Pastor Mark and Jill's
Family Room
A special
place to share
together while we minister in Italy
Dedicated
to my friend
Judy
Chaudoir
A Place to Share while we
Minister in
Italy
September
1st,
2009
Hello friends:
We had a very busy week finishing up
ministry
work at the office and packing. We are excited and yet a bit
overwhelmed. There are numerous things Pastor Mike and Loretta
are hoping
we can accomplish for them while we are in Rome. The opportunity
is one
to treasure and yet one of great responsibility. We are busy
packing and
trying to make sure we have everything we will need.
We are bringing along the materials
for
“Life’s Healing Choices” that our church family will be going through
while we
are gone. We will be going through it with you.
Thank you for all those who have
committed to
prayer and fasting for this time of ministry. Your prayers are so
very
appreciated. There is no replacement for fervent prayer.
We will greatly miss our church
family in
Sturgeon Bay. However we are so blessed to leave them in
the
capable hands of the ministry staff and leadership team. As we
leave, we
go representing the family here in ministry.
Please feel free to leave a “reply”
and send
us a note.
siamo in Roma!! We are in
Rome!!
September
3rd,
2009
After a 1 hour flight to Chicago, 3
hours to
Washington and 8 hours to Rome we have arrived. Pastor Bob,
missionary
who runs the Bible School here, picked us up at the airport and handed
us the
keys to the “Speed the Light” vehicle. We made our way back to
Mike and
Loretta’s apartment where we are staying. As it was 9am (our
bodies thought
it was 2am) we walked down the block as it was time for a quick
cappuccino and
update meeting.
We had our cappuccino at the corner
“bar”
(meaning coffee shop as in barrista). There we saw Evano, the
owner. He makes the best cappuccino in the entire world!
We covered information about how the
church
is growing, some needs and a few details for service this Sunday
and
discussed the marriage seminar and the singles seminar they have
scheduled for
us to do. These weeks will go by quickly with all the ministry we hope
to
accomplish.
After covering a few basics we went
back and
started the unpacking process. Of course we were exhausted so at
reposo
time of noon (our bodies thinking it was 5am) we rested a few
hours. Now
it’s time to hit the pavement, get cell phones activated and take care
of a few
more details before it’s time to eat some real Italian pizza!
Please do post a reply so we know who
is
sharing our “family room” with us.
Jesus loves you – and so do I
Pastor Mark
A quick update!!!
September
4th,
2009
Hello friends:
We are still adjusting to the time change of 7 hours. In spite of being
off
schedule we had a productive day. Our late morning and afternoon was
invested
at the church. I worked on the sermon for Sunday and Jill did some
office work.
A trip over to the electronics store netted us the right adapters for
our
computers. Right next door to church is a fruit market so Jill was
blessed.
Down the street is a pizzeria so I was blessed. Of course, every street
in
Italy has a least one pizzeria.
We valiantly fought (and lost) the battle to print off copies of the
message.
However, we lived to fight the tech war another day. Our phones are now
functional with an addition of a sim card. But, the van needs some help
too.
Pray I can repair an electrical problem that will save missions money.
After some prayer time in the sanctuary I was able to assess more of
the needs
for upgrades. We are so blessed at FWC to have such great equipment.
The
technical needs here are great. Please pray for wisdom as I try to
tackle them.
The leadership team is hoping I will be able to provide counseling and
ministry
that will help couples who need some intervention. Please pray that I
will have
the right words and be able to effectively speak into their needs. I
sense God
has sent me for such a time as this.
I expect to start adding pictures in a day or so. That will help us
stay even
more connected.
Love
Pastor Mark and Jill
Car Repairs, Seaside and
Tiramisu
September
5th,
2009
We had a busy Saturday in Rome. A
quick trip
down the block to visit Evano and get a cup of the most amazing
cappuccino. I
spent time working on Pastor Mike and Loretta’s 2000 Opel’s electrical
problems. Then in the 90 degree humid sun we snuck away seaside for a
cool
breeze. We caught the Lido (electric train) to the Port of Ostia to
cool off.
On our way back we grabbed some tiramisu from a mom and pop store in
Ostia
Antica. Ohhh it was icy cold and soooo good. Jill cooked up some
leftover
chicken into a rice and asparagus dish and we had a nice supper. A few
pics of
some highlights and more will follow. Thanks
so
much for your prayers. We appreciate them so much.
Love Pastor Mark and Jill
Seaside in Ostia to escape the heat
Sunday ~ my favorite day
of the
week!!!
September
6th,
2009
At 9am
Italian time
(that’s 2am in Wisconsin) we made our way to church. Service didn’t
start until
11am but there was preparation, prayer time and Bible study.
International
Christian Fellowship is an amazing church. Rome has people from all
over the
world. And there are over 45 different nations represented at the
church.
Though we are in the heart of Italy, a common language for many of the
various
nations is English. So, I preached in English (and a little Greek of
course)
and Marina translated into Italian.
The service was filled with exciting worship. It is always so
refreshing to
experience the presence of the Lord. As I ministered I could sense the
anticipation of the people. Prayers were answered as hearts were open.
Thanks
you to those who have been praying. God is doing great things here.
Jesus loves you-
and so do we
Pastor Mark
and Jill 
Pastor Mark
preaching
with Marina translating
Worship time at International Christian Fellowship~ Rome
Busy Days & Great
Blessings
September
8th,
2009
Whew! We have been busy. I’m sorry I
didn’t
get a chance to post yesterday. We had a very long day. However, I will
make it
up to you in pictures. Jill and I did some hunting… for a soldering
iron for
electronic repairs. It took a long while to find one. I needed to
repair the
keyfobs on the Opel missionary van. That’s key, with a remote control
built in.
Here’s a picture of one apart with the circuit board and battery holder
broken
off.
Keyfob with
typical
broken battery holder
Keyfob with battery
holder resoldered to circuit board
Here’s a repaired one.
And here’s the two happy repaired and
reprogrammed keyfobs. New ones were $150 each.
Cost for the soldering iron $7
and solder $3. Total cost $10. TOTAL SAVINGS $290.
Solder, $3.
Soldering
iron $7.
Saving $290
in missions
giving~priceless.
Along the
way we went to Fore Romana. This is the
archeological site of the original city of Rome.
To walk all the way around it was
about 3.5
miles. With our other hiking we put on about 8 miles.
Ruins of Old
Rome- Note
Coliseum in right background
ARCH OF SEPTIMIUS
SEVERUS~ A.D. 203
Coliseum~
where many
believers cruely died for their faith
Of course, we stopped for gelato
(Italian ice
cream) along the way.
There's
always room for
gelato
Tuesday was busy getting ready for
Sunday so
my notes could be translated into Italiano. We had church staff
meeting
to cover the myriads of issues.
Then it was a quick break for pizza
(my
second of the day). Following that we had the 2 hour prayer
meeting at
church.
I shared the devotional. We even had
a first
time visitor to the church for prayer meeting! Back home and time
to
share it all with you.
I hope you enjoy the pictures.
Please
take time to post a reply. It feels good to hear from you.
Love
Pastor Mark and Jill
Let’s take in a few sites
together…
September
9th,
2009
I thought you might
enjoy a sharing a few sites
together.
You may have heard of the famous Fontane di Trevi (Trevi Fountain. Here
are a couple
glimpses.
Fontana de
Trevi~ aka
Trevi Fountain
And here is a close up…
Close up of
the carved
marble of Fontane di Trevi
According to Jill, rumor has it that
this is where
Peter used to go for Cappuccino when he visited Rome.
The whole subject made me thirsty for
another
cappuccino. So….
Another
cappuccino
(they are cheap in Italy)
Then,
I took
my girlfriend to the park.
And I thought you might be interested
in what
I’m preaching this next Sunday. So here are my notes…
page 2
Love
Pastor Mark and Jill
Pastor Mark and the
Terrible,
Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
September
10th,
2009
Today I thought of Judith Vorst and
her book
about Alexander and the terrible horrible no good very bad day. Poor
Alexander,
woke up with gum in his hair. His mother forgets to pack him dessert.
His best
friend decides he’s not his best friend anymore. Alexander’s brothers
don’t
have any cavities but — he does. And just when it can’t get any worse-
lima
beans for supper! It is enough to make anyone want to go to Australia.
Well today was Pastor Mark’s terrible horrible no good very bad day. I
got up
late after a poor night of sleep with a bad stomach ache. I did manage
to
figure out the electrical problem on the Opel missionary van. It was a
directional relay. No problemo. Just go down to autoelectrica and get a
new
one. Well, the “new one was a used one. I brought it back and it didn’t
work.
Ok, take it back. They were closed for reposo. Ok let’s go into town to
see the
underground church at San Clemente. Walked the 8 blocks to the train
station
and rode the train all the way into Rome. Then, Jill asked if I
remembered to
lock the gate. I hadn’t. In the stress of the part failure I got thrown
off and
forgot to lock the gate. No problemo. Just call Asangi and see if she
is home
and can lock the gate. No answer (cell phone battery was recharging).
Ok just
call Lawrence.. No answer- out of cell range. Ok, take the next train
back to
lock the gate. Got back and the gate was locked. Asangi had come home.
But now
it’s too late to go back to San Clemente.
Well, then I’ll just drive to the Opel dealer and buy the part. It’s
only 6
miles down the highway. It is 4:45 so no problemo. (Yeah right). There
are 6
million people in Rome. They were all on the same road. 2 hours later
we came
to our destination that was only 6 miles away. Yes, we could have
walked
faster. To top that off, the Opel dealer closed 15 minutes before we
got there.
OK. Time to go home. The traffic the other way was just as bad. Tried a
different route. No go. Stopped to buy some groceries to wait out the
congestion. Didn’t work. The 6 mile return was faster. It only took 1
and ½
hours.
All along the drive scooters and cycles don’t wait for the traffic.
They just
weave between and race past the cars. And in Rome the people cut each
other off
so much it makes the worst American drivers look like saints.
I started my day with devotions from Pastor Rick. He covered how to
better
handle your anger. Arrrggg. Gary Smalleys words kept going through my
mind:
Ask yourself “Do I enjoy getting angry?” “Does it produce the intended
results
when I get angry?” “Could I get the same results in a more effective
way?” “How
would I be different?” Wait, that wasn’t just Gary, Jill was saying the
same
stuff. No fair triple teamed.
So we arrive home. No part to show for the process. But, it wasn’t
really that
bad of a day. Compared to Alexander I have things pretty good. I don’t’
have
hair to get gum stuck in. I ate dessert on the way home. I had my best
friend
Jill with me the whole trip. Lab tests came back and my PSA and
Cholesterol are
OK. And we in fact did have lima beans for supper. But Asangi made them
with
her Sri Lanka recipe and they were good. And I’m here in Rome making a
difference. So, this is the day the Lord has made~ I WILL rejoice and
be glad
in it.
Think on even more good things…. Philippians 4:8…
I was able to fix the Italian water heater at the apartment so we have
hot
water.
Lucy told me her sister came to church and is planning to come again 
this
Sunday.
I was able to finally diagnose the car problem.
Jill complemented me on being so patient in the worst traffic ever.
There is a time and a purpose to everything under heaven… even a Roman
traffic
jam.
Repair of the
pilot
orifice on our Italian water heater
New Stuff and Old Stuff
September
11th,
2009
I started
the day determined to finish repairs on the missionary van. I made sure
I drove
the 6 mile trek at a time when the highway would be uncongested. I made
the 6
mile trek on the highway in only 15 minutes; Great time for Rome.
Fortunately
the parts were in stock and I was able to get the flashers and turn
signal
functional. They had been broken for some time. Altogether, the parts
ran 25
Euros, or about $40. In the states it would have been less than $10.
But that’s
the reality of what our missionaries often face. If it had to be
repaired at
the shop I have no doubt it would have been closer to $200. So a bunch
of Euros
saved is a bunch of Euros earned~ well available for other use anyway.
Next we printed off sermon material, responded to emails and other
office work.
Then it was time for education that is invaluable. We headed to
Basilica San
Clemente.
Basilica San
Clemente
Here is a church built on the home
site of a
believer who was martyred at the nearby Coliseum. The current church is
built
on top of the fourth century church which was built on top of a pagan
site.
Great pictures are available to view at the website http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-san-clemente.htm
Rome is
known for its incredible carved marble statues. One of these is the
statute of
Moses by Michelangelo. The statue was carved in 1515 and is on display
at San
Pietro in Vincoli (Saint Peter in Chains). Here is the amazing full
view of the
carving.
Michelangelo's
Moses
Here is a close up of Moses.
Close up of
Michelangelo's Moses A.D. 1515
On our way to San Pietro in Vincoli
made our
way up a set of steps to the sound of the accordion.
Here a street musician was
entertaining for
donations. We thought of our son in law Philip. He would have enjoyed
the show.
Philip would
have
enjoyed this
The trip had us once again go past
the
Coliseum so Jill got a better photo giving a good view to enjoy and
memory to
share with you.
The Coliseum
held
55,000 spectators and had a cloth roof
Please do take a moment to send a
note.
Love, Pastor Mark and Jill
A wonderful, busy, amazing
Sunday
September
13th,
2009
As Jill and I sat in the church
office we
went over the PowerPoint and message. She prayed for me as we prepared.
I
checked the devotion I receive from Rich Warren. It was focused on what
I was
preaching. I sensed God again confirming His desires. We could hear the
worship
team rehearsing. There was a sense of great anticipation.
Worship was so refreshing. I was glad we were there.
When time for ministering the Word came it was clear that God was going
to
touch people. Preaching with an interpreter can be tricky. Fortunately,
Marina
is so talented it seems almost transparent. The Lord revealed to me
that as the
Word was being preached it would be like a healing flow through the
people.
As the altar call came half the church made their way forward for
prayer. I
looked out as I led them in prayer. People were in tears. Lives were
being
changed. Angels were dancing. Father was rejoicing.
It is a whirlwind after church. The service which started at 11am ended
about
1:20pm. Praying for and talking to people meant we got out a little
after 2.
Twenty minutes later we got home so I could quickly start on the video
to send
to Family Worship Center. I finished the video as the service was just
beginning at FWC. David patiently waited as I forwarded the 28megabyte
file.
Jill and I sat and watched online as we viewed the live service at FWC.
It was
good to see what was going on at home.
This evening we have been working on laundry and packing to take a
short trip
to Bulgaria. We leave for the train at 5:15am. There we will visit
Staci who
was part of FWC while she worked in Door Cty. Please pray for our trip.
I felt a little overwhelmed today. Ministry is wonderful, but can also
be
physically and emotionally taxing. I felt like I needed a little
downtime this
evening. As we have been prepping, I found the Brett Favre show
(Vikings vs.
the Browns) online; Nice to relax a bit. Well since we need to be up at
4:??am
I think I better get some rest.
Love Pastor Mark (and Jill too!).
Nie sme v Bulgaria! (We
are in
Bulgaria!)
September
15th,
2009
We really didn’t think we were going
to make
it. We were up at 4:30am. Arrived at the train station at 5:30. But the
trains
were slow. We were supposed to be at the airport and checked in by no
later
than 6:50 for our 7:30 flight. We didn’t arrive until after 7. But,
they still
issued a boarding pass, we hurried through customs and passport
clearance and
then ran to the farthest gate in the airport (25th largest airport in
the
world). We were sweating and breathing heavy as we arrived and they
were
boarding the plane. We just barely made it. Someone must have been
praying.
We rested a bit during the 2 hour flight from Roma to Sophia Bulgaria.
Deyan
and Staci met us at the airport. We took a short trip into the
mountains for an
overlook of Sophia, the capital city.
Stassi,
Deyan, Pastor
Mark, Jill
Then it was lunch time that we shared with Staci’s sister and brother in law Eve and Nicky.
Stassi, Deyan, Eva,
Nicki
Then it was off to Pernik where Deyan
and
Staci live. We met their daughter Deya and enjoyed a wonderful evening
together.
Bulgarian
Supper
They are part of a small church where
they
work with the youth. Staci of course was part of Family Worship Center
while
she worked in Sturgeon Bay.
We have been very busy on Tuesday, so
I will
send an update for Wednesday. I am also prepping for the Married
Couples
seminar this Saturday and of course church on Sunday. Thanks for
you
prayers and love.
Love, Pastor Mark
Let’s Visit an Ancient
Christian Site
Together
September
17th,
2009
The 5 of us
arrive in
Sandanski Bulgaria
Our trip to Sandanski Bulgara gave us
a
chance to see an important historical site in Europe associated with
the spread
of Christianity. We were only about 30 kilometers from Greece. Only 120
kilometers to the Southeast, the Apostle Paul founded the church of
Philippi.
During the first century colonials of Philippi, including Christians
moved
north to the area that is now Sandanski. The result was an underground
Christian church was formed here by converts of the Apostle Paul.
“Underground”
because Christianity was not “legal.”
Entrance to
the
Archeological Site
The archeological site we visited
here was
found in 1967. The complex includes a three-nave basilica (three
sanctuary
areas that lead to the same altar) with a narthex (entrance) and atrium
(large
gathering area) made in the Greek style. This was built in the middle
of the
fourth century after the 313A.D. Edict of Milan was given by
Constantine making
Christianity legal. The basilica existed till the middle of the sixth
century.
During it’s time, the ancient town that is now Sandanski was the
leading economic
and cultural center in the region. The church and Christians here
played an
important role in the spreading of Christianity.
From the believers of this church the
Gospel
spread through central and Eastern Europe from the Aegean sea to the
Balkans. I
spent time in the museum as well as the archeological site. Here
are more
pictures to enjoy…
Part of the Basilica
Ruins
What if Samson couldn't reach the pillars?
Entrance to Bishops house
Greek writing built into mosaic floor
Museum Model
of what
the Basilica looked like
There is so much more to share with
you. The
internet is not as accessible so we will share more when we get back to
Roma. Please leave us a post as we would love to hear from you.
Love
Pastor Mark
Marriage Seminar
September
20th,
2009
Beautiful
balloon
archway for couples pictures
After returning to Roma we had a marriage seminar on Saturday. They were hoping for ten couples. We had 25 couples! If you can imagine 25 couples all situated in a romantic candlelit room beautifully appointed… about 1/3 the size of our fellowship hall! In spite of the tight quarters it was an amazing time. Pastor Lynn and Pastor Bob Rose who run the Bible Training here in Rome (and other parts of Italy) put together this wonderful evening.
Pastors Bob and Lynn
Rose, Bible training missionaries to Italy and two of the hardest
working
people you could ever meet.
25 couples gathered into a room 1/3 the size of FWC
fellowship hall!
I was the
speaker and was blessed to teach the couples a condensed version of my
National
Marriage Encounter presentation on “Sex and Devotions.” The people were
so
receptive and appreciative.
Pastor Mark teaching
couples from his presentation as Keynote Speaker at National Marriage
Encounter
Love Pastor Mark
Where we live
September
22nd,
2009
We are living in a part of Roma called Achilia . This is where missionaries Michael and Loretta have their apartment. It is about 2200 square feet. That sounds big, but it is actually share with 2 other families! One is the associate pastor Lawrence and his wife Asange who have two rooms and a bath. Lucy a single gal from church has a room and a bath. We are using Michael and Loretta’s room and office which also has a bath. The kitchen and dining/living room are shared by the three families.
Pastor Mark
with Pastor
Lawrence and Asange
Jill and Lucy
Our friend Tao
Tao doing
devotions
Rascal smiles
for the
camera
Rascal
bundled up for trip
Prayer request- please pray for
Rascal. He is
not doing well. His liver is failing and we have been taking him to the
vet.
The next 36 hours are very critical.
We have been so very busy.
Tomorrow
I’ll give you a few pics and synopsis of a day in Roma for us.
Please
keep Rascal and us in prayer.
Love Pastor Mark and Jill
A day of working at church…
September
23rd,
2009
Working away at church…
8:00am- Devotions at home, cappuccino and coronado e ciaccolato (roll
with
chocolate).
9:15 Take Rascal to vet
9:45 Pack dress clothes to change into for prayer meeting tonight as we
won’t
be able to come home in between.
10:00 Off to church – exit to highway closed for construction, taking
Via
Ostiense instead. Prayed and perfect parking spot opened up right
in
front of church.
10:30 Quick stop at Upim store to buy a pair of dress pants as my only
pair are
getting too frayed at the bottom. First pair fit perfect and were on
sale!
11:00 Planning and setup.
12:00 Pizza and Gelato (what did you expect?).
12:30 Start replacing more of the light fixtures. For over a year they
have had
just bare wires and light bulbs hanging down as it was too expensive to
hire an
electrician. Walls and ceilings are made of concrete so every screw and
bolt
hole has to be drilled out with a hammer-drill for a concrete anchor.
4:00 pm 4 more done today, 7 lights done so far, 12 more to go plus
three fan
units and more wiring! Time to clean up and get ready for staff meeting.
4:15 Set up old desktop computer in my (Pastor Mike’s) office so I can
begin
updates on it to use it in sanctuary.
4:30 Staff meeting. Blessed by reports of how people are really
enjoying our
ministry. It was encouraging. Covered soooo much material.
6:00 Get out churches guitar and tune it to use for worship during
prayer
meeting. Print off songs and have Asange prep PowerPoint slides. Go
over music.
Print off message and order of service for prayer meeting.
6:40 Quick trip to the corner for a cappuccino and piece of cake to
tide over.
6:50 Back at church and set up for service.
7:00 Prayer meeting begins. About 25 people come and we storm the gates
of
heaven with praise and petition.
8:40 Prayer meeting finishes. Extra prayer for others who come forward.
9:15 Leave for home.
9:45 Take care of Rascal.
10:00 pm Spaghetti supper and fellowship.
10:40 Write up blog and upload for our friends.
11:15 Respond to emails.
12:00am- Time for a few hours of sleep because there is soooo much more
to do!
much 
more to do.
Jill on
scaffolding
cleaning upper windows
Bare wiring and bulbs
Pastor Mark
mounting
and wiring new fixture
New fixture
mounted and
wired
Of course it
works
silly- you didn't really doubt it did you?
Learning and Teaching
September
29th,
2009
There are some lessons we don’t like
learning. One that I have had to “grin and bear” is some of the prices
in the
economy of Rome. Now a great cappuccino is only 80 cents (about $1.20
including
tax etc). That’s not bad at all. In fact it is a deal. Pizza is also
reasonable. Unfortunately, it pretty well stops there.
I had to put some oil in the car. No problem, just buy a liter (very
close to a
quart). So I asked “Contra costa mechina oilo per favore?” “tre dice.”
I tried
not to look to blown away. “Tre dice” is 13 euros. That’s close to $20-
for one
quart/liter. I thought there must be a mistake. After all, you can get
your oil
changed in the U.S. with five quarts and a filter for that price. I
found out
in Italy an oil change at a discount garage is about $90. Total sticker
shock.
Well, I had no option. The van needed 2 liters… so I found the best
price,
ponied up 25 euros ($37) for two liters and chalked it up as a lesson
to
appreciate how good we have it in the U.S.
Now I have to arrange for a night in a hotel up north as we prepare to
start
our sabbatical adventure!
The old adage goes… give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day; teach him
to fish,
he’ll eat for a lifetime. There was so much electrical work to be done
that I
figured I needed to teach someone the skills. So I’ve been training
Pastor
Lawrence to drill the holes, mount and wire the fixtures making sure of
course
the 240 volts of European power are turned off first. He is quick
learner and
has been working with me to finish the churches electrical.
Singles Seminar
September
30th,
2009
After the Sunday service we had an afternoon singles
seminar. 45 singles came for pizza and my pastor’s presentation. Jill
did a fun
game where the singles had to untangle into circle. I shared
about being
a whole person in Christ. Afterward we had a time for questions and
answers.
For 2 hours there was one question after another on life and
relationship
issues. Since people have to travel a fair distance to get to church,
they want
to invest the day. We finished about 5:30. It was a 9 hour day that was
fulfilling and exhausting. We have heard some wonderful reports of how
blessed
they were and how practical and helpful the day was.
Some of the
singles
getting ready for the seminar
Pastor does Question and
Answer time
Prayer TIme
September 30th, 2009
For the last three weeks I have been
helping
with the weekly prayer meeting. Each night I have shared a devotional
and the
last two weeks I have led the prayer time as well. We meet at 7pm for
about 20
minutes of quiet time. After a song or two I shared the devotional and
we have prayer
time together as a group. It is exciting to have people from so many
nations
all gathering for prayer. It feels like an Acts chapter 2 experience.
The days here have been so full. Our care for Rascal has meant
investing most
of the last 10 mornings for a visit to the vet. Afterward it has been
off to
church and trying to finish projects. Yesterday that also included
staff
meeting, counseling and prayer meeting. At the end of the day we have
been
pretty tired. We are enjoying our time of ministry but also looking
forward to
the rest of the sabbatical. Thank you for your prayers. We definitely
need 
them and greatly appreciate them.
This prayer
banner is
actually painted onto the wall in the prayer room
A Day Trip From Roma
October
2nd,
2009
The last two weeks have been
exceptionally
busy. Not just for us but also for the associate pastor Lawrence.
Wednesday is
Pastor Lawrence’s day off so we decided to double date on a day trip.
We went
to the village of Tivoli about an hour east of Roma.
Tivoli is famous for Emperor Hadrian’s Castle of 132 A.D. and for The
Renaissance Villa d’Este. This 400 year old villa is an amazing castle
with
huge fountainsand pristine gardens. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
You can
Google it to read more about it.
The trip was so refreshing. Compared to living in Rome Tivoli was so
very very
quiet. We are used to lots of noise day and night so the calmness was
refreshing to the soul. We really needed the break and are definitely
the
better for it.
Here are some pictures to share the day with you…
Pastor Mark
and Jill
Asange and Pastor Lawrence
Imagine a
fountain
several blocks long!
Overlooking
one of the
garden areas
Overlooking
one of the
great fountains
Yes, it is awesome
Ahhhh a much
needed
break from the busyness and noise
A sad report
October
2nd,
2009
I have a sad report
to share. Our friend Rascal has
gone to be with Lord. We loved on him and cared for him the best we
could. Jill
patiently hand fed him for 10 days. Unfortunately, he just wasn’t
able to
pull through. His liver had failed. Please keep Pastor Mike and Loretta
in
prayer as Rascal was an important part of their family in Rome. I have
included
a few pictures of our time with rascal.
Jill gives
Rascal a
bath
Pastor Mark
carries
Rascal to the vet
Rascal
watching a
replay of Brett Favres game winning touchdown
Pastor Dr
Mark giving
IV and antibiotics on Sunday as Dr Marco's office is closed on Domenica
To quote a famous Italian “The
smallest feline
is a masterpiece” -
Leonardo da Vinci
Please Pray for this weekends BIG project
This weekend we will be recording the marionette puppet show “Blessed are the Poor” “Beati i Poveri”. Philip and Sari will be going through Europe next summer and they will need the show produced in Italian for street ministry. The show has already been created in Polish. Our head translator Marina has finished two versions of Philips’ script. Next, I will work with a cast of people Marina has lined up for the recording of the parts. The recording is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. We really need and appreciate your prayers for this important project.
The BIG Project
October
3rd,
2009
We spent most of the day working on
the
translation and recording project. We are taking Philip and Sari’s
Suitcase
Sideshow and translating it into Italian and recording it. Next summer
Philip
and Sari will be traveling through Europe doing street performances and
preaching
the Gospel. Thanks to the awesome work of Marina, we finished a huge
amount
today. Tomorrow (Sunday) we will try to finish the rest of the
recording.
We really appreciate your prayers in this project. We believe there
will be
many souls brought to Christ through this outreach.
Rusty Nails and Tetanus
Shots
October
3rd,
2009
On Friday I was teaching Pastor
Lawrence and
Maxwell how to do brick work for the finishing inside the sanctuary.
During the
process, Pastor Lawrence accidentally stepped on a rusty nail. After I
treated
the wound with an antibiotic I asked when his last tetanus booster was.
Like
many of us; it was too long ago, more than the 10 years that it is good
for.
Down at the Farmacia (Italian Pharmacy) I presented my U.S. credentials
and
secured a Tetanus Diphtheria vaccine (yeah with the 1 1/2 inch needle
for an
inter-muscular injection).
Pastor Lawrence was a brave patient.
So I get to play pastor, missionary, psychologist, electrician,
bricklayer, and
nurse too.
By the way…. when was your last Tetanus booster?
The BIG Project
October
7th,
2009
Sometimes we don’t realize how a
simple
phrase in English can be so hard to translate. One of the three stories
in the
marionette show is about the story of the woman caught in adultery. To
emphasize God’s love in contrast to man’s denigration, Philip used the
wording
“you’re not just meat on a platter.” That doesn’t translate well into
Italian.
We had multiple discussions around this phrase. After the last
discussion,
about 30 minutes long, it was suggested (translated into English) “You
are not
just a use and throw away woman.”
The whole team has worked hard to create an accurate and touching
presentation
that will be a powerful tool for evangelism. If you would like to see
the
English version, you can goto youtube and search for “Philip Shorey.”
Eventually, we hope to post the Italian version.
On Monday evening we finished the last recording Edorado did the part
of Saul
“the religious leader.” He was fantastic. After 3 days of recording, 36
pages
of script, (and of course a few cappuccinos) we have completed a
monumental
task- The BIG project. Thank you to everyone who was praying. The hand
of God
was very evident.
David Bruss set up an FTP site for me to send the 125 megs of files
back so we
would have a secure backup. Early Tuesday morning the project was
completed.
Translation
and
recording session
Catching up on a few busy
days…
October
7th,
2009
Since Friday we have been quite busy
on the
BIG recording project. But there are many other things that have
transpired.
Sunday was our final day of preaching at International Christian
Fellowship.
The service was incredible. We could tell people have been praying. The
people
were appreciative of our ministry here. As a church, they presented
Jill and I
with a gift of a beautiful Italian clock. Several others gave gifts to
express
their love and appreciation. It was a wonderful day. We will miss the
people
here.
The BIG project of course took up most of the rest of Sunday and a few
hours of
Monday as well. The rest of Monday has been packing up 5 weeks of
living and
preparing to head to Venicia (Venice) for the next part of our journey.
Some of
the leadership team took us out for supper on Monday evening to express
their
appreciation. Much of the appreciation goes back to Family Worship
Center for
loaning us to them for these 5 weeks.
leadership
team
and the last supper
primo gelato
in Achilia
Teo overlooks
the
packing process
Ciao Roma!
October
7th,
2009
The alarm went off early and we
finished
packing our remaining stuff. Of course, on the way to the train
station
we stopped by Ivano’s for one more perfect cappuccino. Pastor
Lawrence
and Maxwell were so kind as to help us with our luggage and take the
train/metro ride to Termini, the main station to get on our cross
country
train.
The 6 hour ride northeast takes us
through
the hills and valleys of the countryside and more cities of
Italy.
Instead of the non-stop high-speed Euro Star that saves an hour
and a
half, we choose the Inter City train that costs much less. Train
travel
in the U.S. is a lost art. Here in Europe it is common and
convenient.
Teo helping
us pack, or
not
Venicia Italia!
October
7th,
2009
Tonight we
have a small (and I mean small) room
booked. There is no bathroom in the hotel room (you share
one with
others on the floor). There are rooms on four floors and there is
NO
elevator. We arrive with our heavy cases and find, our room is on
the
first floor! Someone was praying. For this modest
accommodation we
pay 80Euro or $120 a night. That is considered one of the lowest
priced
rooms on the Island. The average room is well over $500 a night
and one
can pay much more. But, our needs are few and our wants are
simple.
The ancient beauty of Venice is so appealing. It is rugged and
romantic.
This is our first stop on our way home.
Now begins a time of
Sabbatical. The
word itself implies rest. After the last 5 weeks of ministry we
definitely feel
the need for it. Tomorrow we will board a ship and continue our
slow
journey home.
Our train
arrives in
Venice
Limited Ability to Post
October
11th,
2009
Hi friends:
On the ship Internet access is very slow and very expensive. So we are
not able
to post much. Please forgive the limitation. We are making our way home
slowly
as we will cross the Atlantic by ship. Next Sunday we will be in Ponte
del Gada
in the Portuguese Azore Islands. I will be preaching there. Please pray
for an
effective outreach and ministry.
Love Pastor Mark
Almost home…
October
24th,
2009
Jill and I had a wonderful time of ministry
at Ponta
Delgada. We were blessed to see the new work there and be a part of it.
We are
currently in the Atlantic ocean making our way to the U.S. We will land
in Fort
Lauderdale Florida. Since we are here (where it is still warm) we are
going to
take a few days for scuba diving together. We will be home next
weekend. My
message for November 1st is entitled “There’s no place like home.” We
hope you
will be there with us.
Missionaries
to the
Azore Islands John and Becky along with Pastor Mark and Jill
overlooking crater
lake, a lake in the top of a volcano
John (Pastor
John's
right hand man) Pastor Mark, Missionaries Becky and John stand in front
of
their speed the light van
We love you and miss you.
Pastor Mark
November
1, 2009 Rev.
Mark Schwarzbauer, Ph.D.
There’s No Place Like Home
That’s
the
title of my message for Sunday. It’s
also how we feel. We loved our time of
missions’ ministry. But, the people in
Sturgeon Bay are our family and we are so happy to pastor here and be
home.
Yes,
these weeks of missions’ ministry have been wonderful.
We know our overseas ministry has made an
eternal difference in so many lives.
From the seminars and services, counseling, repairing and
installing, we
have helped the work of God in Rome.
Judy,
we are so very appreciative for your help in touching so many lives. Thank you from us. Thank
you from the people at International
Christian Fellowship in Rome. And thank
you from Missionaries Mike and Loretta Hopkins.
God will bless you for your kindness.
Love
always
Pastor
Mark
and Jill