Jenga time.

Just this week we have been able to visit the home of Refugee Boys we discovered a few weeks ago.  On Tuesday we took games and spent the evening talking and laughing with the boys.  My teammate Nicole wrote the following after that evening. It is well said so I wanted to share it with you all.

Imagine being 15-17 years old and having to flee your country. Alone. Leaving behind your parents and siblings. Make an incredibly difficult journey across the Sahara desert at the mercy of traffickers. Be unjustly imprisoned, forced to work, beaten. See your friends get shot or drown in the Mediterranean Sea. You are sure you're going to die in the boat. But then, by the grace of God, you set your feet on European soil. You're placed in a home with other boys your age, but have nothing to do all day long. You're bored out of your mind, hot, often only being fed rice and water. You don't know the local language and your future seems to be at the mercy of the government who decides if you can be granted refugee status. Since you don't know the language, people sometimes assume you're dumb. But in reality you know 7 other languages and are quite brilliant. Dreaming doesn't seem like an option. You can't see past tomorrow, and your head has just never been right since that boat ride and seeing your best friend drown. And to top it all off, you miss your mom like crazy. You'd do anything for a hug from someone who loves you. You're only 15, far from home, and fending for yourself.

This story may seem drastic, but these are details we've heard over and over from African boys who have fled their homes for safety. Sadly, these stories are the norm. We've seen the scars and the tears. Tonight, we took a bag full of board games and card games to a house where 47 boys live. Despite language barriers, the boys all learned how to play the games and we had so much fun. The director of the home looked into the room and said with amazement, "Look, they're all laughing!" It was the simplest gesture, sitting down and playing games. We left the games at the house, simply having something to do during the days will help occupy their minds. These boys think we bless them, but truly our hearts were bursting with love when we left. They bless us so much. They always want to know how long until we go back to America, if they can come with us, and when we'll be at the house next. They are just regular boys who happened to be born in vastly different circumstances than you and me. They aren't bad, they don't have ill intentions, they aren't extremists. I wonder what the future looks like for these boys, and wish I could bring them all home. They've literally walked through hell and survived - I know God brought them through for a reason and has great plans for each one. We gave them all Bibles a few weeks ago. One boy told me tonight that he's been reading about Moses & James. In a few days we'll go back to start a Bible study in the house, for whichever boys want to come. God has opened the door to this home for such a time as this. These boys will likely end up in all parts of the world, and we are so thankful for this little window of time to pour into their lives and love them unconditionally. 

 We were back again last night in the home. The boys got out the games and brought them to us to play. Another few hours were spent playing games and talking with the boys.  One of them said as we left that it was so good for us to be there that we should come any free time we have because when we are there they don't have time to think about what they have been through or what they have left behind. Its a break. Its laughter. Its allowing them to be boys again.

This ministry looks so different than what we have been doing the rest of the trip. This is relational. This is just sitting and talking with the boys for hours. Its easy to get thinking that we aren't making a difference or an impact. But we are and maybe even greater than we do with those we chat with for 5 minutes on the side of the road. With these boys we are building relationships and showing them people do care about them.  They are worth it.

Its already Friday and our forth team leaves in three days.  It goes by so fast. Soon us staff will have to pack up and say goodbyes.  None of us are ready for that.  Please pray that us staff would take full advantage of these last few weeks we are here. That we would be bolder than ever and step out trusting the Lord will be there with us.  




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The third team.

I promised you more on our third team. Which is our second one from Waypoint. 

 Check out Sydney's blogs on our team page.  The first.  And the second.

This team came thinking about the big shoes they were to fill. This comes with following the Dschool and hearing all the stories and experiences from that. But we constantly reminded them that they weren't filling shoes but standing on shoulders.

We picked up trash at the Piazza that we do ministry at on a weekly basis.

Over the week the Lord was so kind and gracious to them. He called them to and laid before them just what they could handle and what they needed. For so many of them this was their first trip. (I personally love watching people on their first mission trips) Over the week we watched team members step out in bravery and share bits of their stories with strangers. We watched an 11 year old go up to people on the street and pray for them. We watched a team who was unsure step into what the Lord is calling them to be. There were moments of courage, of giant leaps of faith and of intense prayer that made this week unlike any of the others.

That has been the cool part. Watching the Lord work in each team and see how He uses each one to bring His kingdom here to Italy. This team was a little quieter and the Lord knew that so night after night he brought people to them to talk. They didn't have to go out and find them. He also opened huge doors for us to go into some of the housing for youth refugees. He brought relationships to them knowing it was going to be a bit harder for them to go searching for them.  Each team member was blessed and changed by their time here. 

My prayer, as with every team, is that that fire and that passion they experience here will go back home with them and ignite our church and city for Jesus. 

Over half way.

So our time here is over half way over. Not sure how I feel about that.  I am trying to stay in the here and now and not think about what it will be to go home.

We now have our third team here.  A bit about them later.

With the Sheffield team.

While Sheffield was here the Lord was hard at work in Sicily.  Check out our Intern blog about what the Lord did during their time here. 

In that short week He head many including a few on the team.  DBS/bible studies were started and we started to see people give their lives to the Lord.  This team stood on the shoulders of the Dschool team and took the Lords work further. 

It was wonderful how this group of strangers turned into family so quickly.  They were passionate about the Lord, powerful worshipers and prayers.  Since returning to Sheffield one team member has told me that "Sheffield is ignited at the moment from what we have brought back, lets hope we can keep fanning the flame." How generous of the Lord to continue what is happening here to go to Sheffield and begin to change that city.  

Thank you for your prayers.  This summer is amazing and the Lord is working in so many ways. This is in thanks in part to those of you at home praying for us that the Lord will use us. And he has.  So think you for your prayers and keep them coming.  We have started several DBS bible studies through out the city, pray that those attending will garb a hold of them and make them their own so that when we leave they will be able to continue.