Sunday

Just a quick note about tomorrow, we will be visiting an Italian church in the morning, and then Corey will preach at Milan Bible Church in the evening. We will also be sharing a little bit about Red Lake and the ministry we do there.
Please keep these things in your prayers!
Thank you!

Genova

On Wednesday we went to Genova with Jim & Lynda and another girl who was staying with them. Genova is over on the coast and is a major port city. We took this weird Italian elevator-ish thing that goes inside a mountain up to a castle to get a really good view of the city. Then we ate an amazing lunch, with different kinds of pasta including one in a hazelnut sauce that was absolutely wonderful and a type of fish that the area is known for.


After than we took a spontaneous Mediterranean cruise. Okay, not quite cruise. But we did take a really nice boat ride down the coast, which is considered the Italian Riviera, to Portofino and back. We had never heard of Portofino, but apparently it is very famous and very ritzy. It was a great day!The color of the water was amazing!

This is Portofino.The pirates coming to get us! Maybe not, but it was cool to see this ship out on the water!

I like boat rides!

Brescia

Here are some things we saw on a little day trip.
Some ancient Roman ruins:



Saint Peter on top of the church

Milano

Well, after being here a month we finally got in to the center of Milan to see the sights! Our friend Samuel from church came with us and played tour guide. The main thing to see in Milan is the Duomo. It is the third largest cathedral in the world and is pretty amazing. The whole thing is made out of granite and every nook and cranny is carved into something. We got to go out on the roof and see things up close; that was really cool. We also went underneath, where they have discovered the baptistery where Saint Ambrose baptized Saint Augustine. A neat little piece of history to see.



Right by the Duomo is the Galleria, a huge shopping center with a really cool glass ceiling. It is one of Corey’s favorite things we’ve seen.

We also went to the Castello. You know you’re in Europe when there is an ancient castle downtown… Now there are various museums housed in it. We went to one about Ancient Egypt and visited some mummies, and also got to see a ceiling painted by DaVinci and an unfinished sculpture by Michelangelo.

Testimonies & MBC

In the past couple weeks we have both gotten to share our testimonies with the youth at Milan Bible Church, and it went very well. 10-15 kids were there each time, middle and high school age. It seems like it was an encouragement to them. The girl who translated for us, Shane, told us that the week after Corey gave his testimony, one of the guys told her that it had really made him think about some things he was doing. A mom also approached us and told us she was blessed by what we were doing and that her son told her about Corey’s story.

While I was sharing mine I stressed that even though our (me and Corey’s) stories are very different, the heart of them is still the same because it is what Christ has done that has saved us, and that is what’s the same about all of our stories. 1 John 5:10-11 “Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his hear. . . And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” The cool thing was that they proceeded to ask Shane to share her testimony, which I think is even more powerful because she knows them and has been working with them in the youth group for awhile. And they really paid attention as she shared. It almost looked like they were going to start sharing their own stories, but time ran short and nobody wanted to go first. We pray that they do share with each other and lift each other up and continue to seek God.

We have enjoyed continuing getting to know people in the church on Sundays and during the Tuesday night Bible study. We have also visited some with Jim and Lynda and explored Milan with our friend Samuel (more about that and pictures later.)

Corey has continued to be a part of the music team each week playing guitar, and he preaches next week! He and Jim have been working hard on his sermon and he is excited to get to share.

Here is a short video clip of a Sunday service. (Notice the handsome blond guitar player on the left. :) )

Bergamo

This past Sunday and Thursday we were in the town of Bergamo. It is about an hour away from Milan and closer to the mountains/valleys. On Sunday Corey preached his first official sermon! He did awesome. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Jim said he did really well, and he was a Homiletics professor at Dallas Seminary. And more importantly, the people enjoyed having him and said they appreciated his message. He talked about Philippians 1:27-30, conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. He talked about a number of things that church members said have been recurring themes for their church; it was neat to see the Holy Spirit work that way.

On Thursday we went back and spent some time with the CrossWorld missionary who works there (she was gone on Sun) and saw the town. It is split into an “upper” and “lower” city on the mountain and is a pretty place. Then we got to go to the home of the elder of the church and spend some time with him and his wife. He is a really neat guy and seemed encouraged, especially by Corey. Actually he has it all planned out for when we come back to live there and work with him…it’s nice to know we’re wanted. He has a vision to evangelize the various valley towns that have no witness. Again, it was a blessing to be able to feel that sense of fellowship with someone we had only known for a little while and could only communicate with through translation. The family of God is big; praise Him for that!

The church has faced alot of problems, and yet it is growing and growing! In fact, they need to find a bigger building, which is quite a challenge in Italy. Please pray for the church and especially for the elder.

Ciao!

Happy Anniversary to us!

For our anniversary we headed up to the beautiful Lake Como. First we stopped at Villa del Bilbianello and took a tour of the gardens and the villa, both of which are absolutely amazing. (It is one that we saw from the boat earlier and where my favorite parts of Star Wars Episode II were filmed.) It’s way out on a point by itself, and is quite a walk to get there, through lots of trees and hills. Actually it looked pretty much like northern Minnesota, minus the mosquitoes. The garden itself is very unique and very beautiful. And there is this huge 150 year old tree that they prune in an umbrella shape. We got a guided tour of the inside of the villa and got to learn the history of it, which was pretty interesting. It was last owned by an Italian guy named Guido Monzini (good Italian name too) who loved to climb and went on tons of expeditions including to the North Pole and Mt Everest. He collected all kinds of artifacts and maps that are on display in the villa.

We stayed overnight in a little town called Cadenabbia in a little hotel room. (The picture is the whole room, minus the bathroom.) We discovered what 84 euros will get you; it was nice even though it was tiny. And when you have a view directly of the lake (and the breeze from it), who’s complaining?

The next day we went to Villa Carlotta, which is an enormous villa that is now a museum with some pretty famous art in it, surrounded by an even more enormous garden. It was also very beautiful and a fun relaxing way to spend the day. We shopped a little bit in Bellagio and then were ready to head back, via boat, then train, then subway, then bus. We are able to get around on our own pretty well now and appreciating public transportation!

I would like to add that marriage is awesome and we loved our first year and are looking forward to many more!!

Schedule

Here is what we will be up to for the next week or so:
Sunday--Corey will be preaching at a church in Bergamo, and then sharing his testimony with the youth at the Milan Bible Church
Monday--Our one year anniversary!!
Tuesday--Heading to Lake Como to stay in a hotel and relax and celebrate (there is a transportation strike on Monday, so we will go on Tuesday instead)
Thursday--We will go back to Bergamo for the day to see more of the area and ministry and meet the CrossWorld missionary who works there
next Sunday--Ellie will share her testimony with the youth group at the Milan Bible Church

Thank you all for taking the time to read about our trip and for all you love and prayer support! We are blessed!

Beautiful

We have had opportunities to see some beautiful architecture and art. In cathedrals and palaces there have been huge spaces filled with gold and mosaic, statues with features so intricately carved they look almost real, grand tapestries, magnificent paintings. And it has been a great experience.

But when I think about all the things we have seen, and what is truly beautiful, I see a painting that is a sheet covered with multicolored handprints of kids who were truly smiling while they had a part in creating it. I see a small square room filled with a mosaic of people from all around the world gathered together praising God. I see a real face with a smile welcoming me and eyes lighting up as we talk about the Lord that we both love. These are things we have had opportunities to see, and they are beautiful.

Update from Corey

In the three weeks that I have been here Jim opened my eyes to some of the needs here in Italy. One day we went on a home visit to a Philipino man from the congregation. His brother back home has been falsely accused of raping a girl. All the test that were taken have proven that he didn’t do it, but the girl’s uncle is the mayor of the city and therefore the justice is not being carried out. His brother is now in prison awaiting a trial where he may be convicted guilty by the powers that be of this crime he didn’t commit. He is a believer and is taking everything as well as one can in this kind of circumstances. To add to coals to the fire, this man’s uncle just died as well. He is questioning God and his faith. He can’t help but ask, “why me oh God? Have I not repented of all my sins? What have I done to deserve this?” It is hard to see him go through this. Jim and I assured him he is not alone in his suffering and that God is faithful. I also have gone on a hospital visit with Jim. We met with a lady named Françoise and her 8 moth old son David who has a poor heart and two hernias. We prayed for young David and read scripture (Ps. 46). My personal prayer for David is that God by His great grace will heal David and use him for the glory of His kingdom. I hope to find out one day that God used David as a great missionary or evangelist like William Carry or Hudson Taylor.

Jim is also teaching me how to preach and prepare sermons. Jim taught at Dallas Seminary for 6 years as a Hermeneutics professor. Then he went on to be a pastor for several years before coming to the mission field. He says that every one tells him he did it all backwards. The first time I preached here in Italy was the first time I ever preached and it was with an interpreter. This coming Sunday I will preach again and it too will be with an interpreter. However, after that I will most likely be preaching at Milan Bible Church, which is an English speaking church made up of many ethnic back grounds.

I am learning that I have a great love for children though I am willing to serve all people willing with a servant’s hearts and the love of Christ. In Domo, the little mountain town we wrote about, I got to go to a Saturday morning market and people-watch while selling books. This was an ok experience but handing out tracks and pushing books is not something I am called to. I shine when I get to disciple and share God’s word with people.

Please be praying for me that I might understand God’s plan for my life as He reveals it to me.

Love, Corey

Fellowship

How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,

for the courts of the Lord;

My heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.

These are the beginning verses of Psalm 84, which was shared in church on Sunday. One point that was made really stuck out to me. The author is expressing a longing to go to the temple—above all for God’s presence, but also to be able to worship along with other believers. That community and the act of worshipping and fellowshipping with others is so valuable. Maybe it is being away from the comforts and surroundings of home, but I have found being a part that fellowship and worship to be so sweet these last few weeks. And that is how it should be; we were not meant to do this alone. Perhaps I have not valued what we do have at home enough, and I have a desire for more when we return.

The diversity of the church is so fun. It is like a little piece of heaven, people from many different nations and languages praising the one true God with everything that they have. And when these people sing, they SING. There is such an obvious focus on the why and Who of the words of the songs, and I like that.

It has also been a joy for us to be a part of a Tuesday night Bible study. We have been looking at some of the parables of Jesus. The group also has a real heart for prayer and lifting each other up, and that is neat to be a part of.

Please pray for the people of this church. Being a minority in Italy is not easy, and many of them have major things going on back in their home countries as well. Pray for encouragement. Pray for the kids that came to VBS, that they will desire to learn more and that they would know the joy of the Lord.

~Ellie

VBS

I am glad to say that VBS finished off as well as it started! We continued to have around 35 kids each night, including many teenagers that kept coming back. There really was a sense of peace and joy the whole time and was just a very good experience for everybody.
There was a 3 yr old girl who the first couple nights wouldn't leave her mom's side, and the last few she was running around and smiling and participating. She also had fun teaching me some Italian. Thanks to her I know my colors. :)
A really neat thing we did was to get a white sheet and have everyone put there handprints on it. it was alot of fun, and the church will get to keep it. What a cool visual reminder of the week.

Venizia

Saturday was our trip to Venice. We got up too early and rode the train to get there. Then we took a boat (which was quite a crowded Italian experience) up to St. Mark's square and went in the cathedral and the palace. Amazing art and architecure, and more gold than we have ever seen! Our favorite part was meandering along all the little side streets. Actually sidewalks, because all the "streets" are water. It is just plain cool. (And no, we did not go in a gondola, considering it is over $100 for 15 minutes. But we got pictures of them!)

Lake Como

Our wonderful week of sightseeing continued with a trip to Lake Como. We drove up to a town called Bellagio and then took a boatride back down the lake. It was so much fun, very relaxing, and amazingly beautiful! All these little Italian towns nestled in the mountains right by a very clear and blue lake. These are some pictures from the boat. (And trust us, the pictures don't do it justice.)


And here it is, the house from Star Wars Episode II! You know, when Padme and Anakin are hiding away on Naboo and it is the most beautiful setting ever? Well, this is the real deal where it was filmed. It was slightly exciting...