Sunday 27 December 2015

Our Time In Italy


 Our Time in Italy. We are so excited to share with you the incredible journey we embarked on this past month. It was almost surreal to think that the Lord opened the doors so quickly and smoothly for us to begin our ministry with Saints. It was the desire of the directors that we visit Italy and Saints to get a real pulse of the ministry there. Saints has so many different aspects to their ministry and we were excited to see it first hand! We are so thankful to so many of you who prayed for us as we embarked on this journey.

One of the first things we were able to do was sit down with Samuel and Amber Spatola.  Saints Equipped to Evangelize is beginning a transitional period where Samuel and Amber will be taking over the daily operations of the mission from Samuel's parents and founders Sam and Chris Spatola.  What a joy it was to get to know Samuel and Amber and their wonderful children, to drink some real Italian Espressos and hear from them first hand the future for Saints. 
 Our time in Italy was very busy and  more or less like drinking from a fire hose. The information was abundant but key to our ministry.  It was however, such a blessing to enjoy some of the scenery in Italy. There are an abundance of side streets in Italy that begin by taking a few steps up, one at a time.  It brought to mind the way in which we follow God, taking these steps, one at a time.  It's a journey, one that is full of the unknown, but is guided by HIS light.


What a joy it was to sit down with Sam Spatola and here his passion for the lost and the ministry of Saints Equipped to Evangelize.  We were very blessed and encouraged to have this opportunity.  The heart that this couple has for missions runs deep and is evident in there actions.  Walking around the city and the campus of Saints Bible Institute, listening to the story of how it all began was incredibly valuable to our future ministry.  We will cherish those moments forever.  Thank You Sam and Chris.




One of the most encouraging moments of our time in Italy was sitting in on the Bible Institute classes.  The professors that S.E.E. is able to bring in are extremely committed to there calling as teachers and doers of the Word of God.  You could sense their heart for missions and guiding students towards a Biblical Worldview.  Watching these students soak up the Word was reminiscent of our time at Word of Life Bible Institute.  

 Effie pictured with Caitlin (Residence Life Facilitator and Kitchen Manager) and Lia ( Residence Life Facilitator and Office Assistant).  

Some of our time in San Lorenzo was getting to see and embrace the culture first hand! We had many wonderful meetings with staff members at some of the local cafes close to the campus where many students can be found on their weekends or down times.
 


   We Wanted to soak up as much information as we possibly could. in such a short visit. And spending this key time with the staff really gave us a great picture of the ministry from their view point!  We are so Thankful for the valuable time that they shared with us!

Getting to know Nate and Anna Adams (Residence Life Facilitators)
   
Everything that Saints Equipped to Evangelize does is pointed towards Evangelism and Church Planting.  This was evident as we sat down with Sam Spatola and His son Samuel.  From the Mission Teams that come throughout the year, to the students that come to the Bible Institute that takes place every semester, everything flows right back into the original mission of S.E.E. and that is to share the Gospel.

Some of the ABC Church Plant Members


Samuel and Justin standing in front of the ABC Church plant, one of the 7 churches SEE has planted 

 


A big part of Saints Bible Institute daily life is the idea of living as community.  Sharing the meals together, taking care of the facilities, traveling together, studying the bible together, helping each other grow in their walk with Christ and getting to know one another is all part of this idea as they share the semester together.  Pictured above is Caitlin, who is serving as a missionary on staff at Saints Bible Institute.  One of her roles is very important to student life and that is her position as Resident Chef.  Caitlin's food was amazing!  





Probably one of the most unique parts to the village of San Lorenzo was the fact that you received your water from fountains in the town square that were actually fed from the Alps Mountain Range.  Filling up the water bottles for the school is a daily and favorite task of student life and one we cherished as well. 

Another vital part of our time in San Lorenzo was sitting down with every student and here there story.  It was so amazing to hear about there journey up until this point in life.  We were encouraged to see students at such an early age hungering for the God and seeking to follow HIS leading in there life.  This picture is one of the students sharing with Effie her mosaic artwork she had been working on over the past semester for their Fine Arts class.
 
Students from the Bible Institute


   

As fast as it came, it seemed just as fast to end.  One of the last things we did was walk with Samuel at Sunset down the streets of Podenone.  These are the very streets where mission teams and SBI students participate in an array of Evangelism opportunities.  This is the town where the Church Plant ABC is located and where Saints Equipped to Evangelize has been ministering and Evangelizing for many years.   Our time in Italy began with Samuel and Amber sharing their heart for Missions and Italy. Taking this final walk and listening to Samuel reaffirm his calling and vision for S.E.E. was so encouraging to us as we began to digest everything that we had taken in.  We want to Thank You from the bottom of our hearts for praying for us while we were traveling to Italy.  We would ask for your prayers now as we return home and continue our support raising process.  Please let us know how we can be praying for you and your families.