Serving the Lord in Italy

It has been an amazing couple weeks! We have made many close friendships and have enjoyed exciting adventures together! God is definitely at work here; there are so many hearts eagerly seeking Him. The Spiritual theme discussed often is the process God uses to renew our hearts and minds.

Prior to leaving for Italy, our family has been enjoying a new season of fellowship with folks eager to see God working in their midst. We're finding the same type of brothers and sisters over here as well. What ever we may be doing together, the conversation moves to the spiritual and we are all edified and encouraged by it. Praise God!

Our regular events of the week are going well. We have enjoyed very encouraging and challenging Bible studies on Tuesday nights.





Friday night potluck is a large and lively group with a great time of prayer and worship.







And of course, there is always some sort of game being played somewhere in the house, swing dancing, and lots of trips for gelato. Gotta love that stuff. :)







We have enjoyed getting to know some of the kids that attend the youth group on post, Club Beyond. We had a great time at the end of the year Luau cookout!





Now for our excursions around Italy: We got caught in an intense hail storm in the city of Marostica with Jenn and Jessica.







So our solution was to wait out the storm by checking out the local pizzeria!





My dad then used his impressive driving skills and drove our hulk-of-a-van up the mountain to explore the castle ruins.









Last week we went hiking in Asiago (FYI,the cheese does taste more amazing in its home town!). It was amusing watching all the army guys decifer maps and find trail heads.



The countryside of Northern Italy.





Jason, Lloyd and Barry try to keep up with Johnny







The giant duck wasn't so kind to Claire. You'll have to ask her what it did to her jeans!*evil grin*



The gang drove up to Venezia (Venice) last Sat. We got the front seats on the water taxi (which is quite a feat for a group of 14!) and enjoyed the sights of Venice during the day and lit up at night under a full moon. Cosi bello!















We had a trying experience on Saturday on our way to Venice - we had an incident at the local gas station where we caused a fire in their vacuum unit (long story). Anyway, everyone is safe, but we did make the newspaper. We clearly saw God's hand at work from the time of the incident to here and now. It is always a humbling reminder of how vulnerable we humans can be! But God allows everything to happen for a reason and He works and resolves in mighty ways! We are very thankful for His protection and provision.

This week Laura, Jenn and Jessica are away at the second week of Beach Break, the post's youth group summer camp. We are praying for God to touch many young hearts this week and to give the leaders strength and wisdom.

Also this week we are very happy to be involved in the VBS at chapel - So far the week has been a success! The energy and excitement are contagious and the kids are just so joyful!

Prayer Requests:
* for Jason, Barry and Lloyd as they prepare for deployment.
* for Robert who was wounded and is back at the post in Vicenza.
* for the salvation of 130 kids attending VBS this week. Many have a parent currently deployed.
* for the youth group attending Beach Break.

Being at a military post has been such an eye opener for me in regards to this war. Back home in the States our lives continue as usual, for me at least, and we barely (or not at all) feel the effects of our country actually being at war. But living here, you see the effects that the war is having on the people who are fighting it (struggles in relationships, emotional, spiritual). It has really touched my heart and made me appreciate our troops all the more. Please continually pray for our men and women in arms and their families. The enemy is strong, but our God is stronger!

God bless! Katie

Mary's Post

Every Mission trip I go on with my family, I am always excited to meet Awesome fun Soldiers and Friends! I love them cause they are awesome, nice, funny and fun to be around.
One of the soldiers is like Johnny's new best Friend, His name is Justin, He is So Awesome and really fun!! ( Him and John already made a secret handshake even though we just met him :)

Below, Dad, Zach and Justin are hanging out at an event on post.


And there is John, he is awesome to be around and is very funny! and he is very good at Guitar!
Peace to the World!



Then there is Brian, He and I like to talk about ice cream, Roses and their colors, and the saying- Book's are always better then the movies!


And here Is Jason, He is new to the Hospitality house, and is fitting in perfectly! it has been fun for me to meet him, We had a good time playing slaps together, (Slaps is a card game)


I also love to be around all of the Girls that come! I love to talk with them and play Boggle! And i love all of our girl nights, Last time we watched Mama Mia! and after that we sang all of the sing along songs from the movie and painted our nails! It was fun to be with all of them!
It is awesome for me, to have the experience to be with all of the Soldiers, and talk, play games and go on Field Trips!
Here we are in Bassano, With Jenn,Katie,Jess,Claire and me!

And here is Laura, And her amazing Yuker hand!


I can't wait to meet more Soldiers and friends!!

Blessing's,
Mary

Our week of orientation is over, and this morning my dad took the Hamptons to the airport. Today we had a planning meeting to figure out the meals for the week and finalize our schedule. There are some great people that know how things work at the Hospitality House (HH) and they are happy to help us if we have questions. So we are ready to get started! This week we are completing various odd jobs around the house and will continue in the regular events: Bible study and dinner on Tues, worship and potluck on Fri (largest event of the week), some sightseeing on Sat, and the Singles luncheon and chapel on Sun.

We had a busy but wonderful first weekend! We had a great time of fellowship at the Friday night potluck. There was lots of laughter and, of course, great food! That is one perk of this ministry, you never stop eating! Claire couldn't take it any more so she hit the treadmill this morning.

On Saturday, Claire and I were invited over to have lunch at Julie's house. Julie is a soldier who regularly attends the HH. We had some great discussions and started to get to know more about her.
That same afternoon, we met an Italian couple, Mario and Chiara, who are friends of Rob and Karen and run their own leather business. They had brought some merchandise to the House a couple weeks ago for soldiers to buy, and were coming to pick it all up. We planned to help take their stuff back to their house and then go out to dinner together. Little did we know that we were in for quite a night!

Neither of them speak English, so Rob was our official translator. We also used lots of smiles, hand gestures and head nodding. So there we are, our 3 car caravan, driving along these pretty country roads not realizing it would take us over an hour to get to our unknown destination.
I ended up having two kids (guess who) sleeping on my lap as we finally drove up to an old farmhouse. Mario and Chiara have renovated the hundred year old house, and it is beautiful!


As we unloaded we heard all these dogs howling. Turns out that Chiara and Mario are avid rabbit hunters and have 11 beagles! They have competed in and won many competitions, and their dogs are little celebrities to the hunters in the area.

Mary and Julie

Showing us pictures of their competitions



Dad enjoyed the guns. (Mario, Brian, Rob)

They were very excited to show us around their home and workshop, and gave us many beautiful gifts (I now have three custom-made Italian leather dog collars!).

Leather workshop, Mario making the collars

Chiara sharing the local wines and juices
After 2 hours of visiting, we went to dinner at an elegant "ristorante" and had a delicious dinner. It was nice to have something other that pizza and pasta!
Mario and Chiara are not Christians, and we were able to share a little bit about our relationship with God over the course of our 3 hour meal. Mario gave us his impressive rendition of Pavarotti, he has an amazing voice!. We hope that we will be able to see them again before we leave. It is wonderful when God brings you those unexpected adventures and opportunities! Being able to share a day with wonderful people that come from such a different life is very neat when you connect in such a close way.

On Sunday we went to chapel. It was a bittersweet service since a few of the families are leaving. They spent time in celebration of the blessing these people were to the community and gave them a send off. That's life in the military, always filled with hellos and goodbyes. I think they get accustomed to it, but it doesn't get easier. We're already getting to know the chapel community, they have a sincere spirit and are very welcoming. Military life has a way doing this.

Prayer Requests:

* For Rob and Karen Hampton, that they are blessed with travel mercies and are able to relax and renew as they visit and family and friends in the States.

*That our first week goes smoothly! That we we have confidence and wisdom in continuing the ministry here at the HH.

* The deployed troops from here in Vicenza (Camp Ederle)

*For a continued relationship with Mario and Chiara.

* That we take good care of little Zack and the plants! :)



Thank you!

In Him, Katie