The first blog post by one of the guys!

Hey everybody!

This is the 4th day of camp. Last night me and Caroline, and some of our British friends, were given the opportunity to share our testimonies at San Lazzaro church in front of the Wednesday night prayer group. It was really encouraging for me personally because after the service a few older attenders at the church came up to me and said that I had really touched their lives and was a big encouragement to them.

The camp has been going well, and we are all making friends with the Italian kids. It has been interesting to hear about their families since many of them come from difunctional backgrounds. They are all starting ton open up to us, and are telling us about what they believe. The sad thing is that most of them seem to think that if they do enough good works in their lifetime then God will let them into heaven. Please pray that they will become aware of their sin, and know that the only way they can be saved is through Christ, and they can do nothing to save themselves.

Yesterday afternoon we tried out "The Cage"(which is a new evangelistic outreach method). The Cage is basically a circular fence in which you play a 2 v 2 soccer game. At the end of the day we did our mime, which was watched by about 20 people.

This afternoon we are doing The Cage and our mime again. Please pray for it to go well, and that many people would come and see it. Please also pray that the children and their parents would come back on Sunday and listen to the sermon that Mark is preparing at our camp.

-Ollie Garrett

A Closer Look

Ciao everybody! I thought you might want a better look to what we've been up to here in Italy. Here are just some of the adventures we have been experiencing. Though the team is tired the kids energy and God's strength is keeping us going.

waiting in anticipation to get on the plane to Bologna!

touring downtown Bologna sunday night

having an aerobics class during camp

playing american football during camp

waiting for the next game during american football

finally getting amazing gelato!

Please keep us in your prayers especially because we will be performing the 'Lifehouse Mime' in public for the first time tonight. We hope this will be a great way to strike up conversation about Christianity. Please continue to pray for the camper's hearts, that they may be softened and open to hearing about Christ. Also pray for energy because we seem to run out of it quickly. Thank you so much for all of the support you have given all of us, we will see you soon!

-Corinne Ryan

I Bear You Great Tidings!!

We're sorry for the first post being short. The internet in our bungalows, where we are staying, is limited; we are blogging during gelato break at the camp. On Sunday we broke up into three groups and went to different churches (where Spencer spoke and was translated for the natives) and then different houses for a real Italian dinner. Later that evening we met up with the british group from Durham, who we are serving with and took a tour of downtown Bologna. Then we all ate dinner together at a pizzeria. Next we went straight home for we had to wake up early and go to the camp site. All throughout the day we have been making friends and playing different and silly games. Before the gelato break we helped the Italian youth with an English study and incorporated a bible talk from Revalation and how Jesus holds the key to life and death. Later we will be playing water games and half of our group will leave and go to a park to evangelize and invite other italians not a part of our camp to come join us in a soccer/ cage fight of 2 on 2 competition tournament we are holding this weekend. You will hear from us tomorrow during the gelato break! [pictures soon to follow, hopefully].

Arrivederci!!! 

- Anna Obert

Primo Giorno al Campo

Hello from Italy!

We have arrived safely! Praise the Lord we lost no luggage (or passengers) and have survived the first three days. It is not as hot as they were expecting, and we are quite grateful for that. Today is our first day of camp! The kids are great and we are really enjoying them. More to come later! Thank you for the prayers.

11 Days Till 11 Days

Family and Friends,

It is hard to believe that today is the pinnacle day before our trip. In 11 days, we depart to Italy for 11 days. As I begin to pack and prepare, it still has not truly hit me yet that soon enough our team will be half-way around the world.
As we practiced our mime at our meeting on Sunday night (the Everything Mime by Lifehouse), I was hit with just how powerful it is. It hit me more when one member of our team who went on this trip last year told us that roles, specifically tempting with worldly beauty and partying, would mean a lot to the Italian youth, since it is something that they really struggle with. This mime really shows the power that Satan can have over people, but also the saving power of our Lord. Please be in prayer with us that God will use this mime to His glory and that He will use it a lot, because it has a very powerful message.
Also on Sunday night we heard reports from the other trips that have departed from our church already this summer. I sat there amazed at the things that Christ has done in a week, and got (if possible) even more excited for what Christ will do through us in Italy in a little over a week.

-Michelle Kelley