Goals and Accomplishments in Bologna

Over the last week, I have continued to adjust to raising support in Little Rock. I have had the privilege of meeting with several former teachers, old friends from high school and friends from church. Every conversation has been an absolute blessing. The beauty of this process is that, through conversations that are focused on God and ministry, I am able to get glimpses of people's hearts that I wouldn't otherwise see in daily interaction. I want those of you reading to know that God has used you to speak to and encourage me in specific ways. Each and every one of you is an answer to prayer.

I had my first major support deadline today, and, while I won't get into details, I do want those of you praying to know that God has been very gracious, and He has allowed me to exceed these goals. I still have a ways to go, but I do want you to know that God is answering those prayers in tangible ways. Please continue to praise Him for His goodness and faithfulness.

I'd also like to share some more information about Bologna, just to continue to give you a clearer picture of how to pray. 

Here are the goals for Agape Italia's ministry in Bologna:

• To build a full time team that will share their faith on campus and see Italians that will in turn reach their country and the world for Christ.
• Build partnering relationships with the local churches in Bologna in order to reach more Bolognese for Christ. Also to be a testimony to the unbelievers who only see infighting amongst churches.
• Language learning along with the culture for our team.
• Build relationships at the university with professors, administrators.
• Build relationships in the community using the Family Life Ministry of Agape.
• We pray Matthew 9:37-38 that we would eventually see laborers raised up from Bologna to go to the world.

And here are some of the ministry's accomplishments thus far:

• Family Life was launched in February of 2011. The church some of the staff members in Bologna attend, Nuova Vita, was involved. As a result, they are now beginning to make plans for another conference involving other local churches in Bologna.
• We have good ongoing relationships with students that we hope to become studies which result in ongoing discipleship.
• As a result of the outreach this year with the astronaut Charlie Duke, we opened doors in the Astronomy faculty. This gave us credibility with the professors and administration. Currently we are in the process of opening doors with the Agriculture Faculty with a unique outreach we are doing in Afghanistan.
• Youth for Christ saw the doors opened to new high schools that has never allowed any Christian influence in their school.

Before closing out this post, I wanted to let you know about a talk that a man named Christopher Coleman gave at my church a couple of weeks ago. It was a great message--very different than any message I'd heard before--and it definitely brings life into perspective. If you have some time (it's about 40 minutes long), I'd highly encourage you to listen here. I think we've all encountered circumstances that have left us to question how God is working, but the truth is that, though we may not understand, He is truly doing something beautiful. 

Here are a few prayer points:

• Always continue to praise God for His provision. Also praise Him for the work He's already done in Italy.
• Pray for the points listed above. Also pray for the students who are currently on summer project in Bologna--pray that God would work both in the lives of the Italians they interact with and in their own hearts. Also continue to pray for the staff working in Bologna and in Italy as a whole.
• Pray for my STINT team and I as we prepare for the next year--pray that God would continue to provide.
• Please pray for more committed monthly supporters, and praise God for the committed monthly supporters that have joined my team in the last two weeks (God's been answering this request!). Also pray that I would use my time wisely, work diligently, and that those I contact would find time to meet. Continue to pray for full support by August 1.

Rome, Italy
Fall 2010