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April 2002
Warm Spring Greetings from Rome!
The last year has been filled with many agonies and ecstasies.
Visualizing life only as a state of perfection would leave us
unable to comprehend the incredible growth that can be found in
the depths of struggle. So as we enter our sixteenth year of missionary
service we find ourselves still grappling with that which first
compelled us into this kind of commitment—reconciling the
wonder and joy of our faith amidst the suffering, strife, and
discord of the world around us. This seems to be the hallmark
of interfaith dialogue, as we seek to find those things that bring
us together despite our differences.
World events certainly impact Confronti’s ability to continue
some of the programs we’ve endorsed in the past, since clashes
in the Middle East have reached crisis proportions. It has been
with heavy hearts that we have continued to have to dialogue from
afar, supporting and trying to encourage our many friends in Israel-Palestine
who work ceaselessly for peace at the grassroots level. Despite
the turmoil we’ve been able to continue the “Seeds of
Peace” program, which brings pairs of Israeli/Palestinians
to Italy to speak throughout the country, relating their work,
the reality of their situation, and their hopes for the future.
One of the most profound statements made during their visits was,
“The land doesn’t belong to either of us. We both belong
to the land and we must find a way to live peaceably together
on it.”
Sarajevo, the siege, the ethnic cleansing, the war, the international
help, and the reconstruction became the focus of one of our travel/study
seminars in the last year. Participants came away with a deeper
knowledge of Bosnia’s history, the relationship between the
various communities (both religious and political), as well as
a new understanding of a rich pluralistic and inter-cultural country
that is hard at work rebuilding.
“Seeds of Peace” expanded its borders to Kosovo. As
in Bosnia, coverage of events there by the media has fall off
and many non-government organizations have pulled out. Confronti
(with funding provided by the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.) has
initiated multi-ethnic educational activities for children in
partnership with various centers there.
It has been said that the youth of today hold the promise of
tomorrow, and Confronti is undertaking new programs geared toward
working for the promise of a future filled with greater understanding
and cooperative living through youth exchanges. Participants in
two programs, “Flowers for Peace” and an exchange between
Ireland, Italy, and Palestine are scheduled to take place in the
next few months.
We may have mentioned the migrant and refugee service that is
in the same office as Confronti under the Federation of Protestant
Churches in Italy. Because of its proximity, we have often been
moved in our observation of the constant flow of immigrants through
those offices, and the realization that many of the people are
seeking asylum from war-torn countries. In His infinite wisdom,
sometimes God chooses the oddest paths to help us identify those
whom we seek to serve. Such was the case last summer when Italy
changed its laws and we had to get new visas. We then discovered
what all the people passing through the offices next door must
go through to stay in Italy legally. After a long and complicated
process we finally made our way back to Italy, but increased awareness
of and concern for Italy’s hard line toward immigration and
foreigners living among them. We wonder what other countries will
decide not open their doors to those in need. Xenophobia, anti-Semitism,
neo-fascism, racism—are all on the rise in Europe. The events
of September 11th serve to exacerbate the fears that feed such
sentiments. Yet no amount of “security” will ever guarantee
us that such atrocities will never occur again. There can never
be peace without justice. Isn’t it only through turning our
attention toward God’s model of justice that we can find
security? We may not always be optimistic about the possibilities,
but as Christians we can certainly be hopeful!
On a personal note, our family is growing! Malia became engaged
to Will just after Christmas, right in front of our apartment
on one of the most romantic bridges in the world, the Ponte Sant’Angelo!
Their wedding will be in August. She is also graduating from California
Lutheran University in just a few days, followed by graduate school.
Will is a blessing and a wonderful addition to the family!
Travis and Jaime continue to work and study full time. We were
really in awe of their tenacity when we visited them during our
home-leave, and saw the incredible energy it takes to sustain
both work and school full time, along with church, sports, and
social activities. You can get a glimpse of their life, activities
and artwork on www.dmocean.com
Our activities here in Rome continue much the same, with Michele
still in school and Terry involved in Confronti’s Web page,
translating selected articles (www.confronti.net), arranging the
various programs, travel/study seminars, and engaged in interfaith
dialogue through conferences and other activities.
One note of concern we must share is that the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) has been encountering some difficult financial times.
Sixty-six jobs were cut from PC(USA)’s national staff a few
weeks ago, and there may be more to come. Pray with us that God
will help us find creative ways to deal with the situation, and
that the church’s ministry will not be hampered as a result.
If you’d like to help financially, please see the box below.
And now to “Him who by the power at work within us is able
to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to Him
be glory…” (Eph. 3:20).
Grace and Peace,
Terry and Michelle Finseth
The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 87
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