September Prayer Letter and an Overdue Update

I am happy to say that I am currently writing this post as I sit in the living room of a very nearly fully- furnished apartment just outside of Bologna's city center, a cup of peppermint tea in-hand and a working washing machine whirring in the background. Most people wouldn't find much solace in these things, but, after the last month, the hum of the washing machine (coupled with the tea, of course) is, for me, quite comforting. Emily and I have finally settled into an apartment (pictures coming soon!), and I think that we'd both agree we're very pleased with (and grateful for) the results. Locating an apartment in Italy can turn into a complicated process, but God has provided a place that is the right size, the right price and the right distance from the university.

I am LONG overdue for an update and apologize for not posting sooner! The last month has been a chaotic mix of the administrative details of moving, two Agape Italia conferences, language school and everything else that comes with adjusting to a new city.

That being said, I want to use a few posts to update you on what's been happening in Bologna and how you can be praying for our team and the city. For now, here's the September prayer letter...

I don't have much time to write tonight (Ashley and I are about to make an American dessert for our Italian language class--more on that later), but I would like to ask that you continue to pray for this city--that people's hearts would be softened and that they would turn to Christ. I'm not sure if my descriptions could ever do justice to the bleak reality of the spiritual situation in this country. I'd like to challenge you to use this map of the Bologna city center to "prayer walk" the city with and for our team...

I wish that you were all here to walk these streets and pray with us, but the beauty of this experience is that we as a STINT team are not praying for Bologna alone--I fully believe that God has you reading this post for a reason. Your prayers are so critical. Please ask that God would be glorified in this city, especially among university students, and that our team would be a unified testimony of life-change possible only through Christ.

More updates on the last month coming soon! Ciao!