Philippians 4:9

Lessons along the way…

One of our prayers from the start of deputation has been that we would not miss the lessons that God is trying to teach us throughout this process.

Michael and I have been involved in the Jr. High ministry for around four years. Michael was the Jr. High pastor and I led the Teen Choir. We absolutely loved the students and the ministry and counted it a privilege to serve them.

Honestly, the hardest part of deputation so far has been letting go of something we loved so much.

Handing over leadership is not easy. No one said it would be easy. It surely is not. This past Sunday I began to realize that the teen ministry has gone on just fine without us leading it. The students are still growing without my husband being the one behind the pulpit. The teen choir is still singing...without me directing it…

Recently, a friend asked me if it was hard handing over the leadership of the choir. I did not hesitate to answer, “Yes.” Part of me still wishes I was directing the choir and Michael still pastoring. However the more I thought about it, I realized that God has called Michael and me to plant churches in Italy with the philosophy of handing them over to the nationals. What a thrill to know that God is preparing us today for Italy by training us to be able to step back and let others lead!

I am glad that God is using situations like the one with the Jr. High to train us for our future ministry in Italy. Oh, and I am glad we did not miss this lesson along the way…

Matthew 12:46-49

This week we are at Grace Baptist Church in Miami, FL. This is an exciting church that just four years ago were running 45 people and now have over 700 people on a Sunday morning! The pastor is an exciting man of God that is really being used of the Lord in this city.

Grace’s missions conference begins with a Saturday festival with the missionaries dressing up like the country they are going to minister to.













The church also had little stations representing different countries. Each display had food, music and people dressed like those in the particular country. Many were really creative and visiting each station made for great fun and a full stomach.

Saturday was also my birthday. My birthday is really is not a big deal, however while driving to the church that day the thought came to my mind that I wish I was home spending the day with family and friends. I mean, spending the day in a car driving five hours to this meeting was not the ideal birthday.

We soon got to the church and began meeting people during the festival. The diverse church is so friendly and we quickly bonded with them and the other missionaries at the conference. At one point I was reminded that it was my birthday and immediately God brought to mind my previous thoughts as well as the passage Matthew 12:46-49. Earlier in the day I wished I spent the day with family and friends. Now I stretch forth my hand and say...

“...Behold my mother and my brethren!”

I Timothy 3:2

There are several aspects of deputation that take getting used to. Life on the road. Going to different churches and experiencing different church cultures. And one major part - which is staying with people during a missions conference.

Some things run through our minds as we are preparing to spend a week with people we have never met...

Is this going to be a good fit?
Are we going to be in the way?
Are two little girls going to be a problem for the people?
Are they going to get mad when Natalia spills juice on the tablecloth?
Will there be a velvet picture of Jesus on their wall?

This week finds us at Bethel Baptist Church of Prospect, New York. The family that we are staying with are the Calabrese’s. The conference has been amazing. Honestly, the thing that has overwhelmed us here is the Calabrese's hospitality!

We have had such a wonderful time with this family, we are going to hate to leave! Frank and Sandy are so sweet and the fellowship and prayers together have really been encouraging.

The whole family has been loving on our girls, which makes us feel so happy and puts us at ease. The kids Josh and Alyssa, love playing with our little ones. Watching them read and color with Natalia or cuddle with Ellia is so special.

The idea of staying with people we do not know can make us nervous, however after staying with the Calabrese family, we are excited about meeting more families. God already knows who we will stay with and this week was a special blessing.

II Peter 1:10

I know I am in the will of God! I know God has called me to be a Baptist missionary to Italy. How can I be so sure?

I played my first round of golf today.

This week we are at Hunters Creek Bible Baptist Church. Often times during a mission's conference the host pastor will take the missionaries to do activities during the day. Sometimes it is sight seeing and other times, eating out. Today the schedule called for golf. Yeah.

I had never played golf before today. That great truth was apparent to everyone who came to Archie's golf course today! It was certainly apparent to me as I found myself countless times walking through brush looking for my ball. It was also apparent to the swans in the various ponds who had to keep getting out of the way when I took a swing.

There was one time when I hit the ball great. Man it took off. When it landed - it was buried in a sand trap.

Paul charged us to understand what the will of the Lord is for our lives. Peter wanted us to make our calling and election sure. I know that my calling is sure. I am called to be a church-planter to the country of Italy - not a golfer.

Psalm 23:5

Our very first Missions Conference! What a way to start deputation. Madison Avenue Baptist Church has treated us much better than we deserve. This sacrificial church in the inner city of Paterson, NJ has gone out of their way to treat their missionaries like special guests.

As missionaries newly on deputation it has been our goal and expectation to go to churches and try to be a blessing. Through ministry and service we have planned to go and work in any way we can. This week however, we were pleasantly surprised by the reversal of this expectation.

The kick-off of the conference on Wednesday night set the tone for an exciting week learning about missions. We were extremely blessed! Then on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday the pastors and members of the church continued to bless us with fellowship, food (and lots of it!) and fun!

The warm brothers and sisters in Christ at MABC went above and beyond to bless us. MABC put us up in a beautiful hotel and took us out to amazing restaurants. At the end of the final service the pastor announced that they had a special gift for us. He handed us a basket filled with hundreds of dollars in gift cards for such things as gas, food, and much to Erika’s joy - Target.

It has really been an amazing testimony to us of a congregation that God has used to support over 70 missionaries. We have ended up having our cup filled abundantly! What could we have possibly done for them compared to the endless ways they have blessed and given to us. We are so thankful for that church family and feel that our church family has grown in this short time here.

Did we work hard? Yes. Did Michael get to preach/teach eight times? Yes. Did our children get to make new friends? Oh, yes!

We praise God for such a great conference. We are overwhelmed by the love we were shown and are beyond thankful for each person at Madison Avenue who have so graciously welcomed us into their missions family.

I Peter 5:17

Sometimes I worry. I know I am not supposed to, but sometimes I cannot help it.

I think about the daunting task of deputation ahead of us. I listen to my husband make calls trying to book meetings and worry about finding partners in ministry. I think about our girls and wonder how they will adjust to life on the road. I worry about how they will behave in the car and in churches. I wonder if in all the busyness of deputation we will miss the lessons God is trying to teach us.

Last night was our first ladies prayer meeting for our ministry in Italy. My good friend Brie volunteered to host a monthly prayer meeting for our ministry at her house. It was such a nice time of fellowship and bonding.


I brought before the ladies my cares, the things that I have listed above, and together we brought them before the throne of grace! I am so thankful for those praying for us! It is a gentle encourager...for me to hear Godly women praying for our ministry (James 5:16). To think that these ladies took a night out of their week to pray for me! Wow! It is ever so humbling...to hear sisters in Christ lifting my family up to our Father!

Last night I was reminded that the only way we can minister on deputation and get to Italy is for God to answer prayers and do a mighty work in our lives. Prayer helps me to recognize how absolutely incapable I am of doing anything without Him and how amazingly powerful and in control He is.

Today I am casting all my care upon Him, because He cares for us!

Sometimes I fail to look unto Jesus and begin to worry. Today I am not worrying.

- Erika

Philippians 1:27

I do not want meetings anymore!

I decided this after I had lunch with a pastor recently.

I was a little taken back at a lunch meeting recently when the pastor asked, “So, you want a meeting right?” Honestly, I do not remember how I answered the question at the time. As I rehearsed the question in my mind afterward, I realized my answer to his question. Believe it or not, my answer is "No!" I do not want a meeting. That is not my goal. If a meeting is my family showing up at a church, I preach, they possibly take us on for support, and then we just become another picture on their missions wall - I do not want a meeting.

My goal is not meetings. I want partnerships. I want the church to know us personally, and believe in what we are doing. I want more than just a meeting. I want supporting churches that want to strive together with us for the faith of the gospel. I want them to feel they are truly a part of our ministry in Italy, not just another missionary they send support to.

I am convinced that churches should support less missionaries but support the fewer missionaries better. Better contact. Better communication. More interest. More prayer on their behalf. I am not sure how likely this is, but I am going to do my part to have a group of supporting churches that we did not just have a meeting at. I am going to try with everything I have to have a group of supporting churches that truly want to partner with us as we reach the unreached villages of Italy.