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| pictures and videoI've been in the States for 3 1/2 weeks, and must say that it's been busy, and it's been a blast. It has been good to see many friends and make a lot of new ones as well. Obviously the family is being missed, but just 2 more weeks... So the point of this entry is to let the friends and supporters of the Joneses know that for the most part we will not be using this sight to post video and pictures. This sight will be used to give other general less sensitive information about our the work in Italy and to some degree, our family. The point is: in our next circular letter I will be letting you, our friends and supporters, know where they can get this insider information.
Your friend,
Keith
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| Italian Summer
I'm sitting here in my living room sweating. I want to update our blog quickly saying that July has been an eventful, fun, ministry filled month. Apart from the work we did in the schools and the parks with the team from the U.S. we are continuing to see relationships move forward with many neighbors and friends. Recently I had a really good conversation with someone who is struggling with whether they are doing enough to enter into Heaven. I'll be meeting him this week and hopefully God's truth will break through in his heart. One person at a time... Debby is especially busy this time of year as she spends a lot of time with the neighbors - building relationships, teaching english, and other things. It was good to have my parents from Spain visiting for a week..we had a blast and were especially thankful that Luca and Chiara could be around Grandma and Granpa...something neither Debby nor I had the priveledge of having. We'posted some more videos and pictures of our family so please check them out... Your friends, Keith for the Joneses | | |
| Spain beats Italy
Spain hadn't beaten Italy in an official game in almost 90 years and yesterday they finally did. As you can imagine I was in an awkward place yesterday when Spain beat Italy in the 1/4 finals of the European championship (for all of you Americans we're talking about soccer - that sport where you're not allowed to play with your hands). So who were we rooting for? I was going to wear my Spain jersey but a couple of factors overruled the possibility 1. it's 100% polyester and wouldn't have held up well in the 33 degree (90 degree) heat 2. I might not have made it out alive from where we were watching the game. Even though I did get Luca on my side (Chiara sided with her mom's squad) we were still grossly outnumbered.
So Italy is mourning over their loss (believe me they REALLY are mourning) and I'm getting menacing looks from the neighbors. Life is good. Italia, la proxima vez sera...
VIVA ESPANA!
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| SpringtimeHi,
It's great to be back on the summer schedule. Milan winters seem LONG. People just don't want to be outside of their houses. Here in our neighborhood people leave early to go into the city to work and then get home when it's already dark. It's possible to run into them in our buildings' shared garage but other than that people stay a bit to themselves. When the time changes it's a different story, it's like people are out of their state of hibernation and want to hang out. So to make a short story long...it's good to have a few more hours of light.
March was a good month. Luca and Chiara had their birthdays, and a good time was had by all. Chiara is now one, and is ready to rumble. She walks around outside and of course wants to pick up all the cigarette studds and gum. Luca's birthday party was a blast. He's recently discovered strawberries and wants them all the time, so he was pleased with his strawberry cake. Thanks to those who sent birthday cards and gifts.
A few weeks back I was invited to go to another gathering of the Jehovah's Witnesses. I was blown away again by the gathering of over 500 people from our area. What is it about those guys!? I've gotten to know a few of them and one talked me through the session. My "elder" friend did the main speech and one of his sidekicks explained to me the customs (i.e. why they celebrate the Lord's Supper once/year, why they don't eat or drink the elements, why they have 2 classes of believers, etc.) The speech was "biblical" but I was interested in pointing out to them the parts of the passages they skipped over or spiritualized. I'm starting to realize that when they say "oh that's really deep doctrine" it usually means "we'd rather not deal with that".
We're thankful for the work God has called us to do here in Milan. We praise God for every chance He gives us to sow the Word and know that it's His job to "convince the world" of their need for Him. I leave you with a few prayer requests.
Thank God with us for
1. The encouragement He gives us to plow forward in the work He's given us to do
2. His provision of our needs (health, life, finances, family) so that we can be here
3. The confirmation He's given us that this is where He wants us (does anything else matter?).
4. A good time had with Don Marshall, EBM Europe coordinator
Please pray for
1. The many friends/contacts we are seeking to bring to bring to Jesus (I don't write names here for privacy sake)
2. Deeper knowledge of God - if we have the right perspective of Him and His power we won't be discouraged or lack faith
3. Wisdom as we prepare Luca and Chiara to live in this world
4. The building we are asking God to bless us with
5. Patience/Endurance- We need to fix it in our minds that this work TAKES TIME: many don't make it
6. Fruit among the J.W.'s: a ministry to that group is strategic and not much work is being done among them in Italy. With them it is possible to go directly into the Word into the claims of Christ. In some ways they're very close...and at the same time infinitely far away from the Truth.
Thanks for your friendship
Keith Debby Luca Chiara
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| Feb. New
I just came across this article: The Jehovah's Witnesses are (or report to be...) growing at an incredible rates.
Religious News
Feb. 19 , 2008
Jehovah's Witnesses fastest-growing of U.S. faiths
By BRITTANI HAMM
c. 2008 Religion News Service
(UNDATED) Jehovah's Witnesses are
the fastest-growing church body in the U.S.
and Canada, now with more
than 1 million members, according to new figures that track church membership
in the U.S. and Canada.
Although Jehovah's Witnesses ranked 24th on the list of 25
largest churches, they reported the largest growth rate -- 2.25 percent -- of
all churches. The badly divided Episcopal Church, meanwhile, reported the
largest drop, at 4.15 percent.
The Roman Catholic Church, with 67.5 million members,
remains the largest U.S.
church body, with a 2006 increase of 0.87 percent. The second largest church,
the Southern Baptist Convention (16.3 million) has more than twice the number
of members as the United Methodist Church,
the third largest, which documented 7.9 million U.S. members.
Only the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Catholic Church, Southern
Baptists, Mormons, the Assemblies of God (2.8 million) and the African
Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (1.4 million) reported increases; all others
either posted declines or flat membership from 2005.
Here in our neck of the woods they are a huge reality. The Lord has given me a burden for them and I'm thankful to be able to meet with some of them to talk about Jesus. Pray that God would reach out to some among their group for His Glory.
Otherwise our life and ministry continues forward. My parents were here to visit last week, and we had a really great time with them. I just realized that I hadn't posted some of the pictures from Debby's 30th b-day party so some of those are up. We'll be in touch soon, thanks for your interest in our family and the Mission here in Italy.
Keith
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