News from Parma
During an earthquake in 1983,
the roof of the Methodist church
collapsed, destroying most of its
furniture. Last year, as a gift for
Noemi Falla’s ordination, our
Committee decided to help the
church in restoring the pews that
another church had donated.
Meanwhile we had gladly learnt
that the writer and friend Tobias
Jones (The Dark Heart of Italy and many more) and his family were going to
live in Parma. This is what Noemi writes:
The Jones family have proved a joyous addition to our community. From
the moment they arrived they immediately began getting in contact
with many members and sympathisers of the community, inviting them
to dine with them at home, getting to know them and making friends.
Together with a young woman of the Protestant community the
Jones’ have organised monthly activities with the youngsters of the
Parma Church [Italians] and also those of my other parish of Mezzani
[Ghanaians] getting them to get to know each other thus encouraging
reciprocal integration, while also helping them learn a bit of English,
given that the Ghanaian children speak in Italian and also in Twi [a
Ghanaian dialect]. The Jones’ also teach Bible stories through arts and
craft, games, movies, music and sport.
The Jones’ also participate in a Prayer Group [in Parma] held bi-
monthly followed by a supper, and on occasions Tobias has also led
the group.
Tobias has also organised a table soccer tournament between young
Ghanaians from Mezzani and Casalmaggiore [ the other church of
which I am the Pastor] and some from Parma, always with the aim of
encouraging integration and mutual understanding. We hope that there
will be other matches in the future.
Tobias’ wife Francesca, a native of Parma, is now employed as a social
worker in the Humanitarian Corridor Project of the FCEI [the Italian Evan-
gelical Churches Federation], the Waldensian and Methodist Church and the
Catholic community of St Egidio. In practice it is a legal entity to enable the
most vulnerable refugees to arrive in Italy. [Nowadays this means mostly
Syrians coming from Lebanon]. In fact on Tuesday 26 June a Syrian family
arrived who now live in the old Manse above the Waldensian Church in
Mezzani. Francesca’s job to aid the integration of the family in the Mezzani-
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