September 2001 (Year 3, Number 2)
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News
Tidbits
1. Ciao! Here is the long awaited update to our first newsletter. In countless ways, God has been guiding us and clearing the path ahead of us. He has confirmed to us in many ways that we are exactly where he has called us to be, and we are daily overwhelmed by his faithfulness. We can’t express enough our appreciation for your prayers and support. Your prayers are being heard! We hope this gives you a glimpse of the way that God has been at work during our first month in Sicily.
2. We have made the most of our stay here in Catania. Much of our time has been spent praying, planning, studying Italian, learning about Palermo, searching for a place to live there, and taking care of many details connected with moving to a new country. In addition, Joel has already had the privilege of preaching three times.
3. We were able to locate and purchase a nice used car that we hope will serve us well during our ministry in Italy.
4. We have made two very profitable visits to Palermo to acquaint ourselves with the city, pray over the city, talk with people, and seek God’s guidance for a place to live and minister. We have felt the Lord leading us to an area of the city where there are many residential apartment buildings but no evangelical churches.
5. Our apartment search in Palermo is progressing slowly but surely. Since August is vacation time in Italy, we have had to be patient. Our next trip there will be on September 10-11.
Answers to Prayer
1. After a long trip, we (and our luggage) arrived in Catania on August 7th with no problems, delays, or re-routing due to the volcano. And, after several delays, our crates finally arrived in Catania early this morning!
2. Mt. Etna’s lava flows stopped just a couple days before our arrival, and the Catania airport reopened. Since that time, the volcano has been “sleeping,” (aka smoking continuously). Evidently we just missed out on seeing Etna’s spectacular fireworks display!
3. When we applied for our residence papers in Catania, the Foreign Office Official turned away every person in front of us for different reasons: missing documents, missing photocopies, incomplete forms, etc. After 3 hours in line, we finally arrived at the front. After looking through our paperwork, she asked us for two documents which we didn’t have, one being a copy of our visas. We apologized that we did not have these with us. She left, and returned a few minutes later with a copy of our visas and said nothing further about the other document she had requested. She stamped our forms and sent us off with a smile! We still have to wait for the actual residence papers, but this was the hardest step in the process.
4. God has truly blessed us in helping us to recall and use the Italian language, and with study and hard work we are still improving day by day.
5. It was a blessing to meet a Mennonite pastor in Palermo who has been so helpful to us. Francesco and Martha Picone have gracefully opened their home to us and have been instrumental in orienting us to the city of Palermo and helping us begin our search for an apartment.
Prayer Requests
1. Pray for young people in Italy to be called by God into ministry!
2. Pray that the Holy Spirit would sweep across Italy bringing revival among God’s people!
3. Pray for continued improvement in our ability to communicate in Italian.
4. Pray that we would find an apartment soon in the city of Palermo and that God would open doors for our ministry there.
5. Pray that Rob and Jane Kazee (Nazarene Missionaries), Tim and Danielle Whetstone (Nazarenes in Volunteer Service), and Jason and Donna Martin (Mennonite missionaries) would receive their Italian visas and residence papers.
Miscellaneous Notes
1. On the entire Western Mediterranean field (18 countries in SW Europe and NW Africa), there are 240 million people and only 35 Nazarene churches!
2. Take note of our new email address: <jsmullen@interfree.it>
3. Feel free to share this newsletter with friends, family, your pastor, and your church!
4. Please email us anytime if you would like to “subscribe” or “unsubscribe” to Sicilian Sketches.
5. Remember to pray for us every time you eat pizza or pasta!!!
May the God of grace embrace you today!
Joel and Sara Mullen
1. Ciao! Here is the long awaited update to our first newsletter. In countless ways, God has been guiding us and clearing the path ahead of us. He has confirmed to us in many ways that we are exactly where he has called us to be, and we are daily overwhelmed by his faithfulness. We can’t express enough our appreciation for your prayers and support. Your prayers are being heard! We hope this gives you a glimpse of the way that God has been at work during our first month in Sicily.
2. We have made the most of our stay here in Catania. Much of our time has been spent praying, planning, studying Italian, learning about Palermo, searching for a place to live there, and taking care of many details connected with moving to a new country. In addition, Joel has already had the privilege of preaching three times.
3. We were able to locate and purchase a nice used car that we hope will serve us well during our ministry in Italy.
4. We have made two very profitable visits to Palermo to acquaint ourselves with the city, pray over the city, talk with people, and seek God’s guidance for a place to live and minister. We have felt the Lord leading us to an area of the city where there are many residential apartment buildings but no evangelical churches.
5. Our apartment search in Palermo is progressing slowly but surely. Since August is vacation time in Italy, we have had to be patient. Our next trip there will be on September 10-11.
Answers to Prayer
1. After a long trip, we (and our luggage) arrived in Catania on August 7th with no problems, delays, or re-routing due to the volcano. And, after several delays, our crates finally arrived in Catania early this morning!
2. Mt. Etna’s lava flows stopped just a couple days before our arrival, and the Catania airport reopened. Since that time, the volcano has been “sleeping,” (aka smoking continuously). Evidently we just missed out on seeing Etna’s spectacular fireworks display!
3. When we applied for our residence papers in Catania, the Foreign Office Official turned away every person in front of us for different reasons: missing documents, missing photocopies, incomplete forms, etc. After 3 hours in line, we finally arrived at the front. After looking through our paperwork, she asked us for two documents which we didn’t have, one being a copy of our visas. We apologized that we did not have these with us. She left, and returned a few minutes later with a copy of our visas and said nothing further about the other document she had requested. She stamped our forms and sent us off with a smile! We still have to wait for the actual residence papers, but this was the hardest step in the process.
4. God has truly blessed us in helping us to recall and use the Italian language, and with study and hard work we are still improving day by day.
5. It was a blessing to meet a Mennonite pastor in Palermo who has been so helpful to us. Francesco and Martha Picone have gracefully opened their home to us and have been instrumental in orienting us to the city of Palermo and helping us begin our search for an apartment.
Prayer Requests
1. Pray for young people in Italy to be called by God into ministry!
2. Pray that the Holy Spirit would sweep across Italy bringing revival among God’s people!
3. Pray for continued improvement in our ability to communicate in Italian.
4. Pray that we would find an apartment soon in the city of Palermo and that God would open doors for our ministry there.
5. Pray that Rob and Jane Kazee (Nazarene Missionaries), Tim and Danielle Whetstone (Nazarenes in Volunteer Service), and Jason and Donna Martin (Mennonite missionaries) would receive their Italian visas and residence papers.
Miscellaneous Notes
1. On the entire Western Mediterranean field (18 countries in SW Europe and NW Africa), there are 240 million people and only 35 Nazarene churches!
2. Take note of our new email address: <jsmullen@interfree.it>
3. Feel free to share this newsletter with friends, family, your pastor, and your church!
4. Please email us anytime if you would like to “subscribe” or “unsubscribe” to Sicilian Sketches.
5. Remember to pray for us every time you eat pizza or pasta!!!
May the God of grace embrace you today!
Joel and Sara Mullen
Posted: Sat - September 1, 2001 at 11:19 PM
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