Marty and Gloria in Rome

March 2016
In the last 6 months we moved our
meeting place, its no longer
spacious but adequate for the time
being. We have a better option
toward the end of the year. Yet we
are growing as a church family,
saying goodbye to some,
welcoming others and bearing one
anothers burdons. The Lords work
moves forward as we see the
transforming way of the gospel of
Jesus for all who believe.

March 2016

Last photo
from our
fomer
meeting
place

With our drama

group in our new
place

Our dear brother Feliciano returned from

Peru after nearly 3 years, this
encouraged us greatly. He was with us
from the beginning but had to return for
his other children but has now returned
to be reunited with his wife Juan Rosa
and daughter Cynthia. They are typical of
migrant families separated. But due to
the Lords great work in them. He made
use of the time to properly prepare for
ministry at the seminary in Peru. He has
stepped in for teaching and mens
ministry. This is big answer to prayer for
us!!!!

When we first arrived nearly 5

year ago we had many ideas of
raising up leaders. This has
taken time and the Lord has
guided. We have grown much in
this aspect and now sense a
foundation has been layed after
the last two years. Still the
majority of our congregation are
migrants and this comes with
many unpredicables. We have
also joined the national church.
2

In our second year 2013 Marty completed with

transfer credits a bachelor in Philosophy and
Theology in Italian and began Latin studies. He then
moved to another Pontifical University from the
Domincan order of St. Thomas of Aquinas where
Latin studies are essential as he has continued with
Medieval Philosophy and Theology and has
completed course work in Italian, English and Greek.
It takes time to learn Latin and this is his current
focus so he can defend his thesis and take the final
exams He has completed his master thesis on the
medieval Dominican German: Meister Eckhart who
could be seen as a forerunner of the Reformation.
This has all taken longer than expected, but getting
through the Latin exam (30 minutes to translate a
page of Thomas Aquinas) and final exams will put
him into the writing stage to hopefully complete a
doctorate in 2 years just in research. Here Marty is
with a professor and fellow student.
Here Marty is with his advisor Walter Senner OP a
German Dominican scholar and expert on Meister
Eckhart. with whom Marty has been working under
the last two years. We went to a wedding of
another Italian professor. I am thankful that I can
continue to improve my German and Latin and
happy to be able to write in English with this very
intelligent man who is very kind and very detailed in
historical research!

We celebrated with Katarina on her 91st

birthday. She was born in Sicily and lived
in Rome all her life. She is taken care of by
a number of people and also members
from our church. Now getting frail but she
loves to spend time with us and pray with
her. So many of our people have such
ministries in the lives of elderly people who
live on their own. Also children and
influential families here in Rome

Gloria is now doing a course for the immigrant and refugee crisis in Europe. We continue to
seek how to serve in this. On Tuesday night we pick up bread, pastries and pizza that is
normally thrown out from a bakery and distribute it to the homeless at the train station.

Our ministry continues in home

visitation and Bible studies. Gloria
spends much of the week also one
on one counseling and bible studies.
We have also had a lot of work with
the new meeting place. Yes, we are
feeling weary. But we are trying to
stay at home on Fridays for a day of
rest.

In a few weeks we will have a visit from a

leader from Peru. This is important for our
future as they have decreased our support
over the years and we expect this to continue.
We are thankful for the help from Sweden and
USA. In May we will travel to Ohio for a week
to marry our daughter Gabrielle with Tom.
They have been together for the last 4 years
and have given a stable home for Elliot. We
are also happy Gabi has a friendship with
Elliots father Mike who sees Elliot often. All
have jobs and work hard to be responsible with
their lives, Elliot of course if waiting for a
sibling. He is also growing up near family and
adores his mothers cousins who are just a few
years older then him. We give thanks for
family.

Thank for your interest in what we do. To be able to

bring the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ - the
prince of peace and serve among those with very
difficult lives and see a church be established
humbles us to be faithful and thankful for all that we
have and all we can do for HIM.
Saluti di Roma, Italia.
Marty and Gloria Banzhaf
Via Virgilio Talli 170
Roma, 00139 Italy.