Safe and Sound

Ciao!

We made it! Our team has made it safe and sound to Siena, all our luggage arrived safely also. After 20 plus hours of straight traveling, we all fell into an exhausted yet restless sleep last night. The time difference here is nine hours ahead of the Pacific Northwest. I was overwhelmed when we first pulled into town here. The beauty of Siena is truely amazing. Last night we went out to dinner at a small restaurant. Sitting by candle-light, we all tried to order our food with our best attempts at pronunciation. Much laughter was had but our waiter was patient. As I sat around the long table with my team-mates, I was overwhelmed again by how blessed I was to have actually made it to Italy. In our exhausted stupor, most of us could only answer with "this is just so amazing" or "I cant believe we are actually here" when our team-leader Steve Yen, asked us how we were feeeling at the end of dinner. There are 13 of us total. 7 students from WSU, a girl from Maryland and a girl from Utah. We also have a Utah Campus Crusade staff member named Alex with us. Alex is engaged to a Stinter who has been living here for the past year. A "Stinter" is someone who lives in a city like Siena for a year long time period to help set up a campus ministry and share. Basically like what I am doing only for a year instead of 6 weeks. They were very excited to be reunited. Rounding out our group is Steve, his wife Megan and their 1 year old son Oliver.

I was woken up this morning by loud church bells ringing. It is raining in Siena this morning and will be all day. Today we are going to do a city-wide scavenger hunt to "discover" Siena. Already I am getting more and more excited to start getting out there and sharing the story and love of Jesus with the people here. Everyone is so friendly and curious about why we are here in Siena. It has already been quite easy to get into conversations.

I will be sending out updates periodically when time is available, if there is another email you would prefer these updates to be sent to, just let me know. Pray for my health (got a little sick mainly due to exhaustion) yesterday but am feeling better this morning. Pray for the hearts of the people we talk to and that God would work in us and through us while we are here in this beautiful place. Gratzie! (thank you!)

AMEN!

1 Week

Leaving for Italy in one week.


This time next week...well, I will probably still be on the plane, but that's beside the point. I'm excited to spend time with my family this weekend, and then a few quick days in Seattle visiting friends! School is done, whew. Now I can completely concentrate on packing and getting ready for the big trip.

That's all for now.

Ciao!

Let's Risk it All

[This post is a bit off topic from directly talking about Siena, but its what I'm learning...enjoy.]

Here in my cozy little house on Myrtle Street in Pullman, I can read my very own Bible whenever I want or desire. I can walk freely up to campus and strike up a conversation about Jesus and salvation and God. I can read my Bible in public. I can listen to the worship music I downloaded from the internet on my ipod, or I can blare it in my car. I can pray in public and not feel an ounce of fear for my life.

Here in my cozy little life, I have it so dang easy. Today, I have been challenged several times to think about risk, sacrifice and how easy being a Christian in America is. How much have I risked lately? Not much.

Yea, I've risked my reputation. A little ridicule, one "no effing way lady", a couple of personal attacks. Mostly, polite rejections. That's about it.

There are people suffering all over the world for being a Christian, and yesterday I was worrying about not having my cell phone with me when I am in Siena. There are people who would cry tears of undiluted joy if their family could just own a Bible. I have like 7 of them. Chronological, NIV, ESV, ESV Study, a very adorable "Precious Moments" one from when I was little and a few "gift Bibles" still wrapped.

I don't risk anything of real value by being a Christian in America.

How much have I sacrified lately? Again, not all that much. Maybe a little more than I've risked. However, much of what we percieve to "sacrifice" is really just stuff we didn't need in the first place.

I hope going to Siena is just the start of a life where I venture around the world to better understand what it means to risk and sacrifice in order to pursue Christ and a life spent following Him. Christ was "the propitiation", I am coming to understand what that truely means more and more. I was reading about Henry Hulstein and his wife Grace. Henry and Grace were a Christian couple who lived in Holland during WWII. They rescued, hid and saved the lives of dozens of Jews. They risked their lives, sacrificed their wealth and safety. Henry and Grace had 9 children of their own, and for three years they took in a Jewish baby whose mother couldn't keep in hiding with her. They hid Jewish families temporarily all throughout the war. Late in the war, Nazi officials arrested Henry and transported him to a Concentration camp for an extended period of time. Grace had to take care of all 10 children, by herself, all the while never knowing if her husband had died "loving thy neighbor". The Lord protected Henry and he returned home. And up until the very day Canadian soldiers came walking into their small country town, the Hulstein's continued to hide and save the lives of Jews. Even after Henry had been in a Concentration Camp.

That was sacrifice. That was risk.

Amen!







http://www.bibleprobe.com/hulstein.htm - The Hulstein's Story

http://vimeo.com/5514321 - A sermon that moved me to tears about risking it all for the Glory of Christ.