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TL;DR: These are the memories of a new, still-wet-behind-the-ears missionary to Italy. Our first nine months as cross-cultural missionaries were among the most exciting, baffling, amusing, and tearful months of my life. Many special people invested part of their lives in me, helping me fulfill God's call to become a foreign missionary.
In this e-book, Howard Culbertson relives his first nine months as a missionary in Italy. Its seven sections, including a preface and postscript, are filled with stories and reflections about what it means to serve as a cross-cultural missionary in Italy. It was originally published as an NMI mission book by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, now called The Foundry Publishing (ISBN 0-8341-0401-6).
I hope you won't be disappointed when you finish reading this book.
You see, it's really too early for me to write. I don't really have any great new insights to offer on missionary strategy. I haven't been here long enough to make valid evaluations of programs and emphases. Nor at this point do I have any marvelous success stories to tell of how the Holy Spirit may have worked in, through, or around my life to evangelize Italy. Why, then, do I write?
Well, these first nine months have been some of the most exciting … some of the most frightening … some of the most amusing … and some of the most tearful months of my life. For nearly nine months, we have been continually buffeted by newness. Every day has been almost a whole new world for us. But I know that the longer I'm here, the more that newness will wear off. And some of the most extraordinary things will become all too ordinary.
Of course, after another 12 months have passed, I will see things differently than I do now. So, I'm writing today to preserve that fresh rookie point of view. Here, then, are the vivid memories of a new, still-wet-behind-the-ears missionary.
I also write to say “thanks” to the special people who have invested part of their lives in me. My story is, in part, their story. I've written this to help them share the excitement of these first few months. This book is dedicated to:
Well, I guess I'd better stop there and get on with the story. I imagine you picked up this book to read about missions and not about all the people in my past. … [ Continue reading ]
—Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu
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