October 17 Prayer Requests

Happy October! Fall is officially here, as are cooler temps and “change of season” colds. Before I share my prayer requests for the month, here are a couple praises!

The Lord has graciously given me peace during this time of transition. As I continue to fit back into life in Rome, the transition is getting easier and easier. I am feeling more settled and that is partly because…

I found an apartment! It was an intense month of searching and appointments, then God dropped this gift in my lap. It’s spacious, has everything I was looking for, is in a central area of the city, and fits the budget! We signed the contract 2 weeks ago, and I’m so grateful to have a place to call home, a space that’s my own. I’m currently working on this post from the coffee bar/restaurant that is literally under my apartment. Counting all the little blessings!

And some requests:

• Tomorrow (October 18th) is the 10th annual EU Anti Trafficking Day. Please pray for continued reform across Europe (and the world), for God to move in people’s hearts, for the victims, and for all the movements that are taking a stand against trafficking in human beings. In Rome, we are beginning to ramp up activities with our anti-trafficking ministry Schiavitù Mai Più (Slavery No More). This Saturday (October 22nd) we will be having an informational meeting for those who are interested in learning more about the problem of modern day slavery and how they can get involved in combatting it. We are praying for more local Italians to be moved to action. We also have the second annual gathering for the Associazione Tesori Raggianti (Radiant Treasures Alliance) on October 29th, which will bring together individuals and ministries fighting trafficking from all across Italy. This event will take place in Bologna, instead of Florence like originally planned, because there are so many people interested in coming that a large space was need!
• This week (Thursday, October 20th), our church has an event in which our pastor will dialogue with a local Muslim leader, answering the question: Can religion contribute to world peace? We had a similar event a couple years ago with a Buddhist leader. It was done very well, everyone was very respectful, it brought in a lot of people who were intrigued, and it gave people the chance to start conversations and ask good questions. We are praying that this event will be just as impactful.
• Please continue to pray for adjustments and transitions. Esther just arrived a few weeks ago, is in the middle of a huge transition, and starts language school this week. Josh has his visa appointment this week, still needs a bit of support, and is planning to depart on November 7th. Lauren K has made amazing progress toward her start-up costs, is still needing partners in ongoing support, and is hoping to join us SOON! Pray for these interns as they transition, and pray for the rest of us on the Rome City Team as we come alongside them and seek to help them adjust well.