Benvenuto a Roma!
I have a countdown on my computer entitled "Days until Rome," and for many weeks that number seemed so large. But yesterday I glanced at it and the number 12 stared back at me. 12!?! I couldn't believe it. So many different emotions were evoked by the number 12, and today, the number 11 seems to only bring those same emotions in stronger doses. ELEVEN days until I will be boarding an airplane for Rome. ELEVEN days until I will show my passport (with a VISA-- praise the Lord!) to the border control, ELEVEN days until I'm back in the city I love, sharing and living the Gospel I love, with people I dearly love. In short, I couldn't be more thrilled!
Meet the Team: Pictured above is the 2007-8 Rome Stint Team. So fun! Let me tell you, they all have a lot of energy. A brief introduction: (L--> R) CHRIS graduated from Miami University in 2007. We didn't know each other for most of college, but when I came back from studying in Rome he showed up at a party we had at our house. But I didn't REALLY get to know Chris until we both realized our love for dancing and he's been my unofficial dance partner ever since. I mourned the loss of swing dancing last year, so God was gracious and brought swing dancing to Rome! SARA graduated from Dennison in 2007. She loves language learning and went on a summer project with Amos a couple years back. We met briefly before, but we'll really get to know each other this year! JOEL is a familiar face. He was on the 2006-7 team with me last year. He graduated from Miami as well, and we met before classes even started our freshman year and have been good friends since. AMOS is also a re-stinter who graduated from Wayne State in downtown Detroit. He's become one of my closest friends and someone who I am so thankful to have in Rome. He's an Italian ministry machine. MATT is our team leader this year! He was an intern with CCC last year at Miami University and also graduated from Miami in 2006-7, after 5 years. Matt was a dear friend of mine in college, so I'm so excited to be leading with him this year. Not only is he so much fun, but is a man of character with a great heart for God. The there's ME (you know me) and lastly KANDA. Kanda also graduated from Miami U in 2007. I actually led her freshman year biblestudy years back, but since it was such a big study didn't get to know her as much as I would have liked-- maybe living and working together in Rome might fix that? We will also join an ICS team of 16 in Rome. These are Campus Staff committing 3-5 years in Rome. You'll hear more about these guys in later posts.
Thank you all for your prayers over the summer. I will try to post my prayer letters on the link that I've started. (Currently there's nothing there.) If you would like to be added to my e-mail list to receive my prayer letters and updates, please drop me a note at lauren.roeper@uscm.org. Please continue to pray for our team, the hearts of Italians, and our transition back into Rome and ministry. To God be the glory!
posted by Lauren Roeper @ 6:29 AM
1 Comments:
I was so excited to see a (1) next to your blog in Google Reader! I'm been watching for updates since I knew you were getting close to leaving. Thanks for all great information about your team! It will make praying for you that much easier. I know it takes time to blog, but keep the updates coming! That helps keep you in the front of our minds. - cousin Becky
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