SICILY UPDATE AND PRAYERS JUNE 2015
GIUSEPPE COLLESANO
Hello from sunny Sicily, summer maybe has started. For sure the rain and cool nights makes feel we are still in March. Galatians 2:16, this verse speaks volumes about what we do, rather, what He does when we are available to Him. These last few months have been very busy with ‘works’ in helping people, churches, refugees with food, clothes and most of all the Word of God.
A Big thank you to you for being faithful to our Lord in following Him and acting on His behalf. God uses people like you and me to transform people in His image, for eternity.
From the photos that you will see we have touched lots of them, from East to West, North to South. At the beginning of May a church in Siracusa asked if we could bring them bibles so that they can have and read His Word, and evangelize their own people. You prayed and acted upon this need.
At the same time we started a gofundme page for helping the refugees. You prayed and acted upon this need. So far we are up to 40% of the total that I prayed for. The arrival of new refugees is getting higher every week, as you can see from the newspaper clips, in one week 5,000 arrived and ten drowned. This is a time in history where we can be used of God in a special way, remember the poor, Gal. 2:10. We are in a place where we can share openly His Gospel when in their own country, His Gospel is banned. You pray, we act upon His call, and many are reached with His Word.
We do have some fun here too sometimes, bonfire and good fellowship at Pastor Andrew’s home, relaxing.
The group studies are going well even when the good weather approaches and people start traveling for vacation. We made a trip to the west coast to deliver the ‘right’ size pants, yes a new camp was discovered and unknown to me those pants where the right size for the young refugees that have just arrived. I made a trip to a supermarket and bought food for 500 people and delivered it all to where they gather.
On another note, we have had our van since 2005, but on the 29th of May it decided to leave me stranded for a couple of hours. Yet we do not know what the damage is, old age? I am waiting to hear about what needs to be done; in the meantime another van was loaned for the time being. Because of the van problem, two young men from Austria came with a larger van to relieve our garage of supplies that where piling up high.
Needless to say, the garage is full again. Even my dentist got into the action. A long time ago I shared the Gospel with him. Last week when I went to pay for the last payment on work done on me and he gave me two bags of clothes and some money for gas to help with the refugee work.
Here also with some of the guys we did some community work, cleaning a stretch of road that was littered with trash, by doing this we shared our testimony with others too.
The family is doing fine in Michigan and California. Pennie was able to spend few weeks with Cristina and relax and visit the sites there, but I surely miss her here. The boys are doing fine too. Josh bought a house not too far from church and pretty soon will be moving, no more long trek to work.
With my friend Giuseppe Puglisi went to an African church with refugees this week. Pastor Asoro’s church is in a not so nice area of Catania. We brought much needed bibles and literature to reach their own.
After buying food for more refugees, on Saturday we delivered it to a place run by YWAM nearby. We bought enough food to feed 50 families. Sunday night went with a group to Siracusa, we sang and shared His Word at Pastor Carmelo Cancilla’s church. It was a blessed week.
Getting ready for splatexperience.com with Marc Eckel for a month of evangelism all over Sicily in July.
Keep on praying for the ministry going forward. God bless you. Thank you for your love and help.
Prayer Needs:
Refugee outreach
Local outreach
Van problem
Splatexperience in July
Till next time, Let’s go fishing ( really ) for souls.
Blessings,
Giuseppe and Pennie Collesano
Partnering with Italy for Christ