News from Rome!
Francis V.G.
So much is happening here in Rome that my head is spinning. We’ve
been
on an emotional roller coaster, that’s for sure. Let me share some
details about our ride.
On Monday morning we excitedly welcomed the arrival Shawn Boonstra
and
Palmer Halvorson. Within a short while I received a phone call
indicating that our advertising campaign had been so successful that
it
had rattled some powerful people in the city and that the usage of
our
hall was now in jeopardy. Later we were told that a final decision
would
be made on Tuesday regarding our usage of the hall. While praising
God
that our brochures, posters, and radio spots had been noticed by so
many, all our faithful members scattered throughout Rome fell to
their
knees and prayed for divine intervention regarding the hall. What a
rally of prayers! In addition to them I know that thousands around
the
globe also prayed for God’s will to be done. Just thinking about the
number of people praying here and abroad gives me chills. This is my
beloved Adventist church at its very best.
On Tuesday afternoon we heard the verdict: No! The hall would not be
available to us at all. I’m going to be very honest with you. Even
though I know God’s in control of all things, this was a crushing
blow.
Tears swelled up in my eyes. You have to understand how hard
everybody
has been working here for months and how much we’ve been anticipating
these meetings. We’d just spent $100,000 for advertising that points
people to a hall that we no longer could use. Yes, the news made many
of
us quite emotional.
But then came to my mind the story of Daniel when things didn’t go as
anticipated. Daniel had prayed faithfully and yet he was still thrown
in
the lions’ den. As a matter of fact, he was thrown in because of his
faithful prayers. Now, do you really think Daniel wanted to go in
there
with those famished flesh-devouring beasts? Not for a moment. Yet,
that’s exactly where he ended up. Of course God could have saved
Daniel
from the lions’ den. And that would have been great – still a
wonderful
story to tell children. However, God decided to do better than great.
God, thus, saved Daniel from the hungry lions *_in_* the lions’ den.
And
that was fantastic and phenomenal. I love how Ellen White puts it:
//God did not prevent Daniel's enemies from casting him into the
lions’
den; He permitted evil angels and wicked men thus far to accomplish
their purpose; but it was that He might make the deliverance of His
servant more marked, and the defeat of the enemies of truth and
righteousness more complete. PK 543//
Friend, God could have granted us the hall and that would have been
great. However, God didn’t want to settle for great. He wants
fantastic
and phenomenal. He wants our “deliverance… more marked, and the
defeat
of the enemies of truth and righteousness more complete.” And thus we
find ourselves *_in_* the lions’ den trusting God to see us through
the
“night” like Daniel.
Friends, we are going forward with much hope. The leadership team met
last night to pray and to strategize. It was an absolutely powerful
meeting. I have never seen my Italian brother pastors so
enthusiastic,
so determined, so fired up, and so courageous. Praise God! We all
believe that this turn-of-events will propel our meetings to the
forefront of people’s minds all over Rome like nothing else could
have.
Right now we are working out the logistics of relocating our meetings
to
the Rumanian Adventist Church, which has a seating capacity of 600
(plus
another 300 seats in the fellowship hall if we can set up a video
feed).
We also are blitzing the city with newspaper and radio advertising to
re-direct people to the new location. Since many people will still be
headed to the old location, we’re renting buses to shuttle people to
the
church. So much has to be done and we have so little time because it
all
starts in three days. It’s crazy.
Friends, thank you for your prayers. They are having a powerful
impact.
Don’t stop, please. But in addition to prayer I have a huge favor to
ask. This sudden and unexpected change of venue is costing at least
an
additional $15,000 that we had not budgeted and that our church
members
here cannot afford but have to spend. Would you consider a small
contribution to help us through this? Yes, we are getting our money
back
from the hall, however, it’s a fraction of what we need to spend to
get
things redirected. To donate just go on the It Is Written website:
itiswritten.com <http://itiswritten.com/>. Make sure your donations
are
marked for Rome.
Again, thank you for your prayers and your interest in our city-wide
evangelistic series in Rome. God is good and we know He will watch
over
us through the night in the lions’ den.
God bless,
Yves Monnier