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  August 4, 2023 Becky & Bryan, at the Rome Visitor's Center, 1.31.23 Dear Family and Friends, The past 18 months has now become a dream, filled with many new friends, experiences and memories that we will cherish forever.  We loved Italy, its wonderful people, the refugees and migrants whom we served, and our little city, Alzano Lombardo where we lived.  We also loved the gorgeous mountains and lakes, the seaside villages, and little mountaintop towns.  On the last day there, we took a couple of Book of Mormons to people whom we came to love.  It was a farewell gift so that they might understand why we left home for 18 months to serve and help the refugees.  Our friend, Daniel, whose family owns a nursery right next door to where we lived, was always ready to help us find a new flower or plant.  Our balcony was beautiful, with flowers we bought from Daniel.  We made good friends at a small gelato store just a five minute walk from our apartme...
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  July 17, 2023 The last few weeks have flown by.  We learned yesterday that we will be coming home late at night on July 28, 2023.  Our time is so short, and we still have a lot of Humanitarian Services work to do.  And unfortunately, another senior couple is not scheduled yet to replace us here. Left: Becky & Bryan, with our leaders from Frankfurt, and leaders from Banco Farmaceutico, July 4, 2023 Right: Becky, with Barbara Spezini & Mary, from Colori Vivi in Torino, & Karen Ward from Frankfurt, 7.5.23 The first part of the month we had the opportunity to take our leaders from Frankfurt, Elder Ward and Sister Karen Anderson, to 5 organizations for a few of our projects, and acquaint them with the projects we are and have been doing.  They were pleased to meet the people we work with.  The Andersons will have the opportunity to take our replacement couple, when they arrive later this year or early next year, around to meet the various organizat...
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June 24, 2023 Each week that has passed has been full of visits and activities to help organizations who helps refugees here in Italy.  On May 22 we visited an organization named MEDU in Oulx, close to the French border.  MEDU is an organization who gives medical care to the refugees who have traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles, often on foot, and occasionally on boat or trains. Refugees often arrive in Oulx with skin infections such as scabies, open sores on their feet, complications from pregnancy, and even polio or blindness.  We met and visited with some of the refugees whom MEDU was serving and helping.   Left:  Dr. Federica speaks with a refugee woman at the MEDU clinic in Oulx, near the French border Right:  Two refugee men in Oulx, one with foot sores needing treatment Oulx is not far from Courmayeur and shares vistas with France and Switzerland.  We we able to visit this beautiful city for part of a day before continuing to Switzerlan...
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May 18, 2023                                                          Becky & Bryan, in Padova, Italy, May 3, 2023 On May 2, 2023 we traveled to Como to close out a project with an organization, Banco di Solidarietà di Como,  who helps feed refugees, particularly Ukrainian refugees.  They are an all volunteer organization who work in the evenings to distribute food and personal items to help sustain the refugees.  Their logo is "Five Loaves of Bread and Two Fish."  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and to supply hygiene kits, school kits for children, diapers, and toilet paper.  The refugees themselves often help to deliver the goods to the 100 Ukrainian families and others in Como receiving help.       Becky & Bryan, with 2 Sister...
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