Greetings from Sicily! It’s getting warmer but still chilly at night.

I did not picture March starting up with a funeral, especially Sunny’s. He was my friend and his smile will be sorely missed. It took almost three weeks before we could hold the funeral, between the investigation, relatives coming from Spain and all the paperwork involved in it.

The positive in this was that the Gospel was preached in the cathedral of Marsala with a large African crowd and lots of government people from the city and the province too. Pastor Isaac did share a very encouraging message for all.

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Giuseppe was involved with the translation of it for the Italians present, a great opportunity to share the Good News to them.

Early in the month, Giuseppe was invited to speak at the Awana club on the Naval base near Catania. The children donated toiletries, socks and money to help the needy in the area where he lives.

It’s not an everyday happening to load 32 mattresses and take them to a Christian camp on the southern part of Sicily. The stop in Palermo also was useful in helping Pastor Daniel with food and chairs for his start-up church in a poor neighborhood of this big city.

After picking up food for our pantry in Carini near Palermo, we were able to feed almost 200 families in the city of Castelvetrano where Giuseppe lives.

This time another 10 families were added through the plea of a councilwoman who does a lot of social work around here.

This month was also Giuseppe’s birthday and his mother’s too. He was able to share a cake with her thanks to a prompting from Pennie, his wife. With friends and a lot of FaceTime with his kids and wife, great memories were made. His mom, now a grandma and a great grandma, had lot to say to the entire family in the States.

At the end of the month, Giuseppe went to visit some pastors at a camp to encourage them. Five hours later and four new camps visited, we can say that it was a very profitable day. As always, the workers at each camp gladly accepted a copy of the New Testament and had more questions for Giuseppe coming to visit them from so far away.

Knowing that your prayers are lifted to the throne of Grace gives us new strength to continue to serve the Lord.

Please pray as we prepare for a group of 27 coming from Switzerland to minister with us here. Most of them are students at a bible college. Pray that we can be an example to them and encourage them for their future serving our Lord.

Pray also for the upcoming trip to Sardinia. Giuseppe is taking a small group to share the Gospel in as many cities and refugee camps as possible. We can do it with your help!

God bless you. Let’s go fishing (really) for souls.

Serving together,

Giuseppe and Pennie Collesano