APRIL REPORT 2016 – WORK IN SICILY
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Hello Friends and Supporters of the Work in Sicily. The month of April seems like a blur, it came and went way too quickly. It was a busy month between visiting churches and supporters and spending quality time with our kids and grandkids. The love shown to us was felt very deeply and we noticed a renewed excitement for our work in Sicily.
We had a blessed time sharing at Grace Chapel of Waterford. It was exciting to see them after a couple of years and to see that their zeal and enthusiasm for their lost community has not dwindled but grown. Pastor Peter asked during the service how many people would like to do a mission trip to Sicily, and there was a resounding YES from the congregation, so Lord willing, we will have a team coming in the near future.
Walloon Community Church was a blessing to us. They have stood with us since we began this journey in 2005. It was so exciting to renew friendships, walk along the Lake and share in their Sunday services and with the Youth. God is at work among them and our prayer driving to Boyne was that the words that were shared and the challenge given to the teens would reach at least one….and God has done that. Pray for a young man that is in contact with Giuseppe as to how and when he could come along side and help with the ministry.
Even while we were away from the work our friends continued making trips to the refugee camps that are scattered throughout the Island. The news that we received is not encouraging. So far, more then 25,000 have come to the shores and close to a 1,000 that are known, have perished in the crossing of the channel between Sicily and Africa. We see that many nations are patrolling the sea trying to make sure that the ones that are escaping terror, famine, persecution, get to a better place. And once they arrive they still have a long road a head to get their legal documents so that they can move north where they may have family or a job waiting for them.
We were able to visit our daughter, Cristina, in California for a few days. Please continue to uphold her in your prayers as she will be moving this summer from the West Coast to the East and will be entering into a new job.
We are thankful for refugeebible.com for their invaluable help in providing us with almost 5,000 Bibles. Pastor Sergio Madonna is one of many who asked if we could supply him with some of these Bibles so that he could reach out in his community to the many unsaved refugees living among them as their neighbors.
Pray with us for the month of May…Pastor Vallen Prest is in Sicily now teaching and preaching in 5 churches and visiting as many refugee camps as possible. Pray for us during my time in Sicily that God will protect and accompany me wherever He will take me.
Pray as we continue with the formation of A.C.T. Ministries, a non profit that we are launching, pray for more people and/or groups interested to come alongside of us to help reach out to the Sicilians who find themselves in a situation that they really have no control over, pray that God would send Bible teachers and Pastors to come along side the Italian churches to help the local church grow stronger and to develop a vision for their communities that they will be a light house and use their God given talents to further the gospel here.
And we ask you to pray for the work here, knowing that we can make a difference in people’s lives. Every time we share with a refugee, most likely we will be sharing with at least 5 Sicilians, too.
Serving together, Lets go fishing (Really) for souls, Giuseppe and Pennie Collesano: Giuseppe.Collesano.com
Partnering with Italy for Christ