ITALY

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Dear praying friends and churches:

These past few months have been BUSY! As of our last prayer letter we

had begun moving into and furnishing the new church location. July began with a brief trip to preach in Chiesa Biblica Battista di Palermo on the western side of Sicily, and also to baptize Camille’s mother, Antonella, in the sea on the east coast of Sicily near Catania. This was followed by the Grand Opening of our new church location in Cagliari and our first REVIVAL meeting at the end of the month. August was packed as well, with visitors coming from our home church, Chesapeake Baptist Church, to preach and sing.

Praying and Planning for Revival

We scheduled the “inaugurazione” (Grand Opening) for the last week in

June, and we wanted to do it BIG. Along with the Grand Opening of the new location, we scheduled the very first REVIVAL meeting at Chiesa Biblica Battista di

Sardegna with services on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, special music, and special guest preachers. Our people got involved in the work of preparing the building, distributing the Gospel tracts, and inviting friends and neighbors.

The Lord worked it out where Evangelist Paul Crow

and his family would be in Italy visiting Pastor Frank Maietta in Grosseto at the same time as our big event. Bro. Crow agreed to fly here to Cagliari to preach the revival meeting and his family provided

special music each night. Pastor Maietta and his wife came, as well. The Crow family did a fantastic job learning and singing four different songs in Italian that were both beautiful and moving.

Pastor Maietta interpreted the message flawlessly into Italian, while Mrs. Maietta sang a beautiful

special, then helped in the nursery so the Sardinians could be under the preaching of God’s Word. They were a blessing to us in a number of other places, more than could be mentioned in a single letter. How was the message received by the people after being filtered through an interpreter? FANTASTIC. Those who came on Friday, returned Saturday and Sunday as well, and were excited about everything that was taking place. They loved the music, the preaching, the fellowship, and the overall atmosphere of a Revival Meeting. Many unsaved heard the Gospel presented, including some who told me that they had trusted Christ as Savior in the wake of the meeting. Praise the Lord!

A Special Visit from our Home Church

On Saturday, August 20th we picked up our Pastor, Matt Nettesheim, and his wife Mandy from the airport, along with his daughter Andrea and son-in-law Taran Scarry. It was such a blessing to fellowship with them, ask questions, glean wisdom from their years of experience in the ministry and just spend time dreaming together about all the Lord may do in this very needy field. Sunday morning, Pastor Matt preached a message “Why Sardinia Needs the Bible” and Pastor Chris

interpreted the message into Italian. What a joy to share the platform with my pastor and

communicate the value of God’s Word to the Sardinian people! The following Sunday,

Brother Taran Scarry gave a moving testimony and explained the value of a godly

and faithful testimony, with Pastor Chris once again interpreting. Taran and Andrea sang

beautifully two hymns in Italian. The events of the week pricked the hearts of everyone, especially the Sunday evening festival in a neighboring town in honor of Mary. Generations of Sardinians

marched ahead of the statue with thousands following behind until the streets were flooded. It was heartbreaking to see the children following blindly the vain traditions that, while beautifully arrayed, offer no hope for this life or the next. May the Lord help us to never forget these faces.

Discipleship

Riccardo has completed a 13 week discipleship program with Pastor Chris and will be beginning an in depth weekly New Testament study. He has become one of our most faithful, helpful, and consistent of our people, despite having to drive over an hour to attend Sunday

Service (especially considering gas prices reaching $10 per gallon here in Sardinia). Valentino is also faithfully continuing in the discipleship program and has a hunger to know more about the Scriptures. He and his wife Bonny regularly bring visitors to Sunday and Wednesday services and always want to be of service.

Specific Prayer Requests and Needs:

• Unity in the church among the faithful members and the newcomers.

• The approaching two-year anniversary service of the work in Sardinia.

• Co-laborers to join us in the work here in Sardinia, and the development of local leadership.

Thank you for your continued faithfulness, generosity, and prayers!

Your fellow laborers in Christ,

-The Faulkner Family