I remember when this journey started I had been living in Fort Worth for a little over 4 months when I heard that the young adults class in my church was going to send a small group to connect with some missionary partners our class had in Florence, Italy. I essentially went to the interest meeting to see why we had missionaries in Italy. (If you aren't sure...let me know. I would love to share with you the many reasons why.) As I became interested in going, I began to fill out the application. There is something about those applications that make me wonder if God would call a fallen person to share the message of the savior? I always become burdened with my guilt even though I know the truth that God has already paid my debt and forgiven my sins. Long story short I end up on the team feeling like I was doing something worthwhile in going to help our partners in Florence for a week over my summer but not at all feeling like I was qualified to go. Who knew that God would take my small leap of faith and change the course of my life?
It was in that trip that we also took a day trip by train to Bologna, Italy. There we met with Jesse and Tricia Marcos. While we were there Tricia mentioned that they were looking for an English as a Second Language Teacher to join them in the fall of 2009. Again my response was something along the lines, of ESL teacher yes, missionary no. I felt that there was no way God would call me into the missions field. I was an undeserving sinner. Anyhow like the first time God took the time to show me, he would call me. He did find me worthy of serving him. He showed me through the life of Paul and others in the New Testament that the people he used, other than Jesus himself, were all imperfect people called to share the perfect message. Wow, what a relief, I am not called to be perfect just to share.
However, several times in the past month I have felt God moving me towards another year here in Bologna, if not more, and I wanted to share that journey with you. The first time I felt God beginning to work on my heart, was this summer. I was in my second week of support raising and it was the first week support had not increased. I was praying asking God if he had changed his mind or if I was supposed to go at all. Not long after I finished praying and was staring at the number before me in a daze than my dishwasher stop. Being the excellent procrastinator that I am I stood up to put the dishes away rather than mail my support coach my number that hadn't changed. In the time it took me to put the dished away, I got three phone calls of people joining my team. The last call went something along the lines of,"Crystal, I have been praying and have decided to support you for two years at --$$ per month." Two years, I thought in disbelief I hadn't mentioned two years as even a remote possibility. Hum, I immediately pointed my finger in a heavenly direction and said God I am giving you a year, isn't that good enough. It soon occurred to me if I lived a 100 years, I was only giving him 1% of my life. Wow, that did not feel good. Ok, I will, maybe, just a little bit, think about I moaned.
Two weeks later was July 4th weekend, and I was at a family reunion for my Grandfathers side of the family. Now most of my family is from Texas or Arkansas on that side. I was standing at the sink talking with a distant cousin asking her, "What took you to New York?" She replied," I went to start a church plant, for 2 years." Her mother leaned over the sink to face me and say, "That was 30 years ago." Wow, again I prayed to God, I am in for a year, not more than that. I can't handle more; I am not qualified for that kind of task.
The next time I felt God speaking to me about more than a year, I was in Bologna. My team and I were on campus doing some surveys with the students asking many different types of questions. One was along the lines of, “Who would you discuss spiritual things with?" The answer," My friends, not my family, maybe my friends." Going off script I asked, " How long would you have to be friends with someone to talk with them about spiritual things?" Her answer was simple, "years, and years, and years, and years." Her answer was met with several nods from her friends.
The following week I was at the fall conference with Agape Italia staff. In one of the sessions I was with a girl celebrating her third year in Italy. She was super excited. I asked her why and she mentioned that most missionaries in Italy turn over within two years. It was known as a missionary grave yard. It made me start thinking, most missionaries are not in Italy long enough to develop the type of friendships necessary to discuss spiritual things with Italians. For the first time I felt really convicted about staying here longer.
As the holidays approached, I realized that for the first time in my life I would be spending Thanksgiving, and Christmas without any family. I was really crying a lot at the thought of that. Many nights I would do inventory with God about all the things I had given up to be here and to serve him. I would always concede that he was worth it, but that it was not the least bit easy. It was during one of my nightly prayers that I was asking God that if it really was in his will that I stay another year that he make it very clear. Making demands of God is never a good thing to do yet here I was. The next day, I am wasting time on facebook, when I get a message from an Italian student who lives in Rome that I don't know. He has requested that I add him and told me he did not know me but that he knew some of the Agape staff in Rome. So I conceded even though I usually don't. As soon as I added him, he sent me a message. He wanted to share with me the things he felt Agape was doing wrong. On the top of his list, was the fact that STINTers, like myself, were not in Italy long enough to build the type of relationships necessary to talk about spiritual things, and also so that the Italians wouldn't be suspicious. Not here long enough, I pondered in my brain. "God, could you have done something a bit more ambiguous. I was not asking for something quite so clear."
So, two weeks ago I went with a friend Linda to visit her friend Emanuel's family's vineyard in the country. One of the topics he wanted to speak with me about was that I really ought to think about staying longer in Italy if I wanted to be effective at what God was calling me to do.
It was after this that I really began praying that if God wanted me to stay, he would need to change my heart. In my mind my heart was with family and friends back home and not in staying another year. Last week in Nerja, Spain I was reading in Joshua, (I am reading through the whole bible this year) and I read:
Joshua 22: 5
"But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."
I realize that if I love the Lord with all my heart, following him, even if it means putting family and friends aside, is an easy decision. I did not need God to change my heart if it was already following and serving him. In a few more verses again I knew what the decision should be when I read the words of Joshua 24: 15
"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
I realize that I feel like an unlikely candidate to be called into service for God, but so did Moses. (Exodus 4:10) However I know that God's will is where I want to be. So what I ask is that you pray for discernment and wisdom for me in the coming months as I seek with all my heart to follow the Lord and to stay in his will.
Crystal
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Book of Hope
Today marked a great day for ministry outreach here in Bologna. Our Bologna team has a unique situation in which Agape Italia is partnered other churhes and ministries that seek to reach the people of Bologna for the kingdom of God.
Today we, Agape, began helping with the Book of Hope distiribution, or libri di sparnaza. We went to a local high school with approximately 1,000 plus students. There schools are arranged a little differently than what we are used to in the states. Each student has a schedule that in unique to them and only some students come each day. So today, Thursday, and Saturday I will return with Cody and Kelly to continue passing out the book of hope at this school in hopes that each of the students there gets one. (Yes, I said Saturday to those who were reading carefully. Even though Monday, and Tuesday were a holiday here in Italy with no school, the schools are on stike on Friday, so we will be going to school with the students on Saturday.) Other teams are focusing on other high schools in the area.
Now, this is very strategic because members of our team went to some of those same schools the week of Thanksgiving and shared about the history of the American holiday. Ester, an Italian that we partnered with also shared what she was thankful for, GOD! Now this was tricky because they were only allowed to share their experiences. Thankfully, there were students who were both believers and non believers that asked just the right questions that the team was able to share the gospel with the students in the audience of several of the presentations. Hallelujah! God is great!
The follow-up to some of the presentation was that Ester was able to get several thousand copies of the book of hope and permission from ALL area high schools to pass them out to the students before school. Just as a side note that is an extraordinary feat! Praise God! The book of hope basically walks through the book of John and the gospel. It also has several testimonies of other young people who lives have been transformed because of a relationship with the savior! We are praying that the students not only read them and share them with others but that the holy spirit stirs their hearts with a longing for a personal relationship with the Lord. I know God is faithful to his promises!
Isaiah 55:10-11 (New International Version)
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
The last part of the puzzle is this, on Saturday night, an Italian Christian Worship band, Lost and Found will be putting on a concert just for these High School students at a popular discotecca.
Please pray that as we are reaching out to the high school students here in Bologna, that God is at work! These books could easy be pushed to the side or thrown in the trash, but I know God is alive and well in this city, and that the students definitely need the hope of a savior that has already defeated the enemy. Our team is increasingly aware that without God all our efforts are in vain. Pray that we continue to acknowledge that and seek his leadership and wisdom as we seek this city for his kingdom!
Also, due to scheduling issues and the holiday here in Italy on Tuesday, the English club at the engineering faculty has been unable to meet these past two weeks. We have offered several other times to meet and make up missed times and I am looking forward to meeting with the students again next week in our regularly scheduled time. Please pray for Kelly, Cody, Ryan, and I as we seek relationships with these students that the Lord open doors to share the Gospel!
As always, please also keep me posted as to things I can pray for you for. It would be my honor to take your requests before the Lord. Just send me an email at clearblue06@live.com.
Love in Christ,
Crystal
Today we, Agape, began helping with the Book of Hope distiribution, or libri di sparnaza. We went to a local high school with approximately 1,000 plus students. There schools are arranged a little differently than what we are used to in the states. Each student has a schedule that in unique to them and only some students come each day. So today, Thursday, and Saturday I will return with Cody and Kelly to continue passing out the book of hope at this school in hopes that each of the students there gets one. (Yes, I said Saturday to those who were reading carefully. Even though Monday, and Tuesday were a holiday here in Italy with no school, the schools are on stike on Friday, so we will be going to school with the students on Saturday.) Other teams are focusing on other high schools in the area.
Now, this is very strategic because members of our team went to some of those same schools the week of Thanksgiving and shared about the history of the American holiday. Ester, an Italian that we partnered with also shared what she was thankful for, GOD! Now this was tricky because they were only allowed to share their experiences. Thankfully, there were students who were both believers and non believers that asked just the right questions that the team was able to share the gospel with the students in the audience of several of the presentations. Hallelujah! God is great!
The follow-up to some of the presentation was that Ester was able to get several thousand copies of the book of hope and permission from ALL area high schools to pass them out to the students before school. Just as a side note that is an extraordinary feat! Praise God! The book of hope basically walks through the book of John and the gospel. It also has several testimonies of other young people who lives have been transformed because of a relationship with the savior! We are praying that the students not only read them and share them with others but that the holy spirit stirs their hearts with a longing for a personal relationship with the Lord. I know God is faithful to his promises!
Isaiah 55:10-11 (New International Version)
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
The last part of the puzzle is this, on Saturday night, an Italian Christian Worship band, Lost and Found will be putting on a concert just for these High School students at a popular discotecca.
Please pray that as we are reaching out to the high school students here in Bologna, that God is at work! These books could easy be pushed to the side or thrown in the trash, but I know God is alive and well in this city, and that the students definitely need the hope of a savior that has already defeated the enemy. Our team is increasingly aware that without God all our efforts are in vain. Pray that we continue to acknowledge that and seek his leadership and wisdom as we seek this city for his kingdom!
Also, due to scheduling issues and the holiday here in Italy on Tuesday, the English club at the engineering faculty has been unable to meet these past two weeks. We have offered several other times to meet and make up missed times and I am looking forward to meeting with the students again next week in our regularly scheduled time. Please pray for Kelly, Cody, Ryan, and I as we seek relationships with these students that the Lord open doors to share the Gospel!
As always, please also keep me posted as to things I can pray for you for. It would be my honor to take your requests before the Lord. Just send me an email at clearblue06@live.com.
Love in Christ,
Crystal
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Choosy mom's Choose Jif, plus other news!
First off I am so excited that after 6 trips to the post office and having someone call the automated post office phone system 5 times, that I finally have the package my mom sent me! Made my day! I also got a postcard and a letter today! Gosh I feel so loved!
IN OTHER NEWS:
We had our second English class today at the Facoltà di Ingegneria today and had 6 students show up. So, I will update you as to the progress of the class. The students are coming because at this faculty in the spring there will be an English test most of the students will be required to take, so I am going to help them with some test prep.
Last week when we met I had prepared a lesson focusing on a major English test in Italy that I thought that they might be taking, but it was the wrong one. The 7 students that showed up last week all said they were spoke, "Bruto Italiano." They lied, they spoke very good English. We did lots of grammar practice and it was ok. Anyhow, this week I knew in advance what test they would be taking as well as what they wanted to do with our time together. So, this week we focused on the spoken part of the test.
I prepared models of the four different parts and their components. We had a ton of fun. The first part of the test is an interview of the tester about their hometowns, family, and other things. I liked this part because I was able to hear a little from each person about who they are and where they are from. In the second part of the test they have to compare two pictures. The funniest thing is one set was to compare a dog to a chipmunk. It was so funny because none of the Italians had seen a picture of one before. After Kelly and I began to explain what it was one of the girls shouted, “They dance and sing like, umm” and I replied, “Alvin?” She said yes and they are started talking about Alvin and the chipmunks. After a few minutes of laughter we moved on to the third part in which the test takers are given a task they have to plan in pairs. It was fun to hear them interact with one another. The last part of the spoken test is for the students to discuss in a group of three their opinions about a question or topic.
This is where our time together got interesting. One of the questions I asked focused on politics in Italy. Anyhow they were all a little eager to discuss and Kelly got a lot of insight. She studied Italian politics as a part of her coursework in college. After our two hours together was over, I was a little sad that I would have to wait till next week for us to talk again!
• That the English club on Tuesday turns into a great way to foster relationships with the Italians. Praise that is on the campus and that we kind of have a room.
• Pray for the discussion group about worldviews of Christianity and other religions turns into a fruitful time with believers and non-believers here in Bologna. On a side note, it will take place in a McDonalds.
• Pray for the small group of girls who want to study the Bible with Annet in Greek and Latin. Praise that we have someone on our team who can do that!
• Pray for the team as we each branch out into personal ministry interest times on campus. Pray that we will each find something that will help develop relationships with Italians that will lead to sharing of the gospel.
• Pray for some special relationships that our Cody, Jesse, and Tricia have with people in the community and praise that some of them are asking the staff about God, the church, and the Bible!
As always, I want to continue to pray for supporters back home. Feel free to email me at clearblue06@live.com and I will make sure to diligently talk to God about what you share!
Agape in Christ,
Crystal
A picture of the card and post card, as well as the slips delivered before the package without pickup instructions.
The package, filled with lots of thoughtful goodies!
Choosy mom's choose Jif! Plus Taco seasoning, yumm!!! Thank you momma so much!
IN OTHER NEWS:
Last week when we met I had prepared a lesson focusing on a major English test in Italy that I thought that they might be taking, but it was the wrong one. The 7 students that showed up last week all said they were spoke, "Bruto Italiano." They lied, they spoke very good English. We did lots of grammar practice and it was ok. Anyhow, this week I knew in advance what test they would be taking as well as what they wanted to do with our time together. So, this week we focused on the spoken part of the test.
I prepared models of the four different parts and their components. We had a ton of fun. The first part of the test is an interview of the tester about their hometowns, family, and other things. I liked this part because I was able to hear a little from each person about who they are and where they are from. In the second part of the test they have to compare two pictures. The funniest thing is one set was to compare a dog to a chipmunk. It was so funny because none of the Italians had seen a picture of one before. After Kelly and I began to explain what it was one of the girls shouted, “They dance and sing like, umm” and I replied, “Alvin?” She said yes and they are started talking about Alvin and the chipmunks. After a few minutes of laughter we moved on to the third part in which the test takers are given a task they have to plan in pairs. It was fun to hear them interact with one another. The last part of the spoken test is for the students to discuss in a group of three their opinions about a question or topic.
This is where our time together got interesting. One of the questions I asked focused on politics in Italy. Anyhow they were all a little eager to discuss and Kelly got a lot of insight. She studied Italian politics as a part of her coursework in college. After our two hours together was over, I was a little sad that I would have to wait till next week for us to talk again!
Prayer Requests
• That the English club on Tuesday turns into a great way to foster relationships with the Italians. Praise that is on the campus and that we kind of have a room.
• Pray for the discussion group about worldviews of Christianity and other religions turns into a fruitful time with believers and non-believers here in Bologna. On a side note, it will take place in a McDonalds.
• Pray for the small group of girls who want to study the Bible with Annet in Greek and Latin. Praise that we have someone on our team who can do that!
• Pray for the team as we each branch out into personal ministry interest times on campus. Pray that we will each find something that will help develop relationships with Italians that will lead to sharing of the gospel.
• Pray for some special relationships that our Cody, Jesse, and Tricia have with people in the community and praise that some of them are asking the staff about God, the church, and the Bible!
As always, I want to continue to pray for supporters back home. Feel free to email me at clearblue06@live.com and I will make sure to diligently talk to God about what you share!
Agape in Christ,
Crystal
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Objective One
Last week, the girls and I started our campus ministry at the University of Bologna. Getting there is taking a lot of faith.
Campus Crusade for Christ in the United States basically goes to students at a university's campus and initiates conversations with students about spirituality. Most hope that these initial conversations will lead a non-believer of Christ in a relationship with a staff member in which questions can be answered in a non threatening environment that will prayerfully lead the non believer to the person of Christ. That person can then be discipled and ultimately lead to a point where they too will want to share the gospel of Christ with others. Now as a disclaimer, I was not involved with Campus Crusade during college and I am relying on others descriptions of what they experienced during college. Also, this is a brief description is not an all encompassing view of the many varied ministries Campus Crusade has both stateside and abroad.
That being said, that method has not worked here in Italy. The Italians' have a different culture and different worldview than Americans. Our time on campus last week was spent doing surveys with some of the students here in Bologna. Surveys like the one we did have been done by staff members at other campus ministries throughout Italy, and Agape Italia has seen some common threads amoung the different locations but also some differences. We will also be doing some throughout the year just to make sure that as we try and reach Italian students with the gospel, that we don't let culture hinder the message.
In Acts 17: 16-34 Paul has taken the time to observe the people living in Athens and what their culture was like. When he took the gospel to the people of Athens he did so in a way that connected to their culture. Instead of going to the synagogue as was more the cultural norm, he started in the market place where the Athenians shared the daily news. He went to the Areopagus and proclaimed it there. The same place that Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated the latest ideas. He said he had observed the way they had built alters and worshipped many Gods. He also noted that they had an alter for an "unknown god." He used their way of life to communicate a message that needed to be heard there. He did not let what was familiar to him; stop him from finding a way to reach the Athenians where they were.
Paul talks about this more in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
That being said we are on campus at this point trying to find out what the culture of the students at the University of Bologna looks like.
Some things currently being processed.
1) Most students have said they would not talk about spiritual things with people they do not know. One girl said, “I would talk about spiritual things with my friends, my family, no, my friends, maybe..." So, we will need to get to know the Italians. Sounds easy right, it is not, keep reading. They also did not say the church.
2) When asked where there friends are from, the university or their cities, many of the students replied both, but the ones they were close to were from home. When asked how long it took for them to become close enough to share personal things with them, one replied, "years and years."
So, we need to be close friends with the Italians and that can take many years, are you starting to see that this may be different than the U.S. A fact I learned this weekend is that the average rate of turnover for a missionary serving in Italy is 2 years. My friends, the missionaries here aren't staying long enough to get to a place where the Italians want to talk about spiritual things.
3) National leadership has observed the fact that Italians are a little suspicious of free things. Last year a team was giving out free bottles of water, and the Italians were very suspicious. Free language classes, same thing, there must be something wrong with it. Now think about this, the Gospel is free to hear. (1 Corinthians 9:18) God's grace costs us nothing, but cost God his only son. We could never earn our salvation. It is free. Our good works can't get us a spot in heaven with God. It is free. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Being religious is not enough. It is free. Jesus paid the debt of our sins by dying on the cross, a debt we simply cannot pay. It is free. (John 14:6) Jesus died in our place. It is free. (1 Peter 3:18) All we have to do is accept an invitation. It is free. (John 1:12)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Now my wheels turn thinking about a suspicion of free things, my friends, the gospel is free. Are they suspicious of it too?
4) The Italians don't understand missionaries. Many non practicing Italians think the church is here, why are you? What is the difference between Catholic and protestant? Are you going to tell me that the catholic culture and my by default "Italian" culture are wrong? There has been a lot of protestant churches doing just that and a lot of catholic retaliation. That all being with our bringing in the "Church" and its history here.
There is a lot more being processed and we are working to try and brainstorm ideas that might reach into the hearts and minds of Italian culture so that we can share the gospel with the many lost people here. As a team we are prepared to try many things this year and to fail. Just pray for us, for wisdom, as we brainstorm. Pray for God to go out ahead of us and prepare a place. Pray that God not let His Words return empty even though we are not sufficient to adequately share the "Good News." (Isaiah 55: 10-11)
Ciao!
Crystal
Campus Crusade for Christ in the United States basically goes to students at a university's campus and initiates conversations with students about spirituality. Most hope that these initial conversations will lead a non-believer of Christ in a relationship with a staff member in which questions can be answered in a non threatening environment that will prayerfully lead the non believer to the person of Christ. That person can then be discipled and ultimately lead to a point where they too will want to share the gospel of Christ with others. Now as a disclaimer, I was not involved with Campus Crusade during college and I am relying on others descriptions of what they experienced during college. Also, this is a brief description is not an all encompassing view of the many varied ministries Campus Crusade has both stateside and abroad.
That being said, that method has not worked here in Italy. The Italians' have a different culture and different worldview than Americans. Our time on campus last week was spent doing surveys with some of the students here in Bologna. Surveys like the one we did have been done by staff members at other campus ministries throughout Italy, and Agape Italia has seen some common threads amoung the different locations but also some differences. We will also be doing some throughout the year just to make sure that as we try and reach Italian students with the gospel, that we don't let culture hinder the message.
In Acts 17: 16-34 Paul has taken the time to observe the people living in Athens and what their culture was like. When he took the gospel to the people of Athens he did so in a way that connected to their culture. Instead of going to the synagogue as was more the cultural norm, he started in the market place where the Athenians shared the daily news. He went to the Areopagus and proclaimed it there. The same place that Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated the latest ideas. He said he had observed the way they had built alters and worshipped many Gods. He also noted that they had an alter for an "unknown god." He used their way of life to communicate a message that needed to be heard there. He did not let what was familiar to him; stop him from finding a way to reach the Athenians where they were.
Paul talks about this more in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
That being said we are on campus at this point trying to find out what the culture of the students at the University of Bologna looks like.
Some things currently being processed.
1) Most students have said they would not talk about spiritual things with people they do not know. One girl said, “I would talk about spiritual things with my friends, my family, no, my friends, maybe..." So, we will need to get to know the Italians. Sounds easy right, it is not, keep reading. They also did not say the church.
2) When asked where there friends are from, the university or their cities, many of the students replied both, but the ones they were close to were from home. When asked how long it took for them to become close enough to share personal things with them, one replied, "years and years."
So, we need to be close friends with the Italians and that can take many years, are you starting to see that this may be different than the U.S. A fact I learned this weekend is that the average rate of turnover for a missionary serving in Italy is 2 years. My friends, the missionaries here aren't staying long enough to get to a place where the Italians want to talk about spiritual things.
3) National leadership has observed the fact that Italians are a little suspicious of free things. Last year a team was giving out free bottles of water, and the Italians were very suspicious. Free language classes, same thing, there must be something wrong with it. Now think about this, the Gospel is free to hear. (1 Corinthians 9:18) God's grace costs us nothing, but cost God his only son. We could never earn our salvation. It is free. Our good works can't get us a spot in heaven with God. It is free. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Being religious is not enough. It is free. Jesus paid the debt of our sins by dying on the cross, a debt we simply cannot pay. It is free. (John 14:6) Jesus died in our place. It is free. (1 Peter 3:18) All we have to do is accept an invitation. It is free. (John 1:12)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Now my wheels turn thinking about a suspicion of free things, my friends, the gospel is free. Are they suspicious of it too?
4) The Italians don't understand missionaries. Many non practicing Italians think the church is here, why are you? What is the difference between Catholic and protestant? Are you going to tell me that the catholic culture and my by default "Italian" culture are wrong? There has been a lot of protestant churches doing just that and a lot of catholic retaliation. That all being with our bringing in the "Church" and its history here.
There is a lot more being processed and we are working to try and brainstorm ideas that might reach into the hearts and minds of Italian culture so that we can share the gospel with the many lost people here. As a team we are prepared to try many things this year and to fail. Just pray for us, for wisdom, as we brainstorm. Pray for God to go out ahead of us and prepare a place. Pray that God not let His Words return empty even though we are not sufficient to adequately share the "Good News." (Isaiah 55: 10-11)
Ciao!
Crystal
Cultural Lessons 101
So having been in Italy a month tomorrow 11-4-09 ,or as they write here in Italy 4-11-09, I have started learning quite a bit about Italian culture as well as my own and about myself.
1) I am impatient. Most people who know me say, "Crystal you must have a lot of patience, you do..."
Well I am not patient and God is taking the time to show me this being in Italy. I was told by some of my teammates that waiting is a part of Italian culture. When I was getting my paperwork done the longest line I waited in was maybe 30 minutes, and I thought to myself that is not too much different than the states. Well on October 14, I signed up for language classes at the Anglo American School (they teach mostly English to Italians). That day they gave me a list of what books I would need for the course. I went to the book store and they had the work book I needed but not the text book. I talked to the lady at the counter, she spoke a little English, and she informed me the book had been ordered but the bookstore was waiting on the Greeks. Humm... we are still waiting on the Greeks.
That same week, actually before I went looking for the book, my roommates were kind enough to go to the local internet provider, FastWeb to sign up for internet. Well we got internet yesterday, November 7, and in the mean time, I was very frustrated with the waiting.
So lesson number one is I have a lot less patience than I thought.
2) Language is very important to what we do on a daily basis. I can't emphasize this point enough. My first day in Italy I went to apply for my codice fiscale and my permesso. While I was doing this I was given very simple forms to fill out. It needed information such as my name, birthday, and passport number. Stateside if the same form was given to a parent of a student who did not know much English I would not have thought twice about the possibility of such a form being difficult. The information it was looking for was simple. Alas, having had my experience here in Italy, I now know the simplicity of the information required on the form does not matter, if you can't read it.
3) Second languages are hard to acquire. Prior to my experiences here in Italy, I served as a teacher in Texas, where I had English as a Second Language, E.S. L., teaching certification. In training for such a certification the professors I had shared with us many strategies based on tons of research for ways to help students acquire the ability to speak and understand English. Some were rather simple things such as where a student were to sit, or making sure to use pictures with words to help ground the words meaning. Some were a little more strategic such as having cloze passages, or passages that would leave out only key words for the ESL student to fill in. All that said, my Italian teacher used some of the same techniques when teaching Italian to non-Italian speaking students, including me. My assessment, they may help, but very little in the beginning stages of language acquisition. For the first few days I could listen in class for an hour and a half and understand little to none that was said. Having now been in the country for a month, and having been in 8 classes, I can every now and then think, "Wow, I know all the words they just said, now give me 10 minutes to think of what they mean." I will keep you posted to my progress this year.
4) Moving to a country is different from traveling to a country. When I go to visit a place, I am concerned with the best sites to see and the best food to eat, and maybe learning a few words from the host country. Moving somewhere though, I look at the sites to see every day, and say I have time to see that later, now where is the grocery store. You see the restaurants all around and think maybe I ought to try that sometime, but that tonight I think I will cook at home. You hear the language and say I want to be able to have a conversation with the people I see here and not only the ones who speak English.
5) Culture relates to how people view things, including religion, it is a part of their worldview. Now, it seems to me that having done research in college in a field that hinges on peoples worldviews I didn't expect this realization to slap me across the face the way it did. Yet, it did. When I was on campus last week interviewing students about spirituality and culture, it was interesting to contemplate how culture influenced some of the answers we heard. I will be posting more information about this on another post. This point will affect my work throughout the year, and how we reach out to the Italians.
6) This one is not so serious, but I will share. Italian is similar to Spanish in the fact that verbs change have suffixes that change based on if the verb is being done in first person (I), second person (you), him or her, us, we, or them. I hope that makes sense. It is hard to explain it. However, I was working on homework for class one night and it strikes me, in Texas I would phrase that as "Ya'll,” so do they have a plural form of you in Italian? The answer is yes. The word, noi, which literally translates as we, really means plural you, or in Texas, YA'LL! Yes!
I am sure that as culture surrounds me I will continlue to learn about Italian culture but also a little more about myself, and I will keep you posted!
Crystal
1) I am impatient. Most people who know me say, "Crystal you must have a lot of patience, you do..."
Well I am not patient and God is taking the time to show me this being in Italy. I was told by some of my teammates that waiting is a part of Italian culture. When I was getting my paperwork done the longest line I waited in was maybe 30 minutes, and I thought to myself that is not too much different than the states. Well on October 14, I signed up for language classes at the Anglo American School (they teach mostly English to Italians). That day they gave me a list of what books I would need for the course. I went to the book store and they had the work book I needed but not the text book. I talked to the lady at the counter, she spoke a little English, and she informed me the book had been ordered but the bookstore was waiting on the Greeks. Humm... we are still waiting on the Greeks.
That same week, actually before I went looking for the book, my roommates were kind enough to go to the local internet provider, FastWeb to sign up for internet. Well we got internet yesterday, November 7, and in the mean time, I was very frustrated with the waiting.
So lesson number one is I have a lot less patience than I thought.
2) Language is very important to what we do on a daily basis. I can't emphasize this point enough. My first day in Italy I went to apply for my codice fiscale and my permesso. While I was doing this I was given very simple forms to fill out. It needed information such as my name, birthday, and passport number. Stateside if the same form was given to a parent of a student who did not know much English I would not have thought twice about the possibility of such a form being difficult. The information it was looking for was simple. Alas, having had my experience here in Italy, I now know the simplicity of the information required on the form does not matter, if you can't read it.
3) Second languages are hard to acquire. Prior to my experiences here in Italy, I served as a teacher in Texas, where I had English as a Second Language, E.S. L., teaching certification. In training for such a certification the professors I had shared with us many strategies based on tons of research for ways to help students acquire the ability to speak and understand English. Some were rather simple things such as where a student were to sit, or making sure to use pictures with words to help ground the words meaning. Some were a little more strategic such as having cloze passages, or passages that would leave out only key words for the ESL student to fill in. All that said, my Italian teacher used some of the same techniques when teaching Italian to non-Italian speaking students, including me. My assessment, they may help, but very little in the beginning stages of language acquisition. For the first few days I could listen in class for an hour and a half and understand little to none that was said. Having now been in the country for a month, and having been in 8 classes, I can every now and then think, "Wow, I know all the words they just said, now give me 10 minutes to think of what they mean." I will keep you posted to my progress this year.
4) Moving to a country is different from traveling to a country. When I go to visit a place, I am concerned with the best sites to see and the best food to eat, and maybe learning a few words from the host country. Moving somewhere though, I look at the sites to see every day, and say I have time to see that later, now where is the grocery store. You see the restaurants all around and think maybe I ought to try that sometime, but that tonight I think I will cook at home. You hear the language and say I want to be able to have a conversation with the people I see here and not only the ones who speak English.
5) Culture relates to how people view things, including religion, it is a part of their worldview. Now, it seems to me that having done research in college in a field that hinges on peoples worldviews I didn't expect this realization to slap me across the face the way it did. Yet, it did. When I was on campus last week interviewing students about spirituality and culture, it was interesting to contemplate how culture influenced some of the answers we heard. I will be posting more information about this on another post. This point will affect my work throughout the year, and how we reach out to the Italians.
6) This one is not so serious, but I will share. Italian is similar to Spanish in the fact that verbs change have suffixes that change based on if the verb is being done in first person (I), second person (you), him or her, us, we, or them. I hope that makes sense. It is hard to explain it. However, I was working on homework for class one night and it strikes me, in Texas I would phrase that as "Ya'll,” so do they have a plural form of you in Italian? The answer is yes. The word, noi, which literally translates as we, really means plural you, or in Texas, YA'LL! Yes!
I am sure that as culture surrounds me I will continlue to learn about Italian culture but also a little more about myself, and I will keep you posted!
Crystal
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