Sto Studiando Italiano

We celebrated July 4th with some Italians. Below is Ilaria, Amanda, and I making the colors of the American flag.  Ilaria was a person we talked about on a newsletter from the Fall about her coming to know the Lord.  She was one of the people that got baptized at the baptism from the last newsletter.

Peppe and I have became good friends.  In Italy, nicknames are taken from the end of names unlike in the U.S. where it is the beginning so a nickname for Giuseppe (Joseph) is Peppe.  I like the way Peppe is not afraid to ask questions or talk about anything.  He tells it like he sees it and his honesty has allowed our friendship to grow really fast.  His uncle owns a school in Nocera where students from the U.S. come to study abroad.  Peppe has learned English because he has been the guide for the American students getting them whatever they need.  We joke that he is their "babysitter" because of how he has to attend so many times to their drunken habits.  In Italy, we discuss, that people drink one or two always or have some wine with dinner, but these Americans come and get drunk every night.  Last Friday, Peppe and I spent some time going around his town and eating lunch and talking about deep topics to shallow things like stupid American movies.  He has told me that he wants to learn more about Christianity since, from studying the Bible with our group, he is still learning about who Jesus really is.  I enjoy spending time with Peppe. This evening we will go with the Crawford's to a big mall called Volcano Buono(Good Volcano) which is next to the bad Volcano, Vesuvius :)

I have also spent an evening with another Giuseppe.  It was a really good time and helped both of in our English and Italian skills.  He speaks just a little more English than I do Italian.  Giuseppe has a cool story of how his friends lead him to Christ a few years ago.  His parents are Catholic and they do not agree with the Evangelical way.  Stuff sometimes is very hard for him because when people here when they become "Evangelical" which for them is just actively pursuing their relationship with Jesus Christ they can excommunicated slightly from their families and friends. He explains it is very difficult to talk about this new fresh relationship with Jesus because no one wants to listen to him. A lot of times Catholicism hear is nominal just as Christianity in the U.S. is very nominal.  I hope to meet more with Giuseppe to discuss the Bible since he has not ever really been "discipled" only attending church on a regular basis.  On the way home, we listened to some Michael W. Smith and Third Day in his car, which was cool for me to see he listens to Christian artists in America!  Below is a picture of me and Giuseppe.

Andrea has agreed to tutor me in Italian this summer.  He is a language major and knows English very well.  We talked for about 3 hours this Friday and I learned about many things, but most importantly the difference of using -ando onto a verb in Italian is like putting an -ing in English but in Italian it is always in the present.  If you want to say "I am studying tonight", it's: "Studio stasera" because you are not currently doing it, but "I am studying now" is: "Sto studiando adesso.  Andrea has really been challenged by our group in the last year to have more of a relationship with God and Jesus Christ.  Andrea has been a practicing Catholic, still being active in the church unlike many young Italians, but has now understood the gospel and that it is only by Christ's good works that we are saved.  Below is a picture of Andrea and I.

Please continue to pray for me to learn Italian and not get frustrated and my time here and my relationships with my friends that the Lord would use those relationships.