After more than 30 hours of travelling, I arrived in this Italian working town on the Mediterranean Sea, Rosignano.
Never in my wildest dream did I know that I would wake up to this siren on the first morning.
"Lord, no way!" I thought to myself "You gotta be kidding me! Not this again!"
It really got me.
Then I had a second thought. What are the chances? You go to a random place on this vast planet, and some random soda factory uses a not-so-random air-raid siren as their working bell. Not a war zone. Just a Tuesday morning.
I said to the Lord, "You really have a sense of humour!"
Arriving Heavy
I came here with little expectations but quite a bit of baggage - pun intended. I don't think I'd completed my grief from Ukraine. I actually immediately regretted booking the flights.
I said to the Lord, "I'm tired. I don't know anyone there. I don't know if I'll sleep well on this long-haul flight. I don't know if it's all worth it!"
But look what I got in only three weeks.
What I Received
Here I encountered something I wasn't expecting. Not just a programme, but people. People who welcomed a stranger carrying invisible wounds. Who made space at their table. Who listened when words came slowly.
They taught me that healing doesn't always come through answers. Sometimes it comes through shared meals. Through quiet moments. Through someone simply saying "morning" like it matters.
Each conversation. Each prayer circle. Each time someone asked, "How are you really?" These weren't small things. They were lifelines.
They didn't try to fix my grief. They just walked alongside it. And somehow, in the middle of saying goodbye to one heartbreak, I found myself saying hello to hope again.
Not Enough Time
Now I'm saying to the Lord, "I'm running out of time. I wish I could get to know them just a little more. I'm really sick of saying bye to another bunch my heart is drawn to."
Saying goodbye is never easy for me. Every relationship matters. Every connection leaves a mark. That's just how I'm wired.
But for now, I'm just grateful. Grateful that God's people are everywhere—even in places where sirens sound like grace.
What's Next
I'm usually a quick decision-maker. I have a strong desire to return here and serve on this loving base. But I also acknowledge there are other things that might not align with God's desire and will. And I've been constantly travelling since leaving Ukraine. My body and spirit are quite drained.
After much prayer, I've decided to return to Australia on 26th October and spend time being still with God, seeking His will for my next journey. In fact, I'm aiming for a 40-day fast to seek clarity on this.
I would like to stop, listen, wait.
I would deeply appreciate your prayers during this season.