Getting ready!

Getting ready! 

January 2013 UPDATE  

There are some real exciting things going on in our lives these days. We praise the LORD for all his doing! :) A couple of weeks ago the Lord has calles 3 new families to support His ministry in Italy through us. Praise the Lord!! and Thank you!! We are rejoicing! We are getting closer and closer to our departure date!

Scott is leaving for Italy in less than a week. (February 11) He will be gone for a whole month! 

Please pray for his trip to be productive, informative, blessed. Please pray for me (Edina) and Benjamin as we will be home alone. 

PRAISE:

* We are still planning to leave for Italy in April.  God has been faithfully providing for all our needs these past few months, and we have full confidence that He will raise up the rest of our monthly support in His time. We are about $700 monthly support away from being able to leave. 

* He has provided the money for Scott's trip to Italy 

* We are healthy!

PLEASE PRAY:

* for the Italian people

* for Scott's upcoming trip and safety for Edina and Benjamin back home. 

* for support raising 

* for patient hearts

* for all the details concerning our move to Italy 

* that we could stay encouraged and be an encouragement to others

Many of you asked us about our initial set-up costs once in Italy, so we created a page on our blog to list up the most urgent needs. 

For the list please CLICK HERE. Thank you!

Upcoming events Our wonderful Core Group from our home church is a great help in organizing fund-raiser events for us. "A night in Italy" dinner and Moving Sale are coming up soon! Learning Italian Scott and I both are learning Italian every day. We are very excited about learning more and being able to speak to Italians soon and be part of an Italian church.  Relationships are blessing!! We are having friends and supporters over for dinner in the evenings. It is nice to share our lives with each other and play lots of TENZI!! :)

Continue

God is good, hospital, haircut, lake walk

For the LORD is good and His love endure forever, and his faithfulness from generations to generations.
Psalm 100:5

 I am overwhelmed by the Lord's goodness to us!

As I was reading one of my friend's blog post about a book she read (Seven, an experimental mutiny against excess by Jen Hatmaker) yesterday about the incredible richness of our lives here in America, almost limitless choices in all areas of our lives and a sometimes overwhelming excess in our homes. 

I felt deeply convicted and at the same time my heart just filled with thankfulness. How incredibly thankful I am for my Jesus, and all that he does in our lives and for his abundant provision every day. 

A szivem túlcsordul az Úr jósága miatt! Egyik barátom blogját olvastam tegnap. Egy könyvről irt, amit most olvasott. Egy könyv ami arra mutatott rá, hogy milyen "gazdagságban" élünk mi itt Amerikában, majdnem korlátlan választási lehetőségekkel és dolgok felhalmozásával az otthonainkban. (Bocsánat a zötyögő magyarságom miatt). 

Mélyen megérintett az írás, és ugyanakkor a szívem megtelt hálával. Milyen hihetetlenül hálás vagyok az Úr Jézusért a szívemben és mindenért amit családunk életében végez, és a bőséges gondviseléséért minden egyes nap. 

The other day Dr. Benjamin wanted to play "hospital". So we both had our turn of treatment! :)

Scott had a little pompom in his ear that represented an "ouchy", which benike called "puki". 

Valamelyik nap Benike "korhazosdit" akart jatszani. 

Mindaketten Scottal be kellett ulnunk a rendelesre. :) 

Scottnak volt egy kis pompom a fuleben, ami a kis "betegseget" kepviselte, Benike csak "puki"-nak hivta.. 

 But first he treats the dry hand with some lotion... and a bandaid! :) 
Eloszor is a szaraz kezet kezelte egy kis kremmel.... es egy sebtapasszal. :) 

Then he takes his tiger flashlight to check out the effected area a little more closely. 

Utana a tigrises lampajaval kozelebbrol is szemugyre veszi a problemas teruletet. 

Then with his thongs he skillfully removes the pompom.... I mean the "puki".

Utana fogojaval ugyesen eltavolitja a pompom-ot... vagyis a "pukit". 

He is quite satisfied with his work. 

Nagyon elegedett a munkajaval. 

 Then he gives the patient some M&M-s.... I mean medicine. 

Utana ad a betegnek egy par szem cukrot.....Khm...vagyik orvossagot. 

 He is still sucking his thumb secretly sometimes.... 

Meg mindig neha titokban szopikazza az ujjat....

 New haircut :)

Most vagtam le a hajat :)

Sorting through our stuff in the basement has its perks.

Cuccaink valogatasa az alagsorban neha tartogat meglepeteseket. 

 Walk around the lake at lunchtime

Seta a to korul ebedidoben

Continue

Plane ticket purchased!

Just a quick note to let you know that Scott purchased his ticket to Italy yesterday.
He leaves on the 11th of February and comes back on the 11th of March. Yes, he will be gone for a whole month! The New Tribes leadership in Italy found that it would be very beneficial for him to spend a month there before we move over there with our family.
He will meet leadership there, people from the church plant, spend time with Antonio Marino, director of New Tribes Mission Italy and his family. We will be co-workers with Antonio and Dolores, his wife.
We are still planning to move in April of this year. Please pray that the Lord will work out all the details involved!
Namely:
- finalizing the recommended support amount for our family for Italy.
- raising the rest of our support (approximately 800 dollars)
- organizing a garage sale event in March to sell the majority of our "stuff"
- buying plane tickets for our family of 3
- Edina's naturalization process is in progress. Pray for God's timing in that!
- Trusting God, his provision and timing during this process!

Thank you and have a peaceful  night! :)

Continue

Happy New Year! :)

We want to wish all of you a Happy and Blessed New Year!!

Hadd kivanjunk mindnyajatoknak Boldog es Aldott Ujevet!!

I love experimenting with photo and video apps. I have recently found a neat one with which you can create photo "paintings" like these. 

Nagyon szeretek foto es video alkalmazasokkal "jatszadozni". Nemreg talaltam ezt az uj alkalmazast, amivel ilyen "vizfestek" kepeket lehet csinalni. 

We dont have a lot of snow in Michigan this winter, but when we have a little we make sure that we take Benjamin out to have some fun playing in it. Scott and Benjamin made this cool snow "mountain"... which was dozed down next day bu the snow plow. :(
Nem sok havunk van Michigan-ben az iden, de amikor van egy kicsi, mindig kivisszuk Beniket jatszani. Scott es Benike epitette ezt a jo kis "ho hegyet" valamelyik nap.... sajnos masnap a hokotro eltolta. :(

An other day they built a cool snowman WITH HAIR :) and they also made a SNOW PUPPY so the snowman would have company. The are both facing the dining room windows so they can "keep an eye on the house". :)

Valamelyik nap a fiuk epitettek egy tokjo hoembert HAJJAL!! :) Meg egy ho-kiskutyat is csinaltak, hogy a  hoember ne legyen egyedul! :) Mindketten az ablakunk fele neznek... szemmel tartjak a hazat! :)

Benike loves drawing. Here he is testing the cool new markers that MITA sent him from Hungary! :)

Benike nagyon szeret rajzolni. Itt eppen a MITA-tol kapott szuper filctollakat teszteli. :)

I took Benjamin outside this afternoon. We couldnt find a sled so I was just pulling him around on this plastic sliding-thing. Nevertheless he was more than excited! He let out little screams as I sped up or spin him around the corner! ;)

Ma delutan en vittem ki a nagyfiut. Szanko hijan ezen a csuszo-valamin huzigaltam korbe-korbe. De annyira elvezte, hogy visongott oromeben! :)

What do you do on a rainy day? Go to Meijer. 

Mit csinalunk egy esos napon? Megyunk a Meijer-be vasarolni. 

Continue

My favorite Italian evening ritual... The Passeggiata

       As day softens into dusk in Italy, something in the air seems to tug people from their homes and workplaces to participate in one of the enduring traditions of Italian life: la passeggiata.
The Passeggiata is a popular Italian ritual, so regardless of where you are in the bel paese, you should always be able to find and join the local stroll. It starts around dusk and happens most often in the historical center of the town or along the beachfront lungomare. 
Andiamo a fare qualche vasca! (Literally, let’s go do some laps—as in a pool), Italians say to one another. However, this "cultural performance," as sociologists describe it, involves much more than strolling to and fro.

I (Edina) took this photo in Rome this fall on the Piazza di Spagna. 

In Riva del Garda (Trentino), the streets buzz with toddlers on tricycles, giddy teenagers in their glittery shoes, young couples, holding hands and stealing kisses and moms, dads and grandparents meeting other moms, dads and grandparents and talking about their day. I remember the air was balmy and the gentle evening breeze was irresistible. I simply couldn't stay in my room. 

During the week, the passeggiata marks the end of the workday and offers a moment of sociability before the family dinner. On Saturday and Sunday, the passeggiata often becomes the main social event of the day, when entire families take to the streets.

The most important thing, it seems, is simply seeing and being seen (vedere e farsi vedere). In some cities, people clearly dress to impress or at least to show how well life has been treating them. Shirts are pressed; jeans, if worn, are stylish. Even babies in their prams are ready for proud display.

For townspeople of all ages, the passeggiata reinforces a sense of belonging. The greeting of friends and acquaintances and the sharing of the latest news weave everyone into the human fabric of the community.

(Courtesy to Dianne Hales)

Continue

77 fun facts about Italy

I bumped into this website (www.lifeinitaly.com) that had a list of fun facts about Italy. I thought I would share some with our friends. Enjoy!

1. Rome is further North than New York City. New York City is about the same latitude as Naples, Italy. In Rome and Naples, it only snows briefly once every several years while in New York snow is very frequent in the Winter
2. Pizza was "invented" in Naples around 1860s
3. Italy is slightly larger than Arizona
4. Italy holds the world record for having the most elevators. 
5. Every day 3000 euros is tossed into the Trevi Fountain
6. The average Italian family has 1.27 children.
7. The Italian flag is inspired by the French flag introduced during Napoleon's 1797 invasion of the peninsula.
8. The average Italian makes $26,700 a year, however those in the more prosperous north make almost $40,000.
9. The thermometer is an Italian invention.
10. Italy's unemployment rate is around 8.6%, but it is as high as 20% in the more impoverished south.
11. Italian farms produce grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives, beef, and dairy
12. The name of Electricity measurement Volt comes from Alessandro Volta who invented the first battery in 1779
13. The average life expectancy at birth for an Italian is 79.54 years.
14. The piano hails from Italy
15. The average Italian consumes half a pound of bread a day
16. Italy's contributions to science include the barometer, electric battery, nitroglycerin, and wireless telegraphy.
17. Famous Italian explorers include Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo  and Amerigo Vespucci.
18. Today's modern Italian language originated in the region of Tuscany.
19. The automobile is one of Italy's greatest products.  In addition to the Fiat brand, Fiat owns the Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Chrysler brands.
20. With almost 40 million visitors, Italy is the fourth most visited country in the world.
21. Italy is home to two microstates, San Marino and Vatican City .
22. Cologne came out of Italy.
23. The ice cream cone is an Italian invention.
24. Mt. Vesuvius last erupted in 1944, destroying a number of neighboring villages and the city of Pompeii.
25. Eyeglasses are an Italian invention.
26. The average Italian is 41 years old.
27. The average Italian consumes 26 gallons of wine a year.
28. Italy's major industries include tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, and ceramics.
29. Italy has more hotel rooms than any other nation in Europe.
30. The espresso machine hails from Italy.
31. Italy is the world's seventh largest industrial economy.
32. Barely a third of Italy's land is arable and suitable for farming.
33. The telephone was created by an Italian Meucci 
34. Since the end of WWII, Italy has seen almost 60 governments come and go.
35. The area around Venice is one of the wealthiest region in Europe
36. Over 75% of Italy is mountainous or hilly.
37. The typewriter is an Italian invention.
38. Italians used to be known for having large families, however Italy is now known for having Europe's lowest birthrate.
39. Most unmarried children live with their parents
40. The average Italian consumes 25 kilograms of pasta a year.
41. The Jewish Ghetto in Rome is now one of the most expensive real estate area in the city
42. Rome- over 5 million people
43. Italy has a population of over 58 million.
44. Italians refer to their country as Italia.
45. Italy imports over 75% of its energy.
46. The service sector accounts for almost 70% of the Italian economy.
47. The Seven Hills of Rome are Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Viminal.
48. The symbol SPQR can be found on many ancient buildings in Rome. It stands for "the senate and people of Rome."
49. Rome was founded in 753 BC.
50. Italy did not become a united country until 1861
51. Every kid between the ages of 6-14 go to mandatory school. More than 90 percent of them attend public schools considered better for learning than private schools.
52. Before Rome became a republic and an empire, it had seven kings.
53. The first king of Rome was its legendary founder, Romulus.
54. "Ars longa, vita brevis" is a common saying in Italy. It means "art is long, life is short" and reflects the Italian love of leisure.
55. An engineering marvel of the ancient world, Cloacus Maxima, is the sewer of Rome.
56. The first Roman Emperor was Augustus Octavian, who came to power in 27 BC.
57. The Roman Empire fell in 476 AD, after its last emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was forced to abdicate by barbarian invaders.
58. A Roman Legion was made up of 6,000 men.
59. Italy's current constitution took effect January 1, 1948
60. The president of Italy is a ceremonial figure.
61. The prime minister serves as the head of government and is the one who runs the country.
62. Since October 1946, the national anthem of Italy has been Inno de Memeli .
63. Family recreational activities in small villages include taking a traditional Sunday passeggiata (family stroll)
64. The colors of the Italian flag represent three virtues: hope (green), faith (white), and charity (red).
65. The Italian Republic does not have an official motto, but it does have a common phrase: "L'Italia e' una Repubblica democratica, fondata sul lavoro" (Italy is a democratic Republic, founded on labor).
66. Italy has over 3,000 museums.
67. The national sport of Italy is soccer (known as football outside of America).
68. The Italian language evolved from the Latin of the Roman Empire.
69. The Italian peninsula is surrounded by five seas (the Adriatic, Ionian, Tyrrhenean, Ligurian, and Mediterranean).
70. The Italian island of Sicily is famous for being home of the illicit Maffia criminal organization.
71. Napoleon spent his first exile on the Italian island of Elba.
72. The Alps mountain range form part of Italy's northern border, and for a long time, protected the peninsula from invasion.
73. Italy has three active volcanoes: Vesuvius, Etna, and Stromboli.
74. Milan is home to Italian fashion and finance.
75. Rome's nickname is "The Eternal City."
76. Around 1284 in Italy, Salvino D'Armate was credited with inventing the first wearable eye glasses
77. Italy has the highest number of cultural sites recognized by UNESCO world Heritage

Continue

It's official! + What you didnt know about Tarantella

We know that the Lord is never late and He always knows the perfect time for everything, but we have been anxious nevertheless to receive our official invitation letter from NTM ITALIA. We can gladly declare now: it has come! Thank you, Antonio and everyone else who was involved in getting it ready for us. We are stoked to go and start our ministry in Italy as soon as God raises our support.
Praise his name for everything!

A different topic: I was just flipping through a book about Italy and I found an interesting article about
The traditional Italian dance of TARANTELLA. Maybe you have heard of it.
"Italy's lively and graceful folk dance, the Tarantella, grew out of tarantism-the hysteria that appeared in 15th-to 17th century Italy, and was prevalent in Galatina. Alleged victims of the tarantula spider's bite could supposedly cure themselves through frenzied dancing which sweated out the poison."

I bet ya didn't know that! ;)

Continue