Italian Ministry - "Centro Evangelical Isola"

The Evangelical Center at Isola del Gran Sasso, Italy has been instumental in the salvation and discipleship of Italian young people and adults since the late1950's.  It was started by an Italian American who, after becoming a Christian in America, was burdened to return to his homeland to reach Italians with the good news of Jesus Christ.  He was soon joined by some missionaries from Switzerland and together they constructed a center in order to do camps and to established a Bible Institute.

Stephano, Bob, Fabio, Simone, and Marco

Wherever we go we run into people from our past ministry at Camp Maranatha!

Stephano (left) came to a family camp with his parents at Maranatha in 1999. 

Our first week here Sue helped cook for the staff and volunteers.  The second week Sue was the cook all by herself!

Bob has been working on the new building project installing shower doors, painting,  and mounting the hardware on the doors.

One of the guys Bob has been working with is Lucas a young man from Switzerland.

It has been good to get to know the other volunteers from different places in Italy. 

The new building project has been going on for a number of years.  They are trusting God to bring it to completion by August of this coming year. 

One of the other buildings on the property.

A missionary couple, Robbie and Rose, come to the Center every Wednesday morning to lead a Bible study for the staff and volunteers.  They are from our mission, CrossWorld. It has been great for Sue and I to participate in that.

Robbie and Rose organized an American "Thanksgiving Dinner" at their church (about 45 minute drive away).  Sue helped with the cooking and serving and I helped do the dishes.  It was well attended and many from the community that don't attend the church came. 

The young man in the center of the photo (below) with his newly-wed wife  attended our youth camps at Camp Maranatha years ago. 

Sue with two more Camp Maranatha friends:  Anna and Claudia.  It was a nice surprise to discover that they attend the Robert's church as well.

On our day off Sue and I got up into the mountains (only about a half hours drive away from the center) to go for a walk.

Italian Ministry update

After our visit with Marshall at BFA we drove back to Italy for the last three weeks of our Italian ministry tour.

 The purpose of our time in Italy has been to give of ourselves in order to encourage what God is doing in the Italian Church.  We also come with the prayer that God would use this experience to speak to our hearts and to open our eyes regarding our returning to Italy as missionaries in the future.  Our visits have included many friends with whom we’ve shared our lives with in the past, as well as many new friends along the way. 

The City of Faenza

Our first stop was in Faenza.  We stayed with Carmen, a TEAM missionary who we met in language school who came and helped us run camps at Centro Maranatha.  We also attended a TEAM Italy prayer meeting and got to hear what God is doing in the lives and ministries of our other friends with that mission.

The City of Rimini

 Our next stop was in Rimini where we lived and worked for over a year.  During our first missionary term in Italy, Gabriele (on the left) and Bob taught Sunday school together.  His dad, Enzo is in his late 80's and was a prisoner of war in Germany for two years during World War II.

Graziano and Sabrina and their family are good friends of ours from the Rimini church.  It was great to spend time with them and to hear how God has been providing for them and how He has been using the difficulties that they have experienced to reach out to others in their community.

Two brothers: Cristiano and Alessandro (and Daniel) are good friends of ours who came to our camps at Centro Maranatha and were in the young people's group we helped out with when we were in Rimini.

The City of Cattolica

Our Friends in Italy are more than just friends, they are family!  God certainly honored His promise to us for having left family and country to serve in in another country for the sake of sharing the Gospel (Mark chapter 10).  We certainly feel like one of the family when we are with the Bardeggia family.  We met all of them through their involvement at Camp Maranatha! 

The next generation of Italian believers in Jesus Christ

Baptisms at BFA!

Three students testified publically of their faith in Jesus Christ and were baptized in church on Sunday during the time we were at BFA to celebrate Marshall's birthday.   Marshall and Hannah were baptized during our first year at BFA in 2006. 

What greater joy can we as parents have then to see our kids come to the place in their lives where they see the need for a personal relationship with their Creator and Savior.

Our vice principal baptizing his son

One of the girls who was in Sue's small group sharing her journey to faith in Jesus Christ

She was baptized by her dad.

 

One of our Korean students was baptized by his dorm dad! 

The staff and faculty of the Black Forest Academy are committed to much more than giving Mk's and international kids a good education.  We are making disciples of Jesus Christ!

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with ou always, even to the end of the age." amen

Marshall's 16th Birthday

My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands;  for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you."  (Proverbs 3:1,2)

November 7th was Marshall's 16th birthday.  Sue and I drove up from Italy to spend time with him and to Celebrate his special day.  It was so good to spend time with him. 

Sue made a wonderful Italian meal for the whole boys' dorm.  We brought some of Marshall's favorite foods from Italy.  Antipasti: parmesian and Mozzarella cheeze and prosciuto crudo!

Sue with Cory, one of the Resident Assistants at Maugenhard Dorm.

Marshall and some of his dorm buddies!

Marshall's dorm parents: Susan and Mark Powell

Sue also made lazagna, garlic bread, and off course a birthday cake!