Midweek Memo: Record Number of Migrants Seeking Refuge Land on Italian Island Over the Weekend

More than 2,100 migrants arrived on the shores of an Italian island over the weekend. Lampedusa is about 200 miles from both Tunisia and Libya and is one of the main arrival ports for people wanting to reach Europe from North Africa. Sunday witnessed the highest single-day number of migrants arriving at an Italian port so far in 2021. News agencies and NGOs reported seeing boats carrying as many as 400 men, women, and children and several of those vessels were in distress.

Alarm Phone, an NGO that provides independent support for people crossing the Mediterranean Sea to the EU, tweeted in the early morning hours on Sunday, “There are now 5 boats in distress in Maltese SAR zone. The situations on board are critical. Although all authorities are informed, no one has intervened to carry out a rescue operation. Night has fallen: will ~419 people be left at sea? Rescue is needed now! #DontLetThemDrown.”

The tweet highlights the ongoing disagreement across the EU as to how to handle the unceasing flow of migrants from North Africa. Approximately 11,000 migrants have landed on Lampedusa since the start of the year, which is more than double for the same period last year, but still less than 2015, which is considered the height of the migrant crisis. According to the UN in 2019—the year for which we have the most recent data—26 million refugees and 45.7 million internally displaced persons live in the EU.

Pray for citizens and politicians alike to honor and protect the Imago Dei in all migrants arriving on the shores of the EU. Pray for wisdom, compassion, and perseverance in this ongoing crisis. Pray for fresh energy for the Pioneers in Europe and other Christian workers seeking to alleviate suffering in this region.

Coronavirus in Italy: May the Peace of Christ Reign Over these Anxious Days

The Coronavirus is now wreaking havoc in Europe, as Italy has the most confirmed cases outside of Asia—283 as of this writing. The regions most affected are in northern Italy, Lombardi and Veneto, home to several Pioneers families and church plants. The cities of Milan, Rome, and Venice have all canceled public gatherings at fashion shows, soccer games, and local festivals. Government officials in Italy and beyond fear that the outbreak will easily spread across European Union borders, as citizens travel seamlessly and daily amongst Schengen nations. 

School and public meetings have been canceled by the government for at least this week in the city where Pioneers families live. Missionaries and church leaders have decided to cancel church gatherings for the same length of time. While not quarantined by law in their specific neighborhoods, our workers there report fairly empty streets and stores. They say that in general their Italian friends and neighbors are very cautious and even anxious about the outbreak. 

Pioneers in Italy ask for prayer for the following needs: 

• Pray that they would be able to express peace and confidence in God’s sovereignty in the midst of these uncertain and anxious days. 

• Pray that the surety of the gospel would be a bright light to worried and isolated Italians.  

• Pray for the church in Italy, for resources and a movement of the Holy Spirit amongst those who don’t yet know Jesus. Only 1.5% of the Italian population professes an Evangelical Christian faith. 

• Pray Psalm 91 for the Pioneers in Italy, as well as their neighbors, friends, classmates, church attendees, and all who don’t yet know Jesus:

Psalm 91: My Refuge and My Fortress

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only look with your eyes

and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—

the Most High, who is my refuge—

no evil shall be allowed to befall you,

no plague come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and the adder;

the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;

I will protect him, because he knows my name.

When he calls to me, I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him

and show him my salvation.

Photo Credit: AFP - Agence France-Presse (https://www.thelocal.it/20200224/what-do-we-know-about-the-victims-of-coronavirus-in-italy)

After the Quake: Six Ways to Pray for Italy

Today marks one week since a 6.2 magnitude quake struck a string of mountain towns in Italy, killing at least 290 people.  The powerful quake inflicted excruciating pain on those left behind—many people lost every member of their family or several of their dear friends. 

As the international media moves on may we be found interceding on behalf of Italians for weeks and months to come.  Below are seven points for focused prayer, based on the input of missionaries working in Italy right now.

1.  The province of Rieti, where the quake struck, is one of the least-reached areas of Italy.  In the whole province of 160,000 people, there are no more than six of Evangelical churches.  The lack of gospel witness in Rieti is a great tragedy.  Pioneers International has only three missionary families serving in Italy—none in the quake affected areas.  Pray that God would send workers to Italy for His name sake. 

2.  This past weekend over 40 Christian aid agencies within Italy gathered to strategize relief efforts for the quake victims.  Typically, both missionaries and Italian Christians report conflict within and between churches and amongst agencies.  It appears that this disunity was overcome on August 29 when all of the agencies signed a declaration, committing their prayers and unified efforts to help earthquake victims.  Praise God for this unity and pray that it would continue.

3.  Small church bodies near the epicenter have been earnestly pursuing ways that they can help.  One local pastor said, “We quickly gathered in prayer and we wondered how we could make ourselves useful.  Our community is tiny and consists of people who work for themselves and cannot take leave. However, as a church, we would like to be present, to show our solidarity and be put to work.”  The church commissioned a 17 year old member to go and work alongside the Civil Defence Civitella d’Agliano in the relief work.  Praise God for the faithful Italian churches who are giving their best efforts to their suffering fellow countrymen.

4.  Only 1.28% of Italy is Evangelical Christian.  Over half the population of Italy lives in towns with less than 50,000 people.  Most of these towns do not have a single Evangelical church.  Additional populations within Italy which are virtually unreached with the Gospel include: college students (230,000 in Rome and 180,000 in Milan without a substantial campus witness), the upperclass, and migrant communities and refugees.  Pray for the Light to shine in the darkness in Italy. 

5.  Comments from Italians affected by the quake reveal a belief in the divine or supernatural.   Additionally, statistics show that there are 150,000 practicing fortune-tellers in the country (three times the number of priests).  Pray for the spiritually hungry in Italy to have their eyes opened and for believers to be ready to share their only Hope.

6.  And, in moving forward in Italy, we must consider the past.  While in the past the Roman Catholic Church vehemently opposed any Protestant work in the country, there has been a recent shift toward ecumenicalism and focus on shared words such as Jesus, faith, and grace.  However, indigenous believers report that Protestants and Roman Catholics pour vastly different meanings into these words.  One missionary says, “Underneath the kinder, gentler veneer of the RCC, the dogma of meritorious works is still essential teaching... it is not gospel, it is works righteousness.”  Pray that Italy would embrace Grace and Truth. 

Two Tragedies In Italy

As news comes through, it appears evident that the earthquake that struck a remote, yet beautiful area of central Italy, is a devastating one. By the hour there are more reports of missing and of deceased. Old people and young children. Seven years ago the nearby city of L’Aquila, 60 kms away, was hit by a similar earthquake. As then, so now, we face the tragedy of lives lost and the anguish of devastated families and communities.

One of my first thoughts early this morning, however, was how this present tragedy points to another tragedy. Recently I have been researching the presence of Evangelical churches throughout Italy. The province of Rieti, where the earthquake happened, is one of the least reached areas of Italy. Rieti province has an overall population of 160,000 people; 50,000 people live in the city of Rieti (60kms distant from the earthquake area), the rest of the province’s population live in small towns and villages. In the whole of the province of Rieti there are no more than half a dozen Evangelical churches (of any denomination) and they are almost all in the city of Rieti. A simple conclusion: the area affected by the earthquake has, as far as we can tell, no witness to the gospel! That is a great tragedy.

As we think about that, three important elements emerge:

1. vast areas of Italy still have no local, evangelical witness
2. the challenge of reaching not only the cities, but the small towns and villages as well, is great; research indicates that over half of the Italian population lives in locations with less than 50,000 inhabitants, 35% with less than 15,000 inhabitants and 15% with less than 5000
3. and as the evangelical church, we are thus unable to love and serve these communities practically and spiritually if we are not present

How can we be present? The church needs to discover God’s passion for his mission.

Please pray for Christians throughout the country: that they might be present in this time of tragedy to bring comfort and to present the gospel of hope, with compassion and empathy, in the midst of darkness and desperation. We want to reach into the destroyed communities with hope and light so that a radically different narrative can be proclaimed about what is happening, with the gospel at the centre, redefining everything.

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JD Gilmore, born into a missionary family, grew up in Italy and was touched by grace as a teenager. Passionate for the spread of the gospel in Italy, with his wife Annette, they have been involved in church planting (and growing), most recently in Budrio (Bologna). He now coordinates Impatto (Acts 29 in Italy).