June 18, 2022

Greetings to each of you.  These past two weeks have flown by.  We have been able to visit a few of the projects that we have open to see how things are progressing.  On June 6 we had an amazing Zone Conference in Verona.  It is the last one we'll have with President and Sister Browning.  They are amazing leaders and are loved by everyone here in Northern Italy who know them.  We have been blessed to have served under them for the past 4+ months.  Our Zone meetings are mostly run by the young missionaries, the Zone Leaders and Sister Leaders.  They taught by example and had the missionaries roll play various situations.  The Assistants to the President also taught and did an excellent job.  We wish we had a recorder for Sister Browning's talk and President Browning's talk.  They were inspired and compelling. One other inspiring thing about our Zone Meeting was the musical talents displayed by the missionaries.  

Becky & Bryan, with Pres. & Sister Browning, at a Zone Conference in Verona, IT, 6.7.22

Last Tuesday we visited an organization called Banco Farmaceutico in Milan to check on a project that we helped with in supplying surgical masks, gel, and gloves.  They help many other organizations in obtaining necessary equipment re-purposed, unused prescriptions.  With the help of Latter Day Saint Charities, Banco Farmaceutico was able to help 494 Pharmacies and distribute 260,000 meds.  Approximately 99,000 people received help, including refugees from Ukraine and Africa.  Filippo, the director of Banco Farmaceutico, is a retired doctor and is a volunteer with this organization.

Bryan and Filippo Ciantia, of Banco Farmaceutico in Milan.  They collect unused medicines & re-distribute them to organizations that serve the poor and refugees.  Latter Day Saint Charities partners with them on projects.

Last Friday we drove to Vicenza where we met with a group called Fondazione AVSI.  Latter Day Saint Charities is partnering with them to help refugees receive job training, followed by an internship and then a permanent job.  Northern Italy is very industrialized and has many jobs available for those who are trained.  The young men in our project received training in high tech welding and carpentry.  We were able to meet one of the young men at his place of internship.  He works in a team and they are doing very well.  This particular young man is from Senegal (near Cape Verde), where he temporarily left his wife and son to find opportunities and a better life.  With these new skills and a good job, hopefully he will be able to bring his wife and son to Italy where they can make a new home together.

Mamadou, a refugee from Senegal, on the right, in job training & an internship in welding and carpentry, sponsored by Latter Day Saint Charities, and organized by AVSI.  In Vicenza, IT, 6.17.22.

On Sunday the 19th Bryan and I celebrated our 49th Anniversary.  At our church in Lecco, the Bishop we have come to love was released.  Bryan has been asked to serve again in the new Bishopric as 1st Counselor, partly to work with the Nigerian and Ukrainian refugees.  Former Bishop Dal Zatto and his wife had the new Bishopric to dinner at their home. It is a great experience to get to know our Italian brothers and sisters one on one.

  Becky & Bryan, in Venice, 6.15.22, to celebrate our 49th Anniversary.  

We are grateful to be serving in this beautiful country and to be meeting amazing people, both those who give their time to serve and those who are being helped.