COVID-19: in Italy
Hello everyone, so much has happened in our church and around the world since our last update.
The video above is all about what God has been doing during the quarantine, how we're handling the transition into a more normal life, and renovating the new building:
We lived through a very strict quarantine the last few months but the family did well.
Even though we weren't allowed to leave the house, we were busier than ever with the church through zoom and facebook live with church services, prayer meetings, administrative meetings, and small group fellowship.
We are now transitioning out of the quarantine and God is providing some beautiful opportunity to talk with people and share the gospel.
Our new building is purchased and the renovation has begun. There is still a large project ahead of us to get the building ready but we are so excited for how this location change will open so many doors into the heart of our city.
Please write us if you have any questions or prayer requests. We're so grateful for you!
Much love,
Landon, Rachel, Avila, & Holden
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FINANCIAL TEAM
We're so grateful for you the faithful people who make the ministry here possible financially. It is encouraging to see God answer our prayers so practically through you.
People have asked if we still need support now that I'll be pastoring in Feltre. Valid question and the answer is absolutely yes. We will be serving a very small church. The church's giving keeps the lights on and pays rent, but not much more than that. We're so grateful that we can devote our time fully to discipling, teaching the word, learning the language, and our prayer is that God raises up these local Italians to reach their people in cities surrounding us in Feltre. The journey is just beginning!
If you have been praying about giving and haven't yet, you can check out our donate page for more logistics or click here to give online now or set up automatic monthly payments.
PRAYER TEAM
Thank you for praying for us... please send us your prayer requests so we can be praying for you too.
Praise Reports
We received our new visas so we officially have permission to live her until 2022
Every other spring our kiddos were sick for months but praise God that both of our kids WERE NEVER ONCE sick during the quarantine?
Instead of feeling more distant during the quarantine, because of zoom services on Sunday, fellowship small groups on Thursday evenings also on zoom, and nightly prayer on facebook live we've all actually gotten even closer as a community.
We see a few different people praying about moving to be a part of the ministry that God is doing here. There is such need and we are excited to see what God will do.
God is continuing to bless our church and the believers with unity!
Prayer Requests
Pray that God opens many doors for the gospel!
Please continue to pray for the building renovation for precise and efficient work by the contractors.
Pray for Landon as he re-starts the process of getting an Italian drivers license. He has to take the test in Italian and it is quite difficult.
For the transition into meeting in person because with all the restrictions some aren't able to be here in person with us and things aren't the same. Pray that we are able to serve the church (the people) well from afar and do our best during the transition.
Pray for our family and Jenna (who serves with us) that we can continue to learn the language and run hard in the work God has given us here.
Pray for our marriage to be blessed and filled with God's presence, grace, and unity.
For our financial team who supports us that God would continue to provide for them and even bless them even in this economic difficulty.
Continue to pray for unity within our church as we begin to structure and organize things better to more effectively minister the gospel within our church and to the lost.
Answered Prayer (from previous lists)
✓God provided a large donation that completely covered the purchase of a building in central Feltre. THANK YOU JESUS!
✓Pray for a dear friend who decided to minister alongside us in the work in Feltre. Pray for God's leading as they prepare and seek the Lord.
✓We praise God for His direction in our lives and for leading us to Feltre to serve Jesus with those people. We are so excited!
✓ We found a great car to purchase with the money from the cars we sold before we left. It has already changed so much of how we do things and all the documents lined up so we purchased it three days before we really needed it... after a six month wait.
✓ We received our Permesso di Soggiorno (permission to live) in Italy. This makes us legal here for till 2020.
✓ For our last car to sell. It is on the lot at Downtown Auto Sales in Bakersfield. Believers bought both of our cars before we moved!
✓ For the transition as our family lives with family and friends. We had such amazing hosts, thank you to my fam, Rach's fam, and the Librings!
✓ The perfect apartment and neighbors for our family once we move to Italy. We show a short clip of our place in the video! We love it and its beginning to feel like home.
✓ God has really blessed the class Landon has taught this spring '18 semester. His students were very engaged and worked hard.
