Ricardo

We must tell you about our new friend, Ricardo. Ricardo lives in Pescara, about 5 hours southeast of here near the Adriatic coast. He is in his 40s but is quite delayed in his mental development by some standards, but extremely developed in significant areas. For example, Ricardo speaks extremely good English. In fact, he said more than once when we were with him "I speak perfect English!" He made his choice to serve God a few years ago in the best way he knows how...he can't comprehend much of what is going on around him but he is able to read and understand the Bible and he shares something that has made an impression on him during the Sunday morning meeting.

Before we met him, he had heard there were an American couple coming and he could hardly contain himself. He couldn't wait to speak English with us. Once we were together, he expressed his excitement by breaking out in one of our patriotic songs during the evening meal "God Bless America", only it sounded more like "gode blezz amereekaaa" with his Italian accent!

We had to go to Pescara this week to have the little car we are using serviced by a mechanic that promised to fix anything that went wrong with it for no charge. While in the area, we were with David Butterworth and Pasquale di Pentima and met many of the Friends around there, saw the Petticiato (sp?) convention grounds, and were given fresh olive oil that had been harvested the day before. The road to the southeast part of Italy is literally where the mountains meet the sea...so many beautiful, fertile farmland full of vineyards, olive groves and plentiful crops too numerous to name here. We understand now why Italy has another name: 'Bella Italia'.