"Surely the Arm of the Lord is Not Too Short to Save" ( Isaiah 59 vs.1)

This story from the Milan, Italy church clearly shows God's tremendous love, grace and power as they reach across the world.

Acts 17:26-27
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. [27] God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

On a September day, after coming back from my holidays in Turkey I was feeling a void inside. I thought I would like to have someone near to me… a boyfriend. I had been single for many years but my life was nice and I had felt good most of the time.

While in Turkey a native of the village where I spent my holidays told me about Facebook and gave me his name to find him should I need information about Turkish music.I responded positively though I was unfamiliar with Facebook.

Coming back to work my colleagues also told me about Facebook and so being curious (like many women) I subscribed and looked for my Turkish friend. One of my colleagues stated looking for people with his (my colleague’s) last name and we started a sort of competition for finding people with our last name. Since my last name is Lombardi, I started looking for all the “Lombardis” in the world to collect them in a group I entitled “The Lombardis”.
I sent a lot of friendship requests and among them I found Nick Lombardi, who was a 17 year old guy from Philadelphia (and a disciple).

He continually wrote on his wall about God and religion. I was interested because while in Turkey I had spoken about the Koran with a Turkish guy who was passionate about God and the Koran. I found it interesting to listen to him speak about God and Mohammed.

So when I saw Nick writing on his Facebook wall with this love and passion about God I couldn’t resist sending him a message inquiring about the religion he professed. He accepted my request and wrote me about his faith and the things he believes.

A couple of days later I met him on Facebook chat and we started “chatting”.
We talked about God and I told him it was difficult for me to believe in God when something bad happened in life. Though I used to believe, I asked Nick why God permitted bad things to happen. I talked to him about one of my best friends who died suddenly the year before (2007), leaving behind her husband and two young children who loved her so much.
“Why”, I asked Nick, “Does God permits such things to happen?”

Nick was so encouraging as we talked about pain and hard times and the way God allows it to happen in order to help us. He spoke with me about the church he went to and he asked me if I used to go to a church. I told him I was Catholic but that it had been a long time since I had gone to church. I also told him that my friend who passed away had invited me several times to a church she and her husband were part of… but I always refused.

Near the end of our conversation he asked me where I lived. When I told him I lived in Milan he shared that he was just thinking of how he could help me. He wanted to invite me to church and knowing that I was Italian he was hoping I lived in Milan where there is a church. Incredibly, he said this could not be a coincidence. He gave me the website of the church in Milan and said goodbye.

After that conversation I called the husband of my friend who had died and asked him about the church. Amazingly it was the same church!!!! This was not a coincidence but was the working of God. I spoke with Nick in “Facebook chat” again and he told me it was God still calling me and searching for me. Through my deceased friend God was giving me another chance to listen to His call and purpose for my life. She had invited me many, many times and I continually refused her. Now God was calling me again through Facebook! I decided to go to the church.
I called my friend Giovanni and told him I would like to go to the church on Sunday. That was the beginning of October and after that first time I never missed.

The first time I visited it was very difficult and sad for me. I was thinking a lot of my friend and cried often that day. However I decided to study the Bible and on March 24 I was baptized and now I am a disciple.
It was so special and touching as my friend’s husband and her daughter were there with me. I was so happy because I was going to become God’s daughter and a member of God family and God’s people and be forgiven from my sins.

Now I feel so happy and light. My only regret is that I could not share this moment with my friend Elena and that I didn’t reply to God’s call some years ago.

Cristina Lombardi – Milan, Italy


Note from Annie Silipo (women’s ministry leader in Milan)

After Cristina studied the Bible and became a disciple God continued with his plans. After Giovanni's wife passed Cristina and Giovanni kept up their friendship. Their friendship grew and blossomed into a romantic interest. Today they are engaged and are getting married July 9, 2011.

Psalm 103:1-5
Of David.

Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
[2] Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits--
[3] who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
[4] who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
[5] who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.