In a little over a month, the National Missionary Convention will be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our entire team will be in Tulsa for the convention and will be staying afterwards for a few days so that we can spend some time bonding as a team. This will be the very first time that our entire team will be in the same place at the same time. It will be a great time! During the convention we will be having a reception for all those who are connected with the Verona project. That means all team members, supporting personnel, Team Expansion staff, prayer partners, supporters, family members, etc.... In other words, if you are interested in the Go Verona project...we WANT you there!! We will be having a meet and greet with all team members, as well as a special time of prayer for the team and the mission in Verona. I will be hearing from the organizers for the convention this week, so I will be able to announce when the retreat is going to be and where at. It will be at either the Tulsa Convention Center OR the downtown Doubletree Hotel. We really want to see you there!!!! For more information about the National Missionary Convention check out their website at:
http://www.nmc-windows.org/nmc/tulsa__08
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Departure Goal Extension
On September 24, I wrote about the state of our team's preparedness to go to the field. All of our team members are doing their best, and God is bringing in funds and prayer partners to partner with us in our mission. As of the first of October, we are officially extending our time in the states until the end of March 2009. About a month later, those team members that are ready to depart will join us and we will help them in the transition process. At the end of December we will examine our team's state to determine if we are proceeding with the end of March departure date or if we need to add another extension. We appreciate your prayers as our team raises monthly financial support, special one time financial support and prayer partners. Check out my previous post here:
http://gonorthnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/time-between-times.html
If you would like to learn how to be a prayer partner or financial partner, just follow this link and you can learn how:
http://www.goverona.org/involvement.html
Thanks,
Matt & Angie Crosser
http://gonorthnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/time-between-times.html
If you would like to learn how to be a prayer partner or financial partner, just follow this link and you can learn how:
http://www.goverona.org/involvement.html
Thanks,
Matt & Angie Crosser
Monday, October 13, 2008
Here in the Midwest
I've been looking at the pictures of Verona and studying them and I wish I could literally jump into the picture and be transported to Verona; kinda like the Matrix, but not as messy!
Good news from the Midwest, it is starting to feel like fall (my favorite season). Leaves are falling and cinnamon pine cones fragrant every store. In addition, I'm also learning some Italian.
My first phrase:
Io mi chiamo Brandi e vengo dagli stati uniti
(my name is Brandi and I'm from the United States)
My second phrase:
Come stai oggi?
How are you today?
I like Italian... from the two phrases I've learned, which isn't much I have become more eager to learn.
I'm not as talkative as I was the last post, but sometimes things need to be short and sweet. I'm applying that saying to this blog.
Some Interesting Facts about the Italian Language
| Hey, y'all! I have been racking my brain trying to think of what to blog about. Nothing. So, I'm sharing with you what I found on the Internet: Some interesting facts about the Italian language About the Italian Language Standard Italian is spoken by Italy's 59 million residents, and is a minority language in Switzerland and Austria, as well as in Somalia, Libya, and Ethiopia, which were once Italian colonies. However, Italian pronunciation varies greatly from region to region. In Tuscany, for example, people who speak Italian pronounce "c" like an "h". Thus, "Coca-Cola con la cannuccia" (Coke with a straw) sounds more like "Hoha-Hola hon la hannuccia." These regional linguistic traits are easy identifiers of a person's hometown. The modern language spoken in Italy today developed in the 13th and 14th centuries. It arose out of Latin and the numerous dialects of the region, and was heavily influenced by the works of Dante, Boccaccio, and Petrarch. Those literary giants wrote mainly in the Florentine dialect, which evolved into the so-called "Standard Italian" that is recognized today as the national language. In fact, Florence is the only Italian city today that does not have a distinct dialect separate from Standard Italian. In all other regions, it is common to hear dialects spoken, particularly among residents who have lived in the same town for generations. These dialects, vaguely similar to Italian but often unintelligible to people not born in the area, are living reminders of Italy's feudal past and the isolation of its various regions prior to unification. Italian vocabulary has contributed many words to the English language over the years. Some of these include gondola, regatta, fresco, vendetta, broccoli, volcano, basilica, stucco, terracotta, and inferno. In music, one finds numerous Italian words, such as concerto, sonata, tempo, aria, allegro, staccato, andante, and lento. False Friends! With some studying and a good sense of humor, English speakers can usually learn Italian with relative ease. One thing to watch out for when you are learning Italian, though, is false cognates. Cognates are words that have approximately the same spelling and meaning in two different languages. There are many true cognate words in English and Italian, but there are also a number of Italian vocabulary words that can fool you by their false resemblance to English. For example, the Italian word camera is not something you take pictures with; it actually means room. If you use the word morbido to describe something gruesome, you are really saying that it is soft. And if you ask for confetti at a party, you may be surprised when you are given sugar coated almonds. Above all, don't ask for peperoni on your pizza when you speak Italian - unless you want hot peppers! Formal and Informal Address When speaking Italian, as well as in writing, there are two forms of address: formal and informal. The formal is used to show respect and should be used when speaking with people outside of your circle of family and friends. For example, when you speak Italian to store clerks, waiters, bank tellers, teachers, and acquaintances you should address them with the formal "lei" form. Friends, family, children, and pets, on the other hand, may be addressed with the "tu" form. It is also customary for students and young people to use the "tu" form when they speak Italian among themselves, even if they are only passing acquaintances. Italian Grammar and Italian Pronunciation Italian is pleasing to the ear, even to those who do not understand a word of the language. It has a highly musical quality, which springs from the fact that all words end in a vowel, with the exception of a few articles, prepositions, and foreign words. The Italian language is also completely phonetic, meaning that every letter corresponds to a specific pronounced sound, making it relatively easy to learn Italian pronunciation and spelling. Other aspects of the Italian language are more challenging for non-native speakers who are learning Italian. For example, the Italian verb conjugation can be complicated, and there are a multitude of irregular Italian verbs and irregular Italian nouns. Additionally, the rules regarding capitalization in Italian differ somewhat from those in English. For example, the days of the week and names of months are never capitalized. Also, when addressing someone formally in writing, personal pronouns and certain direct object pronouns are capitalized when they occur in the middle of a sentence-- conveying respect for the person addressed. Regular practice is necessary to learn to speak Italian well. Well, there you have it. I can't wait to begin learning!  |
Improved Italian, Fed the Hungry
We found out the other day about a unique website through one of our kids' friends. It is called freerice.com and is run by the UN World Food Program. The game on the site is a series of multiple choice questions on various subjects- your choice. For each right answer the sponsors who donate will send 20 grains of rice to feed a hungry person somewhere. It doesn't take long for the 20 grains to add up (especially when you're on a roll!). The subjects range from English, Chemistry, multiplication, and geography to famous works of art and foreign languages, including Italian. So I can spend 10-15 min. a day working on vocabulary and help some needy folks at the same time! I can even familiarize myself with famous paintings/painters, which might be useful in an art outreach, and have some fun doing it! Hurray!!! (Heads up- Once you reach the highest level you just keep going, unless you make mistakes and then you drop. It doesn't really end, that I've noticed.) Check out the site. The UN isn't my favorite charity, by any means, but what I've read on the site so far looks pretty good. So here's the challenge- improve your mind and help someone out while doing it.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Jonah and His Manah
Manah is a Hebrew word meaning provide, number, prepare, assign, appoint... it has the idea of weighing or counting out. Five M&Ms for you, seven for him, three for me. Something like that. After Jonah is thrown into the sea, God, with a saving and generous love, manahed a big fish to swallow him. A while later God manahed a plant to grow to give him shade. What grace! What joy! What peace! God is good!
And then God manahed a worm. A worm to eat the plant. And then He manahed "a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, 'Death is better to me than life .'"
What grace! What joo... Huh?
We're so ready to take the things we like, things that make us more comfortable, that build us up. We want the good stuff. But perhaps those things we don't like, the discipline, the worms and all the other things that scorch us and beat down on us - perhaps those are just another form of His grace.
Perhaps He's protecting us. Maybe He's guarding us or preparing us. I know He's teaching us humility. He might be disciplining us in love. I think He wants to remind us that He is God and that He is in control. After all, it is Him that is manahing in the first place.
We all want things in our timing. Our GoVerona team would love to be in Verona by Valentine's Day. That's what our hearts are begging God for... but maybe - just maybe, this waiting is part of God's manahing too.
I find it interesting that the food the Israelites ate was called manna, which literally means, "What is it?" So, maybe that's what we need to be asking instead of "Why?"...
Manna? Manah.
What is it? It's God's provision.
And then God manahed a worm. A worm to eat the plant. And then He manahed "a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, 'Death is better to me than life .'"
What grace! What joo... Huh?
We're so ready to take the things we like, things that make us more comfortable, that build us up. We want the good stuff. But perhaps those things we don't like, the discipline, the worms and all the other things that scorch us and beat down on us - perhaps those are just another form of His grace.
Perhaps He's protecting us. Maybe He's guarding us or preparing us. I know He's teaching us humility. He might be disciplining us in love. I think He wants to remind us that He is God and that He is in control. After all, it is Him that is manahing in the first place.
We all want things in our timing. Our GoVerona team would love to be in Verona by Valentine's Day. That's what our hearts are begging God for... but maybe - just maybe, this waiting is part of God's manahing too.
Wasn't it Jonah who said that God was gracious and compassionate and full of love?
I find it interesting that the food the Israelites ate was called manna, which literally means, "What is it?" So, maybe that's what we need to be asking instead of "Why?"...
Manna? Manah.
What is it? It's God's provision.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Day 6-Verona
We started out our morning with breakfast at our hotel, then got on a bus and headed into the center of Verona. Here we found Piazza bra and the Arena di Verona.
Piazza Bra
This is the Arena in Verona. It is much like the one in Rome...since it was built by the Romans in 30 AD. It is still used today for concerts and operas.
From the piazza we set out walking in search of the many sites Verona has to offer. We headed down Via Roma and found Castelvecchio. It is a castle by the river that dates back to the 12th century.
Verona is the famous setting for Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. The story is fiction but Verona still payed tribute to Juliet by recreating her balcony.
We did some sightseeing but we also took time to do research for when we live there. We visited a grocery store to see what it's like. It's quite a bit smaller than your average grocery store in America. We did find a bountiful amount of pasta, olive oil and cheese.
We also found the language school we will be attending the first year.
We also walked around an electronics store and a clothing store to see what was available and the prices of different things. We also walked through neighborhoods. Most people live in apartments. Every building we saw was beautiful. Here's one near our hotel:
I feel like this a watered down version of our day...we did so much! It seems we only got a glimpse of Verona. We can't wait to get to know the city and the people of Verona even better once we live there! We had a nice dinner in the evening followed by gelato. We were so tired by about 9 at night, we headed back to the hotel for some rest. I bet we walked 10 miles after the day was over.
Here are a few more pictures from our day in Verona:
Inside the Arena
Porta Borsari...up close
Piazza Del Erbe
Piazza Bra
This is the Arena in Verona. It is much like the one in Rome...since it was built by the Romans in 30 AD. It is still used today for concerts and operas.
From the piazza we set out walking in search of the many sites Verona has to offer. We headed down Via Roma and found Castelvecchio. It is a castle by the river that dates back to the 12th century.
Verona is the famous setting for Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. The story is fiction but Verona still payed tribute to Juliet by recreating her balcony.
We did some sightseeing but we also took time to do research for when we live there. We visited a grocery store to see what it's like. It's quite a bit smaller than your average grocery store in America. We did find a bountiful amount of pasta, olive oil and cheese.
We also found the language school we will be attending the first year.
We also walked around an electronics store and a clothing store to see what was available and the prices of different things. We also walked through neighborhoods. Most people live in apartments. Every building we saw was beautiful. Here's one near our hotel:
I feel like this a watered down version of our day...we did so much! It seems we only got a glimpse of Verona. We can't wait to get to know the city and the people of Verona even better once we live there! We had a nice dinner in the evening followed by gelato. We were so tired by about 9 at night, we headed back to the hotel for some rest. I bet we walked 10 miles after the day was over.
Here are a few more pictures from our day in Verona:
Inside the Arena
Porta Borsari...up close
Piazza Del Erbe
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Day 5-From Ancona to Verona
We started out the morning in Ancona. We got up and headed downtown to Cafe Roma to have breakfast and meet Matt and Angie's friend Yuri. His family owns the cafe. Jason introduced us to him and told him all about how we are heading to Verona with Matt and Angie. He spoke English...which we have found to be helpful in making new friends. For breakfast, we had the typical Italian breakfast. This consist of some sort of coffee...espresso, cappuccino or latte and a pastry. Below is a picture of what I had:
The pastry I had was filled with chocolate and was so delicious. I also had a cappuccino that was pretty amazing. Let me tell you, I could really get used to the Italian breakfast!
After breakfast, Jason went to work and we had a few hours before we had to catch our next train. Brandon and I wondered around downtown Ancona. We found a book store, a market with stands selling all sorts of fruit, vegetables, meat, candies, flowers, pastas and other things we weren't quite sure what they were. It was nice to just walk around and watch the Italian people going through the motions of daily life. It was a beautiful day. While sitting on a bench waiting for Jason to meet us, we got to talking about how everywhere we go is so pretty and sometimes it's even prettier when you stop and look up at buildings. We took a picture of what we saw when we looked up from where we were sitting:
Around noon we headed to the train station to catch our train to Verona. Realizing we were going to be on our own in Verona, I wanted to prepare myself...so I did quite a bit of reading...
Our train pulled into the station a little after 5. I got out my Italian phrase cheat sheet to prepare myself for communicating with the Taxi driver. Turns out, he knew some English, and it was real easy getting to the hotel. We are staying at Hotel Maxim. We really like it. It's location is not quite in the center of Verona, so we get to experience real neighborhoods and real people as we walk through town. Here's a view from the window of our room:
After we freshened up a bit, we headed out on our first adventure. We had a little map given to us at the hotel and that was it. We just started walking towards the center of Verona with no idea what we were going to do. We just knew food was a necessity. After probably an hour of walking, we were pretty sure we had no clue where we were. Now, this normally wouldn't be so stressful but it was nighttime and we were hungry. It took us a good twenty minutes to get our bearings. When we did though, we emerged to see the most beautiful city we've ever laid eyes on. Since the moment we entered the center of the city my camera shutter has been buzzing non-stop. We crossed the Adige river over the Ponte Pietra. It is a foot bridge that was built by the Romans...like the real Romans, from Rome, like in Roman times. From there, we headed into Piazza del Erbe and found a nice ristorante to eat dinner at. We ate a place called Mezzaparte and had a candle lit dinner on the sidewalk. It was pretty amazing.
The pastry I had was filled with chocolate and was so delicious. I also had a cappuccino that was pretty amazing. Let me tell you, I could really get used to the Italian breakfast!
After breakfast, Jason went to work and we had a few hours before we had to catch our next train. Brandon and I wondered around downtown Ancona. We found a book store, a market with stands selling all sorts of fruit, vegetables, meat, candies, flowers, pastas and other things we weren't quite sure what they were. It was nice to just walk around and watch the Italian people going through the motions of daily life. It was a beautiful day. While sitting on a bench waiting for Jason to meet us, we got to talking about how everywhere we go is so pretty and sometimes it's even prettier when you stop and look up at buildings. We took a picture of what we saw when we looked up from where we were sitting:
Around noon we headed to the train station to catch our train to Verona. Realizing we were going to be on our own in Verona, I wanted to prepare myself...so I did quite a bit of reading...
Our train pulled into the station a little after 5. I got out my Italian phrase cheat sheet to prepare myself for communicating with the Taxi driver. Turns out, he knew some English, and it was real easy getting to the hotel. We are staying at Hotel Maxim. We really like it. It's location is not quite in the center of Verona, so we get to experience real neighborhoods and real people as we walk through town. Here's a view from the window of our room:
After we freshened up a bit, we headed out on our first adventure. We had a little map given to us at the hotel and that was it. We just started walking towards the center of Verona with no idea what we were going to do. We just knew food was a necessity. After probably an hour of walking, we were pretty sure we had no clue where we were. Now, this normally wouldn't be so stressful but it was nighttime and we were hungry. It took us a good twenty minutes to get our bearings. When we did though, we emerged to see the most beautiful city we've ever laid eyes on. Since the moment we entered the center of the city my camera shutter has been buzzing non-stop. We crossed the Adige river over the Ponte Pietra. It is a foot bridge that was built by the Romans...like the real Romans, from Rome, like in Roman times. From there, we headed into Piazza del Erbe and found a nice ristorante to eat dinner at. We ate a place called Mezzaparte and had a candle lit dinner on the sidewalk. It was pretty amazing.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Italy Day 4
This was our first full day in Ancona. We woke up here and we will sleep here. No traveling. The morning started with the sound of children playing. We woke up and got to hang out with the Caseys and their children, who are wonderful, and a whole lot of fun. After the morning, we got to see some sites in Ancona.
We saw a beautiful view of the city, and went down to a monument that was not only in the center of town but also right beside the sea. Harrison (The Casey's youngest) and I went on a lizard hunt...not a whole lot of success on that front, but he did find a rock that he liked good enough to keep.
After our little tour, we went back to the Caseys where Heather made a great lunch for us and the whole Ancona team. We got to just sit and fellowship and learn from the experience of some really neat people.
In the evening we went to the Ancona team's church service. It was awesome to see the body worshiping together abnd bulding each other up in the heart of the city. The potluck dinner at the end of the service wasn't too shabby either. We wouldn't mind having to do that every week. We continue to be treated like family whervever we go from Americans, Italians, Strangers, Friends, Christian brothers and sisters.
We saw a beautiful view of the city, and went down to a monument that was not only in the center of town but also right beside the sea. Harrison (The Casey's youngest) and I went on a lizard hunt...not a whole lot of success on that front, but he did find a rock that he liked good enough to keep.
After our little tour, we went back to the Caseys where Heather made a great lunch for us and the whole Ancona team. We got to just sit and fellowship and learn from the experience of some really neat people.
In the evening we went to the Ancona team's church service. It was awesome to see the body worshiping together abnd bulding each other up in the heart of the city. The potluck dinner at the end of the service wasn't too shabby either. We wouldn't mind having to do that every week. We continue to be treated like family whervever we go from Americans, Italians, Strangers, Friends, Christian brothers and sisters.
Day 3-Saturday
Yesterday we spent part of the day in Latiano and Francavilla with the Bruno's then we headed back to Ancona in the afternoon.
In Latiano we started out the day with Gianni and Anyssa at the Open Market in Francavilla. I would compare this to a Flea Market back in the states...except less trashy with alot cooler stuff. It's outside every Saturday morning til noon. Their are vendors everywhere selling knock off designer clothing, purses, underwear, Italian shoes and even some replica soccer jerseys. We walked around and looked at everything. It was really cool. Below is a picture of the market.
After the market, we headed back to Latiano for lunch. We stopped by the neighborhood butcher shop. In Italy, most people buy their meats and cheeses at a butcher shop. Their were so many different cheeses...but the best one of all was the fresh mozzerella. When I say fresh, I mean FRESH! The butcher was an old soccer buddy of Gianni's so he was glad to let the "American friends" try to tasty Italian cheeses. He gave us each what looked like a knot of mozzerella cheese. It was very different from the kind you buy at Wal-Mart. I asked Brandon to help me describe it to you and all he said was "awesome." I think he probably ate 20 of the little knots. It was very creamy and soft. Gianni said most Italians don't prepare it any special way, they just eat it fresh like it comes.
The butcher shop also prepares dishes for people to take home and eat. Gianni got a couple different things. He got a dish with a few different kinds of meat, mushrooms and olives. He also got an eggplant dish. It was eggplant filled with ground beef, ham, egg and cheese. I know what you're thinking, "There is no way Savannah would eat that." Well, all of you should be very proud because I tried it. I have to be honest, I was not a huge fan. It was just a very different flavor and texture. I couldn't quite get used to it. I did try it though and that is what counts.
Here is a picture from the butcher shop of the fresh mozzerella:
After lunch, we said goodbye to the Bruno's. We had such a wonderful time with them and hope to visit them again when we live in Italy for good.
We hopped on a train back to Ancona. I have to mention that this train ride was much more pleasant than our first. I think the air condition was broken on our first ride and we were roasting for 6 hours. Our ride back to Ancona was relaxing though. The train wasn't crowded and it was comfortably cool.
We got into Ancona a little after 7:00. Jason picked us up and we headed downtown to meet Josh Furnal. He's another member of the Ancona team. We were pretty hungry by then, so Josh took us to a little "trattoria" by his house. There are different classifications of restaurants in Italy. A ristorante is ussually a nice sit down atmosphere and can be quite pricey. Trattoria's are Italian restaurants that area little cheaper than the ristorante. I would compare it to a diner or nice cafe in America. The one we went to is near Josh's house and he dines there frequently. We sampled a few different things. We had some pasta with a meat sauce which was very good. Josh also ordered what looked like a hanging shish-kabob with a few different kind of meat on it. After that, we sampled a few deserts. I can't remember what they were called but one was a creamy white pudding with mixed berry sauce on it and the other was also a creamy filling with carmalized sugar on top. Both were very tasty.
After dinner, we set out on a walk through downtown Ancona. We walked through a few piazzas and saw lots of rowdy teenagers who were up to no good. I think that is a universal occurence on Saturday night. We saw people walking dogs...which we are always glad to see. We met one of the students in the Ancona team's English outreach program. It was really nice to go on a walk after sitting on a train for so long all day. It was great to talk to Josh about life in Italy and the Ancona team's work here. We walked all the way to the Adriatic sea at the end of town. On the way back, we stopped at a Gelataria for some gelato. Gelato is like ice cream only a million times better. Brandon ate coffee flavored and I got chocolate chip. It was excellent. We also got a little taste of Italian tv. It was a little crazy. The show that was on was some sort of variety show with singing, jokes, skits and dancing on roller skates. It was a fun night and we are excited to spend the day in Ancona tommorow.
Brandon and Josh enjoying gelato!
In Latiano we started out the day with Gianni and Anyssa at the Open Market in Francavilla. I would compare this to a Flea Market back in the states...except less trashy with alot cooler stuff. It's outside every Saturday morning til noon. Their are vendors everywhere selling knock off designer clothing, purses, underwear, Italian shoes and even some replica soccer jerseys. We walked around and looked at everything. It was really cool. Below is a picture of the market.
After the market, we headed back to Latiano for lunch. We stopped by the neighborhood butcher shop. In Italy, most people buy their meats and cheeses at a butcher shop. Their were so many different cheeses...but the best one of all was the fresh mozzerella. When I say fresh, I mean FRESH! The butcher was an old soccer buddy of Gianni's so he was glad to let the "American friends" try to tasty Italian cheeses. He gave us each what looked like a knot of mozzerella cheese. It was very different from the kind you buy at Wal-Mart. I asked Brandon to help me describe it to you and all he said was "awesome." I think he probably ate 20 of the little knots. It was very creamy and soft. Gianni said most Italians don't prepare it any special way, they just eat it fresh like it comes.
The butcher shop also prepares dishes for people to take home and eat. Gianni got a couple different things. He got a dish with a few different kinds of meat, mushrooms and olives. He also got an eggplant dish. It was eggplant filled with ground beef, ham, egg and cheese. I know what you're thinking, "There is no way Savannah would eat that." Well, all of you should be very proud because I tried it. I have to be honest, I was not a huge fan. It was just a very different flavor and texture. I couldn't quite get used to it. I did try it though and that is what counts.
Here is a picture from the butcher shop of the fresh mozzerella:
After lunch, we said goodbye to the Bruno's. We had such a wonderful time with them and hope to visit them again when we live in Italy for good.
We hopped on a train back to Ancona. I have to mention that this train ride was much more pleasant than our first. I think the air condition was broken on our first ride and we were roasting for 6 hours. Our ride back to Ancona was relaxing though. The train wasn't crowded and it was comfortably cool.
We got into Ancona a little after 7:00. Jason picked us up and we headed downtown to meet Josh Furnal. He's another member of the Ancona team. We were pretty hungry by then, so Josh took us to a little "trattoria" by his house. There are different classifications of restaurants in Italy. A ristorante is ussually a nice sit down atmosphere and can be quite pricey. Trattoria's are Italian restaurants that area little cheaper than the ristorante. I would compare it to a diner or nice cafe in America. The one we went to is near Josh's house and he dines there frequently. We sampled a few different things. We had some pasta with a meat sauce which was very good. Josh also ordered what looked like a hanging shish-kabob with a few different kind of meat on it. After that, we sampled a few deserts. I can't remember what they were called but one was a creamy white pudding with mixed berry sauce on it and the other was also a creamy filling with carmalized sugar on top. Both were very tasty.
After dinner, we set out on a walk through downtown Ancona. We walked through a few piazzas and saw lots of rowdy teenagers who were up to no good. I think that is a universal occurence on Saturday night. We saw people walking dogs...which we are always glad to see. We met one of the students in the Ancona team's English outreach program. It was really nice to go on a walk after sitting on a train for so long all day. It was great to talk to Josh about life in Italy and the Ancona team's work here. We walked all the way to the Adriatic sea at the end of town. On the way back, we stopped at a Gelataria for some gelato. Gelato is like ice cream only a million times better. Brandon ate coffee flavored and I got chocolate chip. It was excellent. We also got a little taste of Italian tv. It was a little crazy. The show that was on was some sort of variety show with singing, jokes, skits and dancing on roller skates. It was a fun night and we are excited to spend the day in Ancona tommorow.
Brandon and Josh enjoying gelato!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Friday in Southern Italy (Day 2)
Yesterday we spent the whole day in Southern Italy with our friends from Johnson, Gianni and Stephany Bruno. If Italy is a boot, we were in the heel. We rode the train into the town of Brindisi. We stayed in the nearby town of Oria with Stephany's parents at their Mission's center. Gianni and Stephany live in Latiano, which is where Gianni grew up. They minister not from there in a church in Francavilla. Had that not told us where we were, I would have never known we ever in a different town. They are all very close to each other. Like I said, Gianni grew up in Latiano and Stephany also grew up in Italy. Her parents have been missionaries in the area since she was 10 months old. Gianni is the minister of a church where they are now training Italian leaders. Jim and Caranita Wolseffier (Stepany's parents) run a counseling ministry to provide hope, healing and the light of Jesus to the Italians. We got to see their beautiful facility and hear all the wonderful things God has done in the lives and ministry over their years.
Our day with the Bruno's was delightful. We started the morning with a breakfast of Italian and American coffee along with an anbundance of pastries from a local coffee shops. In Italy coffee shops are called "Bars"...which can be confusing. Especcially when you hear a 5 year old say "dad, when are we going to the bar?" You have to take a second and remember what they were talking about!! After breakfast, we took a tour of their facility and got to hear about everything they do and all the things they have planned. They offer a free sports ministry during the year to kids in the community. They also offer Christian counseling to Italians. Gianni and Jim work in the church in Francavilla and are establishing leaders there. They hope to someday plant more churches in Southern Italy.
At lunch we had Tortolini, some sort of olive bread and a little bit of ice cream. After lunch we started to feel the effects of jet lag and took a little nap. We were glad to relax after all our traveling.
In the evening we headed to Gianni and Stephany's in Latiano. We really enjoyed spending time with them and their children, Anyssa and Raphiele. They are adorable! After the kids headed to bed, we ordered pizza's for dinner. Sergio and Julia came over to join. They attend the church in Francavilla and Sergio is the worship leader there in his spare time. Sergio and Julia do not speak English. It was very interesting to socialize with people who don't speak the same language as us. We have never done that before. We had no idea what it was going to be like but we really enjoyed it! Luckily, we have Stephany and Gianni there to translate. Brandon was so excited to talk Soccer with Italians! I believe Gianni and Sergio were pretty impressed with Brandon's knowledge of the game, teams and players. Hopefully someday we can all go to an Italian game together!
Overall, we were encouraged to be with the Bruno's and the Wolseffiers. Their love and passion for the Italian people is inspiring. We can definetly see God blessing their ministry and are excited to see How he continues to work in the lives of the people of Southern Italy.
-Savannah
Our day with the Bruno's was delightful. We started the morning with a breakfast of Italian and American coffee along with an anbundance of pastries from a local coffee shops. In Italy coffee shops are called "Bars"...which can be confusing. Especcially when you hear a 5 year old say "dad, when are we going to the bar?" You have to take a second and remember what they were talking about!! After breakfast, we took a tour of their facility and got to hear about everything they do and all the things they have planned. They offer a free sports ministry during the year to kids in the community. They also offer Christian counseling to Italians. Gianni and Jim work in the church in Francavilla and are establishing leaders there. They hope to someday plant more churches in Southern Italy.
At lunch we had Tortolini, some sort of olive bread and a little bit of ice cream. After lunch we started to feel the effects of jet lag and took a little nap. We were glad to relax after all our traveling.
In the evening we headed to Gianni and Stephany's in Latiano. We really enjoyed spending time with them and their children, Anyssa and Raphiele. They are adorable! After the kids headed to bed, we ordered pizza's for dinner. Sergio and Julia came over to join. They attend the church in Francavilla and Sergio is the worship leader there in his spare time. Sergio and Julia do not speak English. It was very interesting to socialize with people who don't speak the same language as us. We have never done that before. We had no idea what it was going to be like but we really enjoyed it! Luckily, we have Stephany and Gianni there to translate. Brandon was so excited to talk Soccer with Italians! I believe Gianni and Sergio were pretty impressed with Brandon's knowledge of the game, teams and players. Hopefully someday we can all go to an Italian game together!
Overall, we were encouraged to be with the Bruno's and the Wolseffiers. Their love and passion for the Italian people is inspiring. We can definetly see God blessing their ministry and are excited to see How he continues to work in the lives of the people of Southern Italy.
-Savannah
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Italiapalooza Day 1!
So we've been in Italy less than an hour. Jason Caasey taught us how to buy train tickets and look out for pick pockets and Harrison (Jason's son) showed us his really cool hamsters.
It is Thursday about noon here and we started this journey at 1:00AM Tuesday morning. So we are on day three of no sleep. We feel...weird...and excited...and slow on the draw. We practiced some Italian phrases on the way but we were so exausted that by the time we had an Italian flight attendant that said bonjourno, we spaced out and just waved.
We haven't done much or seen much since we've been here (like I said, less than an hour) but we are so keyed up we can't wait. We head out on a train this afternoon for more adventures and hopefully a night of sleep.
Laters,
Brandon and Savannah
It is Thursday about noon here and we started this journey at 1:00AM Tuesday morning. So we are on day three of no sleep. We feel...weird...and excited...and slow on the draw. We practiced some Italian phrases on the way but we were so exausted that by the time we had an Italian flight attendant that said bonjourno, we spaced out and just waved.
We haven't done much or seen much since we've been here (like I said, less than an hour) but we are so keyed up we can't wait. We head out on a train this afternoon for more adventures and hopefully a night of sleep.
Laters,
Brandon and Savannah
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
A Dear Jon Letter
Jon...
I'm still listening to your sermons' podcasts. In listening to the One Month To Live series, I've really been convicted. My "bucket list" was easy: evangelize in Verona, Italy. It made me self-righteously sad. If this is my only dying wish (well, if I were dying), then why isn't God just having people pour in money for me to go soon?
And I started thinking about it... I'm planning on 10 to 15 years there. Not just one month. What do I spend my time thinking about, praying about, reading about? The culture, the language, the money needed, the housing... nothing bad in itself - just not Jesus Himself. So, I want to guard myself and remember that the point of going to Italy is not Italy - but Jesus! And even if I'm there for a decade or two, I need to be evangelizing like I'm only there for a few days.
Thanks for the reminder.
Blessings...
april
I'm still listening to your sermons' podcasts. In listening to the One Month To Live series, I've really been convicted. My "bucket list" was easy: evangelize in Verona, Italy. It made me self-righteously sad. If this is my only dying wish (well, if I were dying), then why isn't God just having people pour in money for me to go soon?
And I started thinking about it... I'm planning on 10 to 15 years there. Not just one month. What do I spend my time thinking about, praying about, reading about? The culture, the language, the money needed, the housing... nothing bad in itself - just not Jesus Himself. So, I want to guard myself and remember that the point of going to Italy is not Italy - but Jesus! And even if I'm there for a decade or two, I need to be evangelizing like I'm only there for a few days.
Thanks for the reminder.
Blessings...
april
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Time Between the Times
In Celtic history there is a concept known as the "Time Between the Times". When the sun is coming up, is it day or night? It's neither, it's dawn. The same is true for when the sun is setting. When you are standing on the shore, with the ocean tide coming back and forth over your feet, are you in the ocean or on the beach? While our team is in the states are we here or there? Neither. We are here waiting for there, which is markedly different than just being here, and definitely different than being just there. We are in the time between the times.
As Christians we experience this as well. We are citizens of heaven, but are stuck here on earth. Stuck with a glorious task of taking the message to those who have no hope. We live here while waiting for there.
So how do we proceed in our time in this transition. Much of it is spent raising awareness and seeking support, that is support in the form of prayer partners, one time financial gift givers and individuals and churches who commit a self determined amount of money to be given monthly to the work. Also, during this time in the states we continue following God in our daily lives. Looking for needs and opportunity around us. In about a week, we will determine if an extension is necessary. Currently, Angie and I are set to return to Italy by the end of the year and the team follows starting the following month. If an extension is necessary, our new return goal would be at the end of March 2009 and the team would begin to follow us in April.
What is the purpose of extension? Our team is working hard to raise awareness and support, sometimes that comes quickly, sometimes it seems slow, but when you are following God it always comes in His timing. Pray for the conviction of individuals/churches to partner with our team in finances and prayer. Pray that this would come quickly, if it is God's will.
If you are interested in getting involved in our team's ministry, follow this link:
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
A Song
With a background in opera and classical singing, many churches have asked me to sing while I visit. Usually I decline since I'm a little out of practice. However, I think I'm going to change my tune. I've composed a little number to sing at the end of my presentation. It's almost as good as Puccini and Verdi. Perhaps it will one day be performed in in Verona's ancient arena.
It goes something like this.
Hhh--umm
(to the tune of "Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush")
This is the way to Italy, pray-pray-pray, give-give-give, this is the way to Italy, let's see wha-ut God can do!
It goes something like this.
Hhh--umm
(to the tune of "Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush")
This is the way to Italy, pray-pray-pray, give-give-give, this is the way to Italy, let's see wha-ut God can do!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Brandon and Savannah:World Travelers?
Sometimes I think about what we're about to do and I realize it is only because of God's providence and his specific call on our lives. Savannah and I aren't really in the same mold that a lot of missionaries tend to come from. Well, at least the people in college that were on the missions program. We aren't the most well-traveled people in the world you see.
Savannah was born and lived in the same small town in North Carolina her whole life. She had the same classmates in school from kindergarten to her senior year in High School. College was her first real adventure you could say. I moved quite a bit when I was younger, and had my fair share of first days at a new school. But for the most part I was from Florida, I liked Florida and I planned on living in Florida for the rest of my life.
I had a job that required quite a bit of traveling at one time in our marriage. One time I had to spend a week in Philadelphia for a conference and Savannah went with me. We didn't have a lot of Big City experience. I've been to a few, and so had Savannah, but it was still quite an experience. Everyone was in a hurry and if you were at a fast food place and didn't know what you wanted right away, the cashier and the person behind you would yell at you at the same time. If you walked over the vents in the street, you would get a gust of warm air that smelled like cheeseburgers but not in a good way.
One day out of that week I skipped an afternoon session of the conference to do some sight seeing. We underestimated the size of Philadelphia, and by the time we saw the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and all that, we had walked about 4 miles and we then realized we had to walk four more miles back. It was July and we were really hot and tired by the time we got back. I was pretty much crawling into the hotel, which might speak to my current physical fitness level.
One night while we were there we were watching the news and someone was reporting about a murder that happened that day and the place where it happened was somewhere we walked right by earlier that day. It freaked us out a little bit, and we decided wherever we were planning on going that night suddenly didn't sound as fun as going to the hotel pool.
I guess the point of all this rambling is that we are both silly and ridiculous. We are ill-formed tools to perform the work that God has called us to. We are so thankful that that doesn't matter. We know that He will shape us and help us grow and that all the work that's coming is His work, not our work. All we have to do is let Him do it. We leave for our first trip to Verona in about 9 days. We will be silly and ridiculous there too, and we could not be more excited about it. God has put a fire in our hearts for a place we haven't been to yet. He's put a yearning in our spirits for a people we haven't' met and we wouldn't even be able to talk to yet. He provides the will to do it, the desire to want it, and the strength to accomplish it. The best part is He likes doing all of these things with ridiculous people.
-Brandon and Savannah
Savannah was born and lived in the same small town in North Carolina her whole life. She had the same classmates in school from kindergarten to her senior year in High School. College was her first real adventure you could say. I moved quite a bit when I was younger, and had my fair share of first days at a new school. But for the most part I was from Florida, I liked Florida and I planned on living in Florida for the rest of my life.
I had a job that required quite a bit of traveling at one time in our marriage. One time I had to spend a week in Philadelphia for a conference and Savannah went with me. We didn't have a lot of Big City experience. I've been to a few, and so had Savannah, but it was still quite an experience. Everyone was in a hurry and if you were at a fast food place and didn't know what you wanted right away, the cashier and the person behind you would yell at you at the same time. If you walked over the vents in the street, you would get a gust of warm air that smelled like cheeseburgers but not in a good way.
One day out of that week I skipped an afternoon session of the conference to do some sight seeing. We underestimated the size of Philadelphia, and by the time we saw the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and all that, we had walked about 4 miles and we then realized we had to walk four more miles back. It was July and we were really hot and tired by the time we got back. I was pretty much crawling into the hotel, which might speak to my current physical fitness level.
One night while we were there we were watching the news and someone was reporting about a murder that happened that day and the place where it happened was somewhere we walked right by earlier that day. It freaked us out a little bit, and we decided wherever we were planning on going that night suddenly didn't sound as fun as going to the hotel pool.
I guess the point of all this rambling is that we are both silly and ridiculous. We are ill-formed tools to perform the work that God has called us to. We are so thankful that that doesn't matter. We know that He will shape us and help us grow and that all the work that's coming is His work, not our work. All we have to do is let Him do it. We leave for our first trip to Verona in about 9 days. We will be silly and ridiculous there too, and we could not be more excited about it. God has put a fire in our hearts for a place we haven't been to yet. He's put a yearning in our spirits for a people we haven't' met and we wouldn't even be able to talk to yet. He provides the will to do it, the desire to want it, and the strength to accomplish it. The best part is He likes doing all of these things with ridiculous people.
-Brandon and Savannah
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Verona Highlight: Castelvecchio
Castelvecchio literally means the old castle. On the westside of downtown Verona, along the Adige river, lies Castelvecchio. On one of our first visits to Verona, Angie and I got to explore the outdoor building, as well as the ancient pedestrian bridge that stretches across the Adige River. There is also a musuem that is housed within its centuries old walls. We'll explore that when we move there. The building is a great example of the Gothic architecture of the age. The castle was once surrounded by water from the Adige, but now is surrounded only by an empty ditch. It is built out of red brick and is composed of seven towers, a highly elevated keep that has four buildings within it. The construction was carried out by one of the Scalgieri family who led Verona for several centuries. The family member who oversaw this period was called Cangrande II. Cangrande literally means "Big Dog". The leaders of that time period took the names of dogs in the Verona area. Not sure why, but there are a couple of theories that I will share with you in a future Verona Highlight.
Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia about Castelvecchio:
The castle stands on the probable location of a Roman fortress outside the Roman
city. Lord Cangrande II della Scala had it built along with its bridge across the Adige
River as a deterrent to his powerful neighbors such as Venice, the Gonzaga and the Sforza families. Construction was carried out between 1354 and 1376 (Cangrande died in 1359). The fortified bridge was intended to allow the seigniors to escape safely northwards to the Tyrol in the event of a rebellion or a coup d'état (the Scaligeri were allies of the Holy Roman Empire) and when they eventually lost their hold on Verona, its surviving members left Italy to found a German branch of the family.
Later, during the Venetian domination, slits were added to defend it with cannons. The castle was damaged by French troops during the Napoleonic Wars (1796-7), in retaliation to the Pasque Veronesi, when the local population staged a violent anti-French revolt. Napoleon had chosen to stay in Castelvecchio on his trips to Verona, but his widespread and arbitrary requisitions of citizens' and churches' property,
the massive draft of male workers into the French army prompted the resistance
that eventually drove out the invaders.
Under the Austrians, Castelvecchio was turned into barracks. In 1923 the castle was restored, as well as in 1963-1965. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelvecchio_(Verona)
Here is a link to the English version webpage from the city of Verona about Castelvecchio:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------To read about previous highlights, you can just follow this link: http://gonorthnews.blogspot.com/search/label/highlights
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
God's Omnipresence
A couple of weeks ago I had a great reminder of how thankful I am that our God is not only omniscient (all knowing) and omnipotent (all powerful), but omnipresent (everywhere at once!).
John and the kids were going to scale the heights of Pikes Peak. Because this would be the kids' first attempt at a fourteener (a mountain over 14,000 ft high), John chose to hike the back side of the mountain, which he had heard was shorter and easier. He also decided that I should drive up and pick them up, rather than making them all hike back down as well.
Our car is currently an old 15 passenger van. I hate driving this massive thing and parking it is especially trying for me. (But it has encouraged my prayer life!) If you've ever driven the Pikes Peak highway you'll remember a lovely drive with breathtaking views. You'll probably also remember the tight switchbacks past timberline, oh, and the lack of guardrails. (T-shirts sold at the top proclaim that real men/women don't need guardrails!)
I left my family and said several prayers on their behalf as God and I had a lovely morning together. Then I began my drive up. As I hit that area around timberline and crawled along at 5 mph or so, letting cars pass me every so often, I began to have moments of near terror. Now this was my second drive up, but somehow I had forgotten what this road was like. I would travel up the "hill" to the next curve where, from my vantage point high in my driver's seat, I could see.......sky, not much else. Then the curve and I could breathe only to reach the next one.
I was asking for peace and the Lord's presence. I was asking him to have complete control of the wheel and the van. Extra gravity please, right under me to keep my wheels firmly on the road! (Not that he didn't have control all along.) I was also still asking him to be with my family on the other side of the mountain. NO accidents or injuries, please.
Then it hit me- again. What if God were, well, more like the gods of some folks? What if he could only be with me OR my family? Wow...again! He's not like that though, is he? He could be with us all that whole day. He could be with the rest of my team, my dad who is recovering from surgery, my friends in China, and all the folks we've yet to meet in Verona. At the same time! Isn't that wonderful! And amazing!
I've loved Psalm 139 for a long time. It is one of the things I have tried to help my kids memorize. For those of us who have lived far from our family, friends, and familiar things it is comforting. "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely, the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." (vs.7-12)
We were all fine that day. God kept me on the road (extra gravity?!)and I reached the top. I had to wait a long time for my hikers. They had a harder trail than they had anticipated. But we all made it. God, our great and mighty God, was with us all.
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