Bonjourno Bologna!

Greetings.  Brad here.  We are loving our time in Italy.  Our trip here has centered around three main cities--Bologna, Padova, and Rome.  What a treat.  We landed in Rome on March 18th, and spent the night. We then took a train to Bologna on March 19.  I taught a course in Bologna March 20-24, preached on March 26, then headed on to Padova on March 27.
In Bologna, I taught a course at the church Nuova Vita.    This church has an internship program, and I spent five days with super folks, working through the question of the relationship of faith to works, obedience, and faithfulness.  It was a real treat.

We arrived in Rome, after flying from Sydney, Australia.  Now THAT is a long flight.  Finding our accommodations was quite interesting.  We went to the address given to us, and actually the address did not seem to be there.  So, I saw this lady where our address should have been.  I approached her to ask for help, and began to do so.  She looks at me, pulls out a piece of paper, and while pointing at a name on the piece of paper, asks me if I am "Bradley Green"!  I am not kidding.  The name on the paper was my name, and she was there to meet us.  Anyway, she then proceeded to walk us, at night, in Rome, to our accommodation.  It ended up being fine, but it was a tad surreal.  On the way, we ordered pizza, had a quick dinner, and promptly fell asleep.  The next day we took the train to Bologna.

I love the little bitty Italian espresso cups.  Our first full day in Italy, I enjoyed a coffee in our mysterious Rome accommodation.  Wonderful.  

Besides teaching in Bologna, we took time to see this beautiful city. Here we are about to climb the 498 steps of Asinelli Tower, the larger of the two towers seen.

 Here we are atop Asinelli Tower, which is one of several around the city.  Beautiful view!

Our super host and friend, Mark Brucato, one of the pastors at Nuova Vita.  Thanks for a great time in Bologna, Mark!

A great picture of Victoria and Dianne, in a piazza in Bologna.

Teaching in Bologna with the interns was an absolute blessing.

While in Bologna we went one Saturday with our friends Ilaria and Emmanuelle to Ravenna, about a 45 minute train ride from Bologna.  In Ravenna, which was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire from 402 until that empire collapsed in 476,  we visited a number of churches with beautiful 6th century mosaics.  It is also the city, we discovered with great delight once we arrived there, where Dante lived the last years of his life.  Here we are at Dante's tomb (and Daniel happened to be wearing his Dante t-shirt that day.)

Dante's tomb.

It was a blessing to spend the day with Emmanuelle and Ilaria, two of the interns at Nuova Vita.  They are a vibrant Christian couple, excited to serve the Lord in Italy.  I am excited to see what the Lord does in and through them over time.

Toward the end of our time in Bologna, we spent a wonderful afternoon with the Brucatos.  After church and a delicious lunch at a local Italian place, we walked a short distance to a basilica--the Sanctuary of Madonna of Saint Luke.  A great day.  We are very thankful for the ministry of Nuova Vita, the internship program, and for the super people we met while there.  Thank you for allowing us to be with you all!