April 2007

Buon giorno!!!

We hope this newsletter finds you well and growing in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Here things have picked up quite a bit. Last month's biggest accomplishment was definitely Leia's project to set up, decorate, and prepare the kids' room at church for Sunday school. She has officially started as the children's director a few weeks ago. With a few moms' help she painted very nice designs on the walls, to inspire the children to draw near to God. Sorry we didn't get any pictures of the kids in the newsletter this time.   Here are a couple of feedbacks from the most precious group in the church- the kids themselves. Giosuè called his unsaved grandma to tell her all about his new Sunday school program and teacher. Davide was excited to go to the church service this Sunday. His mom thanked Leia because for the first time in months they didn't have to argue to get him to church!   Before we started the children's program we used to have 10+ kids disturbing the service and being bored every Sunday. It was a problem then for moms because they would have to keep checking on their kids who were just messing around in the other room.   Now every week the children make hand made crafts as gifts to their classmates and families to show them Christ's love. We pray that God will use them to share the Word with many families. Besides all of that, the children will also start sponsoring a child in a Third World country through a Christian relief program called Compassion so that the children can learn about missions. We also set up a room for nursing moms and have set up childcare for toddlers as well during services- the changes were for the best.

The Lord granted us the honor to help a friend of ours who is struggling with drug and alcohol addictions. I have known Marcello for a few years and we "so happened" to be visiting some friends in his area. I heard that he was not doing well anymore and that he relapsed into the old addictions. I went to see him and convinced him to our home for a week so that we could talk and pray seriously for healing and deliverance. The man was craving freedom more than anything else as he literally saw the devil ensnare him in that same old situation.

With a friend of mine, we intensely prayed for him everyday, counseling him and leading him onto the Lord's way. He spent the first days confessing every imaginable sin for 5 hours straight! The Lord did an amazing work in his life and Marcello tasted real freedom! Praise God for the authority He has given us to overcome the devil in His Son's name!!! Please keep praying for him, as he is in a very fragile stage. He is considering moving to our area for a while to be away from his old friends and get strengthened in the Lord.

From this week until September we will have a continual flow of visitors and people living with us.   God is sending so many people to us we will always have at least one person or more living in our basement.   We are very happy about it.    This week we'll have Irene, Mara and Luana who are coming so that we can pray together specifically to see God move in deliverance in their lives because of some very serious family problems and abuses. We'll keep giving updates about how it's going. Please pray for them!

Thanks to all of you who have been faithfully supporting us. Your donations are precious. There is no doubt in my mind that you are part of us and of our work here through your prayers and support.

By His grace,

Nicolas, Leia, Eva, and baby...