LET US HELP REGGIO EMILIA

Several months ago we were in Bologna and there met Bro. Paul Nyarko of the Reggio Emilia congregation. He encouraged me to consider coming to speak to them. As we came there in April, we were very impressed with the brethren and their leadership talent.
 

Since the majority of the members know English, they have me speak in English and another brother translates into the Ghanian language.  My sermon there, in May, was translated by Bro. Paul Nyarko.

 

The Reggio Emilia congregation, composed of brethren from Ghana, has over 120 members and is still growing. The room where they have assembled until now is simply not large enough to accommodate them, and beginning this month they were forced to begin assembling in a larger room in a nearby location.

 
They have a lease on this new hall, and the right to purchase it. They presently have about $13,000.- set aside for this purpose, but will need at least an additional $25,000.- before they will have enough to make a down payment for the purchase.

 
Let us appeal to you to make a commitment to assist these good brethren, helping them to reach this goal of a down payment as soon as possible.

 
To simplify the administration of such funds, let us suggest that you send them to our sponsoring church address, specifying that they are for the Reggio Emilia, Italy building fund.
 

Send to:
Valley View Church of Christ
P.O. Box 112
Jonesboro, AR 72403

 
We thank each of you for giving this your prayerful consideration. We know that all acts of help, whether large or small, will serve to encourage and edify these brethren and help them reach this goal, and that their further growth and their expression of fraternal gratitude will fill us all with joy, in the unity of Christ!

 

The children in Reggio Emilia would love to have a separate room for their classes.

PORDENONE CHURCH OF CHRIST

Driving down Via della Libertà in Pordenone one passes a big, modern red brick building standing on a large square with beautiful oleanders. This is the Catholic Church. A few meters farther you stop by a small, inconspicuous door of an equally inconspicuous house, and only the plate on the door tells you that you are standing in front of the Church of Christ.

Such a picture tells you all about our situation in a country known as a super Catholic homeland. And in fact, to be a Christian here is not easy. Every village, even the smallest one, has a huge, powerful Catholic church with all its longstanding traditions and mystical ceremonials. The people love it. It is hard to say what they love more, the power or the ceremonials; anyway they are deeply convinced that the only true church is none other than the Catholic one.

Nevertheless, the Church of Christ of Pordenone has existed here for about 50 years, and in spite of all circumstances is not going to close the door.

In the course of years the congregation experienced both good and bad periods. Some of the brethren died, some moved to other cities, many missionaries returned to the States, but God did not forget His children; the old members were replaced with new Christians, and every Sunday the modest hall is full of people again.

Many things have been changed in Pordenone, but one family stays here like a column in the middle of the church:

Luigi and Milena Scionti, together with their son Roberto, their daughter Carla, their son-in-law, Bruce Tucker, and their grand children: Rachele and Luigi junior.

Years ago as I met Luigi Scionti, he was a police chief in San Vito, very dedicated 
 to his profession. But first of all he was dedicated to the Lord and to His Church.

Previously he used to be a carabiniere (policeman) and although he was born in Sicily, in 1953 upon graduating from the Central School for Carabinieri, he began his service in northern Italy, near Trieste. In the next town, Monfalcone, he met Milena who worked there in a coffee bar and married her in 1956. After the birth of their first son, Roberto, they moved to Luigi’s native Sicily, where, in 1960, he won a competition for a police chief in a city near Messina.

The life in that area was not bad but probably not as good as they would have wished, all the more that in the meantime they were blessed with two other children: Carla and Nino.

In 1971, while paying a visit to Milena’s family near Monfalcone, Luigi learned of a competition for the position of police chief of San Vito, close to Pordenone. He enrolled immediately, won the competition and they returned to the northern Italy. They settled in San Vito and although Luigi has been retired for several years now, they wish to remain there.

All through the years the Sciontis and I have enjoyed a very good relationship.

Around 1979, after a three year period of work in Vienna, Austria, I moved to Pordenone and  worked full time here for 10 years. I traveled also to Conegliano and Belluno to lead their mid-week Bible study. Due to an increasing shortage of evangelists since then, I have seen the need to continue my travels to several congregations in order to preach, teach and encourage the brethren.

Every time Barbara and I are here, we enjoy the presence of Luigi and Milena. She is a good mother and a grandmother, and what is not without importance to us, she is also an excellent cook. To be invited to the Sciontis means to be filled completely with lasagne, fagioli, polpettini and roast beef - the best in the world!

Saturday is too short for Milena to prepare food for 10 or more persons, so in order to have her meal ready at proper time she gets up at three o‘clock Sunday morning and during the afternoon she feeds her family and her guests with all her heart.

 Roberto and his daughter Silvia as well as Carla, Bruce and their children love to eat by the granny.

In recent years many African people immigrated to Italy. To the Provincia di Pordenone most of them came from Ghana. Some of the newcomers were Christians already in their homeland, many, however, were baptized here. Today the Church of Christ in Pordenone has about 30 adult members and many children.

Luigi Scionti is an excellent Bible teacher. He instructs the immigrants also in the Italian language, assisting them in their efforts to integrate. 

Every child in the church knows „auntie Carla“ and every one wants to sit on her lap.

Luigi junior would like to be an artist, but until this is accomplished, he is taking a shot at me.

Samuel Addo and his 6-year-old son are happy to have found the Church of Christ in Italy. They are striving to build a basis for their future life in this country, and the spiritual support of the brethren is very encouraging for them.

Hyiaman Osei Yaw Bonsu and his wife Cecilia, both from Ghana, have been living in Pordenone for about 3 years. He would like to be a Bible teacher and preacher.

The 11-years-old Achim is pleased to be able to read some passages of the Bible in the Italian language to the assembly.

Even brethren from Vienna come sometimes to visit the congregation in Pordenone. Hans and Inge Teubel, while on vacation at the seaside in Bibione (Italy), drove 65 km last Sunday to be with us for the worship.

SOME FAMILIES OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN BOLOGNA

If someone were to ask me about the Church of Christ in Bologna, I would hardly know how to begin.

I have been visiting that congregation for more than 40 of my 52 years in the Italian work, and such a long period of time is not easy to resume with a few simple words. There are many families and single persons in the congregation, who remain faithful to God and His Church, and every one of them has his genuine story. It is not possible to speak of all of them at once; I will have to do it successively.

 

The family of Arnaldo Finco and Rosa Garofalo for example. (The Italian wife doesn’t take the family name of her husband, only the children do.)
They have two beautiful daughters, Silvia and Desirèe. I have known them since the girls were two little „tads“ and today they are 19 and 23 years old. Until the last year, although attending the worship regularly, they were still not baptized. Rosa was very concerned about that. She spoke to the girls; the father spoke to them; some brethren tried to do their best; everything seemingly in vain. And, all of a sudden, as if they had gotten a bolt from heaven, they said: “It has to be today“, and were baptized before Rosa was able to exhale. That was 28 June 2009.

Recently the family Garofalo lost their beloved brother and son, Vincenzo. At the age of 59 he died of cancer and as he did not belong to the Church, his mother, Concetta Tinebra, was literally ill with sorrow. She could neither sleep nor eat, closed the door of her home and was likely to die herself. But her spirit was stronger than her body; last Sunday she came to the church again and her face was as serene as usual.

To add to the sadness, Vincenzo had begun attending services and had expressed the intention of being baptized the following Sunday, but developed complications and was unable to come.

Stefano Arrigoni and his wife Daniela are a wonderful couple. She is the second daughter of Concetta and the younger sister of Rosa. They have twin daughters, Martina and Milena, and one son, Matteo (on the picture with his Gran-pa,Alvaro Arrigoni); all of whom have been baptized. Until recent times they were just a happy family but the last year Matteo became ill and had to suffer two lung operations. Now he is doing better, his hair has regrown after chemotherapy treatment, and he has returned to work. He is young and strong and is doing well. However, we know from experience that there is some risk of a reoccurrence. Let us fervently pray for his continued good health.

When someone happens to visit the Church in Bologna, the first man whom he meets at the door is Emanuele Garofalo. He is the brother of Rosa and Daniela and the son of  Concetta Tinebra, the aging sister with black Sicilian eyes and a braid that once was also black and that in the past modest Sicilian women wore their life long.
Emanuele always arrives at the Church as the first and leaves as the last person. He has a big, black, fearsome mustache, but when he speaks to you, his smile is cordial and joyful.

There is also the family of Gianni Farina. He and his tender, lovely wife, Claudia, adopted three children from Ukraine: Kirill, Serghei and Anastasia.

Last year the Farinas went on a long journey to Ukraine, giving their children the rare possibility to see their natural brothers and sisters who are still living in that country.

A year ago Serghei, being 14 at that time, decided to be baptized, and that made us all very happy.

There is the family of Stefano Ciliberti, the man well known by brethren for his quick tongue and a golden heart. Several years ago his wife, Gabriella, had breast cancer, and experienced an operation and chemotherapy. At that time the tongue of Stefano lost it’s usual quickness. His voice became quiet and the only thing that he did with his normal self-assurance was to pray.  He is a dentist and as a doctor he knew better than any other person, how close he was to losing his dear wife. Gabriella however did not show even the slightest sign of fear. “God is with me”, she would say, “and He will help me”.

Today she is doing well and at this moment they both are visiting their daughter Daniela, who married an American and is living in Nashville, TN. Two days ago, Stefano and Gabriella, the happy Grand-parents, called us by Skype, showing proudly on the screen of our computer both of their grand-daughters: Rachele and Noemi. To my delight and total surprise, Harold and Mona Mobley who worked as missionaries with the church in Florence when I was there as Director of the Bible School, were in Nashville visiting the Cilibertis and sitting in front of me on my computer screen when I received Stefano’s call!

 

The Cilibertis are living in Ferrara, about 40 km north of Bologna.Their oldest son, Matteo, married and moved to Ancona, farther south in Italy, and at home remained only the younger son, Emanuele.

Emanuele Ciliberti is from Ferrara, Gabriele Modica is from Cesena;  the real friendship they form in Bologna.

Mauro Cervellati and his wife Ermanna are coming from Ferrara too. Both of them have health problems, but their joyful spirit helps them to enjoy life and share the fellowship with other brethren. She has many artistic talents; when their daughter was in a hospital delivering a baby, Ermanna made such a beautiful cushion in the form of a heart, that the nurses hung it on the wall, and it is there until today.

Another family of Bologna is that of Mario Cardamone, his wife Lucia, their daughter Cinzia and their son Giuseppe. If I were to say that this family is an exceptional one, it wouldn’t be totally correct, because every person in the congregation is exceptional, however this one really has a heavy task to fulfill. The son, Giuseppe, is an invalid, partially paralyzed. He cannot move without a wheel chair and even by eating someone has to help him.
Several years ago he was a splendid young policeman hoping for a future equally splendid. And this future was deleted unexpectedly with a simple car crash. He had an accident, was badly injured, but not this fact alone determined his condition. The doctors played here a great role. They used a false therapy and he became an invalid.

Giuseppe is a young, lovely man. He also takes his turn presenting biblical studies to the congregation. He loves children; he loves his family, which cares for him in a wonderful way. But there is one thing which he doesn’t have and for which he is suffering a lot, namely a wife. The family is hoping that maybe… one day…  somewhere in the world there will be a Christian woman, who would like to share her life with him… He is so young and handsome…
Let us dedicate ourselves in praying for him.

******

For over a half century the Church in Bologna was served by my dear friend and colleague Italo Minestroni. His family members, Giorgio Marconi, Gian Luigi Minestroni and his son, Gian Luca, and the son of Italo’s deceased daughter, Sally, Simone, are an important part of the congregation. Italo died two years ago at the age of 92. We had been in close contact through the years, and in his final two years, with periods of hospitalization and home-care, I increasingly was near him, including special visits to him. He expressed to me his concern that after his departure the church might remain strong, faithful and united.
I made an absolute commitment to myself: “As long as I am able, I’ll always support the congregation with my frequent presence, teaching and counsel, and I will never abandon it.”
By the grace of God I am doing that to this day and I hope to be in a position to continue my commitment for as long as God wills.

ITALY - REGGIO EMILIA CHURCH OF CHRIST

Reggio Emilia, situated about 60 km nortwest of Bologna, is an old Italian city with beautiful, traditional buildings.

In the picture to the left you can see the ancient gateway named Porta Santa Croce. This is the beginning of Via Roma. Going several minutes down that street one  comes

to the Church of Christ.

In the Church, ten minutes to 10,00 A.M., only a few persons are waiting for the Worship. 

 

Five minutes after 10,00 A.M. the room fills up and is too small to accommodate all the brethren who come to praise the Lord.     

  It is a great pleasure to speak to such a numerous and attentive audience. All present are from Ghana. All of them have a hard life looking for a job or  for a place to sleep. Learning a new language is also not easy. But in spite of all difficulties related to settlement in a strange country, they remain faithful to God.        

I was asked to speak in English, which most but not all of them know.

  Two brotheres, Aggrery and Isaac, did an excellent job translating my words in the Ghanian language. 

     

Although without a preacher the breathren are well organized 

and have a good song leader. It is a real pleasure to hear them singing every song with harmonious voices and proper rhythm.  

  The youngest Ghanians in Reggio Emilia, hoping for a better future, have a joyful spirit. The congregation has 25 children and 10 teenagers.       

 

Brother Wilson Adjei Boachie, the father of four children, holding his youngest son, Kevin, in his arms, has a joyful spirit too.  

 

My wife Barbara and I live in Casarsa, one hour north of Venice. To arrive in Reggio Emilia and come back home we have to travel more than 600 km (400 miles) in over 7 hours in one day, but we are firmly determined to visit the congregation as often as possible.