Thank you all for praying for our team and the refugees (wonderful people we are engaging with). For me and, (I am sure) for all of us this is a very emotional and exciting time.
I met my first friend at our very first visit to the Il Soggiorno refugee center. I call him my friend because he invited me to sit down with him first and we had a very good and happy conversation together. We also played some card games he taught me and he was particularly happy when I was able to win one round.
Next time we came back to the center he was waiting and sought me up immediately. This time he shared more about his struggle to find a job and reunite with his wife and 7 children still in Afghanistan. He does not want social help, he is strong and wants to work but it is hard to find a job in Rome. The same story is true for many of the other refugees our team has met with. As Tim has told them we can’t fix the realities they have to live with but just encourage them and it is working well so far. At our second meeting they all stayed longer and greeted us before leaving. 
We have seen the same genuine response to our visit when participating in the Sunday services  at two  Italian speaking evangelical churches that also support the refugees. Tim was preaching at one of them with the help of the pastor translating - very appreciated. But singing and worshipping with our Italian brothers and sisters in Christ was very special and needed no translation.
Another special night was had when we shopped for and prepared an “American” taco meal for around 20 refugees in an apartment where the sink in the kitchen was plugged up. We all helped to work around it and also got to watch a football game together. We are truly as a family together with them and ,incredibly, they are praying for us!
We are blessed to participate with them and the Holy Spirit in this ministry.
Greetings from us all,
More to come, including pictures.
Eddy

(see the Archived posts to the right for past postings)

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