THE TREASURE IN EARTHEN VASES
(Editorial)
Let's try a test. If someone would accuse you of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to demonstrate it?
Imagine yourself being in a courtroom before a judge and there, with his finger raised, is a lawyer to accuse you of your Christianity, of your good conduct, and of your witness given in your life every day. According to you, listing all the proofs that he could gather from your life, would there be sufficient elements to condemn you? Or would the judge, in the end, absolve you on the grounds of insufficient proof?
In Christianity, thanks to God, acts count. There have been and there are too many "Christians" who live their discipleship in word only, who come to the congregation's meetings when they have nothing else to do, who have forgotten God's power and His grace. Christians who are not coherent with the Gospel's message.
I also am a Christian who need coherency, who must still learn to live more intensely God's Word, and who must follow with greater steadfastness the footprints which were left by Jesus of Nazareth. But I do not lose heart because I know that my weakness is upheld by the Lord's strength, and that our Father, when He wanted to create an "army" to fight for Him, did not choose the best, the strongest, the wisest, the best speaking. No! All to the contrary.
Look at the examples of the people who are found in the Bible and you will find men with their weaknesses, with their hypocrisies, and with their sins. From these men, God knew how to draw out the best. As a sculptor who, looking at a piece of rock, exclaims, "Look, what a marvelous angel!"
Before him is a stone, but, by his hands' ability, a marvelous creation will come forth tomorrow.
This message of hope is well summarized by the words of the apostle Paul:
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves" (2 Corinthians 4:7). This affirmation is good news to me, because I know that even if I am weak, if I sin, if I make a mistake, if I stutter, God can use me to His glory. I am happy to know that God has still not finished His work with me. In His loving hands I can still better myself towards that perfection which is asked of God's children. I am not displeased to be "clay" if He who forms me is my Father. "But now, O Lord, You are our Father, we are clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of your hands" (Isaiah 64:8).
Before leaving this world to return to the Father, Jesus wanted to see His disciples one more time. Eleven gathered on a mountain in Galilea. These men had seen, during the three preceding years, Jesus walk on water, cast out demons, raise the dead, and do many other powerful works. Finally they had seen Him die on a cross. Now, however, Jesus was still with them. He was resurrected from the dead. They also, to prove that it was not a dream, had placed their hands in His wounds. Nevertheless, there on that mountain, several worshiped Him, but "several doubted" (Matthew 28:17).
But Jesus, looking at them with love, said, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations ...".
To all and to the eleven was given this great commission, also to those who doubted. Jesus, to say it in soccer jargon, involved all the team, not just the stars. From these small and doubting disciples, with the grace and the strength of God, was born the Church. A few years later, as the book of Acts narrates, they spoke of Jesus' disciples as those "who had turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6).
Also from our weaknesses, God can cause great things to be born. "... when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10). Let us strive for perfection and grow in faith, knowing that we have a good Father who understands and who endures our weaknesses. And if we would be condemned before a human court for our faith, we have the assurance that we will be absolved before God's court.
(Vittorio Vitalone)

FOR THE REFUGEES OF KOSOVO AND OF ALBANIA
Saturday 17 April 1999
Dearest brothers and sisters,
We know that you all are praying for us and for all those people who had to flee from the war in order to find refuge in Albania, and we are very thankful. Several of you have called while we were in Albania and others have sent funds; and for these actions we are very grateful in the name of those masses who no longer have eyes to continue to cry.
Stefano and I have just returned from Albania, where we have experienced a situation never seen before. Anyway, notwithstanding what we had expected, seeing with your eyes is very different from watching something on television. Not even the big organizations are able to give the necessary help for survival because it is impossible to respond unexpectedly to such a great need. In these days, the city of Valona is giving out a piece of bread and a raw egg because it was not able to boil that many eggs.
We ask your prayers so that we will not be discouraged in this great task which the Lord has put before us. We trust in Him so that He will guide us in this service because by ourselves surely we do not have the strength.
God has always guided us in every difficult situation; now we are full of assurance that He will guide us also in this effort.
Sunday morning we arrived at Volona's port with six large boxes. Three of these contained medicines and three contained 6000 plastic cups and 7000 plastic spoons and forks. When the customs office of Valona saw the receipt for the medicines, that was over $1,100, they decided to retain the three boxes of medicines saying that we had to have a "Special Request" from the Import Office of Tirana. Monday morning we went to Tirana for a meeting, and while we were there, we called several offices, but without any results. When we returned to Valona, we went to the Customs Office to resolve the problem. Finally, after three days, the head of the office and another official, said that we must pay, according to them, a tax. After I paid this "so-called tax", a third official opposed giving us the medicines. At this point, I felt constrained to raise my voice, asking, "Who of you is the head of this office? Who of you must decide what must be done? You asked me to pray this tax, and I paid it. What more you do want?" At this point, they began to argue among themselves in the Albanian language. After a long discussion that we were not able to understand, one of them said, "Come with me!" He wrote a modification on the receipt and handed over the medicines to us.
As I already mentioned, Monday we were at Tirana. At this meeting, all the brethren who are working on Albania soil participated. The purpose of this meeting was to better organize how we could help the refugees, and those present were the American missionaries who work with the Churches of Christ in Tirana, Korce, Elbasan, and we who work in Volona. Also there came from the U.S., these brethren: Bill McDonough, representative of "Partners in Progress", Don Yelton, representative of "Healing Hands", and Kevin McFarland, representative of "Manna International". These brethren are organized to intervene in catastrophic situations, as they have done for many years, intervening in a third of the world's countries. They are given to the task of sending train cars with help of every type, but these will arrive at least six months later.
Thus, for the first interventions, your economic help is very useful, necessary, and appreciated. As I already said, while I was in Albania, several of you called to ask how you could contribute to this great need.
Only to give you an idea of the extreme need, I bring to your attention this list of the refugees: The Number of Refugees in Each Prefecture as of 8 April 1999:
At Kukes = 120,000
At Korce = 11,653
At Diber = 6,175
At Tirana = 35,000
At Elbasan = 11,247
At Valona = 6,025
At Durres = 18,527
At Shkoder = 7,576
At Berat = 6,010
At Fier = 14,568
At Lezhe = 6,960
At Gijrokaster = 1,780
Thus, on all of the Albanian soil, there were already, as of April 8, a total of 252,000 refugees.  But as we see from the list we have 6,025 refugees in Valona; however, competent authorities in Valona say that there will be arriving another 7,000. Usually, when they arrive, they are put in the Municipal Gym to be grouped in order to undergo a lengthier placement with those families who are will to keep one or more persons, or in the Schools, or in another public facility. In the nursing school, where we have a contract to hold our worship services, there are at this time 250 refugees, of which 145 are children. Several of these have no idea where their relatives are and even if they are still alive. In regards to this placement, of the 250 people, there are only 50 small sponge mattresses. The municipal office is giving them a piece of bread and a raw egg. While we were there, a private group took the responsibility to boil eggs all night long so that they could give them a different egg. I talked with Stefano and we have decided that one of us will come again within the next week, in order to remain for fifteen days; then we will exchange turns, alternating thus in these first days of extreme necessity. In this way, one of us can be constantly present at the place.
To answer your phone calls on how you could contribute with your financial help, here below I will send my bank account number. Whoever would like to participate, can make a bank deposit, specifying the cause of that deposit.  If, after you have made the deposit, you will make a phone call, better still.
BANK DEPOSIT
Vito Ligorio
Banca Commerciale Italiana
Corso Umberto, 43 Brindisi
N. 9282476 01 38 -- COD. - ABI 02002 -- COD. - CAB 15900
We love you very much, with Christ's love,
Vito Ligorio and Stefano Spina

NEWS OF THE CONGREGATIONS

FORLI
On March 29, after suffering much, Bro. OTELLO PANDOFINI ended his race and went to live with our Heavenly Father. At the funeral, around our dear sister, ENZA, there were many brethren coming from various congregations. Let us remember the address of Sister Enza Pandolfini:
Viale Roma, 59
47100 Forli
Italy

PRATO
As probably many will know, on 29 March 1999, Bro. Otello Pandolfini left us, after having "fought the good fight" for all of his Christian life, not betraying the deposit of the truth entrusted him by the Lord. "He loosened the sails as a ship which sets sail to return to its homeland" and he will receive the reward which awaits him from Christ Jesus in the day of the "Parousia", the prize which he deserves through his holiness and "righteousness".
We are near our sister, Enza, now his widow who remains alone in this world, and we want "to give honor" not only concerning morale but also concerning material assistance. The Church of Christ in Prato, obedient to God's Word, has provided for Sister Enza a monetary sum in order to
anticipate her immediate needs. May this be a stimulus to whoever, as us, has in his heart Sister Enza, who has put all her hope in God.
(Luigi Magnanimo)

ROMA - V.le Jonio
Bro. Carl Mitchell held, on April 24, a conference on the theme: "Interpersonal Relationships in Light of God's Word". More that 70 brothers and sisters from Rome and from the congregations of Lazio were present. Also this year we expect a full house at the S. Severa lectureship which will take place May 14-16. The theme of missions, naturally, is interesting to many.
God willing, this lectureship will offer the occasion where there will be a presentation of the book of Bro. Vittorio Vitalone: "Un Medico al Calvario" ("A Doctor at Calvary").
(Pippo Spina)

BOLOGNA
The participation was numerous at the lectureship which was help from March 31 to April 5. The speakers were professors Everett Ferguson and Italo Minestroni who held their studies on the themes: "Worship of God in the Primitive Church" and "True Christianity". Whoever wants a copy of the booklet of the presentations (also in English) can ask for it from:
Bro. Jay Young - Viale Adua, 213 - 51100 Pistoia - Italy.

CONGRATULATIONS

- To Jay and Alicia Walls on the birth of their second child, ADRIANNA RUTH, born March 31. The mother and daughter are doing fine!

- To our new sister in the faith, DOROTEA MAIORANA, born again at Palermo on April 11.

- To ORFEO MAGNANIMO and DEBORA MIRABELLI who were united in matrimony on May 1.

- To MIKE MAHAN and ANTONIETTA MAGNANIMO who were united in matrimony on May 1.

CORRECTION

The correct telephone number of the STEFANO SPINA family is 099-7328649. Please excuse us for our typing error.

LITERATURE OF CHRISTIAN AUTHORS

UN MEDICO AL CALVARIO (A Doctor at Calvary) - by Vittorio Vitalone - Edited by Perciballi.
This author scientifically analyzes the sufferings and the death of Jesus.  The author, a believing physician, rediscovers another additional motive to believe and to be always more fascinated with the figure and the example of the Master. It is not a mere exercise in culture as an end in itself, but a way to draw the reader nearer to that Way (John 14:6), which alone can lead to the Father. Vittorio Vitalone lives and works in Rome as a Medical Surgeon, a specialist in anesthesia and reanimation for a large hospital.
Since 1975 he has been a member of the Viale Jonio Church of Christ in Rome. He has collaborated and worked with various newspapers. He has participated in medical missions to Africa. He is married and the father of two children.

EVANGELISTIC GROUP OF ITALIAN YOUTH

The program continues for the evangelistic group of Italian youth. Within a few days, the calendar of activities will be defined which, God willing, will take place the first ten days of September. If some congregation wants to utilize the work of our young people, it can reserve the group by contacting (as soon as possible):
Paolo Di Luca - Casella Postale 639 - 59100 PRATO - tel 055.8710016.

SPIRITUAL RETREAT '99

Also this year, Bro. James Young is organizing, at the "Schwarzwaldeckhaus" from August 5-15 the SPIRITUAL RETREAT '99. The location, Kleinzell, is situated 1,000 meters above sea level, in a very beautiful and tranquil zone, where the fauna and flora are protected, about 110 kilometers west of Vienna. The place is really enchanting, ideal for a spiritual rest. On this occasion, Bro. Carl Mitchell will present studies on the theme: "The Bible and the Christian's Morality". There will also be a visit to the city of Vienna (the cost for this activity is apart). The cost is 30,000 lire each day per person. The reservations must be addressed to (with a 100,000 lire deposit by postal money order):
James Young - Viale Adua, 213 - 51100 Pistoia
LET US HAVE YOUR RESERVATIONS POST HASTE!
(from a circular letter by Bro. Young)

MOMENTS ON THE MOUNTAIN 1999 (Bible Camp)

As already communicated previously this year, this Bible camp will be held from August 22 - 28 at Meschia. Boys and girls from 6 to 25 may participate. It will be a week of Bible study, communion, fun, and amusement. The theme of Moments on the Mountain 1999 is "INNOMORATI DI DIO" ("In Love with God"). For more information or reservations, contact:
Paolo Di Luca - Casella Postale 639 - 59100 PRATO - tel. 055.8710016.
The down payment of each participant, 50,000 lire must be sent to Bro. Francesco Fergnani - Via Virgiliana, 205 - 44012 Ponterodoni (FE). HURRY TO MAKE RESERVATIONS!!!!!