It's a Good Question {Italy - Part 2}

"Where did you see Jesus today?" 

This was the question Mark asked at the end of each day of camp. It was a question I knew was coming, and yet I still had to think about it, searching for the answer as I walked through my day.

It's a good question to think about, even here at home.

So where did I see Jesus in Italy? 

I saw Him in the kids. Smiles everywhere. Willing hands. Vulnerability. Joy. Our kids—the American ones—were so intentional about praying, seeking out opportunities to share their faith, even turning conversations toward Christ during down time. Their faith, their enthusiasm, encouraged me so much and showed me that Jesus is alive and active in the kids of our church.

I saw Him in the Italian kids, too. Wide-eyed. Questioning. Listening. Talking. They quickly connected with the American kids and were so open to hearing about Jesus. Some already knew Him, but still, they wanted to know more. And their hunger reminded me that we Americans don’t have all the answers. All we can do is love and allow God to do His work.

I saw Him in the missionaries, pastors, and Christian workers who helped us all week. So much giving. So much pouring of themselves for the sake of the gospel. So much hope amidst some very difficult circumstances. Some of the volunteers had sacrificed a week of work so that they could help translate for us—that showed me Jesus in a big way. And with each encounter with the Italian Christians, I saw their love for Christ and their passion to share that love with others.

Jesus showed up in Italy, yes He did. He showed up in a big way in S’s life, as she encountered His life-giving salvation for the first time. He showed up through N, a girl from our church who has loved S and has prayed for her for the past three years. How good He was to allow N to be a part of S’s story! He showed up when N gave S her first Bible--walking her through it, explaining the Old Testament and New Testament, and showing her how to spend time in God’s word each day. Such a beautiful thing.

Every day we asked ourselves that question: “Where did you see Jesus today?”

And at the end of each day, I had to think about another question as well: Did others see Jesus in me? Because, if I’m supposed to look around for Jesus, I need to remember that those around me are looking to find Him, too.

Do they see Him here? Am I reflecting Jesus to my family, my friends, my co-workers, and even those I meet?

It’s a good question.

Italy - Part 1

I’ve probably put it off long enough, talking about my trip to Italy. I’ve been home for almost a week already and am finding it hard to put into words all that happened on the trip.

I guess what I’m saying is that I’ll probably word dump here, and it might take more than one blog post.

Hang with me while I try to sort it all out, O.K.?

So why did I go to Italy of all places? First of all, why not Italy? As I wrote before I left, Italians need Jesus too, so why not? As I found out while I was there, Italians really need Jesus—a lot. As is much of Europe these days, Italy has become a post-Christian culture. Sure, many still attend the Roman Catholic church that their families have attended for generations, but I would guess that if you asked the average Italian why they attend church, if they attend at all, they would be hard-pressed to give you an answer.

“Church” is just one more cultural symbol to them. It’s just what you do on special holidays. It doesn’t have much to do with average, everyday Italian life.

We went to Italy to join with three very small Italian evangelical churches to put on a sports/English camp for Italian youth. But it was much more than that; this was also a chance to share Jesus with Italian kids. The people we worked with there have a vision to reach younger generations for Christ and to start a movement that will affect families for years to come. It makes sense, and it’s working, but the work is slow and difficult.

So what did our days look like? Each morning we would start at 8:00 a.m. with a team meeting. Mark, the missionary from our church, would read a passage from Philippians and give us encouragement for the day. Then we’d spend some time in prayer before we welcomed the kids.

 The days of camp went so fast! The mornings were filled with sports and games as well as a brief time of Bible study and discussion. After lunch, we’d have English lessons for about an hour and a half, followed by a gelato break (!) and more games. 

The kids were picked up at 6:00 p.m.

After that, our team would meet again for about a half an hour. Each day Mark would ask us two questions: “Where did you see Jesus today?” and “Where would you like to see Jesus show up tomorrow?” These were important questions to think about because sometimes, when the day flies by as quickly as ours did, you forget to stop and think about how the Lord is working.

And, boy, did He work! 

Tomorrow I’ll share a bit about how Jesus showed up at the camp.