On this Sunday our Pastor Michael Hopkins did not preach but he gave time and space to Life Grou p Leaders, which is a welcome change. We got to know the purpose and activities and members of each life group. Here in these photos I'm shown with one of the active Filipina leaders Rowena (seated beside the lady in white headcover). It's a nice platform as our church works hard to cover not only rome but the entire italy GOD willing, with life groups. Besides lifegroup ministry there are also other interesting ministries like that of children's (photo with Eunice the thin, and Reina the thick), evangelism etc. I would have loved to be a part of it but already-as a working mother my time is limited to family, household chores (cleaning, ironing clothes,cooking,doing the groceries etc.) and work. I know it's a shallow excuse but it's not easy. But I love the worship service (worship songs) because the reality ofGOD 's great grace, mercy and might and Sovereignty becomes tangible to me. PRAISE GOD.

It simply means that among the male students I'm teaching, he 's the third carrying the name Luke. The first is a very nice intelligent and corteous young 14 year old boy, very attentive to every discussion and prompt to respond to any questions. The second is the 20 something-year old who's an informatics specialist, who loves to monopolize both the attention and the conversation. This third Luke is by the far the most fascinating to me. He is a 17 year-old gothic, non-conformist personality. He wears this silver pentagram chain on his neck, an all-black attire and a blackleatherwrist band spiked with silvermetals, is into heavymetal music and medieval war stories. Doubtless he is very sharp as a person, so also are his thoughts against the GOD of Christianity. I told him that people like him usually are into drugs which he soberly denied, strangely he behaves in a nicer and more corteous way than other italians his age.He has this firm and clear way of expressing his ideas. I suppose and hope that he was pleased with our lesson together, I expressed my desire to be his teacher on his next lesson, but last night I prayed to the LORD to help and lead me into 'influencing' his heart and mind for HIS love. I waited for him today as he promised he would be coming. But earlier today I heard the school administrator talking to somebody on the phone, informing that he\she couldn't report.

Today I had the nth lesson again with Tiffany, a very endearing person with a perennial smile all over her face. Even though we always have lesson together,I dont remember if we ever finished an argument-as we always somehow get 'cut' or interrupted by the school administrator terminating our lesson. Tiffany remains patient over this which awes me so much. Being an ambitious career oriented financial head of a multinational industrial company, she said she needs to improve her english because of her company's need to deal with many foreign investor clients, and she's the person being tapped to do the job. She's personally acquainted with many high profile italians like the famous rich and young bachelor Matteo MArzotto- Naomi Campbell's ex-boyfriend.

Goodbread.I call him this way.He's got these big round captivating brown eyes and simple attitude.He's an airforce pilot's son, he took this english course in preparation for his trip to Dublin Ireland. He just left this morning for an indefinite period of adventure on his own. A typical 'can-afford' European-in search of something that he hopes to find in a colder place. The last lesson with him:I asked (as I typically do with every student) how for many hrs was that particular lesson booked so, he said 5 which surprised me since nobody in the school ever holds a session that long.I set to ask the School Administrator when he loughed.It was a departing joke. Then he expressed a sense of apprehension and reasonable fear, he asked me if I thought he was doing the right thing. I encouraged him saying it's alright and gave him some cautions and pointers for his stay in DUblin.

But Luke is different. This young boy in his early twenties, of athletic built and blond appearance always makes me lough. He's also very good in computer. Infact we always talk about programme applications, software, RAM processor, and like things. My co-teacher Colombia told me of an instance when I havent reported yet to school, and she was the only available teacher for Luke.Colombia said he threw a childish tantrum demanding me. I think this young boy is infatuated with me which elates me. I treat him as almost my son for how he behaves, and how mature I am (more, internally).

The twins. The dark haired little guy and the tall red head. They are classmates in the University taking up Environmental Engineering, presently on their last term of the course doing the thesis. Although I dont have the courage to ask them it's obvious that they're also very very good friends. They always arrive together (but they ride each one his own motorbike) and one will not come up (we are on the second floor of the building) without the other. A friend which sticks closer than a brother-come true. But they're both very humble, nice and intelligent.ALso very goodlooking. They like Goodbread are taking english course in preparation for their travel and stay in ENgland to further their specialization in their field, in Cambridge University. They reminded me of my labtest days when I was studying also in the Philippines. Because they recounted that being in a scientific field they had to perform many labtest on soils, many repetetive experiements and processes. I really wish the best for them both.

Super Mario I call him, he is on the top five of my list of most amusing students. He is a professional engineer and married. HE is all-knowing so to say, he usually comes just to practice
english conversations so, everytime we would come up with an interesting topic like immigration, or how and where money started to be used as a tool of commercial exchange, energy and alternative sources, politics even BIllgates and everytime he would boggle me with correct and precise informations. SO this both amuses and impresses me.

I could go on and on with the kind and nice italians learning english. Like the aristocratic mature lady who is an art gallery owner, or another lady who studies english just to be able to appreciate more her frequent trips or travels abroad. From kids to professionals --this job is GOD-given and so is my knowledge and I PRAISE GOD for all HIS mercy and grace. ALWAYS.

Right now I'm seated behind the reception desk eating a big yellow Del Monte Banana and a cup of hot chocolate. Although I'm not a receptionist in this language school-I feel very comfortable sitting behind the reception desk. It's usually the converging point of the school staff. I'm particularly the reserved and introvert type, against my will. But GOD is gradually changing this trait by introducing me to new friends of different colors. I'm particularly fond of Urte' a very sweet young German girl in her early twenties, with very long blond hair left freeflowing. She's the only teacher who greets me with a kiss and a hug everywhere we meet, she- like Tiffany wears a perennial smile on her face. She teaches German, French and English. Colombia is a also very nice, she's a 55 year old mother to 3 grown-ups from whom I get helpful tips on healthy foods and vitamin supplements for my little daughter. Vincent is a comic character, although he looks stern and a snob, he is actually a down-to-earth, simple and sweet person. Just this week he had a new haircut which made him look 20 years younger, he seemed to be around the age of 40 before the haircut, he used to sport long curly blond hair but now, he sports a crewcut style which did away his curly blonds. I like his blue eyes very much. I think he's French who speaks fluent italian,but teaches German English and French.Sabrina is the first teacher with whom I did the sit-in training. At First I thought she's a snob but this impression is slowly changing, now that she's starting to open-up conversations more often. She is friendly and sweet as is Serafino who is actually italian (like Sabrina) but both of them have a very heavy British accent, I always have a very hard time catching up on their words so I usually talk to them in italian. All teachers are nice, but I find the Ucrainian Svetlana (English and German teacher) most distant. She wouldnt talk unless you talk to her . A quick assessment of my work confirms that GOD is also blessing me in this HIS own blessing(this job). So I always PRAISE GOD.