The first week
Sunday, September 13th, 2009We have finished now the first week of church activities for us both. I was particularly happy to see things improving at Rovereto, with a new couple that we have invited repeatedly for a couple years finally deciding to attend. Suzanne Bikker, the new missionary, is already having a positive impact on the ministry in the church, especially at Trento. She has got to be friends with the couple in the small time that she has been here, which I am sure helped them to decide to come. This week we will even be going to their house for the study. Then there was the first meeting for the Wednesday night group, which had less than half its usual number, as a few people still have to return to Trento after the summer break or had other commitments. Then on Thursday Pinuccia and I had our first “official” meeting with Suzanne, and in the evening I had a meeting with the group of welcomers to talk about how their ministry was going. Today there was the first day of the Sunday School year, with a sort of party for the children, and a time to pray for them and the teachers in the service. Pinuccia was kept busy organising that this week. And in the midst of all that there was also my birthday to celebrate: another year passes by God’s grace and in his strength!
Meanwhile the hours of Pinuccia’s work have continued to change or threaten to change a few times this week. But at least next week there will be no problems for her to start the English course on Tuesday and Friday afternoon. Then she will take a week off work whilst I am in Spain for an ECM meeting, so there should not be a problem then either. Especially as we should have some resident babysitters. Pinuccia’s cousin who got married in August in Sicily and her husband were both offered jobs in schools on Friday, so they will move to our house tonight and stay in the spare room, until they find an apartment to rent for themselves. Pinuccia is happy to have part of her extended family here with her now!