MARCH UPDATE SICILY
GIUSEPPE & PENNIE
Hello and blessings from Sicily. After returning to Sicily from our furlough in the states Sicily is busier month than ever, lots of travel. I visited my mother in Castelbuono, preached in Geraci where 14 where baptized In January and spent time with the local church there.
We are also thinking and seeking His Will for the future, we are not getting any younger. We have a supporter friend working for us to establish a non-profit organization that will allow us to even broaden the ministry here and in the U.S. Please do pray for us that this process will be for His glory and not ours. There are many details that need to be worked out and we will let you know about the progress. Sicily-Italy is the primary goal for the ministry, that they might know Him.
March started very fast and busy for sharing in and all over Sicily. Even with a leaky radiator, oil to be changed and waiting on new tires the old van kept on going. When you read this all will be already fixed, thanks to His provision. Two funerals and #5 working side by sideopportunity to preach, plus more than 30 boxes of food where given along with bibles. Between all of this currently I am going to my dentist here to fix my teeth, was too expensive in the States, pray for God to provide for it.
It was a great week as always when you are busy about His business. We first started with a baby dedication. The singles study started again with two new sailors and more in the coming weeks will be added to it. The Tuesday night bible studies continue and new people are coming. One told me that he wished that he had come sooner to get to know me. After many years away from the Word started coming back to the Lord, and he works as an assistant to the chaplain here. Another young man that came was surprised to know that he goes to our home church in Michigan. Good to see someone from one of the coldest States.
On Friday visited Caltanissetta with a missionary from Open Door, a mission agency that works for the persecuted church, and to make aware the other churches about their plight. We visited few places where we found many refugees, at least more than ten nations represented. We even found a Pakistani playing cricket on a cement floor. After we showed the movie The End of the Spear, I preached a short message and gave literature for them to read.
Giuseppe giving bibles to refugeesMore bibles arrived here from Regugeebibles.com and have been given to missionaries that need them for outreach and for the many refugee camps on the island. There is an onslaught of people fleeing their countries either religious persecution or political persecution. Visiting a new camp in Caltanissetta, gave me a very disturbing visual of what is going on here, you can see it from the photos too.
Again we visited a local church where we ministered in songs and preaching. They always love to hear a different pastor and the chaplain from the base went with me and shared too. We are making a difference when the local believers are active on their faith. Here Francesco shares with his people because I went to the market with the literature.
Italy for Christ held a leadership conference on how to be a person of influence with our founder and president Dr. Gaetano Sottile. Around 300 leaders from Naples to Sicily where present and the response was even better. To be equipped to do His Work it is better than to have only the knowledge, but to apply Godly principles to what we are doing to progress His Gospel.
Now I have a challenge to each one of us, I shared many times about splatexperience.com that will be here for the entire month of July and part of August. We are set to visit many towns and cities with His Gospel but we NEED your help. The churches here are in a crunch because of a really bad economy.
Man in Black CapeLast year because you responded greatly – His Word was heard by thousands and we pray for the same this year.
How can you help? Pray , pray , pray, – Give, with $500 we are able to host two events for two days where literally thousands of people from all over Sicily and the world CAN HEAR HIS GOSPEL.
We are praying for at least 15 cities and towns where we will be present with satexperience.com, already we have 3 cities with 6 events. Come, we invite you to come and EXPERIENCE the reality of the need that exist here and the country in which we serve.
We ask you to pray as we continue to serve Our Lord. Please continue to donate of your prayers, support and desire to see that with your faithfulness IT CAN BE DONE!
Let’s go fishing (really) for souls.
We wish you His unending blessings.
Giuseppe and Pennie Collesano