REACHING THE 98%

RICHARD & PINUCCIA WILSON

WORKERS IN ITALY

As the school year ends, so do many church activities before the summer break. We have been busy in the family and in the church with many extra events to close the year. But the ministry that brought the most fruit and encouragement in the last few weeks actually happened four to six years ago.

During that time, Pinuccia and I (along with others) were teaching Sunday School and organising summer camps for some pre-teen children. Among that group was a terrible foursome of boys (including our son!) who could not concentrate on the lessons, from a combination of spiritual indifference and objective learning differences. They also disrupted the activities for the girls in the group, who were more willing and able to learn. They made life difficult and frustrating for everyone. Our formal ministry to them ended with the pandemic, our move to Rovereto, and their passage to the teenagers’ group. But we have continued to stay in touch with them and their families, and have prayed for them regularly. Since then, we have seen a lot of spiritual growth and maturity. And in June, the last two of them were baptised, after the baptism of the other two last year. It was a joy to hear their testimonies, and to hear how much God had transformed them in the last four years.

It was a reminder to us as well, that although the big events are newsworthy, it is the constant, week by week ministry that is effective. It is from this tending ministry that the events often pluck the fruit when it is ripe. And that perseverance, patience, and prayer to invest in the long term are really important.

Please Pray...

• Give thanks that God sees so much further than us, and uses everything, even what is frustrating to us, for his glory.
• Pray for the foursome (D, S, M, T), that they will continue to grow in knowledge and love of the Lord, and that God will use them to grow his church into the next generation.
• Pray for our family during these (long) summer holidays, that we would be consistent in our love for each other, and use the time well to build relationships between ourselves and with others.