Catch Up

Well, I think its been more than a year since my last news letter. My bad, everyone. Let me tell you, it has been a crazy one. 2019 held so many blessings and fulfilled promises that I could not believe. I became a permanent resident of the UK (no more visas, yay!). We finally built and opened our dream of a cafe/tattoo studio/hair salon/ministry location in Camden Town where we have been dreaming and working and ministering for 10+ years. I got married!!!! And have now been married for over a year to my wonderful husband Lucas. He is from Argentina, served with his family in missions in South Africa for 7 years, then moved to Norway by himself for a few years also in YWAM, which is where we met, before he moved to London. On to the updates...

As its all anyone is talking about, lets talk pandemic. 2020 was off to a good start, we had the biggest discipleship school lined up for March in the history of our base, and I think YWAM England in general, and then our good friend COVID came for a visit. The rest of this year we have spent learning how to teach online, how to mentor online, how to do ministry online, and how to reach out to our neighbours literally on a whole new level. But more than that we have been learning what our actual priorities are, what is deep in our hearts, why are we here in London, why are we doing what we’re doing? We had a lot of time to really evaluate and check our hearts, refocus and redirect. Not to say it hasn’t been rough. Our cafe had to close for 2 months, many people in our team lost their jobs, and we still have not been able to reopen the doors of our church. It’s been a tough few months. Last but not least, most of us contracted the virus. But you know what? We are resilient. As human beings, we are tough as nails. I have learned that I don’t have to give in to fear, that time is precious even when you have all the time in the world, that we are nothing without other people, and that relationships must become about more than just “hello, how are you, I’m good”. 

We are currently in the middle of a second lockdown. I am privileged to still be working, while Lucas is looking for work. We have started baking and selling goods in our neighbourhood, which is actually more fun to meet our neighbours than just making some extra money. The highlights for me right now is being able to still have our cafe open for takeaway, and still getting to see some of our regulars who come more for the relationship than for the coffee. One guy said to me yesterday, “I’m so happy you guys are still open, because even though the churches are closed, you guys have this like a church open from Monday to Monday!” And that is why we are here. That is why we keep going! To be Jesus to the people. We also still have a few schools running, semi online while we can’t move so freely in the city, but finally with all our students physically here in London. (Over the summer a lot of them were still in the home countries, calling in with Zoom.) Lucas and I are lined up to lead a seminar in January for leadership skills in urban settings, and an arts internship in the summer following.

Please keep us in your prayers, mostly for new ways to love and help the people of this city. A job for Lucas would be great, but we are not desperate at the moment, God is providing like He always has. 

Thank you so much for reading, and for you thoughts/prayers/words/love/support.

Peri & Lucas Agazzani