Buon giorno!

It is Thursday afternoon and we are 3 1/2 days into camp this week. The heat wave rages on in Mestre. Yesterday was incredibly hot as it was 95 degrees at 7:30 pm last night (Wednesday).

Tuesday afternoon camp went extremely well and kids responded well despite the heat. They are well hydrated and we have squirt bottles that are used regularly on the kids. It helps to revive them for a bit until the next water break. But they have handled this adversity really well, as have the coaches. After all, it is still just as hot for them.

The ladies played a game Tuesday night against a pretty strong female squad. It was an intense and physical game but well well played. The Push The Rock ladies came out on top in the end but not without a valiant fourth quarter comeback by the Italian team. There have been bumps, bruises, sore muscles and upset stomachs along the way. Please pray for great health and a strong finish to our time here. There have been a few other injuries along the way that we are trusting the Lord to heal soon.

As I mentioned earlier, yesterday set an Italian record or heat, and boy was it hot!!! But again, the kids and the coaches persevered and we made it through a long day. We mixed things up in the morning and had a 3 v 3 tournament, which the kids thoroughly enjoyed. We spent the afternoon at the pro gym having lunch with the kids and spending some non-basketball time with them. The pro basketball club, Reyer, had one of their top players come and talk to the kids, answer questions and sign autographs while our team broke off for an hour together.

We went back to the courts and played 5 v. 5 with the kids for two hours. The kids really enjoyed it and had a great time. It was pretty amazing last night to see all the parents that showed up to see their kids. There was quite a crowd as we closed out the day, prayed and sent the kids on their way.

Today (Thursday) was another great morning. It has not cooled down much, but there seemed to be more of a breeze this morning. We had a great camp this morning with the 65 kids that are showing up regularly. The most telling thing about our time together thus far this week has been the questions that the kids are asking every day. They continue to probe what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ. Every day several kids pose similar questions to our coaches in public settings, meaning everyone has a chance to hear the question and the answer. It has been fantastic ... shows they are listening and paying attention. So we praise the Lord that they are learning more about basketball, but more importantly, that they are learning more about Christ!

Thanks again for praying. There may be one more update before we head home Sunday morning. If not, you can expect to get something by Tuesday of next week. Thanks for praying for us and I would ask that you would continue to do so. We have 1 1/2 days left with these kids and we want to finish strong!

Tonight the ladies have a game and then tomorrow evening the men have a game. Also, tomorrow is the last day of camp, so be praying that the kids would come wanting more ... only Jesus satisfies!

Saturday is a 3 v 3 tournament in the city and we have entered 6 teams. There should be teams from all over the region, which should be lots of fun. The team is looking forward to the ministry opportunities that will exist there.

Ciao!