Life in Salerno has been more full and busy as it has been since we arrived. When the vision trip students were here, we were extremely busy also, but with American students. This past month we have been more involved in Italian students’ lives than I dreamed would be possible for this year. The relationships with students we have developed are growing deeper, into relational levels past students that we merely hang out with, past students that we are only with to disciple, and into deeper levels of genuine friendships of love and concern. Over the course of our time in Salerno, we have grown to love these students. Love them for who they are and where they are in life. In America, friendships can come very naturally to us because there are not high walls of cultural and language barriers. People from the same country can understand each other on basic levels of cultural context almost instantly; however, when meeting people from other countries developing relationships takes time to fully understand the depth behind their words, actions, heart, and mind. We’ve learned that foreign friendships take work, a lot of work. It takes patience, grace, perseverance, consistency, practice, selflessness with time, desire, drive, and sincere love from both parties to develop friendships on such an intimate level. Only through the grace of God are we experiencing the fruit of His harvest after only seven months of working in the missionary field in Salerno.

As in America, and every country, the students here are in serious need of spiritual guidance. They are being tempted into lives that leave them unsatisfied, being taught by cultural norms to worship idols, such as boyfriends and girlfriends, instead of putting God first in their lives. The large majority of Italians are of Catholic origin; however, I have found most students beliefs are based on words from a childhood Priest, not the Bible or their own personal relationship with Jesus. Unlike America, it is not usual to have other ministries encouraging a personal relationship with God besides the Catholic church. There are some evangelical churches which proclaim the importance of personal relationships with Jesus, but it is not common to find supplementary Christian influence in Italy like there is in America. Much to my surprise I have found the following virtually non-existent in Italy: Bible studies, mentors and discipleships, Christian bookstores,  Christian materials (i.e. anything besides the Bible), Christian events to take part in, Christian music (besides what’s listened to at church), small group opportunities, youth group (like Young Life, YWAM, groups sponsored at church, etc.), college ministry opportunities, choir, mission trips, church camp, or Sunday school. PRAISE God for these instruments that God has blessed America with to reach our communities, but these gifts are a rarity amongst the rest of the world. Although the power behind these instruments are not the instruments themselves, but the power of the Gospel and Holy Spirit, I believe that God has called Campus Crusade, or Agape Italia, to help facilitate Italians’ personal relationships with Jesus for this reason. These students do not have mentors to confide in and seek wisdom from, they are not being discipled to challenge and encourage their relationships with God, they are not surrounded by other students their age who are seeking Truth, they don’t have positive, Christian lyrics being sung in their ears, they don’t have people and events that are attracting them to the realness of the Christian faith. Again, these are merely tools that God uses and the real power behind all of these IS the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, but I do believe that these instruments bring fellowship, accountability, and community which are key in fostering a thriving relationship with Jesus. I believe God has blessed and is using this ministry and our team corporately and individually to help aid in these spiritual areas that Italy lacks. Although the concepts of missionaries, bible studies, mentors, discipleships, and even loyal friendships are foreign to most of our friends, Agape is praying to be only the beginning many stepping stones to a country saturated in Truth and on fire for the Gospel.

Thank you for allowing Jesus to prove His unconditional love for us through you. Each of you are so special to us, and we miss you all dearly. May God bless your every breath, and pulse the fullness life with every heartbeat.

Much Love and many Blessings,

Breanna

Hey ya’ll just wanted to give a little update about some of the things going on at the University.  A few weeks ago we started having Bible Studies and English Hour at the University.  It has been really encouraging to meet with students to study the Bible together and to also help them practice English (even though mines not the best).

It’s spring time now and the University feels more alive. The rain has slowed up,  people are outside and are open to talk.  I feel like some great things are beginning to happen.  The other day at Bible study our friend Andrea shared with us his testimony and it was really neat hearing him talk about Christ’s love and how it has changed his life.

Anyway I hope things are well back in America and I’ll talk to you soon

Ciao Ciao

Tyler

It started out as a chilly, rainy day. We got on the bus and headed to campus as we do every day. We were all sitting there, chatting, and I was looking out the window when all of a sudden it began flurrying (snow flurrying that is). Being from Florida we don’t exactly have snow days so you can imagine my surprise as I’m staring out at this winter wonderfulness! When we arrived on campus it was actually snowing! We were all so excited and were laughing, dancing and taking pictures. We had so much fun even though it was SO cold.  As we were walking home that afternoon I couldn’t help but be very grateful to the Lord for His creation and faithfulness. 

“For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” Psalm 57:10