What Happened to September?
September!
Can you believe that September is already over? It seems to have flown by!
We started out this past month with an Agape (potluck) at church! There weren't very many people there, but I wasn't complaining! It was a very intimate lunch with around 15 people laughing around one long table. It was wonderful! After, a few of us headed to Certaldo to visit with one of our new friends, Alison, from church. Certaldo is a medieval village where the famous writer Boccaccio, was from! Nathan, Emily, and I had a great time with Alison showing us around her quaint little city on a hill. We were able to visit with some of her new Italian friends who have taken up retirement inside the old city walls. It's lovely. They sit in lawn chairs along the main stretch of road running through the middle of town. If you want to join them, don't worry! They have extra chairs for everybody and we took them up on their offer to sit and people watch as they strolled by. Her dog, Prose, enjoyed resting some too! (Although, she has the good life of being held most of the time because she is so tiny!) Alison was so kind; she took us to dinner at a wonderful restaurant with an even better view! We had a great time exploring a new little city in the heart of Tuscany with an even better friend!
The following week, Nathan and I started classes again with our students!!! It's always good seeing everyone again and getting back into a regular routine. We usually spend our first time meeting together catching up, chatting, and discussing what we want to study together! Most of my students let me decide what we should study, which I think is great! They are always open to learning new things, or even studying a book they've studied a little in the past. I enjoy picking based on their knowledge thus far but also their personalities. We all learn in different ways and process in different ways! It's an exciting time for us. I think by now (the end of September) we've finally met with all our students! It takes some time to get into a consistent schedule of when they can meet and when we are available. But it's all settled now! Only nine more weeks to go :(
For me, I had the opportunity to attend the Women's European Come Before Winter Renewal! The renewal is put on by women in (mostly) Texas to support missionaries and church leaders around the world. It is held two times a year in different parts around the world. Here is a quote from their website: "For each renewal, we bring together a team of servant leaders to encourage and inspire. We immerse participants in a regimen of study, prayer, worship, and reflection. We cover the cost of lodging, meals, and the program. We walk with them as they listen for God. We pray together as we await the message God provides." It was a fantastic experience for me that I will never forget. I'm thankful for the time I was able to spend in Matthew by myself and also surrounded by intelligent, Godly women. Our time of worship was filled with women praising His name with all their hearts. I walked away having learned more about myself and where the Spirit is guiding me in this next chapter of life. If you are interested in hearing about it more, please email me and I'd be happy to discuss it more on a more personal and private level. I returned from the amazing trip only to have gotten a stomach bug! Thankfully it passed quickly and I was able to start my classes again Monday morning!!!
Nathan and I are also starting to prepare for our time back in the States, which will happen mid-December. I've been working really hard on my portfolio (and other things that go along with that) late at night! I've just about finished and I'm excited to start looking for jobs in the field I love. Nathan is feeling the same way, just without having to spend time working on a portfolio! We just finished his resume as well. We are eager to see where the Lord gives us opportunities using the gifts and talents we have!!
Yesterday, Nathan and I participated in the Relay for Life here in Florence with nearly 40,000 other people! It was a crazy experience, but we had a great time walking the streets of Florence and eating brunch with friends after! You can see some pictures below of just how many people were there, and us meeting some friends along the way who were doing it too!
Coming Up...
The community band that Nathan is in here in Scandicci have just started up practicing again! They have at least two (that I know of) concerts coming up! Both of them are at the Scandicci Fair, which is apparently the largest fair in northern Italy covering 4.6 square miles! I wouldn't compare the fair here to the ones you've been to, BUT it's still a lot of fun going with friends, walking around, and eating dinner together. We already have plans to go at least three times with different friends, and it's not even open yet!
We also have plans to go to the region of Puglia in southern Italy to help Rosa, and her husband Felice, pick olives to make olive oil! Be on the look out at the end of October to read about our time with them!
I believe that is all for this month. Please be praying for our team, our church, and our community.
Peace and Blessings friends,
Ashley
