The 1st grader who lived across the street from us announced that his family was moving to Florida. Several days later a large rental truck backed into their driveway. For three days the truck sat there while they loaded it. As the truck pulled away Luke, our older son, said: “That’s pathetic. We could’ve loaded that truck and been out of here in 8 hours.” And he was right. Missionaries travel fast and light. This is mostly due to our propensity to throw away or give away anything that slows us down. We are very “weight-conscious.”

We are beginning preparations to move to Italy this July. We have three piles of boxes in our garage: (1) ship to Italy; (2) store in the States; and (3) discard—as in try to sell it, then try to give it away, and finally throw it away. (Many things bypass the sell and give away stages.) This is the third time for us: to Belgium; back from Belgium; and now to Italy. I find this a healthy process. As we inventory our stuff—what is important and what is not, we are also inventorying our lives. We ask of ourselves: What gives lasting meaning and what does not? We stand once again in the shadow of that towering question: Why are we doing this?

This is why. For centuries people left Italy to find a better future. About 20 years ago the tide turned; immigrants began flooding into Italy seeking a better life for themselves and their families. They come from Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia fleeing poverty, war, and oppression. Their lives in Italy are hard and filled with insecurity. They receive the least-desirable jobs, often live under difficult circumstances, and do not enjoy the full benefits of Italian society. They live as third-world workers in a first-world economy. The first thing many of them do is buy an old car—so they will have a place to live. Some of these immigrants are women and children who were trafficked into the country to work in the sex industry.

Italian Baptists are participating in the biblical tradition of welcoming and caring for these strangers among them. The Scripture tells us:
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Deut. 10:17-19).
The writer of Hebrews tells us: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2).” God has called Italian Baptists to care for the strangers among them.

Italian Baptists have invited us to work with them in this ministry of providing welcome and refuge. We will provide theological education for the pastors of immigrant churches and work with these churches to strengthen their fellowships and broaden their ministries. We also will work with Italian Baptists to expand their ministries to the many women and children who are trafficked into Italy to work in the sex industry. We will partner with Italian Baptists to welcome these new arrivals to Italy and make tangible to them the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to provide places of refuge in the shadow of the Lord’s wings.

We have chosen FINDING REFUGE IN ITALY as our theme and Psalm 36:7 as our guiding text:
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:7)
We invite you to journey with us in your thoughts and prayers as we begin this new ministry. You are truly full partners in ministry with us. We will keep you posted as the journey progresses.

Please remember the following prayer concerns:
* I will go to Italy in June to find a house. Pray that God will prepare for us a home where we can live and welcome others.
* Pray that God will give to the immigrant pastors receptive hearts, that they will see the value in pastoral training.
* Pray that God will give to particular Italian churches a burden for the women and children who have been trafficked into their country.
* Pray that Ben and Luke will feel safe and confident as we make our move.

May God bless you,
Jim (along with Debbie, Ben, and Luke)