We have been back in Italy, and at home, for over two months now, which makes it the longest we have stayed continuously in one place since we were married! And it has good to be a bit more settled, and to use our house as a base for serving God together. Our visitors' book is filling up, although as I usually have only two free nights a week (one of which is permanently reserved for Pinuccia), it is not always easy to find suitable times. Now that the unusually long autumn is coming to a close, the apartment is really showing some of its advantages. A lot of sun comes through the main windows in the afternoon, which is very nice when there are only single digit temperatures outside – although the sun does disappear behind the mountains at 3.30. And whilst I type this, I enjoy the view of lots of green (and the reds and yellows of autumn) around the house and snow capped mountains just a few kilometres away.
In the Valsugana valley
Last weekend the Valsugana group was going to organise a church service in the valley, as I mentioned in my previous newsletter. However, they had problems finding a hall available to use for the service, and in the meantime an invitation arrived from a nursing home to repeat there the puppet show that they had done at the lake in September. So last Saturday afternoon they did that instead, talking and handing out literature to all the residents, as well as the staff and relatives present. The people at the nursing home were glad that the group had come, and invited them back for another visit in the future. So the group will have to create another script and more puppets to use next time! At the regular meeting of the group next Friday, I will get them to discuss how they want to continue with the evangelisation of the valley.
On the computer/In the band
A few weeks ago, whilst I was at the band practice, one of the trumpet players asked me if I produced a CD of the Bible. When I said yes, he said his piano teacher had asked him to compliment me for it. My computer program to study the Bible certainly does pop up in expected places. My web site on the Bible, on the other hand, after having had a constant 600-700 visitors each day in the first half of the year, has in the last three months had a progressive increase in visits, so that now there are over 1000 visitors daily.
Pinuccia
Pinuccia is working most, but not all, days at the moment, as more regular teachers are sick now that the winter has arrived. But they are still very short jobs of only a few days, which she finds makes her life a bit uncertain. She continues with the Sunday School, alternating pairs of lessons with Mariangela. Now that Sara and Samuele are married and a bit settled, Sara (who also is a relief pre-school teacher) will start helping with the older children, observing for a few weeks and then taking the class by herself. Pinuccia has also just started another English course organised (and paid for) by the town council, so we hope that this keeps her in practice and will help her to improve. It gives her something to do on two of the nights that I leave her at home as well!
Upcoming events
- December 11-12: Bookstall at the market days at Trento
- December 24: Evangelistic Christmas service in the church
- December 25-January 8: Holidays in Sicily with Pinuccia's family
Photos
| Pinuccia's Sunday School class, after lunch at our house one Sunday - Jessica, Sara, Alessia, Davide (that actually left the Sunday School last year and now stays in the service to listen to the sermon) and Davide. |  |
| In November a group from a Swiss church came to hand out calendars in the Valsugana, but also at Trento on Thursday morning when there is the weekly market and so more people. Here Filippo is handing our calendars. |  |
| They did a bit of singing as well - and when there was the opportunity, they explained the meaning of the songs to people who stopped. |  |