Spring Update

Our Latest Update from CC Padova, Italy :)

Dear Friends and Family

Beautiful Spring greetings to all of you!! I can’t say we have had much of a bad winter this year but we still welcome Spring with all its beauty and warmth. Seeing new life all around us is always a great reminder of the new life that Christ brings.

It seems the parable of the fig tree in Luke 13:6-9 has come to light in our ministry again. In Hungary, the Lord used this verse to encourage Jim and I in the ministry there. Once again, we see that He has used it here in Padova. We are in our 3^rd year now and where as last year we were finding ourselves exasperated and frustrated not seeing much fruit, we were encouraged through this parable to continue on and wait and see what the Lord will do. I suppose in a world where everything is instant and fast we can tend to bring that into our ministries too. Thinking that a year or two is enough and after that if nothing happens….but that is not how the Lord works. It’s tempting to make everything about the visible. If we can’t see it then we can’t believe it. Praising God that He reminds us His ways aren’t our ways!

We have been blessed as a church seeing God begin to add a few new faces to the congregation. As many of you know and have been praying alongside of us the past couple of years for the university students. God has heard all of our prayers and has one by one been bringing a few of them to Sunday service. Recently, a gal from the Calvary Chapel in Hungary started to attend. She is taking a class in Padova and was happy to know there is a Calvary Chapel here in Padova.

With the blessing of students comes the heart ache of knowing that their time here is temporary. Most will be returning to their home countries in June/July. It’s going to be difficult to say good-bye to them but we are thankful for the time we had together.

About a year ago, we really sensed that our church was going to be international and we have seen that come to pass. As much as we continue to pray to minister to the Italians, we are reminded of the parable of the Great Supper in Luke 14 and though we may have a strong desire to invite particular people, they are often found having an excuse why they don’t want to come and so we are encouraged to know to go to the highways and byways and extend the invitation to all who would come. So as much as our hearts want to see the Italians be saved, we realize that God uses us to minister to any and all who are in this area who want to hear His Word and grow in their relationship with Him.

With that, Jim has been meeting with a guy named Obbina for over a month now. Obbina is from Nigeria and recently moved to Padova. Obbina is gifted in leading gospel choirs and plays a variety of instruments. He and Jim have been meeting and seeking the Lord as to how to use their musical gifts to reach the people of Padova this summer.

As some of you know, we had another couple over to our house last weekend. Guiseppe and his wife Stefania and their two daughters. Jim met Guiseppe last year at the park where his band played in Padova. Guiseppe works in a recording studio and is gifted musically. He plays jingles for the radio stations around here. Please continue to pray for their family. They are really nice and we would love to see them open up their hearts to the Lord.

Jim and I will be coming to the states soon. It’s the first time since 2006 we are both traveling together for an extended period of time. Jim usually travels for only 2 weeks. I am going to be gone for 6 weeks, Jim for 5. We are excited to see our family and friends and especially our newest grandson, Dylan, who was born in February. I also am anxious to meet Elijah, our grandson who is 15 months old. I haven’t seen him yet and he is already walking all around!

Marla will be graduating from college May 6^th! We are so very proud of her and all she has accomplished. We can’t wait to hear them call her name watch her receive her diploma. Please keep her in prayer as she now has to find a full time job and a place to live.
We want to spend time with as many of you as we can so let’s try and work out plans and schedules. We would love to share with everyone how you can be praying specifically for the work in Padova also.

We will be in Vista, Santa Barbara, Modesto and also flying to the East Coast to spend time with our dear friends Doug and Rose.

Send me a note of Facebook or by email if you want to get together.

Some things to keep in prayer:

We still need help in Children’s Ministry

Jim scheduling pastors to fill in for him while he is in the states

For God to strengthen our church body

Our summer schedule –events and concerts in Padova

For Easter-it’s a little difficult when you are away from your family to be here and everyone leaves to be with their family and friends for the holidays.

Here are a couple pictures and a few short video clips from Sunday School: