GENOA :: "God we can't, but you can- do it through us!"

Buon Giorno!

When I think about how I would describe this past week in Italy, a cornucopia of words come to mind. Amazing. Beautiful. Challenging. Miraculous. Unbelievable. However, words cannot describe what it feels like to witness and experience the power of the Holy Spirit in the ports of Genoa and the streets of Turino.

On Friday we had the opportunity to take a train two hours North of Genoa to the city of Turino to do street distribution. On our ride up there, we were informed that Turino has a very large Muslim community with very little Christian presence in the city. Some of our prayers for our time there were simple and specifc; that the people we would meet would be receptive to what was being offered, that we would distribute at least half of the 134 New Testaments we brought with us, and that we would be walking in the Spirit with confidence and boldness. Well, the Lord not only answered every single one of our prayers, He answered our prayers in ways we could never have imagined. Many of the Muslim people we encountered in Turino were so grateful to hear what we had to say and accept the New Testament we were offering. The Lord heard our cries to Him for boldness and courage and sent His spirit to work through our team and we were able to distribute every single one of the 134 packets we brought with us. Seeing the Lord move through the streets of Turino, and seeing our specific prayers answered in ways that were far greater than we could have ever imagined was water to our thirsty souls and a much needed revival of our spirits. We are all looking forward to returning to Turino on Tuesday and seeing the seeds that were planted on Friday scatter and grow.

Saturday, at the port in Genoa, was a very different experience than the day before. After a successful distribution time during the early morning shift, we were met with set back after set back the rest of the day. Prayer became paramount as we found one obstacle after another regarding where we were allowed to station ourselves during distribution. Frustration levels began to rise until we realized that these obstacles were having no effect on the Lord's purpose for us being there, and for His purpose among the people we were ministering to. It turns out at the end of the day we had distributed 240 New Testaments, one of the highest percentages of distribution the Genoa ports have ever seen. Praise the Lord! Our prayer all week has been; Lord we can't, You can, and please do it through us. The Lord's provision and grace was never more evident than it was on Saturday afternoon.

Today was our free day and it came at the most necessary time. We were able to rest and relax in the morning, then we explored the beautiful city of Genoa. We walked through the cobbled streets of the city, completely in awe of the buildings and the beauty around us. At one point Brad and Paul gently insisted that the entire team climb approximately 9,000 stairs to the top of a look-out because they felt that everyone needed to see the view of the city from there. As much as it pains me to admit it, they couldn't have been more right. Once we reached the top and I was thankfully able to breathe again, the view was truly beautiful. What a great way to rejuvenate and mediate on the wonder of God and all of His creation.

Thank you so much for your prayers during our time here. They are not only so appreciated, but so necessary as we set out to spread the Word of God to people who so desperately need a Savior. Please, continue to pray for our health and safety in this next week. Pray that the Lord will use every member of our team for His purpose, and that our time here would be not just an act of service but of worship. Pray that the hearts of the North African Muslims we encounter will continue to turn towards the Truth of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

~Katie Bland...adult leader