Tempio, 12-01-2007

Looking back we can say: "Ebenezer" = "Hitherto the LORD has helped us." 1 Sam 7:12 and He will continue to do so until He will say to us: "come to the other riverside". This is a part of our riches as believers.

Last year the Lord has introduced us in great sufferings. We never expected at the dawn of our life this tempests and dark clouds. But we know the Lord loves us very much and of this we have had many demonstrations during the year. The Lord has covered us with many material and spiritual blessings for which we continue to bless Him. The tempests belongs to the greater blessings the Lord bestows us, with great value for the eternity. We are still in midst of the clouds and learn in this way to know better the riches of His grace.

We have a bible study once a week in our home. Together with us there is Maurilio, who is never missing, a believer with her daughter, and a young lady, coming from a village near Tempio.

I find myself in a strange situation. I know that the Lord has very clear ideas how He will build His church in this region. Sure He does not need our creativity how to do it. He has no need that we plead Him for something in this matter. We thought that the Bible exposition would be a good manner of preaching the good news and making contacts as open air meetings and going from house to house doesn’t work any more here.

Last year we have had again the German youth group from Scheideweg here and we thought to go into the prison of Sassari. But we got no answer to our request. I understand that the director has much to do as she has two prisons to look for. Ok. We took this from the hands of the Lord.

Then we planed to have a beach evangelisation where the people from Tempio are going. In the only day we could do it the Lord send a heavy storm with rain. Ok. We excepted also this.

It looks like that every special outreach we plan does not work. How would I like to be able to tell all the inhabitants the Gospel but ……

Shall we simply expect the open doors from the Lord? Take it easy. Ok we will take it easy. At the end it is He who builds His church. I find myself in difficulty to ask something in prayer more than once. To praise and give thanks to the Lord I find myself free.

But as the Lord tells us to ask Him we feel free to communicate you our situation.

From march 19th to 25 th we have had a Bible-exposition in the city of Alghero.

We are grateful that we have made this effort although we have had rain and storm most of the time, so only hard people had the courage to come.

We asked the Lord over wind and rain to give us nice weather as we were there to serve Him, but He didn't respond as we thought He would do. So we remembered that He asks us to thank Him always and for everything and so we did. He knows better what is good for us.

According to our comprehension we have now, we should have organized the exposition two month later.

For this exposition we have had the full support of the minister of culture of the city. He convoked a press conference (you can see a picture from the TV here )

He invited also the school directors to send the students. One director came to see the exposition. I gave to her all the explanations. She was very impressed. She promised to send every day a group of students but things came different (for two days the school was closed and the weather was not favourable).

The city helped us also financial. The minister opened and closed also the exposition. We are very grateful.

All the people who visited the exposition didn't get only the historical and cultural informations about the Bible but got to know also the way of salvation for the times of the OT (through the model 1:100 of the tabernacle) and for us to day. In this way people didn't even realise that we evangelised them. We got the gospel smoothly to them. We believe that this is the way for our times to get the gospel to the people of our generation. In the same way believers get strengthened.

A teacher, after he had seen the exposition and had a little talk with me, exclaimed: that is the best news I ever have heard.

Another teacher recognised me after 20 years and said that he would like me to teach his students about the reformation. We will see.
Another young man came several times with specific questions.

Every evening we have had special sermons about the Bible.

A family we know already for many years came every evening and is now attaining the church services. 

Tempio Pausania, October 6, 2007

We thank also the Lord that He is still using us giving us the strength for every day.

July 30th we have had a funeral of a brother who went to the Lord at the age of nearly 100. He has been in a catholic house for elderly people and in the first moment the priest wouldn’t except an evangelical funeral, but than he gave me full freedom. I could preach the gospel with great conviction.

In August we have been at a youth camp. I have had three bible studies and Evangelina had the book table.

From September 22-23 I guided a German group of believers through the island in a spiritual and practical sense.

From September 28-30 I hold 4 bible studies about the epistle to the Colossians in a assembly near Milan.

As often as possible I write some flash observations for a newspaper and send them also evangelical news. We try to get the Gospel out wherever we can.

We pray that the Lord may give us open doors.

Every Sunday we serve in on of our sardish assemblies and once a month we stay for three days in the assembly of Alghero where we have some brethren but no elder until now.

Once a week I study the Bible with the only believer we have until now at Tempio (the left man in the picture).

Generally is assisting also another man. But when he is visiting his elderly mother he is not able to be present. The three women, mentioned above, have drawn back.

Evangelina is reading the Bible with two woman, the wife of the believer and a woman living nearby.

Since last month we are not only transmitting in FM but also in streaming (internet). You find the connection on our webside www.radiovitanuova.org . This could be interesting for Italians who live in the States.