Our prayer and plan is to get the tribe back to the states to visit family, friends and fellowships late June Lord willing. We hope to see all of you and make you some of our favorite Italian pastas and pastries!!

In the meantime, we covet your prayer and appreciate your continued encouragement and support.

Prayer:

1. Church - building, Robert transitioning to church plant in Frascati, blessings on those efforts, adjustments made by all.
2. The Vine association - involvement with the city and social assistance, open doors with resources like groceries, diapers, supplies, clothing, etc… Those we have served and helped previously - Francesca, Tania, and their 3 kids, Alice and her daughter, Regina and her daughter, that they all might find work and Jesus.
3. Follow-up for concrete discipleship - Enzo
4. Salvation and deepened relations - Anita, Rosanne, Salvatore, Patrizio, MariaAngela (repentance from idol worship) Daniel, Claudio, and the other kids at the Pista.
5. Those suffering - Grace, wisdom, provision, healing and hope for Rachel, Omar and Sara. Healing for Negist battling skin allergies causing open wounds and pain, keeping her from fellowship, work etc… Amy and Stefano healing from a miscarriage, seeking God’s will for having kids and understanding any potential problems, Ester also seeking God’s will for that special man in her life, dealing with family issues.
6. Upcoming outreach – New Jersey High School Team of 41, grace protection, unity, fruitfulness. Concert/BBQ Outreach April 4th. Pray for the participating bands, their health, anointed ministry through music and testimonies, kids to respond to the gospel. Outreach team of Bible college students from Italy and Germany the third week of April, divine appointments, love communicated, people drawn.
7. Harrell Personal – God’s provision for tickets to come home this summer, renewal process on living permits coming next month, more supporters to sustain us living in Rome, protection on family and marriage, renewal in grace and first love that we might be a sweet smelling aroma to others leading to life in Christ for more and more people.

By Grace,

Brent, Hope, Isabella, Olivia, Brayden, and the CC Roma Crew