Bryan and Becky Gerritsen in Italy

  October 28, 2022                   Becky & Bryan, at Santa Maddalena in northern Italy, with the Dolomite Mtns., Sep. 16, 2022 October has flown by quickly.  We have made visits for Humanitarian projects in Tarvisio/Ugovizza, Como, and Milano.  The need for help with refugees never slows down.  On October 10-11 we visited with refugees from Ukraine at the Italian border near Slovenia and Austria, with an organization we have partnered with, Terre des Hommes (TDH). Because of increased bombings in Ukraine by Putin, refugees from Ukraine have increased once again.  At this one Welcome Center in Ugovizza, 1 or 2 busloads of refugees from Ukraine arrive daily, along with others who have traveled by car.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints contributed an additional 1150 hygiene kits to TDH for Ukrainian women and children refugees in late August.  Within one month, they had distributed ove...

October 5, 2022 On September 16, central east Italy had severe flooding, caused by rains of about 17" in approximately 2 hours.   Little warning was given of the raging and rising rivers.  The flooding took the lives of at least 10 people in a relatively small area, and more were missing.   The property damage was devastating for many, as it  destroyed homes, farms, and businesses. Many farm animals drowned and orchards were destroyed.  The worst, of course,  was the heart-breaking loss of human life.                     Left: river overflowing, and cars flooded;         Right: Mud in front of and inside a basement that we cleaned This past weekend we traveled to Senigallia and Pianello on the Adriatic Sea, to help with clean-up, where much of the flooding was the worst.  Our colleague Humanitarian Services couple in Italy, Darcy and Peggy Guymon, were asked two weeks ...