STORIES OF ROME

Chapter 2

Rome and Refugees

As leaders, Shay and I will help to expand Rome into a place-based community. Initially, Rome was a people-based community. Meaning, there was a group of people with certain characteristics on which ITeams focused.  Specifically, ITeams’ ministry in Rome began around 6 ½ years ago with Tim and Rachel. Their focus was refugees.

     The refugee influx to southern Europe has grown exponentially in the last two decades.  By October 2013, just Italy had seen at least 25,000 refugees come on boat (not to mention those un-recorded) – three times the amount recorded in 2012.  The number is only expected to increase.  These tired, broken people are fleeing their homes for political, religious, oppressive, and war-torn reasons.  They have lost everything: possessions, family, home, dignity, hope.  As they search for safety and freedom, often refugees find even more despair.  With no where to sleep, nothing to eat, no papers to travel, and potentially hostile locals, these refugees face defeat and hopelessness.  In the midst of this tragic time in their lives, Tim and Rachel desired to create a place of hope.  Il Soggiorno (or the reading room) became the tangible dream of Tim and Rachel.  They helped bring together several local churches to open a warm, safe place for refuge a couple days a week.  Currently, most of the refugees in Rome are from the Middle East and Africa, and are mainly men.  Il Soggiorno has become a place where they can come to learn English, learn Italian, play a card game, find a listening ear, discover a friend, or have something to eat.

Story Two: Breaking the Barriers

     "A has been in Italy for 5 years from Pakistan.  He regularly comes to the center and we see him at the meals we do on Saturdays sometimes.  He has a job in Rome washing dishes at a restaurant, but he doesn't make much.  One of the male volunteers from the center invited him a couple of weeks ago to have dinner with his family and they got a chance to watch some of the Jesus film.  Then, we had a former missionary from Pakistan come and visit and she came to tea on Sunday night to help and had a chance to talk to our friend A in his heart language.       While talking to him  he said, "You know the reason we fight so much in our countries?  It's because the government doesn't want anyone to be educated.  If you don't have education you can't think openly about things."  She thought that was interesting and as they talked further, A also said, "You know you can't always think you're better than everyone.  You have to put others in front of yourself.  That's important."     Well, that was even more interesting because it opened up a chance to talk about Jesus, and how Jesus said the very same thing.  The next week at the center, I was talking to A and as he told me a little about the Jesus film I mentioned that I had a miniSD card that had the Jesus Film on.  I suggested he put in his phone, if he wanted, along with an Injil (Gospel in Islam) and he said yes!  He came back the next week and told me all about what he had watched and had more questions.  We've seen him several other times and some of the male volunteers have been able to talk with him further about some of his questions.  A is having dinner at our volunteer's house again this coming week.  It's cool to see the Truth of the Word not only going out, but truth beginning to filter through the barriers and walls that are so thick in some of the people we talk with." 

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