September 2023 Newsletter
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Greetings from Sicily…finally! That’s because it took almost two days to get there; first a day delayed, then an accident that closed the Catania airport for a few hours. Giuseppe left on Monday and got to Belpasso on Wednesday. Departure from JFK was an hour late, then arriving in Istanbul just five minutes after departure time for his connection. That hour in New York left almost 200 people stranded in Turkey.
On Tuesday, we were in sight of the runway in Catania, but the plane started circling around for the next 45 minutes. We then found out that we were going to Palermo to sit there for two more hours. Palermo became a parking lot for all the planes scheduled to fly to Catania. Not many people were happy, but they got happy after they drank almost all the wine available!
Now, Giuseppe is in Belpasso to finish setting up housing. In the meantime, he is working on an outreach in Naples (eight hours away from Sicily) where we were asked to help on a weekend evangelism there. Act Now Ministries and refugeebible.com are providing literature to reach the Muslim population. Giuseppe was able to secure most of the literature for free from Germany; we just paid the shipping. The pallet has already arrived at its destination; however, more language literature is needed. We will find the rest in the coming days.
We have recruited two Culver’s Restaurants in Michigan to help for an outreach in Catania. Culver’s has provided toys for the children, and Giuseppe’s dentist donated toothbrushes and toothpaste for this event as well.
In the distress of the flight back, opportunities arose to share the gospel. Ksenia is a Ukrainian-American living in New York and while waiting for the flight to Sicily, Giuseppe shared the message of the cross. We ask you to pray for Ksenia.
In Naples, we will be sharing our experience with the refugees in years past; also, on Sunday the 15th, we will be sharing about Act Now Ministries in a church there. God is at work.
Continue to pray for the ministry in Sicily and beyond. Latest news: finally, the paperwork for ANM has been filed and accepted here in Italy. We are a non-profit organization in Italy now, because you prayed. Thank you so much.
As always: Let’s go fishing (really) for one more for the One.
Serving together, Giuseppe and Pennie Collesano
Ciao for now