Would you believe it if we told you that there are HARDLY ANY kids ministry songs or Sunday school lessons in Italian? And that what little does exist is over 20 years old and expensive? That dance videos to Scripture songs are virtually nonexistent? Do you have the same look of shock on your face that I did when I found out!? Più Forti is a project that aims to provide FREE Italian resources to kids and kids ministries that are Biblical, excellent and fun! We are proud to share that we’ve just completed our first Italian kids CD! It has 10 songs with 10 different styles based on 10 Bible verses…something all [even parents!] can enjoy…and it’s 100% FREE!
Kids ministry lessons and dance videos for each song are in the works! We’ve got 5 down and have 5 to go! Our desire is 1) To draw kids to Jesus through knowing His Word and encourage them to glorify God with their own creativity, 2) To equip Italian churches, camps and outreaches with free Biblical resources and 3) To break down barriers with our generosity and build bridges between denominations in much divided Italy. We hope when you hear the songs and see the videos, you’ll catch a passion for these sweet Italian kids whose hearts are discouraged because so little exists to point them to Jesus.
“In funding this project, you are not only giving us the ability to distribute this content for free, but we pray and believe you’d be helping a shift happen in Italian Christian culture. Showing kids the joy and beautiful fragrance of Christ when, sadly, most of what they know of Him is stern rigidity.” – Denae Downs (Missionary in Italy)
Project Più Forti
“Più Forti,” in English: “We Are Stronger,” is a project by Denae Downs and Mick Taras.
What started out as a Scripture song with a silly video to encourage our kids during lockdown [9 weeks where you’d be fined if more than 150 meters away from your home!] soon turned into , “Why not write a bunch of scripture songs and make a CD and dance videos so others can use and enjoy them as well!?”
When Mick (an Italian national who produced music in LA for 30+ years) moved back to Italy and reached out to Denae about helping with the project, the songs were launched into what they’ve become.
One year later, the CD can be found on every streaming platform and we’ve finished recording 5 of the 10 dance videos for each song, creating something in Italian that, as the Italians we’ve talked to have told us, has literally never been done before. The Lord has truly done above what we could ask, think or imagine, even unexpectedly, in this project.
More than 150 people have freely given their time, energy, talents, and resources to bring this project this far – and we are not done yet! We continue raising funds in order to hopefully see the completion of the music videos, corresponding Sunday school curriculum, and mail distribution of children’s ministry packets and CDs to over 1,400 evangelical churches throughout Italy.
Maria
native Italian and Sunday school teacher at the Assemblies of GodMaria told us, "Thank you so much for this project," and then when she found out we were doing all of this for free, she said, "For free!?" with a photo of an astonished goldfish's face, and then "Do you know that every time I want to do something with or for children, I have to pay a lot? I could cry. Thank you for your project! Thank you!"
Hope
American missionary in RomeAs a missionary in Italy for the past 20 years, I can wholeheartedly attest to the very real and constant challenge we face when it comes to finding good/any resources in Italian for reaching and ministering to the hearts of kids. So what do we do about it? We get creative, like my fantastically talented friends have. What a wonderful, and much needed tool this project is to encourage and plant seeds of God’s Word into the hearts of little ones that they can keep with them for a lifetime. It is a beautiful thing to see God raising up talent to provide resources to missionaries and Italian churches that will spark change in a dry and thirsty land-all while having fun! If there was ever a project to consider helping reach its goal, I would personally (and selfishly) say choose this one!
Amy
American married to an Italian with 2 kidsI play scripture songs for my kids every morning, and have prayed for years for them to have some in their own language because there is nothing in Italian like this! God has heard my cries and used my amazing friend Denae to do it!
