November Newsletter: Homecoming!

Photo credit to Practical

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mosaico Church, my church family in Italy. Celebrating the 3rd Anniversary!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, good time with family, and lots of delicious food to eat.  Christmas music has now been unleashed full force, and I hope we are all able to head into this season with joy in our hearts, thankfulness, and eager expectation to again remember the birth of our King, Christ Jesus.  

Gallery 4 Italy Ceasing Operations

Russian Academy of Art Bible study we host in our home!

In early November we received the news that the founder of Gallery 4 has chosen to suspend operations in Italy.  With the extreme difficulty in finding a space for the gallery we knew something needed to be done, but the news still came as a shock.  Although it is easy to look at the situation with disappointment and sadness, we trust that the Lord will have used our time here for the good of His kingdom and advancement of the Gospel, and will continue to use it in ways we may never fully realize.  Even though the original vision was not fully accomplished, we were still able to minister to people, host Bible studies, give out Bibles, and talk about Jesus with many.

I will forever see art in a new way thanks to art classes and all my cool artist friends.

Coming Home

In light of these recent events, I will be coming home from the mission field on December 5.  It truly grieves me to leave Florence, it is a magical city and I will greatly miss the friends and people I met here.  However, I am overjoyed to be able to be home for Christmas with family, friends, and church family, as I was not originally expecting to be able to do so.

 

Firenze is extra magical around Christmas time

Coming Weeks

The next few weeks will be spent getting my affairs in order, spending time with friends, and getting ready to come home.  I am so thankful for the time I was here and I would like to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart for supporting, praying, and encouraging me in this venture.  To God be the glory!

Prayer Requests:

• Praise! For all the friends here that makes it so hard to leave. Although it is sad, I consider it a very great thing indeed to have such friends that makes saying goodbye so hard.

• Praise! Being able to be home with family, friends, and church family for Christmas.

• Prayer: For my remaining time here to be meaningful and for the glory of God.

• Prayer: For the people here, whether friends or strangers, to continue to be exposed to the Gospel.

• Prayer: For a smooth transition, closure, and safe trip home.

Grazie a tutti!!!

October Newsletter

Buon Novembre/Happy November!

It's so nice being back in Florence.  It feels like autumn, the leaves are falling, and the weather is truly starting to turn chilly.  Here's all that happened in October:

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Morris in Poland, ME

October 1-5 Jeffrey and Rachel Got Married.  Our family drove to Maine to celebrate the marriage of Jeffrey and his new wife, Rachel.  I love her so much and am glad she is now an official part of our family!  It was a beautiful ceremony, simple and intimate in a beautiful autumn setting.  We got to experience a real Maine lobster bake, stay in an inn on a lake, and stopped in Boston on the way home.  It was a great adventure.  

October 6-12 Soaked Up Some Good Time with Family and Friends, although time went by too quickly!  My family humored me and we celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving so I could at least be home for one holiday.    

October 13 I voted.  And that's all I'm going to say.  May the good Lord do as He pleases. 

October 13 I Flew Back to Italy, arriving on the 14th.  My two wonderful roommates, Vanessa and Silvia, had coordinated with Paul and Cody (Pastor of Mosaico, the church I'm a part of) to use his car to move all my belongings from Paul and Melinda's spare apartment.  What a relief to come home to that, especially since I didn't have so much as a hairbrush with me! 

October 17 I Started Attending Classes at the Russian Academy of Art, a requirement for having a student visa.  Paul and Melinda are also in the classes, which keeps things fun.  In the mornings we have 3 hours of painting and in the afternoon we have 2 1/2 hours of drawing.  The professors are all Russian and speak little to no English, and so we have translators for every class. Спасибо.  (Thank you)

Look, an almost still life!

I also really enjoy the other students.  I am used to artsy people and the world of dance, but all of a sudden I find myself thrown into a world of a different kind of art.  I find it all very fascinating and inspiring.  Vanessa and Silvia also attend the school, and so I frequently find myself amongst this group of friends.  They regularly whip out their sketch books and sketch anything that sits still for more than 5 minutes.  It's great fun, and I am learning to see things in a new light, about the composition, perspective, lighting, and pause, both in art works and real life.  I occasionally sketch outside of class too,  and frequently find myself thinking, "What is my life?"  Attending art classes in Florence, Italy, learning classical Russian techniques? Che figata/How cool!  The Russian Academy of Art attracts people from all over the world, and I now have friends from Chile, Argentina, France, China, Australia, Russia, Switzerland, Germany, and other places.  Some of their stories are fascinating and I am honored to know them. 

Vanessa, Silvia, and I host a Bible Study at our apartment for the other students of the Russian Art Academy who are interested.  Paul leads the study; we are in the book of Philippians.  It's a lovely Sunday evening, consisting of talking about Jesus, drinking tea, and eating cookies in our regal apartment.  

We Are Still in the Works for Gallery Space #5.  At the moment we are trying to project the cost of remodeling this space, (actually two spaces, one for the gallery and one next door for the studio) working with our business consultant, landlord, and architect. 

Prayer Requests:

• Praise! I made it safely back to Florence and am loving my new apartment and roommates.

• Praise! Art classes are going well, and many new friendships are being built through that.

• Pray: For new friends and old, and relationships to continue to grow.

• Pray: For Gallery Space #5. If this is the space the Lord has for us that things would continue to move forward and be within our budget.

• Pray: For Christ's love and compassion to be made known in Italy, especially in this time of devastation with so many earthquakes.

Thank you to everyone who prays, supports, and reads these little (and sometimes not so little) updates!  I am so very thankful for you!

Blessed be His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory! - Psalm 72:19

September Newsletter

Buongiorno family & friends! 

September was a good and difficult month.  The first half of the month was mostly apartment searching, calling, visiting, and the second half I came home to Michigan.  In Florence we finally felt the heat of summer start to break; the air turned from stifling, summer hot, to earthy, autumn hot.  But really, it was so refreshing to feel the onset of autumn after a long, hot Florentine summer. 

September 1-14 Apartment Hunting in Italian and All That Ensues.  Once the immobiliari (real estate) opened again in September after the long vacation of August, I talked to every immobiliare I could to find an apartment.  I had already been going into and calling every one I could, but without little to no success.  I got to see a few apartments, but they weren't what we needed.  It was crucial I found an apartment before I flew home because I needed a contract in my name in order to apply for a visa.  And so, I started going to so many immobiliari, visiting every apartment website I could think of, and calling 12-15 immobiliari every day until I could secure some appointments to see apartments.  Even friends were helping and asking around for me.  So many of the apartments had already been rented out, didn't rent to students, only wanted a family, were out of our price range, or too far out of the city center.  (You recall I like to walk? Yes.) 

Ponte Vecchio at night.

Sometimes I would call an agency, spew out my little prepared-before-hand-Italian spiel, only to barely follow what the agent spewed out, and then they would hang up apparently assuming I had understood them.  Ummmm, I shall assume that apartment was not available.  And had bed bugs.  Probably had a Medici skeleton in the closet and the wifi didn't work.  And the floor will cave in if you jump on it.  We didn't want that one anyway.  Then there were the agencies that never answered my phone calls or emails.  Yep didn't want those ones either.

Finally,  I called an agent and got an appointment that evening!  I made a few more calls and accidentally called the same agent again.  Oops!  He must've recognized my spiel.  Drats.  I saw the apartment and it was beautiful.  A little on the small side at 70 square meters, but extremely modern and brand new.  The apartment was being shown to several other people that day, and so the typical pressure was put on me by Giuseppe the realtor, I had to let him know if I wanted it by tomorrow.  Ahhhhh I don't like pressure or decisions! 

The next morning I got a call from a realtor who had been trying to help me all along but never had anything that worked.  This time, she sent me photos of an apartment with beautiful painted ceilings right in the city center!  I got to see it that night and suddenly had this big dilemma.  This apartment was bigger and so much more romantic than the other one.  Yes, the oven is older, but hey.  I talked to my roommates and we decided to go for the 13th century building in the city center vs. a new but un-Florentine building. 

The amount of paperwork needed for the apartment became a joke.  My poor roommates who were out of the country had to scan and email me document after document.  Would you also like a photocopy of my Kroger rewards card from when I lived in Mississippi?  Mamma Mia.  Then I went to sign the contract, and the proprietor at the last didn't want to sign it because he doesn't rent to people without either a visa or permesso di soggiorno (permission to stay), I had neither yet.  Things got a little tense between him and the realtor and my knuckles turned very white, but by the Lord's grace he changed his mind and signed.  So...he didn't want to give an apartment contract to someone without a visa, and you can't get a visa without an apartment contract.  Oh, Italy.  Porca Miseria.  All this to say, everyone who prayed for our apartment, we needed your prayers and the Lord heard and was gracious to us!  My roommates Vanessa and Silvia just moved in this week and saw it for the first time; they love it, too.  Grazie, grazie, grazie tante!

Arrived at the Consolato 45 minutes early. How very un-Italian of me. (But hey, I got in early!)

September 6 I received my codice fiscale, or tax code.  I had to go to the Italian equivalent of the Secretary of State, and wait in line.  It was very easy to get and is similar to the SSN in the U.S.

September 17 I flew home!  After countless planes, shuttles, trains, walks, security checkpoints and a delayed and almost cancelled flight I arrived in Grand Rapids around 2:00 am.  I even got to translate for an Italian gentleman trying to get through US customs in Chicago.  My mom, dad, and JohnPaul were all there to greet me, and then we drove 2 1/2 hours home.  There is no place like home to restore the mind and body.  Unfortunately I ended up getting sick for the first part of being home with an unknown ailment and some infection, and made the discovery I am allergic to amoxicillin.  

September 21 Appointment at the Consolato d'Italia in Detroit.  My mom and I drove to Detroit so I could apply for my student visa.  Nerve racking, but it went very quick.  After the appointment I waited around because I remembered there were papers I never signed.  When the officer came back to the waiting room he said "brava" because he had forgotten to have me sign and that would've been "grave."  He said if I wanted to wait half hour he would have the visa ready.  It is "supposed" to take so many weeks to get to you, but I walked out of the consulate that day with my visa in hand!   

One of my favorite fall-time activities. Apple Picking.

I am continually humbled and grateful to the Lord for allowing me to be in Italy, even with the hardships.  It's easy to see past the romantic history and rolling hills of Tuscany once you've been living here, but it is a privilege and a blessing that I do not want to take lightly.  Thank you to everyone who has been and is praying and supporting this ministry, I appreciate you so much!

Prayer Requests:

• Praise! I finally found and have an apartment. A beautiful 13th century apartment at that!

• Praise! I made it safely home without any major problems.

• Praise! I got my visa to return for the rest of the year!

• Praise! Some new supporters joined the team and I am now at 80% support! It's exciting to be so close to full support as I prepare to head back for 9+ months. Please pray the Lord would provide the remainder and finances would not be a stress.

• Pray: We made an offer on Gallery Space #5, but there are still many hold ups and new rules and regulations being thrown at us. We never expected it to be this difficult and sometimes it's hard to see what the Lord's purpose is in this, but we have to keep trusting.

• Pray: For the relationships we are building and the new people we are meeting, also the realtors, contractors, and architects we are working closely with.

• Pray: For continued advancement in learning Italian. It seems for every victory there is a plateau of discouragement to follow.

• Pray: For Christ's Kingdom to be advanced in Italy!

Vista of Firenze from Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte

July Newsletter

Buon Agosto/Happy August! 

July was a good month.  A hot month.  And so much has happened!  Here are some snippets:

Say hello to my little friend, Cornetto con Nutella. McKayla's calling it like it is.

June 27th Rachel moved back home.  At the end of June Rachel and her parents departed and moved all of her stuff back to the States.  Goodbyes are never fun.  But we made a fun night of her last night here, going out to a secret bakery at 3 am (bakeries that open only during the night and make the morning bake for some caffes, and if you know where to find them they will sell you piping hot cornetti, croissants, or sometimes donuts with your choice of jam, chocolate, creme, or Nutella filling, for only 1 euro each!), then stayed up until 5 am when they took a taxi to the airport. 

Then proceeded the long process of cleaning and organizing the apartment, and going through all of the items left by previous tenants.  I got to inherit some good household stuff, so that will help for when I move into my long-term apartment in October! (Dishes, silverware, and bedding? Yes please! 4 purses, numerous pillows, and a shelf of random medication? No thanks!)

Beth and Cyndie from Mississippi came for a week on July 14th.  They are friends of Paul and Melinda, and they were here here during the perfect time to help us prepare for the Gallery Opening!

July 20th I moved out of Iacopo Nardi and into the Hand's second apartment. Sniff sniff.  Paul and Melinda have 2 apartments right next door to each other, one for them and one for their 2 college-age daughters, Baleigh and McKayla, when they stay during the summers and holidays.  Paul and Melinda are kind enough to let me stay in their girls' apartment for the next two months until I go home for Jeffrey and Rachel's wedding in October.  Paul and I made numerous trips moving my stuff and all the Gallery 4 equipment that had been stored at Iacopo Nardi.  Said goodbye to the gorgeous views from Iacopo Nardi's terrace, see below.

Bailey Shoemaker arrived July 19th and is visiting Gallery 4.  Bailey is a graphic design artist, recent seminary graduate, and friend of Paul and Melinda who is staying in the girls' apartment also.  We had a very cozy week with 4 girls in a technically 1 bedroom apartment before Baleigh and McKayla left to head back to college.  Bailey and I got to share a trundle bed that first week, we got to be close friends fast. (Literally, hahaha) She's very cool.

See that knob on the left? Yes. I'll have to adjust my recipes to say, "turn your oven on to two bars..."

July 22nd we had our first Gallery Opening!  Amongst all the packing up and moving, we were getting ready for our first gallery opening.  I volunteered to bake mini brownies, cookies, and mini cupcakes...that was a bit ambitious of me in the midst of moving apartments and having no idea what the oven or baking conditions would be in my new living space!  What was the first thing I unpacked? Not clothes, not a toothbrush, not my computer, but baking pans.  I managed to fit in some baking and prep while still in Iacopo Nardi, where although not an ideal baking space, still familiar and comfortable!  Ovens, baking ware, and kitchens are like people, you have to get to know them and their personalities.  Little did I know that the oven in my new apartment has no numerical temperature gauge.  Just a dial and your best guess.  Porca Miseria, if I didn't love you so much, Italia, I would be shaking my fists in the air.  So that was an entertaining ordeal trying to figure how far to turn the dial to get an approximate 350 Fahrenheit.  My poor cupcakes were not amused and they let me know.  The oven and I are getting on better terms, but let's just say we still give each other the wary eye.  Hahaha.

Artwork by Jerrod Partridge

The Gallery opening went over very well!  The Russian Art Academy let us use their dance studio to exhibit the art.  We had a turnout of around 40 people, which we were pleasantly surprised and thankful for!  Being in the heat of the summer, July and August are prime times for everyone to leave and head on holidays and to the sea, so we really didn't know if we should even expect anybody to show up, but we went forward trusting the Lord would bring people, and He did!  We had refreshments and beverages and people got to mingle and talk with us and the artist, Jerrod Partridge.  At 8:00 Paul spoke with the help of our translator, Natalie, sharing what Gallery 4 is about, the vision, the Gospel, and introduced Jerrod, who also spoke.  I danced a short piece, and afterwards people got to mingle and eat some more, and ask questions!  It was a success.  The next two nights the Gallery was open for anyone who wanted to come and view the art or purchase it.  We had good feedback from people, and some who wanted to know more about the Gospel and ask questions!  For more pictures go to media. 

Baleigh (Hand), Melinda, Paul, and I in Montefioralle, Chianti, Italia

Baleigh and McKayla Hand left July 26th.  It was sad to see two friends leave, but nice to have more space in the apartment.  After the gallery opening things calmed back down and I could start re-settling in, unpack the necessities, and recoup after a crazy week.  

And all the other things:

Getting to meet new friends and catch up with old ones, and see my Mosaico church family!  I've started helping out in Sunday School, it's such a fascinatingly international church with people from the States, Italy, Australia, Canada, England, and all over. 

Language learning is still a part of the everyday routine.  Melinda, Bailey, and I have all started meeting with tandem language partners, where you meet with someone and "exchange" languages.  It's very helpful, forces me to speak and get over the embarrassment factor, and listen and comprehend, which is hardest for me.  We also use books for studying, I try and always think to myself in Italian, listen to and sing along with Italian music, and eavesdrop on any and all conversations I can get my ears on.  My brain is constantly fatigued, but it is so fun and I enjoy it so much...most days.  Some days I just want to curl into a ball and wish and pray myself into being fluent.  Or receive the gift of tongues.  Whichever. 

The battle of finding a gallery space of our very own is still being fought.  Paul is on the hunt and has looked at every space he can find.  Between our budget, finding a space large enough, in a decent neighborhood and with a room big enough to teach ballet, the pickings are slim.  Not to mention the spaces we have found and liked and bid on, even getting as far as about to sign the contracts, something has always gone wrong, changed, or fallen through.  It's discouraging to say the least, but I can only hope that it is the Lord's sovereign design keeping us from getting any less than what He has for His purposes here.  It is all a very complicated process, some spaces needed to be re-zoned and/or have bathrooms and showers added to be up to code for a dance studio, all ac units replaced, and other things costing several thousand euros or more.  We have had a "commercialista" (business consultant) and an architect aside from our realtor helping us try and figure out the bureaucracy of things.  Not everything here is sipping Chianti wine while eating pasta in the rolling hills of Tuscany with only the worry of where are you going to get gas for your vespa.

I now have my official paperwork from the Russian Art Academy to be able to apply for a student visa when I return to Michigan in September!  The good news is that it was relatively simple to obtain, the bad news is that it cost more than I was expecting with commission fees.  

Prayer:

• That I would be able to find an apartment for my two roommates and I for when we arrive back in October. August is upon us, which also means everyone is going on vacation and I am having a hard time getting a hold of anyone at the immobiliare (real estate).

• That the Lord would provide a Gallery Space. We have been looking long and hard, please pray for direction and encouragement and tranquillity while we wait on the Lord to show the way.

• Praise! The Gallery Opening helped make very clear the intentions of Gallery 4, and more people are asking questions about what we are doing, are excited for the vision of using the arts to share the Gospel, and are asking questions about the Gospel!

• Praise! I was able to buy my round-trip ticket from Traverse City to Florence for when I head back in October. And it was a very reasonable price! A round-trip ticket is another "document" I will need to show to the Italian consulate when I apply for my visa.

• And always for the people, our friends and everyone we come into contact with, for their hearts, and for the love of Christ to be made known!

Thanks for reading, thanks for praying, thanks for supporting, it's a privilege to partner with you to pursue Christ and His Kingdom in Florence, Italy!

Gallery 4 Opening Tonight!

The lower left is of Paul Hand!!

Today is an exciting day! Not only is it the mark of 1 month in Italy, but tonight we have a gallery opening with Jerrod Partridge, an artist from Mississippi.  This will be the first opening that I have been present to!  It's called The Face of an Age, with pieces featuring computer lit faces painted in oil on handmade paper. 

Since we are still hot on the trail of finding our very own space (the process in Italy is very, very entailed) we will host this opening at The Russian Academy of Art.  You may recall that this is the school where I will get my student visa through and where I take ballet class to stay in shape. 

The opening will be from 7-9:30, with time for people to mill around and enjoy the pieces and purchase them, talk to the artist, and time for us to engage people in conversation.  We will provide "aperitivo" (finger food and drinks), live music, there will be a Gospel presentation and I will perform a dance.  Please pray for everything to go smoothly, that above all the Gospel will be clearly portrayed, and the Lord glorified!

Thank you so much for your prayers, I will report back soon on how the opening went and more about what's been going on in these parts! Also, I I had too much going on to post my Tuesday baking blog, I know you all missed that terribly; that's also coming soon to a blog near you.  Ci sentiamo! :)

Ciao from the Other Side!

Duomo di Milano

Buongiorno famiglia e gli amici/Hello family and friends!  

I am thrilled to be writing to you from across the pond, or as Adele would say, “Hello from the other siiiiiiIIIIiiidee!”  Thank you all for your prayers, all my flights and traveling were mostly uneventful and I had nice people to sit next to with beautiful British, Australian, and Italian accents.  

That's a door. Just stare at it for a while. The man in the photo is for size.

I flew into Milan on Tuesday afternoon, where Paul (Gallery 4 Italy Director) was kind enough to meet me and help get my luggage to Florence.  But first, we explored and saw the Duomo di Milano and the giant museum of a train station before we departed by train and travelled to Florence at 300kmh/186mph.  Wheeeee.

Took a bus to Iacopo Nardi 2 (my apartment) and reunited with Rachel!  She and her parents had dinner all ready and it was just wonderful.  I managed to stay awake for a bit before crashing into bed after being awake for a solid 32 hours.  I slept like a champion, although I did wake up once with a “where am I, who am I??” moment.  I don’t think I figured it out before I fell back asleep.  I’m Jane Doe in a comfy bed and I don’t care, lalalala!

So what will this summer hold?
    •    Settling in.  That might be a bit obvious, but just reacquainting myself with the flow of the culture here, brushing up on my rusty Italian and continuing to learn, and finding a natural rhythm of life.  
    •    Apartment hunting.  I’ll be moving in with Silvia and Vanessa, two art students, when I come back in October.  They started a search, and now I will continue as they just went home for the summer.
    •    Searching for a Gallery space.  Paul had placed a bid on a beautiful space in a great neighborhood, but it fell through.  So the hunt continues, there are still a few top runners, and we just have to be patient and continue to trust that the Lord will provide what He wants us to have when He wants us to have it.  
    •    Our first Gallery opening in July, in about a month!  We really hope to have a space by then, but if not we can always rent a space temporarily.  

A pretty vine-covered building

The four points above are all things you can be praying for.  You can also pray that the Lord would provide both a language tandem partner for me, someone who I can meet with and help with their English and they help me with my Italian, and a culture mentor, someone who will help me with understanding and operating in the Italian culture.  Googling "How to act like an Italian" will only get you so far...

If there is anything I can be praying for you specifically, shoot me an email, I would love to be able to!

Side note: the wifi is out at my apartment for the time being, but I reactivated my Italian phone number and have data and such on that where you can reach me. 

Getting Ready for Takeoff - 2 days

T ttt t tw two twooooo days????  Where has the time gone?  It feels like just yesterday I made the decision to return to Italy.  Yet on further reflection there has been much hard work since then, covered by the Lord's grace and blessings and encouragement from those around me.  Reaching this point has many emotions attached to it.  When I think of two days from now, I get so excited.  It feels unreal, and probably will even after I land.  Italy kinda does that to you.  I feel pretty peaceful about the whole thing, although my heart starts running laps around my rib cage when I think of all that is to come. 

I have had a really good 3 weeks (mostly) off to prepare all the last minute details and get organized, with time to spare to soak up Traverse City beauty, summer, and family and friends.  Fun things like budgets, insurance forms, and more paperwork have been submitted and now I just hope I'm not forgetting anything!  And packing, of course. 

This morning I was reading from this really great book, "Knowing God" by J.I. Packer, (highly recommendable) and was struck by this quote speaking of the adequacy of God as our sovereign protector:

A sovereign protector I have,

Unseen, yet for ever at hand;

Unchangeably faithful to save,

Almighty to rule and command.

He smiles, and my comforts abound;

His grace as the dew shall descend,

And walls of salvation surround

The souls He delights to defend.

- Augustus Toplady

That isn't even the whole thing, but to me it is an unspeakably beautiful reminder of the sufficiency and adequacy of God.  Every time I have a qualm or fear that begins to nag at my brain, I bring these words to mind and think of Romans 8.  If God is for us, who can be against us?  Who is greater than our God?

As I prepare to takeoff I can't leave without giving my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who has prayed for me and continue to pray for me, given financially, or even just taken a moment to talk to me.  Each gesture means so much to me, I couldn't do this without you. 

Here are some ways you can pray over the next few days:

1. For my family and me, it is so hard to say goodbye!

2. That I won't forget anything. And maybe that some last minute items will magically be weightless so my baggage doesn't go past the weight limit. :)

3. For safe and smooth travels, from Traverse City-Chicago-London-Milan by plane and Milan-Florence by bus and train.

4. That I would be equipped with everything I need going over, mentally and spiritually!

5. For the remaining support to come in. I'm thankful to be at 61% as of May 31, but that also means there is still a gap to be filled. If you are planning to give or would consider becoming a part of my support team, it's never too late! Grazie.

I think that's all for now, catch ya on the other side! A presto, a dopo, e arrivaderci.

Che Dio vi benedica. (May God bless you)

One Month until Italy!

That's right.  Actually less, 29 days until takeoff and 30 until I land on Italian soil!  Say whaaaaaa.  It still really hasn't sunk in as I've been busy soaking up the remaining time with my students, and next week, theater week!  The culmination of all the hard work, students and teachers alike, in a long but oh so rewarding week of rehearsals and 9? shows.  Something like that, but it's a blast.  If you live in the Traverse City area, you should come see a show!  It's a fun time had by all. 

Last week Global Outreach sent out my first official newsletter, woohoo!  If you didn't get one and would like to, be sure to sign up on the Give page and I'll be sure to add you to the list for future.  The newsletters will be sent out monthly and sum up the month's happenings, prayer requests, praises, gelato count, etc.  Totally kidding about that last one.  Actually when I was in Florence in the fall for three months my gelato consumption was sadly lackluster.  Did I mention that the newsletter will also be much more to the point and less wandering than some of these blog posts?  Yes, you're welcome.  

For the past several months we have been looking for a new gallery space.  When Gallery 4 first started in Italy almost 2 years ago, the gallery was above the Porcellino.  If you've been to Florence (or seen Silence of the Lambs) the Porcellino is the covered pillar structure with the famous warthog whose nose you rub for good luck.  Or something like that, I didn't fancy touching its nose because...germs.  The gallery was in the roof of the Porcellino which from a glance (or even staring intently at it) doesn't seem like anything would be up there.  Even the spiral staircase was in one of the pillars.  A cool location, but not exactly easy to find nor very inviting.  Last summer Gallery 4 was unexpectedly told they couldn't be up there anymore, the building was too old to be dancing and jumping around up there.  Disappointing, but overall for the best, as we hope the gallery can be somewhere easy to find and access.  Temporary locations have been used since then to host gallery openings, (one of which was a palace, not complaining!) but we've been hunting for a space suitable for both an art gallery and a dance studio.  By we I mean Paul, Melinda, and Rachel.  I'm still in America,  but they do a good job of keeping me updated until I land in June.  Paul and Melinda are honing in on a couple locations, so that is very exciting!  It's been a long haul looking online, making appointments with realtors and viewing spaces, but it's difficult finding something that works for both a gallery and dance studio, is in a good location, and is within the budget.  Not to mention moving in the very laid back "Italian" time.  They're late for everything.  As we get close to deciding on a space, would you help us pray for the Lord's guidance and provision to choose the one best for His plan in continuing the gallery?

Fun Fact: The Porcellino is also one location where JohnPaul of Practical filmed us dancing Jesus Paid It All (Gesu Ha Pagato Tutto)

Madeline, left, and Rachel, Right

The Gallery 4 team is also in the midst of transition.  Madeline Groenendaal, friend and dancer with Gallery 4, had to return to the States earlier this year due to medical complications.  It's been a long and slow healing process for her, and although she would like to return to Florence with Gallery 4 at some point, it's hard to project when that might be.  You can learn more about Madeline and how to pray for her on her blog.

Rachel Harris, my other friend and dancer with Gallery 4, will also be moving back to the States this summer.  She has been with the gallery for 2 years since its beginning and feels it is the right time to move back home.  

These girls are gems.  Their walk with Christ, love for God and others and the people of Italy, and pursuing excellence in dance to the glory of God our Father has encouraged me so much.  I am going to miss them so, so much, but am excited to see how the Lord continues to use them in each new situation He places them in. 

That's the sad news of the day.  On a brighter note, I will get to live with two other sisters in Christ, Silvia and Vanessa.  They are also super great.  They are both art students at the Russian Academy of Art, where the Gallery 4 team gets their student visas through and also where I take ballet classes to stay in shape.  Where will we live?  We're not sure yet.  I will have Iacopo Nardi (Madeline and Rachel's affectionately named apartment and where I stayed in the fall for 3 months) for a part of the summer.  When I return in October after Jeffrey and Rachel's wedding I will move in with Silvia and Vanessa, wherever that may be.  You can help us pray we find the perfect location and apartment, that fits all our needs including being able to get easily to the Russian Art Academy's locations and the future Gallery space.  I will miss Iacopo Nardi's bathtub and terrace.  (You could also pray for those commodities for our apartment, but that's on the lower end of importance, haha.) 

View from the terrace of Iacopo Nardi. Ahhhhhh

With the culture and government of Italy there are always changes and unexpected curve balls thrown our way, but we are learning to be flexible and to keep our hearts seeking the Lord's plans for the Gallery, not our own.  Thank you so, so much for your prayers and support, my love to you all!