Italy: Our Youth - Our Future

What does the year 2020 look like? If Jesus has not already returned by then, who will be taking our place to lead the next generation to Jesus? Obviously: Our youth of today.

Passing on this great responsibility is like passing the baton in a relay race. My high school coach taught me how to start, how to run, and how to finish, passing on the baton with precision. It's the same with training our young people in the Kingdom of God. Our investment in time, training, care, and resources are very important if we are to see them not only succeed, but even exceed our own accomplishments. My school provided a coach, time to practice, training facilities, and even showers! Without all these parts working together we could not have been a winning team. We have the same challenge - training up our youth to carry the baton - the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We run as we have been trained and equipped. As I approach the next runner, he begins his run before I finish. We match speeds and as I stretch out my arm to pass the baton, he's already stretched out his to receive it. Precision. Perfect timing. Successful hand-off. The baton will not be dropped today. I slow down; I have finished my course. The next runner is now sprinting into the distance ahead. Elation. Exhilaration. The outcome is sure. Victory.

At ICF Padova, we are doing our best as coaches, providing the best care we are able to give, and love that brings warmth and acceptance to around 50 young people from 15 nations.

Sunday mornings are filled with children in our fellowship hall. Kid's church is a big hit! All the young ones and older ones worship together. They then break out into smaller groups for different kinds of projects, all in the same big room. We do not have separate class rooms - because there are none.

Patti runs an after-school program for all ages, with up to 20 children at any given time. The children are learning, or strengthening, English, through reading and writing activities, games, videos, and reading the Bible. Even though they break out sometimes into smaller groups, they are still "on top of each other."

Our teens gather each Friday night to study the Word of God, discuss life issues in light of the Word, and do diverse activities together.

We do our best to raise up a winning team with our youth through the Word and things of God. We have given them the best facility available. But as our team has expanded, so has the need for an expanded facility. God has provided for us a great facility. In fact, it has been so great that the church has grown numerically, along with the youth. It is now just way too small to effectively teach and train them! Even the adults barely have room to get around during and after church. That's a wonderful problem! No complaints here! Only a prayer - "Lord, help us to get additional space to train our young ones, and breathing space for everyone!" As a good secular high school team provides for their teams, so must we do even better for the Kingdom's team by providing expanded facilities.

Currently we need $45,000 to pay off a pre-existing loan with AG Financial for the down-payment of our building. (Here in Italy we own our building outright - thanks to all of you!). After that, we are in good position to get the building next door to the church, and move all the youth and children's activities over.

Our church's finances have also picked up, but is not able to match the need on its own. I'm really proud as to how they are already facing current financial challenges of the church, and also taking care of those in the church family that are without jobs. With this one-time need out of the way, we will have a great negotiating position, and the church will handle it's own monthly payments.

We would like to ask that you consider our need in prayer before the Lord. We know that He will provide, but we don't know how yet. We do know, however, that He will provide it through His church. The church of our Lord Jesus Christ is the team that our youth are running for, after all. It's a winning team! Please take some time to consider before the Lord if you are to be one of the sponsors of this particular local team in Padova, Italy.

Because of all of you we have experienced this great move of God here. We are so thankful to you for your love and sacrifice! God bless you all, and may He also pour out His Spirit in an immeasurable way on you!

Serving Jesus with you to win this race,
Steve & Patti Gray

ps) Please contact us by responding to this message by email or FB if you would like to help. We will then give you the details of "how to".