Week 3: (June 30th- July 6th) Strabane

Hello, folks. So bad at keeping up- I do apologize. Thanks for your patience. 

(view from the road on Tuesday with Joe and Lauren)

The weather has been beautiful since Monday, July 1st- which is a miracle for Ireland since it is virtually rainy all day, every day! And when I mean beautiful, I mean 20 degrees Celsius  80 degrees Fahrenheit and completely sunny- NO RAIN! The locals tell me that they haven't had consistently beautiful weather like this since 2006!!!!! So most people are taking off work and enjoying the weather or going to the beach. Completely understandable for people never see the sun unless they go on holiday to another country. 

Well, June 30th, Sunday was a wonderful day at Richill Baptist in Derry. I was asked to play piano for worship with one of the member's sons, Adam, who played guitar because they did not have anyone for worship at the moment. Even though it was a bit on the fly and unorganized from lack of communication, we played fairly well and the service was enjoyable. The pastor of Richill, David and his wife, Elizabeth, gave me a lift back to Clive and Shelia's in time for lunch. Clive and Sheila's son, Craig, and his wife, Alison, and their children, Caleb and Micah came over for lunch. 
Very shortly after lunch, I went with Lauren, Chris, Jenna, Simon and Graham to meet up some other folks to go jetskiing. It was great fun! Afterwards, we all went back to Ally and Alison's house with Joe's take out and had tea (dinner).

(Ally and Alison)

(Simon's hand, Chris, Lauren, William, Damien, Jenna, Aimee)

(Claire in her inflatable canoe- it was cool)

(Aimee and I)

(Damien and I!!!!! NEW CHRISTIAN!!!! :D) 

 

(Me on the jetski!!! I wasn't very good but it was a blast!)

On Monday, July 1st, I went horseback riding with Lauren, Bethany and Clive on his horses, Misty and Shiloh. It was Bethany's birthday :) Alison, Craig's wife, and Caleb and Micah came down for a little bit to see the horses and ride them. It was a blast. 

Afterwards, Lauren and I talked for a while, then I went for a long ride on Clive's electric bike (not a motorcycle- a bicycle with a motor on it). Lauren came back over after tea, which was Shelia's homemade enchiladas. 

(Alison and Caleb on Misty)

(Bethany on Shiloh)

(Papa Clive and Micah)

(Sweet wee Micah)

(On Shiloh and receiving instructions)

(See you later! Going off riding with my Ireland dad)

(Lauren on Misty)

On Tuesday, July 2nd, I saw and played with little Timmy and Naomi Aiken for a few minutes before going to Derry with Joe and Lauren for the day. It poured. Typical Irish weather. But, hey, that's what makes this place so green. Then I had tea with Ally and Alison which was wonderful. We went to The Bridge for walking club and then returned to Alison's with Lauren to watch The Notebook. (I had never seen it before so we decided it was about time that I saw it.)

(Teaching Timmy piano)

(Coffee at Cafe Nero in Derry)

(Tea with Ally and Alison)

(Walking Club on Tuesday)

On Wednesday, July 3rd, I went off on another 2 hour excursion early in the morning. I went running, walking around, exploring some paths in Sion Mills. Later I went to Derry again with Lauren and Darlene, and after I got home, I made some cookies to bring to Damien McCrory's for tea. It was grand. 

(the ladies at the McCrory's)

(The McCrory's and I)

On Thursday, July 4th, Sheila and I went to Port Steward, Portrush, and Dunluce Castle. It was amazing. We had a great time talking and walking around. Then we had lasagna with the Cornells and afterward I played piano for Clive and Sheila. 

(East Strand, Port Steward)

(Port rush)

(Port rush)

(Port rush)

(Dunluce)

(Dunluce)

(View from Dunluce)

(Sheila and I)

On Friday, July 5th, I went to The Bridge with Nan and Damien, and we kept the place open for tea and coffee for whoever wanted any. Later that evening, a bunch of us went to tea at Jason and Alison Smyth's house. 

(Alison and Jason Smyth and their daughter, Rebecca)

(sunset view from their yard!)

On Saturday, July 6th, I practiced for worship with Claire and Kerry then a bunch of us got ready for a fundraiser 5k walk/10k run for Caring For Life, an organization that works with people to support them throughout their lives. Later, Clive and Sheila's oldest son, Niall came to visit with his wife, Debbie, and son, Gabe. The day ended with Niall and Debbie and I going down to Kerry and Stephen's for a few hours before heading back up for sleep. 

(the group for the walk/run) 

My friends, I will try to update you about Week 4 as soon as I can. Week 4 was in Letterkenny with Alister and Trudy Johnston. 

But, the next two weeks will be my busiest, so it may take a while. 

Week 5 will be in Derry working with Richill Baptist's Child Youth In Action team. 

Week 6 will be in Letterkenny again working with Letterkenny Baptist's Baptist Youth Evangelism team. 

Week 2: (June 22- June 29) Strabane

(This is Damien, Lauren, Claire, and I on Mount Errigal.)

I apologize for not getting this post out sooner. I will be posting Week 3 hopefully by the end of this week! 

Let's start where I left off.... 

June 22, Saturday, I worked on my blog and catching up. In the afternoon, I went to Omagh with Shelia and Kerry and her kids, Timmy and Naomi. 

June 23th, Sunday, I went to The Bridge for service in the morning and played with Kerry and Claire for worship. Joe Cornell gave a message that morning on the gospel message in Galations 2. I joined Kerry, Claire, and Kerry's family for lunch- it was quite lovely. Later, I went to Richill Baptist in Derry (another church that I will be working with in a few weeks) with Joe and Darlene Cornell to play piano and listen to Stephen Wilson's evening message on Haggai 2:20-23. I went back to Kerry's house that evening for the end of Fuse. 

(Lauren's last Fuse! 

Kerry, Jenna, Simon, Claire, Matthew, Damien, Stephen, Ally, Lauren, Alison, Graham, and Aimee)

On June 24th, Monday, Claire, Lauren, Darlene, Damien, Alison, and I climbed Mount Errigal!!! It was a blast! It was only half a mile high but the view was spectacular! Then, afterwards, I joined one of the small group bible studies with some of The Bridge members at Claire and Nan's house. 

(This is our group: Lauren, Claire, Damien, Darlene, and Alison- minus me)

(Me on the edge of the mountain on our way up!) 

(Mount Errigal)

(Damien and I enjoying the beauty)

On Tuesday, June 25th, I went to The Bridge for prayer time in the morning with a few of the members and then we set up deserts to celebrate and commemorate the Cornells. 

Later in the evening, I babysat Timmy and Naomi Aiken because Stephen had work (he is a firefighter and had a night shift) and Kerry and Shelia went to a teacher's desert night. 

(Alison, Claire, Lauren, and I at The Bridge on Tuesday)

(Nan and Claire Smyth and I)

(Shelia, my Ireland mum) 

(Three fabulous ladies full of wisdom and joy! Shelia, Darlene, and Nan)

(Joe and Darlene Cornell)

(Joe and Lauren Cornell)

(Joe and Shelia!)

On Wednesday, June 26th, I had a down day, so I walked through the fields, over two old bridges, and down by the river for some time of contemplation, reflection, and prayer. Then, after I came back, I played with the Aiken children for a few hours while their dad, Stephen, did some housework. I went home for tea (dinner) with Clive and Shelia and then joined them for their small group bible study at Jeff's house. I skyped my family when I got back :) 

(The rusty old bridge)

(IRA graffiti)

(The riverside)

(Serenity and quiet time) 

(Old stone bridge)

On Thursday, June 27th, I went to the Ulster American Folk Park with Shelia. It is a place that reflects on a past transition to America for new experiences and a new life. Later, I went out with Lauren and Jenna for some girl time. 

(Shelia in the weaver's cottage in the Ulster American Folk Park)

(the "American" side of the folk part after we got off the "ship to America)

(The "American" house the replicated what the immigrants would have lived in)

On Friday, June 28th, I went to The Bridge to help with the last soup lunch of the summer. So many people came and the time of fellowship was wonderful! Straight from soup lunch, a group of people from The Bridge went to ASDA (the equivalent of our Walmart in America) to pack bags. Here in Ireland, people bring their own bags or have to pay for a bag in order to promote recycling and help the environment. We went on behalf of a little charity called the Koram Center. The Koram Center is a counseling center, started Jeff Barr from The Bridge, for people with depression and mental illnesses. As we bag packed, we talked with the people who came to the store and told them about the Koram Center. Straight from bag packing, Claire and I went back to The Bridge to set up and do the youth night, Elevate. Afterwards, a group of us went to a movie. 

(Laura, me, and Isabel in the kitchen at The Bridge)

(John and his wife, Sinaed at the soup lunch)

(Soup lunch at The Bridge)

(Richard and his wife, Isabel and Laura and her brother, David)

(Damien, Claire, Alison, and Ally and I at the movie.)

On Saturday, June 29th, I went with Joe, Darlene, Shelia, and Clive to the induction of Stephen Wilson as the pastor at Letterkenny Baptist Church in Letterkenny. This is the church that I will be working at next week and be joining the Baptist Youth and Evangelism (BYE) team that is joining them July 20th through July 27th to help the church. It was very exciting and was very formal compared to Baptist churches in America, but Clive and Shelia told me it was casual for Baptist churches in Ireland. All I thought was that it was warm, lovely, and gospel-centered. Very enjoyable. 

BUT VERY IMPORTANTLY: DAMIEN BECAME A CHRISTIAN ON SATURDAY!!!!! Apparently, he went to the Cornells house and spoke with Joe- they read some scripture and prayed together. AND NOW HE IS MY BROTHER IN CHRIST! 

:D PRAISE THE LORD! 

But, friends, I cannot get over the beauty of this place. So green. 

But, there is much rain and depression probably because of the weather. As I stay longer, I start to see the quirks and details and my wonder-filled eyes see more with awareness rather than neophyte awe. Ireland is a country that is full of light laughter, good crack, bright beauty, and fun slagging, but under these blanket of beauty and good-naturedness are wounds from a long history of troubles, hard life, and wearying weather. 

(Alison and Darlene on Mount Errigal)

Continue to pray for Ireland with me. I have realized that though Ireland is not a country that often comes to mind when thinking of countries that need the gospel, it very much needs the gospel. 

Every country needs the gospel. Everyone needs the gospel. It will be EVERY knee that bows and EVERY tongue that confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is so easy to forget that though it does not seem as though some places are in as extreme situations as others, those places still have problems and still need people to minister to them as well. 

Ireland is being swept up in the liberal Western mentality where Christianity is a legalistic and political religion rather than a gospel of grace in faith of Jesus Christ our Lord. Or where it is hated. Pray for the growth in faith of our rising generations and that the Holy Spirit will move in the hearts of the people of Ireland.