Ministry & Family Update — The Dorigo Family

“ Count it ALL joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

James 1:2-4

This season has brought a mix of joys, challenges, and even some suffering. Through it all, we’ve felt God stretching and shaping us, and we’re learning to trust His purpose in everything He allows. We encourage you to take a moment to read the financial needs section, as it’s an important part of this season for us.

Family Update

Adrien has had a difficult year with a demanding schedule, long travel, and an injury that has kept him from playing all season. It hasn’t been easy, but it has led to meaningful conversations about trusting God’s plan and living with an eternal perspective.

Rinat has also struggled at school, both academically and in motivation, and is working through challenges in his faith. We would really appreciate prayer for him.

Ruzanna is growing up quickly, and we see a desire in her heart to know Jesus. At the same time, she is strongly influenced by what’s happening around her at school and with her peers, and she’s wrestling with motivation to pursue her faith more deeply. We’re praying for the Lord to stir that desire and draw her closer to Him.

Sitora, who was baptized in September, often spends time reading her Bible and journaling and has moments of real hunger to know God more. Yet she also finds it challenging to live out her faith when many of her peers are culturally “Christian” but do not have a relationship with Jesus.

We would appreciate prayer for all of our children, that they would trust the Lord, know Him deeply, and remain firm in their faith even when they feel alone in their spheres of influence.

As Parents

This season has been stretching for us as we balance family life, ministry, and the many relationships God has placed around us. We’re grateful to see how He continues to sustain and shape us in each area.

McKenzie’s mother was recently diagnosed with cancer and it has been especially difficult, particularly being far away and unable to be close to her and family during this time. We were very thankful that our sending church helped us return home for Christmas, giving us precious time together.

Andrea’s mother is also in a very fragile state in a nursing home and nearing the end of her life. We would deeply appreciate prayer for peace, wisdom, and understanding as we walk through this season. God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, but we don’t understand why He won’t bring her home to be with Him.

We would especially value prayer for balance, strength, and time together as a couple, and we thank God for the endurance and grace He has already provided.

Church Life

We’re excited to share what God has been doing in our church community. Recently, our leadership team gathered for a workshop where we spent time digging deeper into what it means to be a church on mission. A community of believers who are discipled to make disciples, with a heart for multiplication and a balance between caring for one another and reaching outward.

The conversations were encouraging and continue as we prayerfully seek God’s direction for next steps. We sense that the church is growing not only numerically, but in relationships with one another and with the Lord. Our desire is to be faithful stewards of what God is building among us as we serve our community, disciple well, multiply, worship in unity, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as we abide in Christ.

PI Area Leadership

We’re thankful for how God is at work across our area. In Tuscany, a new team leader is now caring for the units in Pisa and Florence, and we would value prayer for unity, clarity, and direction as the teams continue to grow and serve in their different contexts.

There is also another PI missionary unit serving near Milan, though not directly part of the Tuscany team. We would appreciate prayer that they would feel connected and supported within the wider PI community and continue to thrive in the ministry God has given them.

The Persson family in Trieste is settling in well, learning the language, and engaging in church life. Please pray as they search for a suitable apartment closer to where the church meets.

We would also appreciate prayer for a woman who will be coming to Florence for a vision trip. During her time there, she will spend time with one of our team units and receive mentoring. Please also pray for a couple who will be coming to Italy to look at potential areas where they may come and serve. Pray that God would guide all of them, lead those walking alongside them, and make the time fruitful and encouraging.

Please also pray for Andrea as he helps lead this area, for wisdom and pastoral discernment as he supports and shepherds the teams. We’re also beginning to plan a summer area retreat and would appreciate prayer for God’s guidance as plans come together and as we work to arrange needed childcare.

Spheres of Influence

We continue building relationships in our everyday spheres of influence, especially through creativity and sports.

McKenzie has been spending time doing creative things with people regularly, which opens the door for meaningful and spiritual conversations. She’s also recently started leading the visual artists course again, which will run for the next three months. She would appreciate prayer for fresh inspiration, as she’s felt somewhat blocked creatively in her painting.

Andrea continues coaching and is being stretched as he encourages and leads the kids with hope and vision. Though it can be challenging at times, God is using those relationships and shaping his sense of how this could grow in the future, even through possibilities like summer camps that could deepen connections, provide mentoring opportunities, and offer some financial support for our family.

These spaces, creativity, soccer, and even the horse barn where McKenzie helps twice a week, have become part of our mission field. Because we don’t work traditional secular jobs, these are the places where we are daily building trust and relationships, and where God gives us opportunities to share our faith over time.

We would love prayer for these relationships and for the many friendships we’ve been investing in for years, that God would continue drawing people to Himself and using us to be a faithful witness in each of these areas.

Financial Needs

We want to share honestly about a season of increased financial pressure and ask for prayer. We have several significant expenses ahead, including major home maintenance, Adrien’s braces, recent repairs on our van, high heating costs, and rising grocery and fuel prices. In addition, we have been required by our Italian employer to increase the amount of support we raise in order to maintain our current level of income. This doesn’t mean an increase for us but rather that more support is now required to sustain what we already receive. Our goal and hope is to be able to increase our support by at least $2,500 per month.

Monthly Support

This is stretching our faith in a very real way. As we look ahead, we know that without an increase in support over the next couple of years, we could find ourselves in a difficult position.

Would you pray with us about this? And if you feel led, we invite you to consider increasing your support or sharing our ministry with someone who might want to partner with us. Even though we aren’t able to travel to the U.S. right now to raise support in person, we trust that God can open doors and provide in ways we cannot plan ourselves.

We are deeply grateful for those of you who already support us. Your generosity, prayers, and encouragement sustain us more than you know. And we are thankful for any additional support the Lord may lead you to give, in whatever capacity that might be, whether through prayer, encouragement, or financial partnership.

If you’d like more information, we’ve outlined some specific details about our short term upcoming expenses. If you feel led to help with any of these needs, please let us know.

  • Home maintenance $3500

  • Van repairs $2000

  • Adrien’s braces $2000

  • Heating costs $1500

Thank you for taking the time to pray, to read, and to walk alongside us as we continue serving where God has called us.

Praises

• God’s sustaining grace and faithfulness through a stretching season

• Growth and meaningful conversations with our children

• The gift of going home for Christmas, made possible through our sending church

• Encouraging momentum and growth in our church community and leadership team

• PI area leadership and continued team development across the region

• Opportunities to build relationships through creativity, soccer, and daily life

Prayer Requests

• Adrien, Rinat, Ruzanna, and Sitora — faith, protection, perseverance, and spiritual growth

• My mother — healing, peace, and strength during cancer treatment; comfort for our family while we are

far away

• Andrea’s mother — peace and comfort; wisdom and understanding for our family in this season

• Our marriage and family — balance, strength, and meaningful time together as a couple

• Our church — continued unity, discipleship, growth, and Spirit-led direction

• PI area — unity and clarity for Tuscany teams (Pisa/Florence), support for the unit near Milan, and

housing for the Persson family in Trieste

• The Florence vision trip — God’s guidance and a fruitful mentoring experience

• Summer area retreat — wisdom for planning and provision for needed childcare

• Creativity and outreach — fresh inspiration for the visual artists course and continued fruit through soccer

relationships

• Financial provision — meeting upcoming expenses and increased support as God leads

YOUR PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT KEEP US GOING HERE IN ITALY AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR IT. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US.

CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY!

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