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 Switzerland to visit the Temple in Bern, for which we had received permission..

  

 

Left: Becky, in Courmayeur, in NW Italy, near Mt. Blanc, and the Swiss border, 5.23.23

Right: Courmayeur, from the rooftop of our bed & breakfast, 5.23.23

This was a delight and high point of our month.  We were able to once again meet Pres. and Sister Weidmann, the Temple President and Matron of the Swiss Temple. We had stayed with them at their home in Switzerland in 2007, when we picked up Paul from his mission.  We also saw a former missionary from our mission, Melina Weidmann, a niece to Louis and Esther.  After our time in the Temple, we spent part of a day in Lucerne and Buochs, Switzerland.  Soon after our return to Italy, one of our former bishops in North Ogden, Darren and Brigita Benson met us and spent a few hours with us, visiting Citta Alta.  In between these visits, we were constantly checking on our Humanitarian projects and contacting organizations regarding the projects that we have been working on.  

Left:  Becky and Bryan and the Swiss Temple in Bern, 5.24.23

Right:  Becky and Bryan, with Pres. Louis and Sister Esther Weidmann, at the Swiss Temple, 5.24.23

Horrible flooding occurred again in May in central Italy.  We went to the worst hit city, Faenza three different weeks to help with flood cleanup.  The devastation from the flooding was hard to believe. 41 cities were flooded, 23 rivers overflowed, 17 people were killed, and there were 281 mudslides. We helped do flood cleanup for 3 weekends, which was hard and tiring.  Almost every home, business, and church had mud about 3 feet high in front it, with another 6-9 feet high piled with ruined mattresses, furniture, books, photo albums, and all their belongings. On May 27-28 we helped at numerous homes and a church.  One method we used was "bucket brigades," with buckets full of mud passed every 1.5 seconds, passing mud from one person to another until they could be emptied.  This went on for hours, and was incredibly heavy and hard work.  About 210 members from Florence and other cities in central Italy, as well as 18 young missionaries and 3 senior couples helped greatly and accomplished much.  We also helped to squeegee mud and water out of homes so that the cleaning process could begin. We told some young missionaries, who were standing in about 2 feet deep of mud, and whose name tags had become covered in mud, to tell their mothers that their name is mud.  

 

Left:  3 young missionaries helping with the flood cleanup in Faenza, Italy, 5.27.23  Note nametags.                

Right:  Becky and Bryan, helping with the flood cleanup.  Note stacks of ruined items in front of every home.

Two weeks later, on June 17-18 we again helped various homes, care centers, and churches clean and dig mud out.  People tried to salvage what they could, but most of their belongings were lost forever, and they will need to start over.  One man we met, Paolo, age 72, worked for 40 years building a tire business.  In a matter of minutes, the flood destroyed all he had.  He told us that he didn't know if at age 72 he could start over.  Becky had made brownies for the missionaries helping us, and she gave some to Paolo.  He was so grateful.  He had some heavy duty hoses, which he let the volunteers wash the mud from their boots, shovels, and other tools.. Though not as many volunteers came the  2nd weekend, much was still accomplished, despite the the work being very hard and tiring.  It is inspiring to work alongside those who are willing to give up their own needs to help others.

Left and Right: Mud and ruined personal belongings in front of every home and business in Faenza, IT.  

May 27 and 28, 2023, following flooding in 41 cities, with 17 dead and 23 rivers flooding.

June 2 we were able to work with Young Adults in the Milan East Italy Stake to put hygiene and school kits together.  These were donated to Terre des Hommes, one of the many organizations we work with who help refugees from Ukraine.  These Young Adults worked quickly to assemble 400 kits.  The next week we delivered the kits to Terre des Hommes in Milan, along with the Stake Communications Director, Monia Vismara and a senior missionary couple, the Miles, who work with the Young Single Adults.

Young Single Adults help assemble kits for refugee women and children from Ukraine, which were donated to the organization, Terre des Hommes to distribute in NE Italy, in Udine and Gorizia.  Activity in Milan, 6.2.23.

We were blessed by a short, but wonderful visit from Daniel and Eduardo Grossmann, the son of David Grossmann who Becky taught on her mission in Brasil over 50 years ago.  It was a delight to show them the work we are doing and share a tiny bit of Italy with them..

From Becky:  Sunday, June 18th while we were eating with the volunteers in Faenza, I received a text telling me of the passing of my Uncle, David Wirthlin.  He is my dad's youngest brother and he and his wife, Anne, have kept our family close these many years.  My heart was broken, as I had so hoped to see him again after our return.  I know that he has had a glorious reunion with my dad and the rest of his family on the other side of the veil. David and Anne have blessed so many people through their years of selfless service.

 

Left: Becky & Bryan, at Santa Maddalena, north of Bolzano, on our 50th Wedding Anniversary, 6.19.23

Right: Becky & Bryan, at Lake Carezza, in NE Italy, 6.20.23

While on missions, the days come and go.  It just so happened that our 50th Wedding Anniversary was Monday, June 19.  We were able to visit the incredible Dolomite Mountains in northern Italy.  Some of the magnificent and stunningly beautiful places we visited were Santa Maddalena, Seiser Alm, Lago di Carezza, Cortina (where the 2026 Winter Olympics will be held), Lake Dobbiaco, and Lake Pragser Wildsee (one of the gems of Europe).  What a beautiful and memorable way to celebrate our 50th anniversary.  On our honeymoon we went to Banff and Lake Louise, and this celebration in Northern Italy was certainly at least as gorgeous, if not more.  We were in awe at the beauty wherever we traveled.

   

Left:  Becky & Bryan, at Lake Dobbiaco, in Northern Italy, 6.20.23

Right: Becky & Bryan at Lake Pragser Wildsee, in Northern Italy, 6.20.23

We worked on Humanitarian projects in the evenings while we were gone, and since returning, have worked non-stop.  Two days ago we turned in a new project to assist with prescription medicines and healthcare items for refugees, who are served by 5 organizations in Northern Italy.  These different organizations have volunteer medical doctors who will give the medicines to the refugees as they are needed. The project will be a joint venture between the Church and Banco Farmaceutico, and will assist refugees with needed medicines that they could not get otherwise.  It will be a very good project.   

Becky and Bryan, with Leaders of Banco Farmaceutico, in Milan, to work out a project with them for medicines for refugees that are served by 5 organizations in Northern Italy.  Project will be voted on by our leaders on 6.26.23.  

Our work with young missionaries is also a highlight.  Every transfer (6 weeks) we are asked to visit 7 missionary apartments, and help inspect, learn of and purchase items needed, do repairs, and suggest ways to keep organized. Some missionaries do an incredible job of keeping their apartments clean, and others need a little encouraging.  Yesterday we bought a fan for some missionaries in Bergamo, as it is getting warmer. These young missionaries have given up two years of their lives to share the message of Jesus Christ and the restoration of His Church.  They are remarkable youth giving of themselves to help others.

Missionaries from the Verona Zone, at Zone Conference in Padova, IT, on 6.16.23

At our Mission Zone conference a week ago we were reminded by Sister Wood to be a life long disciple of Christ. To be a disciple of Christ we must: 1) Be humble and obedient, 2) Rely on the Savior, and 3) "Remember."  Remember the Savior.  Remember your covenants with Him. Remember who we are.  Each one of us is a son or daughter of God.  

Becky, in Santa Maddalena, above Bolzano, in South Tyrol, on our 50th Wedding anniversary, 6.19.23

We are truly grateful for the time we have spent in Italy.  We have but a short time left and will will always retain part of our hearts here in Italy.  We still have another month of work to do, and look forward to being with the people and organizations who serve and help the refugees.

We send our love,

Bryan and Becky Gerritsen                                                                                                            Alzano Lombardo, Italy