ITALY: First Update
We're excited to get you up to speed on all that is happening!
When we first moved back to Bakersfield we knew we'd always be involved in missions, whether short or long term, and we also knew that God wanted us in Bakersfield, CA at Crossroads Christian Fellowship. It has been a privilege to serve Jesus, plant roots, and grow alongside our family here for four years now.
We got an email about a year and a half ago from one of Rachel's friends who is serving Jesus in northern Italy that impacted us. This is what she wrote:
"Right now something incredible is happening in Italy, people are getting saved all over (I mean like a few here and there, but all over the country) and contacting our pastor asking for churches. There is one church in the south that has a small body of young (late teens - early to mid 20s) new believers. They got saved and their pastor left. There are all sorts of groups like that: different cities with a few believers begging for a pastor. Some people drive hours to come to a church. Here, it is overwhelmingly true that the harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few."
We started praying as a family for these people. The more we prayed for them, the more we sensed God moving in our hearts to be a part of the solution. We've decided to walk by faith by trusting God's leading and have begun taking practical steps toward moving in early December.
If you are interested in joining us by getting involved here's what we recommend:
Pray about being a part of "Team Italy" which is our prayer team and/or financial team.
If you feel led to pray for us, subscribe to this blog to stay up to date with all the prayer requests.
If you are called to financially support, go ahead and read through our donate page link at the top of our site.
There are more details and a bit more of the story in our video if you haven't already watched. We'll answer FAQs in our next video update so please send us any questions you have!
Much love,
Landon, Rachel, Avila, & Holden
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PRAYER TEAM
We are increasingly grateful for the prayer warriors in our lives. It makes us so happy watching God move in real and practical ways all because people are praying! Please send us your prayer requests so we can be praying for you too.
Praise Reports
For the amazingly supportive people we have in our lives! They've brought diverse wisdom, encouragement, challenge, and refinement through the whole process. This is a really good thing!
For the fact that God has been challenging our family to trust Him and follow Him. It is a mix of emotions, but we are excited God is moving.
Our home church CrossRoads has been so loving and supportive of us as a family!
Prayer Requests
For God's continued direction as dates, details, and decisions are currently being planned.
For our CARE team that will be a liaison to our home church once we leave. The team isn't formed yet but meetings start in September. Pray God provides the perfect people called to partner with us!
Pray for all the transitions that will be taking place in Montebelluna and Bakersfield, that God will meet the needs of the ministries we're heading to and from.
Pray for our family, immediate and extended, as we all transition into a new reality.
