A couple of weeks ago Hannah was invited over to a friend's house to play. This was a great first step into the lives of the other parents at school. Since kids are with the same classmates until they graduate from Elementary school, parents become a pretty close-knit group. Most have known each other for years. It can be a challenge to break into the group. A playdate was such an encouragement to us that we're beginning to make progress. Of course, a lot has to be credited to Hannah, who is excelling at the language even far beyond Italians' expectations. The initial playdate went well, as did the reciprocal playdate at our house.
Then last week another friend invited her over. When her parents called to set it up, they actually invited our whole family over for dinner. To have dinner in an Italian's home is a big deal. Of course we said yes. Dinner started at 8pm (an hour after our kids are usually in bed). The wife is from a region in Italy that specializes in seafood, so it was a night of all kinds of fish (including a cold octopus salad!). Six courses--the food was amazing. Even more exciting, however, was how much fun we had! The husband speaks a little English, but the wife doesn't speak any. We did our best to speak mostly in Italian, which was great language practice for us. We were actually really, really encouraged by how much we were able to communicate. We didn't leave until almost 11. The kids were BEARS the next day. :)
And on Friday, Gavin had a play date with a friend from school at the park (a girl, nonetheless). I went with all the kids, and again, the mom spoke very little English. I wouldn't say we had especially deep conversation, but it was incredibly encouraging to be able to maintain conversation for an hour and half. She even invited us over to their home the next day. Gavin is having a much harder time with the language than Hannah. He says maybe 10 words. Somehow he and this little girl were able to play and have a great time though.
As we had dinner with our new friends, a heaviness entered my heart in a way I have not known. It struck me that unless WE tell them how much God loves them and how He longs to have a personal relationship with them, they will probably NEVER hear. I thought of all the precious kids Hannah goes to school with and how there is probably no one in their lives who would ever tell them the truth of the Bible. No one except Hannah. What an incredible opportunity and responsibility we have! I felt such an urgency.
We were able to interject a few comments about our faith throughout the night, but the next time we get together (for an American meal when Cody returns from the States next week), we hope to be able to have a more in-depth, intentional conversation. We hope that the Lord would allow us to have a great friendship with this couple and that it could be centered on the only Hope that we have.
God is so good! Really, my heart is absolutely overwhelmed at this calling the Lord has spoken on our lives. It has been amazing to see how the Lord has provided for every single one of the logistical details of our move to Bologna. Now we are seeing Him provide relationally. We are really beginning to feel like Bologna is "home" now. We're settling at a much deeper level. It is deeply, deeply good.
I've included a few new pictures. A couple of weeks ago we took a day trip to Venice and had a great time. It was beautiful--just like all the pictures and postcards we'd ever seen. Ben also turned one two weeks ago. Shocking, I know! He continues to be such a source of joy for our whole family.
If the Lord moves you, please pray for these new relationships we've made. Pray God would use us significantly in their lives to draw them to Himself. Pray He would allow us more and more of these opportunities.
