Francesca is an outspoken woman, even by Italian standards. She trusted Jesus through the ministry of our local church in northern Italy. We quickly discovered that one of Francesca’s spiritual gifts is evangelism. Even before she could explain the nuances of the gospel, she was sharing with others about her newfound faith in Jesus.

When the time came for us to inaugurate the first building that God has provided for our church, Francesca brought a young couple along. Giovanni, a laidback Italian, was all smiles. But he wasn’t sure what to make of the singing, the message, and all the kind people he encountered.

On a Spirit-prompted whim, I asked Giovanni, “Would you like to meet with me next week and talk about some spiritual things?” He agreed, and we set a date and time.

Despite Giovanni’s eagerness, I was skeptical that anything significant would happen spiritually, as very few Italians respond to the gospel at first blush.

When I met with Giovanni the following week, I felt the Spirit leading me to be very direct, so I shared the gospel message. As we read each page of the gospel tract together, I began to sense that Giovanni might be ready to trust Christ. Arriving at the end, we read the sample prayer of how one might personally trust his eternity to Jesus.

“Do you want to place your trust in Jesus?” I asked him.

With a huge smile, Giovanni said, “Yes!” and prayed to accept Jesus.

Without Francesca, I wouldn’t have had an opportunity to meet Giovanni. Each believer has a unique sphere of influence among family and coworkers to which no pastor or missionary might ever have access. What limitless possibilities exist for you here in Italy to connect with the unreached in a natural context? How many people like Giovanni are waiting to hear, that they might respond in faith?

Darrin and his family make disciples in Italy.

The people in this story are real, but their names have been changed to protect their privacy.