Street Pastors - Belfast

For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men..... 

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 

1 Corinthians 1.25,27 

It must be pushing 1 o'clock in the morning. I'm feeling very abominable snowmanish for all the layers I'm wearing. Trying to stay engaged in conversation while keeping an eye peeled for empty glass bottles. My contacts are starting to try out and all I can think about is a warm bed or a hot cup of coffee. 

We walk past a rather popular night club buzzing with people just out to have a little fun tonight. There's a girl engaged in an animated conversation with a fellow. She's taken her shoes off and is just wearing socks. I walk over and try to politely interrupt their conversation so's I can ask if she wants a pair of flip-flops. She says no. My desire to just walk away is overpowering as I ask her again if she's sure, I don't want her stepping on glass... either because she wanted me to leave or because she genuinely changed her mind, she took a pair of flip-flops. "Save 'em for later" I said as I handed them to her, and tried to make myself scarce. 

As we moved on from the club to a quieter part, I found myself breathing again. 'This is what the night scenes is Jes, what are you doing here?' I ask myself as I pray for God to use me, and keep me open minded. 

Just then an intoxicated, young, married man out on the town with his wife, comes up to our group. He puts his arm around me and asks me something but between his accent and slurring, and being just slightly distracted with a drunken man that close to me I can't understand what he's said. Another of the girls on the team with me translated by answering his question saying, "there's a good pub just up there". Why did I have to have a moment of paralyzing fear that kept me from engaging with this man further by just asking him to repeat the question? Even with his arm around me, he was harmless. 'God, seriously, what am I doing out here?" 

A little while later we pass another couple walking away from a bar. She was barefoot. One of the guys in my group asked her if she wanted a pair of flip-flops. She asked if we were serious? Yes! Please! She didn't want to wear heels, but her boy friend had insisted, saying "she looked sexier in heels, than boots". But now her feet were killing her. As I helped her get the flip-flops on; she told us how much she "seriously loved us!" Who knew that a pair of cheap flip-flops could make someone's night. 

Later we came across a group of kids, that looked to be somewhere between 16 and *18 years old, just out to have a good time. And from the looks of it, they were have a good time. Just a group of happy drunks. But the girls in the group were all barefoot. I obviously can't do anything about telling these kids to go home, but I can help these girls protect their feet. As I'm asking the first girl if she wants a pair of flip-flops, she asks if I'm serious and then tells me how much she loves me. Another girl wants to pay for her pair, "no love, they're free". Yet another girl asks if she can give me a hug, followed by her asking for a second hug. Hugs are one thing I can do! In my mind though 'love, just get home safe!'. After being told in five consecutive rows how much they seriously love us, they went on their way and we ours. 

Now it must be pushing 3 in the morning and my feet and hips are hurting from all the walking and standing. I'm struggling to keep my wits about me and pay attention to what's going on around me. As far as the bottle count is going we're up to 30 glass bottles collected and binned. It's been a quiet night, just by that count alone. The leader of the team is about to go ahead and call it a night. I'm trying to not get too excited when she says "we'll just do one more round."

On this last round we come across a homeless man. One of the guys stops to engage him in conversation. The man asks for a cup of coffee. I'm given a tenner and told to grab two of the guys from the team and go to McDonald's. After retuning to this homeless man, I give him his cup of coffee. I'm surprised by how young he is and wonder why he's out on the street. Thankfully one of the guys on my team ask the man that very question. Turns out he is Lithuanian, a fisherman by trade. He came over on a boat, fishing. But when the season was over, so was he. 

After this, we head back to the base, where we have a little debrief about the evening and find out how the other teams got on. 

As I colaspe in bed, I'm struck yet again by the goodness of God. He certainly doesn't need me to take care of His people out in the streets. But He invited me along, showing me how He is glorified by my weakness. 

Street Pastor's - the church out on the streets 

*Please note that the legal drinking age in Ireland is 18

Chips!

Have you ever just had this craving for something? 

That was me last night. I literally had the worst craving for some chips. Not the fish, just the chips. With salt and vinegar. Now I'm not talking about those fries you get from Burger King or McDonald's. Those skinny pieces of potato fried in oil, delivered in a cup ranging in sizes small to large. No I am referring to chips. Big and fat. One size, a whole brown bag! (I mean if you're going to have a heart attach, you might as well do it right and go all the way, right?) With the option of not only getting it with salt and vinegar but the possibility of getting it with EXTRA salt and vinegar! Or if you're feeling adventures, you can get it with curry sauce or cheese. Or if your from Northern Ireland, you just order mayonnaise with your chips and your as happy as a lark. 

For living in City Center now, it's amazing how hard it is just to find the littlest things like a Chipper (a fish and chips shop). If you want coffee, there's a coffee shop on every corner. If you want beer there's a pub for every coffee shop. If you want ice cream, there's at least 10 shops. The same can be said for pizza, Chinese and Mexican. If you want to have a nice sit down dinner, you've got options. But if you just want a simple fish and chips, for take away.... you might just be out of luck! 

Thank goodness for sketchy-Turkish-hole-in-the-wall-kebab restaurants that not only sell kebabs, but sell chips! 

Strangely though, they didn't put any salt or vinegar on my chip. Or maybe not strange, as they weren't Irish. Maybe the strange thing was that they had chips at all.... 

But seriously though, what does one do when they just need salt and vinegar? Well obviously, hide the evidence of the chips in your bag and walk into Burger King and ask for a couple of packets of salt and vinegar.

Yes, that is what I did. 

Worth.It.

Woman Up!

After an exceptional past 2 months here in Ireland, weather wise, I was rudely awaked to the reality of living in Ireland this morning while rowing up and down the River Liffey. The reality is it's wet. Which by itself is ok, but it's also cold. But no worries, I'm not made out of sugar, so I'll not melt. Because apparently just as rowing is not a lady's sport, (it is a woman's sport), so is living in Ireland, not for the weak of spirit. Woman Up!  

With the coming of Autumn and colder, wetter weather; is also the coming of becoming more familiar with Dublin City and more established in ministries. (!) 

Just last week I got to go home to America for my big brothers wedding in Colorado! Leading up to leaving Ireland there was excitement to see my family again for the first time in 9 months, but there was also an element of fear. Because generally speaking, it's a bad idea to go back to something as familiar as home while in the midst of a transition. But with confidence I went back to the States and a week later came back to Ireland. 

       
          

I think that was my fourth flight from the Sates to Dublin and it was by far the easiest. Just with landing in Dublin I felt like a girl on a mission. I knew how I was leaving the airport (what bus I needed and where it was) and I had a bed waiting for me to take a nap in. Going through costumes was also the easiest it's ever been. (I literally didn't say anything to the guard, just handed him my passport and my visa and he handed them back to me, sending me on my way. No words exchanged!) 

More than all that though I came back optimistic. Even though I still don't "feel called" to Ireland. I know this is where God wants me. Yes, I'm feeling restless, but regardless of where I am, I would feel that way. So my prayer is that I would be faithful to be here, fully. Be intentional and not hold back from loving the people around me. 

I've started attending a Baptist church called Grace Bible Fellowship Church. Right in City Center, about a 20 minute walk from where I'm living. It's a very international church, which I was needlessly hesitant about in the beginning. It's also beautifully multigenerational. Not so many young people my age, but that's where I get to come in. I'm getting plugged in with the youth. That's on a Friday night with youth group, then Sunday school on Sunday's. The youth group is pretty special, open to 10-15 year olds with junior leaders, 16-18 years old helping. After starting with games, someone does a teaching then we break into small groups. The junior leaders are paired with an "older" leader for this. I'm paired with a  girl called Harley. 17 and half, in her last year of school. Super easy to get on with! I'm ridiculously excited about the possibility of a friendship with her outside of church, as well as just leading a small group with her. Please join me in praying for this relationship. 

This past Sunday I participated in my first Sunday School with the 15-18 year olds. This is something new at Grace, as most kids at that age stop going to church. So I'm excited that a couple of ladies really saw this as a problem and are envisioned to change the way they do Sunday school in order to keep the older kids coming. So, like I said, I'm excited to get to be a part of this. Already though they've given me the reigns to run with it this Sunday (pray!). It's very humbling. The kids though, actually wanted to be there and were enthusiastic. And were totally cool with me coming along with them to get coffee and hang out with them. Please join me in praying that that continues! That the 2 other leaders and myself are able to shepherd these hearts and they would desire to know God this year, and it this would just be stepping stones for the rest of their lives. 

I'm also part of life at the YW. Which comes with it's ups and downs. To a certain extent I feel at a disadvantage because I'm not a student. Most of the residence here don't know anyone else here besides class mates and other fellow residence. I on the other hand do know other people, like, I have a life outside of the Y, which is sadly not true of any of the residence. Except for the RA's (resident staff), who are Irish and whom I've become friends with. 

Just last week I was chatting with one of the RA's about how 

unenthusiastic I was about being in Dublin (that whole restless spirit thing) and just through that conversation, she really convicted me (without even knowing it!) to be intentional here at the Y. Which was my plan originally, just lost incentive or something. But after that conversation I really felt to Lord prompt me to be faithful to not only pray for 3 girls I've become friends with here that aren't Christian, but to also be their friend. Then the obvious question is, how do I be a friend to these girls? As there are loads of ministry opportunities here at the Y, but evenings are also when a lot of my other ministries are happening, so pray for balance and energy for all! And as I change my normal body clock of early bird to night owl. 

But God has also brought across my path other girls that are Christians. One girl I "happened" to eat dinner with last night. I don't even know how we got on the subject, but turns out she's a Christian and hasn't been able to find a church here, and I was able to invite her along to church with me on Sunday. Wait, what?  

And now I must go woman up! *wink *wink Till next time! 

All my love. Xx