Buongiorno!

Well, it's been quite a week since I've last wrote. Our time here has been very exciting, as we've started to meet the students at the university. Wednesday, our first day on campus, we split into small groups. We used the picture cards to start conversation. Another day we also used some written surveys and a short film on the dvd players.

It's been a really cool experience to initiate conversations with the students (it's really made me get out of my box!). Students are very open and friendly when we talk to them. They love talking about their culture, where they are from, and they love to ask questions about American life too. A lot of times when we ask them what they think about God, they will say that God is good for other people but not for them. Many say they do not believe in God at all. Our questions about church bring responses of where a nearby cathedral is or that they attended only as a child. It is somewhat frustrating that so much of this generation of Italians has this idea. They lack the concept that you can actually have a relationship with God. It is my hope that the conversations we are having with the students will spark a curiosity to explore who God is.

There are several girls I have met this past week that you can be praying for. Maria Elena and Ciara are language students here at the university. Emily Wilson, another girl on our team, and myself have met with these girls several times to hang out and build a friendship. Yesterday we met with them and we talked about God and our relationship with Him. They were very attentive and asked some good questions. These are really awesome girls, so you can pray that their eyes will be opened to the amazing love God has for them.

I think I will sign off for now. Tomorrow our team is going to Rome for the weekend to see the sights. I'm pretty pumped, except for the fact that we have to leave our apartment at 6:45 in the morning to catch an early train. So for now, Arrivederci!