It’s a four hour drive to Terni in Umbria to the Hotel Fontegaia owned by a special sister, Elsa and her 4 beautiful adult children, two of whom are married, who all live there with their 94 year old grandmother.
One son, Marco, is a regular pioneer and has joined the English group. We attend the meeting at 5.00 pm with him and although we are late and the security gates are locked restricting our access till the beginning of the Watchtower, we are able to stay for their Ministry School which follows. We have met Camparas from Macksville and their son Josh from Bethel at Fontegaia and it was lovely to have the afternoon, meeting and the most wonderful evening with them. We have dinner in the restaurant at Fontegaia that opens at 8 pm. Camparas are Italian and conversing with Elsa is easy for them.
Elsa provides a typical Italian meal for us without us having to order off the menu and she chooses the wine (motte bene vino). What food, what a cook!! Pasta first with local mushrooms that taste so different to ours and sauce that is a little ‘picante’ (spicy).After diner Elsa has hers and we cry together as she emotionally explains that her husband has died only in February. We can’t speak the language but we can feel her pain so we just hug.
Luke, her youngest, very handsome son, joins us. Luke’s passion is motorbikes and racing them. His father, Elsa’s husband was professional rider in the 70’s, managed a racing team and later owned his own team. Luke’s father also built the bike that Valentino Rossi won his first championship on. Luke grew up with people like Valentino Rossi around and had the ability and passion to ride himself. Luke explains that he was interviewed at the last district convention as he knew he had to make a choice between his riding and Jehovah. He has chosen Jehovah and Elsa is so proud!
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