Xs and Os

I love to-do lists. I'm the kind of person who writes down things I've already done today that are normal every day things (wake up, brush teeth) on my to-do list just so I can mark them off.

Matt has arranged for our team to use not one - but two - on line sites that help us list and mark off our to do lists! So, first I get to write it with my permanent marker on my paper and then I get to put it on line, twice if I want. So, it's double, even triple, the pleasure when I get to check it off. Fun, fun!

For the last few months, Italy has seemed so far away. I've been telling people that Italy will seem more real when my to-do list has more Italy things than Haiti things. And lately, I've been doing a lot of Italy things.

I have a giant tic-tac-toe board in my classroom. I think you're supposed to throw beanbags at it. I use it for math games. I put cards with math facts on the front. Answer the question right, and you're team gets to turn it to the X or O.

Last night I dreamed that the cards on the board were things from my to-do list. Then, the Xs were for Italy and the Os were for Haiti.

Hmmm... someone would have a field day interpreting this dream! I'll leave them to it. As for me, I'm going to mark off "post on blog" on every to-do list I have.

Go Verona Radio - October 2007

Check out our latest Go Verona Radio podcast. This month highlights an interview with Jason Casey. It runs about 10 minutes and 30 seconds and includes topics such as ministry, prayer and working in different cities for the first time since 1997. The podcast that features Jason Casey is found at
http://goveronapodcast.blogspot.com/2007/10/go-verona-radio-october-2007.html

Also, if you weren't aware of last month's podcast with our Field Coordinator, Wayne Meece, and his wife, check it out at
http://goveronapodcast.blogspot.com/2007/09/go-verona-radio-september-2007.html
Our Go Verona Radio archive is found at http://goveronapodcast.blogspot.com/ and you can subscribe to the podcast at http://feeds.feedburner.com/GoVeronaRadioPodcast.

It Will Be OK

A confession: I am an artistic couch potato. I haven’t ballroom danced in four years. I haven’t sung an aria in five or painted in three. So, how’s this art thing going to work? How will I get my feet, lungs, fingers, muscles, and mind to get back in shape? What if it’s been too long and neither my mind nor my body can do it?

I’ve been thinking a lot about this and wondering if it is really possible? Since our outreach is going to circle around the arts… and since we’re doing this for the Lord’s glory, shouldn’t my artistic skills be excellent? Yes.

So, this weekend, while I was watching a ballroom dancing school showoff at a hotel I stayed in, I watched with a mixture of curiosity and those haunting questions of inadequacy. And then, with the help of a very confident friend, I asked a teacher if he would dance the Cha-Cha with me. He raised his eyebrows and said, “Sure.”

And my feet remembered. My arms knew what to do. My mind read his mind so I’d know what move was next. And the teacher asked me if I knew the Salsa. Yes, I did.

A large, heavy peace settled on my shoulders. It would be OK. God will teach me the things I need to get His work done. He will lead. And I will follow one step at a time.

What's that Number?

This weekend, my friend and I went to the capital city. I was giving room service our room number, and the lady couldn't understand me. Finally I realized I was saying the Italian numbers instead of French. Then, for the life of me, I couldn't say them in French... or English, for that matter!

Yippee!!!

Catching Up and Falling, Too...

Our internet has been out-of-commission here in Haiti. So, I've just now been able to catch up on emails and blogs and websites from the last two months.

And what a fun day!

I've read about what is going on in GoAncona, our sister team. I've watched as the Crossers have packed up years of ministry in preparation to move North. I've chatted with Ann about Anne of Green Gables. Oh! It's been delightful.

And, I'm surprised at how homesick I've become. I browsed through photos, looked at maps, read information about it, checked today's temperature (50 F)... and I long to be there.

Isn't this exactly what God gave to us in Revelation 21? Something to long for... something to fall in love with... something to call home?

And isn't this the whole point of GoVerona? Should this project really be called GoHeaven?

Perbillini di Isola Rizza

Seasonal Cooks
Sometimes I read an Italian magazine called Oggi. It is similar to a People magazine in America. I was recently reading one and was very surprised to see an article about a chef from Verona! His name is Giancarlo Perbellini and he is the chef at a restaurant called Perbellini di Isola Rizza. The title of the article was “We in the North Never Cook Out of Season”. This chef talks about how you can come into his restaurant and order the same dish but it will be different depending on what foods are in season at that time. The article said that the pasta e fasiol is the dish to try. I think once we get to Verona we will have to find this restaurant and try it…in all four seasons!

Verona People Video

We have a new video online. This one is about the people of Verona. As you watch it, you can pray for the people you see and generally for the people of Verona.

You can view it online at http://goveronavideos.blogspot.com/2007/10/verona-people.html

Or you can download the 800x600 wmv version from here - http://www.goverona.org/video/verona_people.wmv

Prayer Idea - Map of Verona Downtown

Follow the twelve highlighted areas found on the "tourism walking map" at
(http://www.comune.verona.it/turismo/Passeggiando/inglese/itineraryA/index.htm). As you explore the city pray for each area of this downtown zone.

• Pray that the enemy would be leave the area.
• Pray that the people's hearts in those areas would be fertile soil for the message of Christ.
• Pray that our team will find out how to reach the people who live and work in these areas.

Verona Buildings Video

Follow this link to view online our latest video of Verona. http://goveronavideos.blogspot.com/2007/10/verona-buildings.html

This one features buildings of Verona. As you explore the city by looking at these buildings, pray over each inhabitant that they might come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

You can download to your computer the 800x600 wmv version of this video here (http://www.goverona.org/video/verona_buildings.wmv).

Visitors to the Website

In the past two days, since our new website launched, we have already had 57 people visit our site. They are from seven different countries including the United States, Italy, Ireland, Serbia, Germany, Norway and India! Thanks for checking it out everyone. We have also received great feedback regarding the new site. We hope that it will be a central location for you to discover more about our ministry and how you can be involved.

Additions to Go Verona Website

I know, I know....you're thinking, but the website just went live two days ago. However, we already have added a couple of sections. One you'll find on the main menu of links (on the left), that is the Team Calendar. You can see what is happening in our ministry and what plans are down the road.

The second thing is the new page describing all of the support staff that make up our ministry. The Field Coordinator role is a vocational position, the others are all volunteers! We are blessed to have a great web of support, encouraging our team to go forward while providing wisdom, encouragement and edification along the way.

Launch of Go Verona Website

Whew, after months of planning and many hours of webmastering, the new Go Verona website is up and ready for visits. You can find it at www.goverona.org. Our hope is that it helps communicate to others about the ministry in Italy and therefore involving you in the process. Feel free to explore and post your comments about it here. Thanks for your support.

Verona Highlight: Toccati Games Festival

Every year in Verona, there is a games festival. It is taking place this weekend and we wish we could go to it, but next year if God wills, we will be living in Verona and we can go then. I have been reading about it and I thought it would be a great Verona Highlight focus.

The festival takes place throughout the historic downtown Verona area all throughout the streets. All kinds of traditional games going on, as well as foods and entertainment from places all around the world. Our team has talked about the possibility of being part of this in the future to some degree.

Apparently they have guest countries' contribute traditional games and more. This year's guest country is Croatia. This is from their website.... “The guest country is Croatia. The Croatians have suggested about fifteen of its traditional games, musical groups and typical dishes of a land that is turning itself around and showing itself again after a time of war.”

Here is the Tocati official website and its in English too! http://www.tocati.it/lang/en/home.php.

The Life and Times of the Blackburns (abriged edition)

Matt thought it would be a good idea to introduce ourselves. So here we go....!

John was born in the USA, but not in a state. *(see below) His family lived in Virginia, then California, then Massachusetts. He was the youngest of 3 children and the only son. Throughout his life his family attended church from time to time. In Massachusetts he met a neighbor who loved dancing and singing in her yard …..and Jesus. She invited them to church. It would change John’s life.

John gave his life to the Lord in August of 1976. Later he met some interns from Lincoln who served at his home church. He decided to attend there in August of 1980. He was at LCC 2 years. Later, he transferred to Roanoke Bible College. After a year, he decide to take the “scenic route” and came to Colorado to earn some more money for school. It was there he met Ann.

Ann is a 2nd generation Colorado native. Her grandparents came as children to Colorado via covered wagon (not the Conastoga type). She grew up in Colorado Springs, the oldest of 3 girls, where her father was the preacher at Sunnyside Christian Church. She gave her life to the Lord and was baptized in October of 1971. She attended Manhattan Christian College for the 1980-81 year and then Bethel School of Nursing. She graduated with her Diploma in Nursing in 1984.

In 1984 Ann’s sister came home from a friend’s insisting that Ann should meet a friend of her friend. “You two are so much alike!” Ann met John not long after. They became “movie buddies”.

John returned to RBC in 1985. He graduated in 1988 with a B.S. in Christian Education. He and Ann were married 2 weeks later. (You probably figured out that their relationship grew beyond the movie buddy stage!)

An old college friend contacted John that summer and asked if John would like to take his place in Guangzhou, China. So off went the newlyweds for the year of a lifetime. They were able to see God move in ways they hadn’t before and felt very privileged to be taken along on the adventure.

They returned to the US hoping to head back soon. But God had other plans. He blessed them with 2 daughters (Jessica and Avonlea), 2 sons(Luke and Bryan), John’s niece (Anna) and nephew (David), and John’s Mom (not necessarily in that order) in just a few short years. But they continued to be interested in what God was doing in other cultures.

By 2001, their family was shrinking. Anna was off in college. David returned to live with his mother. John’s mother headed home to heaven. This left them free to dust off old dreams. They rejoined Team Expansion early that year. Then, in August of 2002, they made it back to China.

This time God sent them to Haikou, the capital city of Hainan province (the large island directly south of the mainland and the largest island in China, depending on who you talk to). They spent 5 years there. They made friends with many wonderful people, both foreign and Chinese.

In May of 2007, after much thought and prayer, by John and Ann and many others, they accepted a position on the newly formed Go North team. They were thrilled to be a part of the prayer survey trip to determine where the new work would begin. They were amazed at all they learned of the need for those declaring God’s great love and grace in Italy. They were charmed by the place and the people (not to mention delighted by the food!).

So….now they are wrapping up the “China years” of their ministry and moving on to concentrate on Italy. Though China will always be near and dear to their hearts and heavily noted in their prayers, they are looking forward to seeing what God has in store for Verona. They hope to bring glory to Him in that place and use the talents he has given them to help bring those people that He loves back into a relationship with Him.

*Washington, D.C.

The Trolley of Verona

Do you remember the trolley from Mister Roger's Neighborhood? You remember, the trolley who took us to the Neighborhood of Make Believe? We got to ride it last week in Verona! Well, maybe it wasn't the same trolley, but it looked like it. While we were in Verona with our field coordinator, Wayne Meece and his wife Greta, I decided it would be a good time for us to take a trip on this little trolley in the center of town. It is a twenty minute ride for 3 euro (approximately $5) per person. It winds through many of the small ancient streets and alleyways, all the while playing over the loudspeaker tidbits of history about the surrounding area. The trolley is a great way for us to survey the city and find out more about this place. Here are some pictures...

And as I was reminiscing and thinking about the old trolley from Mister Roger's, I was reminded of the song with which he ended every episode. Ah, days of youth. Hopefully we can bring a childlike faith to the people of Verona.

For your nostalgia....

"It's such a good, feeling

To know you're alive

It's such a Happy feeling

You're growing inside!

And when you Wake Up, ready to say:

'I think I'll make a snappy new day'

It's such a good, feeling

A very good feeling

The feeling you know

That, I'll be back

When the day is new

An' I'll have more, Ideas

For you.

And you'll have things you'll want to talk about.

I

Will

Too."

Back From Verona

Well, we got back from our Verona overnight trip last night and it was really good. We found some really tasty restaurants and tried several dishes from the Verona region. We also got all of the goals accomplished that we had hoped for on this trip, as well as a few extras. I will try to post a few key pictures here on this blog soon, but in the meantime I have uploaded all of the pictures we took on both days. You can find them at:

Verona Day One: September 11
http://public.fotki.com/mcrosser/2007/verona-day-01---sep/

Verona Day One: September 12
http://public.fotki.com/mcrosser/2007/verona-day-02---sep/

Hope you enjoy them!

Field Coordinator Visiting

Wayne and Greta Meece are visiting us in Italy this week. Wayne is the European Field Coordinator for Team Expansion and has visited us before i the past. Greta helps him in his role, as well as is involved in other member care areas of our Home Office. They are spending time with the Ancona team and us, as the only in Italy representatives of the Verona team. We are taking them on an overnight trip to Verona and then spending a bit more time with them here in Ancona too. Pray for our safe travels and that we can continue to research Verona and how we can minister there.

Verona Highlight: Arena in Piazza Bra

In the second in this series of Verona Highlights, I want to tell you a little bit about the Arena in Verona.

From the City of Verona website (http://www.comune.verona.it/turismo/Passeggiando/inglese/itineraryA/arena.htm)

"THE ARENA
The Romans built the Amphitheatre outside Verona's first circle of city walls in the first part of the 1st century AD. It hosted games where gladiators would fight each other or wild animals before a vast public that came from all over the territory. The Arena held around 30,000 spectators and had four main entrances, corresponding to its two axes."

"The facade, of which there is still a small section (the so-called "Ala" or "Wing"), was entirely built in large blocks of white and pink limestone from nearby Valpolicella. In the Middle Ages, stones from the Arena were taken for use on other buildings. Later, it resumed its role as a site for shows and events: a role it continues to play today for the annual summer opera season, which began in 1913."

On our last trip to Verona, we went inside the arena. They charge about 7 dollars to get in and then you can go inside and explore. You can walk up all the steps to the top, stand at the edge and see Verona all around you. They were setting up for an opera for that evening. Here are some of our pictures.