Checking In

It feels our days are focused far too much on "To Do Lists" right now.  There is just so much to do!  A lot got accomplished yesterday though, which makes today look that much better. :)  Just a quick update today and some pictures from our trip to Rome last weekend. . .

One of the biggest things that happened yesterday was that I drove our car up to Vicenza, Italy and sold it to an American who paid us in dollars and who we know will love the car as much as we did.  Praise the Lord!!  This is such a huge weight off our shoulders.  Thank you so much for praying for this specifically.  We are now carless until we leave, but that is so much better than still owning a car on August 6.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) is a really big day.  We're throwing a party for all of Hannah's friends to come and say good-bye.  Parties are such a big deal here, besides the fact that it's our last opportunity to speak the gospel to these precious girls.  We have given it much thought and prayer, and Hannah is ecstatic.  She bought a cross necklace for each friend and wrote notes to them about how she hopes they will remember her faith when they wear it and know Jesus offers them the same.  On the How to Pray page, there are specific requests for this event.  We would really love your prayers.

Also in answered prayer, we have landed on a mover.  The Italian mover came last week, and we really liked him.  Though our preference would be an American-based company, these movers seems like the best decision.  Thank you so much for praying for this!  Again, we'd love your prayers for a complication-free move.

So this past weekend, we took one last road trip.  We drove down to Rome to meet some ministry partners who were in town and to say good-bye to some dear friends who are missionaries there.  Rome is an amazing city, but it is exhausting.  Last weekend was pretty warm, and we returned to Bologna completely worn out.  But also thankful for the opportunity to be with friends one more time.  Here are a few photos:

It feels our world is spinning around us, but our God isn't.  In the midst of all our chaos, we are trying most to walk faithfully.  Seeing the ruins in Rome almost 2000 years old was a great reminder of God's continued hand on this country.  The arch in the picture above is in honor of Constatine--the first emperor to make Christianity legal in Rome.  God will not stop fighting for the hearts of these people.

We are so blessed by your encouragement in this transition.  You are a sweet gift God has used to carry us along.