The Lighthouse

By Jim Spoto

From the time we arrived in Italy in August 1991, we prayed, "Lord, what can we do to make inroads for the gospel here?" Italy was a new ABWE field, opened only the year before when the Stevensons arrived, so we had no precedents.

As we progressed in language study, forming relationships with people around us, we realized there was a need for youth activities, particularly for after-school hours. Often, both parents work and the children stay with their grandparents. But when they reach junior high, they roam around with their friends and are unsupervised for hours before their parents get home. Many get into trouble.

We shared this observation with the father of one of our son Jonathan's school friends, and he agreed whole heartedly. In fact, he came up with the idea to form a boy's basketball team. By this time the Peter Brock family had arrived, and, knowing Peter's experience in sports, Jim asked for his help.

In 1995, we organized a group of 20 boys (age 12-15) who became known as the Rosta Eagles. Our involvement with this team resulted in a vision for a youth center. The idea expanded when Carol McCaffery, ABWE missionary in Spain, joined our team in Italy. She suggested we develop a family center, offering classes and activities for all ages. This seemed like a viable opportunity. All we needed was a place!

In the meantime, through home Bible studies, we had two believers and started worship services in March 1996 in a hotel. Over the next couple of years our little group grew, and we realized we needed a place of our own for the church and for the center.

We looked in the newspaper and followed up possibilities, but people were leery of renting to a religious group (everything not Roman Catholic is considered a cult) or they were afraid we would disturb other renters. After two years of waiting, praying, and looking, the Lord gave us the perfect place in the right location on the main street of town: near schools, and accessible by foot, car, bus, or train.

The building needed no major repair work, just a lot of cleaning. On June 13, 1999, we held our first service; 35 attended. The following week a woman who had just been walking by came in for a service, then attended our church picnic the following Saturday. We pray she'll be the first of many walk-ins.

And the family center? We plan to open the youth center three afternoons a week initially, and offer classes. English is most frequently requested and the best to attract people. Eventually we will offer classes in art, computer, crafts, physical fitness, and others.

Though the classes are the avenue to reach the community, the goal is to bring spiritual enlightenment. That is why we named the center Il Faro (The Lighthouse). Besides our Sunday services, we have Bible studies and times when counseling is available. Our prayer for the center is to be seen in the community as a safe haven for young people to escape the dangers of the world, and a lighthouse for those floundering on life's stormy sea.