Our Salerno, Italy STINT team
Top right: Justin, Adam, Drew, Kat, Nathan.
Bottom right: Morgan, Gayle, Katherine, Sarah Love, Francine

Words from Justin:

Well I guess this is our 1st official post to our blog. We still don't have internet so it has been tough to find time to post anything. But we have cleared up everything with our apartment (our landlord is allowing us to stay) and we should be getting our tourist visa soon...which means...internet is on its way!!! Thanks to all our family and friends for hanging in there with us as we get settled here in Italy.

We have definitely had some ups and downs. But God has been so faithful through it all. We started evangelism on campus last week and I forgot how hard and humbling it is to approach a complete stranger and try to explain the Gospel. Then add in the fact that you don't speak their language and the odds are they don't speak english "parle englese?". But each time I approach an Italian student I am reminded how much I need Holy Spirit. I feel so inadequate, but in reality I am inadequate, the only reason I am here in Italy and able to share Jesus with these students is because God has empowered me to do so.

2 Corinthians 12: 9,10 - But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

A friend emailed me this verse the other day in response to our last email update. It stuck with me throughout the week as I shared with the Italians. I'm realizing how weak I am and how much I need God to get me through each day.

Right now as a STINT team we are reading "Let The Nations Be Glad" by Pastor John Piper. Piper emphasizes that love for the Italians is not what should motivate us to share the gospel, but a deep love for Christ is what should motivates us. Gayle and my prayer is that our love for Jesus Christ would run so deep that everyday we wake up it would be our joy to go on campus to share the reason for the hope that we have and that our words would be an out pouring of our heart!

Please continue to pray for us this week as we initiate with the Italian students. Pray that God would lead us to English speakers and that their hearts are ready to hear the Good News. We love you all!

~ Gallo