Dear loving and honoring GCMI missionaries and its family,
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19
I could accept God’s vision for big change and could set up the direction for spiritual battle through holding the word of Isaiah 43:19. This word was the main theme of the new year Europe CMI missionary conference. I couldn’t understand why God put us in COVID 19 pandemic situation. When I prayed, I could understand that God will do news things among us. We decided not to close our church; to keep open as the place of prayer and worship. We encouraged each family hold worship service with their children. We cared the sheep who can’t come to church through phone calls or SNS. We studied Luke’s Gospel in our worship. We held our prayer meetings 2 times a week, every Wednesday and Lord’s day with 3 leaders.
I want to share 2 major things out of so many graces given during COVID 19. Firstly, 4 people who didn’t get baptism yet decided to live as Jesus’ disciples. They have grown up through the regular Bible study and worship service. It is not easy to get even one native disciple in the foreign land. There have been many difficulties for 6 years since we had planted a church in working class residential area where even local ministers gave up to work due to its difficulties. But God did His new work, making a way in wilderness through our humble dedication and intercessory prayers of our coworkers in the whole world. There will be baptism ceremony on July 5th; Fulvio, Vincenzo, Giovanni, and Marilena.
Secondly, God has given new vision for Italian mission. The second generation (our children) have their own difficulties which we don’t understand all. There was amazing work; we could communicate with them though they closed their heart for 10 years. They started to study the Bible together. Our Friday youth meeting is going with new vision and vitality. I had impure motive; I wanted to exploit my children for God’s mission after training them. I changed my heart. Through communicating with my children, I started to take up the burden of prayer for them to meet Jesus personally and they be used by God with all their talents and gifts in His grace. My first son, David is in the one year course of young leader internship. I am praying for opening new mission for youth through him. He will come back in early November after finishing the internship.
God has given us new vision for mission work. During the COVID 19 pandemic periods, we had 100 days united prayer. We received new vision of planting new churches by enlarging our tent. I really feel lack of workers though the harvest fields are vast. God has given our church new vision to plant and support 100 churches directly and indirectly. When we challenged to do native ministry in 2009, God has helped us to support 3 churches for the past 10 years. During this COVID 19 times, God has given us new vision for pioneering new churches and we have shared this vision with our missionaries.
We really thank to GCMI missionaries and its family who supported us with such an intensive prayers and abundant materials in the fullness of Christ’s love. We know that we do not deserve this love. So we have a holy burden and we make up our mind firmly to do God’s work. May God bless your hands of prayers bountifully. I pray for new church planting, the revival of our church to be doubled, and new work of second generation of missionaries. We sincerely appreciate to all your prayer, love, and service for us.
Sincerely yours,
Won Polycarp,
Missionary in Rome, Italy