Friends

I am feeling so blessed right now. Some friends from Scotland are here for Thanksgiving and it is so wonderful to be surrounded by people you care about and to know that they care for you. Living in a different country is hard but it would be nearly impossible if it weren't for the amazing people God put here with me. I love my team so much. We've really started bonding a lot lately and are getting along great. I love spending time with them. I just wanted to share that little bit and to say that God is awesome and knows what you need when you need it. Thanks God!!!!!

"Greater love has no one3 than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13

Nonna Maria (Grandma Maria)

Wednesday was a wonderful day. My friend Vanessa and I visited a little old lady from church and had a blast. We had just eaten 2 bowls of pasta before we went and boy was that a mistake! As soon as we walked in the door to Maria's house she sat us down and made us eat. She brought out eggplant, carrots, bread and cheese, and of course dessert. By the time we were finished Vanessa and I thought our stomaches were going to explode because we were so full.

Vanessa and I decided it was time to leave because we had some other stuff to do so we began putting our coats and scarfs on and Maria asks us if we want to take a nap. We kindly turned down the offer and she looks at us and says oh so sweetly, "I get offended when you tell me no." So of course we took off our coats and laid down on the bed! She bundled us up in blankets and fluffed our pillows, turned off the lights, and left the room! It was one of the best naps I've ever had.

When we woke up an hour and a half later she made us coffee, and gave us more food to cook for dinner and also gave us the blankets we took a nap with. I cannot believe how giving Italians are! She gave me and Vanessa 3 blankets that she made, a coat for me that she made, a necklace, and dinner! AMAZING!! She is one of the nicest little old ladies I've ever met. I'm so thankful for her and really enjoyed my afternoon at her house. I'll defiantly be visiting there again!

On Monday I went to a beautiful little city called Lucca. It's a little of an hour train ride away and it's one of the prettiest places I've ever been to. I went with Brian, my teammate, and two girls from Australia. The pictures above are a couple that I took during my visit. Thought you might enjoy! :)

Hope

Yesterday I had a Bible study with one of my teammates, Vanessa, at our favorite Cafe. This place is wonderful. The pastries are big and their Cappuccinos are amazing! Anyway, we're studying 1 and 2 Thessalonians and it has been so encouraging. We were reading through chapter 4 and came upon verse 16-18. It really touched me and almost brought me to tears. It's so wonderful to know that someday we WILL be in heaven with our Lord. He is going to take us up into heaven and we will dwell with Him there for eternity. PRAISE GOD!!! I find such joy in knowing that we won't be on earth forever.
Now, I have a confession to make. I've been having hard time lately and I haven't been handling it very well. I've spent too much time sleeping and being lazy. I've just been doing what I want and not what I need to be doing. It's just a little funk that I've been in and I'm trying my hardest right now to get out of that funk. That's where this verse has helped me. The end of it says to "encourage one another with these words" and that's what I'm going to do. There are way to many people out there that don't know about the hope that we have in Christ Jesus and it's time to get out there and tell them. It's defiantly harder to do it when you don't speak the same language but that will come with practice and time. Love is the greatest way of speaking to people. Just a simple smile can make a persons day and give them a bit of hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therfore comfort one another with these words."

2 Corinthians 6:4-10

Well, the newness has finally worn off. I've been here for 5 months and it feels like it's about time for me to head back to New Mexico. This is the longest I've been away from home and it just seems like it's time to go back. I'm missing my family a ton and wish more than anything I could be with them. My dad is coming in December for a little over a week and we'll be spending Christmas together so I'm really looking forward to that.
It's not that I don't not like it here or that I don't want to be here, I just really miss America. Italy is a wonderful place but it's not familiar. I miss the convenience of driving, speaking the same language, fast food, big cups of coffee...well, I could go on and on but that won't do any good. There are some things here that I really have grown to love though. For example, I have a favorite coffee shop that I love going to. I always get a pastry and a cappuccino. There's a man that works there who knows English and he loves it when us Americans come into the coffee shop so he can speak to us in English. I've done a couple of Bible studies there and he always seems SO interested in what we're doing so next time I go there I'm going to ask him if he would like to study with me.
The language is coming slowly but surely. I'm defiantly understanding it A LOT more than I'm speaking it. I'm really not good at saying things but my goal is to be able to hold somewhat of a conversation before my dad gets here in December.
When I came to Italy, I was expecting things to be perfect, and wonderful, and amazing, but it's far from that. What I didn't think about was that Satan is also in Italy. He knows that my team and I are doing good things here and he's doing everything in his power to stop us. It has been so hard for me because I've always had my family to run to but now that I'm thousands of miles away from them I've had to completely rely on God. This has been a HUGE blessing for me. Times have been really hard here in Italy but I have never felt so close to God. I am really having to be still and listen to Him. I'm just taking it one day at a time and allowing God to be in front of me as my shield and protector.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I miss you so so so much and I think about ya'll daily. Love you and God bless!!

Charise

Life is Beautiful

Times are wonderful here in Italy. God has really blessed me and I have totally fallen in love with this place and the people here. I've made several new friends and I hang out with them almost everyday. The language barrier is frustrating but we still find ways to communicate and we just laugh and have fun together.
This is the month of vacation for Italy so we haven't been too busy. I went to Rome and a wonderful place called Cinque Terre. It's five different cities right on the coast and there are trails to hike from one city to another. It was wonderful. I leave on the 15th for Germany, London, Scotland, and Paris. Some AIMers from my class are in France and Scotland so I'm really excited to spend some time with them.
They're are a couple of things I would like to ask for ya'll to keep in your prayers. One is my new friends. None of them know the Lord and I hope my teammates and I can make some difference in their lives and show them the love and grace of God. Another request is the new AIM class that started this week. It's and exciting and scary adventure they've just begun, so prayers for them would be appreciated.
I love and miss you all and thanks for your prayers and support! God bless!

Slave of Christ,
Charise

Summer in Italy

Well, things have been pretty calm here in Italy. The weather is hot so we don't go out much and for the next month it's "vacation" time for all of Italy. The whole month of August businesses shut down and everyone leaves and goes on vacation. I'm going to Germany, England, France, and Scotland with two of my teammates and a friend from home is going to travel Italy with me for a week. I'm really looking forward to the vacation time and seeing other AIMers on their field.
The Italian is slowly coming. We only have one lesson left with our teacher and then we're on our own. I don't know a whole lot but I sure know a lot more than I did when I first got here!
I thank you all for your prayers and support. Love you all and God bless!

Slave of Christ,
Charise

My first month in Italy...

I first want to apologize to everyone for not keeping you updated more often. I'm going to try to update my blog once a week or so.
It has been a roller coaster ride for me this past month. It has been very difficult adjusting to a new culture. I am living in a 2 bedroom apartment with 5 other girls. Four of them have lived here for a year and are familiar with the area and know the language, so they have been a huge help to me and Molly, my teammate.
It took a while to really believe that I was finally here. I've been anticipating this move to Italy since Christmas and I'm finally here! It's been wonderful but very challenging. The newness is wearing off and it's beginning to sink in that I'm going to be here for another 17 months.
My team and I are taking Italian lessons from a lady named Antonella. She's a 5th grade teacher and a member of the church. We have lessons with her once a week and lessons everyday for at least an hour with the girls we live with. I'm anxious to know how to speak Italian but it'll be several months before I can. It's a beautiful language and the Italians are very helpful, patient people and love to teach us as much as they can.
Right now my team and I aren't doing a whole lot. We're just taking it easy. We've been learning the language and soaking up the culture. This week 2 AIM assistance are here visiting and we're planning a trip to Florence, which is a 15 minute train ride away, on Thursday and fishing on Saturday. It's been really hot here the past couple of weeks but it's cooled down a lot so we're doing as much outside as we can.
Well I suppose that's all for now. If you have any questions or comments please ask/tell. I would LOVE to hear from people back home. I miss everyone so much and I can't thank you all for supporting me and allowing me to experience this. I love you all and miss you! Thanks again and God bless!

Slave of Christ,
Charise Heard