A Night in the Big City

There I was. 12 AM on a Thursday morning. Freezing temperatures. Wind mixed with rain. Standing on top of a bridge. God only knows where Dublin suburb. That, my friend, would be the problem. I literally had no idea where I was. 

20 minutes previously I'd gotten the last train from Dublin headed to Donabate. And here I was, no longer on the train.... Frantically phoning my team mate in Donabate, Courtney, (whom I was supposed to be spending the night with). Trying to not panic. 

At long last she answered the phone. "I think I got on the wrong train from Dublin.... (ever the dumb blonde), I need the number for a cab!" (Thank God, she'd gotten us to take a cab back at Christmas, or else I probably would have tried walking...) Poor thing, Courtney texted me 2 numbers. 

"Hello? Yes! I need a cab to Donabate."

"Ok. Where are you?" 

...."Port..mar...nock..."

"Where?"

"Port-mar-nock". 

"I'm sorry, where?" 

D*! 
"PORTMARNOCK!"

"Oh! Ok... yeah that'll be 40 minutes." 

"...Grand. Thanks"

40 Minutes? I don't think so! 

So I phoned the second number Courtney gave me. 

"Where are you?" 

....

(Do they seriously not have a tracking device they can use to find where I am?)

"Port...mar..nock"

"We'll have a cab out for you in 10 minutes." 

Win! 

So, thus you find me at midnight standing on a bridge. Waiting for a cab. Not in the least bit suspicious. 

The thought hits me as the cab pulls up, and I climb into a warm, safe car, yet feeling very sketch at the same time; in the past week I have spent significant time in 3 cities, 3 countries. 2 time zones. " Who is this girl? Is this real? Is this really my life?" 

The story gets better. Remember how I'd thought (hoped) I'd gotten on the wrong train? Turns out, I was on the right train. Just got a little eager-beaver and hopped off too soon. Truly the dumb blonde. 

Courtney told me the next morning as I was explaining what-a happened that she was already in bed asleep, when I called. Further more, sleeps with her phone on silent. (Now, panic starts to hit. What would have happened if she hadn't answered? I had no plan C!) Thank you Jesus though, she had her Fitbit on, and because it's connected to her phone, it picked up my call.

So now, on to Belfast and pretending this never happened! 

Mission to Westerners

I recently read this book called “A Wind in the House of Islam”, by David Garrison. A rather tricky book to get into initially. But by the 4th chapter it finally picked up. Each chapter was about the 9 different rooms of Islam in the Middle East, and how God is moving. Really, it was exciting to read. Exciting to learn how God is moving and to read some pretty radical stories of people coming to faith.

The book goes along a little with the work I’m part of in Belfast. Ministering to Somalian Muslims. Actually the book was recommended by a couple of people that run that ministry. All in all, it’s exciting and “natural” to be part of this ministry. Easy reading books like “Wind in the House of Islam”… Wanting to be a part of what God’s doing in the middle east. It’s right to want to go and be a part of God’s work there, if that’s what He’s calling you to do. God commands us to GO into all the world and make disciples of all nations. And if that is the calling He has placed on you to do than you’d best go! 

But as I was sitting on the train this past week headed back from Dublin, reading “Wind in the House of Islam”, excited about what God was doing and wanting to be apart of it. I looked up from my book and out the window. The scene before me was classic Ireland. Green pastures, with stone fences, hills, sheep, dark ominous clouds, sunshine. Unlike in Alabama, there is no humidity, so the view was not disrupted by a haze. It was so crisp and beautiful. Literally took my breath away. 

It seems so obvious when you say you’re going to the mission field for people to think Africa, India, South America. It’s easy for me to want to be a part of the Belfast City Mission. I only have to go as far as the Serge webpage to the home screen and see a picture of white people playing with black children. It’s obvious from this picture who’s the missionary and who’s being ministered too. The summer I spent in Scotland with Mission to the World, they told all the interns after we got back at the end of the summer that they were going to pick from our experiences one teams story to be put in their quarterly news letter. Naturally the team that went to Ethiopia was picked. 

And yet, what about the people of Northern Ireland, Protestants. Most of them have grown up in the church. They know all the right answers, chances are they’ll even be at church Sunday. But do they have a personal relationship with Jesus? The same is true in Alabama (in the south). We grow up going to church, doing all the “right” things, but when push comes to shove….. 

I guess my question in all this is where is the mission field? Is it Africa? Or China? Or South America? Or India? Or somewhere in the middle east? Or… is it just wherever you are right now? In the church you’re part of (or not), or the neighborhood that you live in….? Or is it (as is the case for me and my fellow missionaries in Ireland). Simply coming alongside a minister in a church in Europe or the UK, being part of winning people to Christ in just the hum-drum boringness of everyday? 

On the mission organization’s webpages wouldn’t it be better, or just as important, to have pictures of people that you can’t tell who’s the missionary and who’s the “project”? You know, like an undercover “missionary”. Like what we’re supposed to be doing everyday of our lives as followers of Christ. Or is it simply that we want success stories? Being a missionary in Europe or just being an active member of a church in America, means that’s a commitment for the long whole, that’s slow and possibly very discouraging.

Christmas in Northern Ireland

Christmas. Man! Has it really just come and gone? I literally feel like I was just FaceTimeing my sister, chatting about Thanksgiving and discussing Christmas being about more than just traditions. 

Soon after this conversation, I embarked on my first ever journey of making and sending Christmas cards. After making at least 60 cards, I've decided that in 2 years I might take up a side business of selling hand made cards on Esty. Between now and then though, I've already started planning how I'm going to do next years......

The first of many cards

Soon after this project was started, and long before it was finished I got to head South for a team Christmas party south of Dublin in Gory. Where I got to meet most of the rest of my Serge team. It was a bit odd showing up on someone's doorstep that I'd never met before. Had no idea what they looked like, and honestly could't remember their name. Thankfully I was able to go down with Courtney, a fellow apprentice who's a year ahead of me in the program. 

Courtney and I, on our bus journey to Gory

After a fun weekend in Dublin, it was full swing into Christmas here at Ballykeel for the rest of the month. Between extra visits to older people, school play practices, then the actual plays! December saw the break for the season of Good News Club and Bible study. 

The Ballykeel Primary 4 and 5 Christmas play, at Ballykeel Presbyterian Church (standing room only!)

The youth fellowship got the honors of decorating the church hall, followed by Christmas games and food.

 

The Youth Fellowship at Ballykeel Presbyterian Church

Like the over achiever I am, (or just the American I am), I decided to make Puppy Chow for the last YF of the year. You know, peanut butter and chocolate melted together, mixed with Chex cereal, topped with powered sugar. Super easy to make, amazing tasting!! Had not realized how American it was till it did not fly with the youth, due to a strong dislike to peanut butter. Which was unfortunate because it uses a whole box of the Chex  meaning.... what ever was I going to do with the leftovers?? 

Puppy Chow

Providentially, Marty (the minister) was wanting to go around to all the local shops in Ballykeel, (there's about 9 shops just within a quarter mile of the church) with a wee Christmas note and a box of sweets, just to say "thank you". Having too much Puppy Chow turned into a surprise blessing. I was able to just put a little of the chow in a bag and tie a bow around it and... to-dah! A little Christmas "thank-you". 

The McNeely's have a tradition of going to see the Ballymena Chamber Orchestra Christmas Concert, (it's the only Christmas tradition that's not connected to the church, so they can actually just go, enjoy and leave again). I got to be a part of this tradition this year!

At the Ballymena Chamber Orchestra with Joshua and Martha McNeely

There was also carol singing and then 2 carol services the Sunday before Christmas. The carol singing was probably my favorite! About 20 people from the church came together the week before Christmas, and we went to the shut-ins and the old people home, singing Christmas carols to them. After which we all came back to the church for a wee cup of tea and mince pies. 

Then there was Christmas in Belfast with the Somalians. Which included a traditional Somalian meal (chicken and rice) after the last English class for 2015. And then helping in the disruption of toys for the Somalian/refugee kids (a bit like Toys for Tots in the States). 

The back of my little car literally loaded and ready to bring the hope of Christmas to some refugee families.

As much as I was blessed through all this, it did make me wonder.... what does Christmas mean to a Muslim? Is it just a Western tradition? The tradition of presents, giving gifts is a beautiful picture (reminder) of what God did in giving us Jesus. But if you're not a Christian; then does the tradition of presents just become a worldly, materialistic tradition? As much as I loved being able to bless the Somalian families this Christmas, (forgive me if this sounds wrong)but if we're not actually telling them about Jesus, and the reason we were giving them gifts, then what was the point? 

That said though, at the end of one of the English classes, Luke, one of the teachers, gave a little lesson about Christmas, trying to explain the difference between secular and religious Christmas.... Just trying to explain for them Christmas. In the middle of Luke's story of the nativity, one of the lady's got up and did her prayers. I don't think she was following along with the story of Christmas enough to be offended, it was just time to do her prayers. 

After a crazy day with Somalians, there was the Christmas Market in Belfast that had to be "officially" experienced. (I'd gotten a wiz-through tour before Thanksgiving, so that totally didn't count!)If you're ever in Belfast during the Christmas season, the market is a must do! They totally played up the whole Germany thing, so it's a bit corny. But dude! It's a Christmas Market, it's supposed to be German! And the food... plan on eating while you're there. Or at least getting a coffee. 

The Christmas Market in Belfast, in front of the City Hall 

My friend Laura that made sure I had a proper experience of the market

A couple days before Christmas I got to escape Ballymena for 24 hours and go to Portrush with the McNeely's. Julie took me to see my first movie in Ireland while up there. (Which also happened to be a Christmas movie, win!) 

Martha taught me how to play Narnia while we had a tea party

On the way back to Ballymena the next day, I got distracted by this view,

Dunluce Castle 

so instead of driving distracted, I actually pulled over and had a rare tourist moment. Next stop, Giants Causeway! 

Christmas started Christmas eve. This was the first Christmas Eve in ages that didn't find me going to a Christmas eve service. (But it was the first Christmas that did find me in church on Christmas day!) About 4 o'clock the festivities began with the opening of one of the grandmothers Santa sacks, which in included new Christmas jammies. In honor of new jamies (I was included in this tradition!) showers were next in order. Once everyone was clean and now appropriately attired, we had a pizza dinner and watched a Christmas movie (Santa Clause).

New Christmas jammies and socks, cuddled up with Martha watching the Santa Clause movie

I had heard it rumored that Christmas festivities were starting at 7 Christmas morning, so I set my alarm accordingly. At 7, I didn't hear anything, (which is not normal on a normal day, never mention Christmas!) So I rolled over, and went back to sleep. 2 minutes later Martha comes bursting into my room, telling me it's Christmas, I have to get up! And so commences my first Christmas in Northern Ireland. Shortly before 10 Marty's family came and we went across to church. After which we had mulled wine (no alcohol) and biscuits, then did presents. At about 1 we had dinner, (absolutely beautiful!). This was naturally followed by clean up, after which we all gathered in the living room to watch the Queen's speech. This was followed by a walk (of which I opted out of due to heavy mizzling)and opted instead for a nap on the couch watching Brave. Eventually we all gathered together again for pudding and coffee/tea (again, beautiful!). To wrap up the evening Julie and I watched to Christmas special of Downton Abbey. 

I was really touched by how loving everyone from the church was, as well as the McNeely's extended family was (and the McNeely family themselves!). I received so many gifts and cards! I even received my first care package from a church back home. I've felt so touched and loved by the people here (and at home)!! Thank you everyone that made my first Christmas in Ballymena so wonderful!

Merry Christmas from my Northern Ireland family!
Marty, Joshua (12), Julie, (me) and Martha (8)

Friendship

Just a few thoughts I've had recently regarding friendship. 

Looking at the friendship of David and Jonathan, a friendship that shouldn't have even happened. Jonathan was in line to be the next king, yet David was already anointed king. And yet "the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, because he loved him as his own soul. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt." (1Samuel 18.1-5) What strikes me with these verses is that it is Jonathan reaching out to David. Jonathan, the next in ling to be king, is reaching out to David, his rival. Jonathan makes the covenant, because he loved David as his own soul, Later in chapter 20, Jonathan proves his friendship by protecting David from Saul and aides in getting him away safely. Verse 41 we see them as they good-bye to each other, "and they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. Then Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, 'the Lord shall be between me and you and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.'"

Fast forward to 2 Samuel 9 when David asks in verse 1, "is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" Because of the convent that David made with Jonathan, David goes out of his way to Mephibsheth, the son of Jonathan. "Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, 'All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibsheth you master's grandson shall always eat at my table." (2 Samuel 9.10)

To me this is such a beautiful picture of the gift of friendship. two people that by the worlds standard shouldn't have been friends. Surely there as a clause in the covenant. (It was made before they were at war with each other). There was non of that here! Because God was at the center of the their relationship, (was the foundation of the relationship), Jonathan had the freedom to love David and put his desire to be king aside to truly love the Lord's anointed, even to the point of death. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends." (John 15.13-14)

I guess the question I want to ask after all this is; who can you befriend/pray for that by our social settings/cultures, we shouldn't befriend?

Strangely enough, I also have some personal experiences that go along with this a little. They really don't have anything to do with Jonathan and David, but rather the saying good-bye and moving country's and making new friends where you literally have no history together. You have to try harder. Fight for those friendships. If I had just moved states or city's, I'd just have had to start at ground zero with a friendship, but because I moved country's I'm actually stating at negative zero! So, I guess a little like Jonathan and David, I have to fight for friendships here. Fight the desire to just call it a day and go where I'm "known". Be intentional. And in the end (theoretically) my friendship's here will be deeper and stronger. (Not deeper than my friendships at home, I'm not saying that just deeper in a different way.) 

Praise God for His grace! Just like David and Jonathan, when God's at the the center of the relationship, anything is possible! 

So, hang on to your hat, and go be intentional!

Forgotten Love

For the Youth Fellowship girls night at the church, I volunteered to bake pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Because it's fall, and they're my favorite, and... enough said, right? 

The hitch came in though with canned pumpkin puree not being a thing here. Like... how am I supposed to make pumpkin muffins without pumpkin?! 

Randomly enough though Julie had been given a massive pumpkin just a couple weeks earlier. She doesn't even like pumpkin, so... what do you do with a pumpkin? 

Why, you cut it in half, gut it, bake it, skin it and puree it of course! And presto! Pumpkin muffins! Like no biggy.

Gutting it 

Baking those bad boys

Skinning it!

Pumpkin Puree!

Ta-da!! Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins! 

The real finished product

 Conclusion, why have I never made my own puree before? Never again am I buying the canned stuff! 

Not only were the muffins a success, the girl's night was too! 

The Live Hamster Wheel

The first image that pops into mind when people want to know how I'm settling here in Ballymena is that of a globe or a log. With someone running on top of it, because of perpetual motion they're able to stay atop. I however I am somewhere on the side, unable to ever quite get on top, because once the log is rolling, physics denies me the chance to ever get atop. 

Or the idea of a hamster wheel comes to mind. And with that the image of the human size hamster wheel at the City Museum in St. Louis, MO. I had the privilege of experiencing this wheel just weeks before I came to Ireland. It's a wooden circular structure that you stand up in. You have to kind of jump start it (literally jump to getting it rolling, then you just walk in a forward motion (or backwards if you're talented like that), going as fast as you want. It's the most bizarre feeling! You feel as though you are climbing up and up, and must surely be upside down by now. But when you finally come to a stop, you discover that you haven't actually gone anywhere! 

Somedays that's what life here feels like. 

Walking into the middle of a ministry is much like walking into the middle of a deep conversation. No matter how much I feel like I'm understanding here, there's alway something new that I have no idea about...

The Belfast City Mission, that I'm involved with on Thursday's, is much like a hamster wheel. Just as soon as I think I'm "getting it", something new happens. I actually love this aspect of Thursdays! A typical day involves me teaching English for about an hour and a half. Who the student is and if it's just one or two changes week to week. After that from 4-6, I'm in a different part of Belfast helping babysit school age kids so their moms can learn English.

In between these 2 ministries I have about 3 hours. The people that run this ministry know that I'm up there for the day, so they'll ask if I have plans for the afternoon. Since I don't, they will take me along with them to just have tea with one of their Saudi friends or I'll go along with someone to pick up a converted/undercover Muslim from the grocery store and go back to her house to have tea. Or, as was the case this week, there wasn't even an English class! Just a party with about 60 Somalians and food! So much amazing food. (Felt a bit like Thanksgiving!) So basically this week was helping with food prep from 10 in the morning, serving the food, and then cleaning up. About three o'clock I finally was able to leave. But not without first being volunteered to take 3 Somalians home. Thankfully they spoke enough English that they were able to direct me where to go! 

After I got them all dropped off and was feeling pretty good about myself, I suddenly remembered that I'm driving on the other side of the road in a "big" city. A city where they drive really close together and park even closer together. I found myself on a two-way street, but due to the parking on both sides of the road, it's really a one-way street.  All of a sudden, there's a rather loud clatter from my left side. It took a moment for me to register that that clatter was me hitting something (confession time!). Looking out the left side of my car, I realized my left mirror was gone! (Dying of embarrassment right about now!) All I wanted to do was cry or laugh, or... hamster wheel moment. I realized how exhausted I am - not only have I spent the morning trying to learn and understand Somalian culture, but I'm learning it through the Irish's eyes as I'm still trying to learn the Irish culture. 

After this exciting moment, I continued my afternoon with babysitting. 

Babysitting entails usually 2 adults (once there was 3!) and about 8 children from about the age of 13 all the way down. 5 are siblings, 2 are cousins to the 5 and the 8th is probably somehow related as well. The last month with these kids has been crazy town! One week I get to play football for 2 hours with the boys or another week is spent just doing math homework with a 9-year-old for well over an hour. The next week was just playing/consoling a baby while 8 children ran around completely and totally out of control! And mean while, somewhere in the building there's an English class going on. After all this, you're left asking "what's the point of it?" The point of all this crazy town is teaching the mom English so that we can share the Gospel with them! And if that means we have 2 hours of.... But their moms learn about Jesus, then it's worth it! I've heard so many stories about the Muslims just asking why we (the Christians) are being so nice to them.... They're noticing, they're thinking about it. 

I had this story all written out yesterday, and had written some prayer requests, but like the classic blonde that I am, I didn't save my changes before closing, and it was gone. So before I could rewrite this, I actually had to go back to Belfast to do more of the same babysitting. Which was a first time for me to do it on a Friday. Honest moment. I was not excited about it. At all. Just tired from all of Thursday's happenings and not ready to face crazy Somalian children again. But the guy that teaches the English class, Luke, was't sure anyone was coming to babysit.... So, I told him I'd come, so he'd have a "for sure" sitter. 

My prayer requests that I had typed out before I left, that no one saw, that were never "officially" prayed, were that I would learn how to balance ministry in Belfast with my ministry in Ballymena and Ballykeel, and find time for myself, without feeling guilty. And also that I would learn the Somalian children's names, because only being able to retain 1 name out of 9 is just not a good thing. And that I would figure out how to bring some structure and control. 

Yesterday (Friday) felt like such a break through! Personally, just seeing God answer some un"prayed" prayers. I felt, for the first time ever, that I actually had the kids' respect! (I'd never realized how important that was until I had it!) So yesterday was controlled craziness. I had literally 5 girls hanging on me for almost 2 hours, there was so much love happening it was incredible! And I was remembering their names! I'm not really sure how to explain it, but the crazy town had turned a corner of crazy out of disrespect to crazy out of respect. Does any of that make sense? Or am I just rambling?


In conclusion, yesterday was golden and God does answer the desires of our hearts (in case you, like me, forget that)! 

Learning What it Means to Live the Gospel

So there Marty and I were yesterday, in Belfast, just drinking tea and talking with a lady from New England called Elizabeth. Waiting for Stanley to come. Stanley, along with a man called Willie, run a ministry for Somalian refugees, (teaching them English). Eventually Stanley turns up, with two Somalian women. We're still just chatting, drinking our tea, very laid back, comfortable. Conversation turns to me and Elizabeth (who is one of the English teachers) asks if I have any experience teaching English. Thinking of Japan, I say "yes". Elizabeth then asks if I'm certified to teach English. No! (But I do have experience, that counts for something, right?) Elizabeth then says - in true New England style - "Well you have to be certified to to teach English!". Well... this just got awkward! Stanley quickly jumped in with the plan that I can just "assist" - conversation. Brilliant! (Mind you, this ministry is running on a shoe string budget and very few volunteers). 

A few minutes later I hear Elizabeth holler from a back room, "Jes! Your first student is here!" Wait, what? I have a student? That means I'm teaching? 

Sure enough, my first day and I already have a student! One-on-one, beginner, ABC's and very basic conversation. 

Afterwards talking to Luke, a volunteer that teaches beginner classes, he found out I was going to be there every Thursday - he got excited. Apparently there's another guy that comes on Tuesday (the English classes are Tuesday and Thursday), but they were in need of someone for Thursday. So, I'll be doing basic English in a one-on-one setting, (sometimes there might be 2)! The girl I'm going to be teaching is very quiet, reserved-shy. She's 24, and has 4 children. Talking to Willie afterwards she had to flee the country, but her children are still there. When Marty and I asked how that worked/why that was - Willie went on to explain very probably what had happened. It's no wonder that girl is quiet and reserved! 

Willie then went on to talk about the Muslim refugee's. So many of them are from such rural areas that they have never had the chance to hear the gospel. There are people who have simply denied Christ and there are people who have never even heard of Him. Those are the people that it's still our responsibility to "go" as Jesus commanded  and take the Good News to. That can be done just through teaching an English class - being relational, talking about Jesus. Not through preaching, just comfortable conversation as your being a friend to someone in a foreign land. 

I keep thinking about what Willie said, he's so passionate about showing the love of Christ to Muslim refugees! The timing on this, well, really and truly, God's timing is just amazing! I've been doing a Bible study on Monday nights with the church. This week we studied the Prodigal Sons, in Luke 15. There were 2 different types of people Jesus told this parable to; the sinners & tax collectors and the Pharisee's - the younger brothers and the older brothers. Tim Keller, in his sermon "The Two Prodigal Sons" makes a rather brilliant observation "The way you know that you are communicating and living the same gospel message as Jesus is that 'younger brothers' are more attracted to you than 'elder brothers'". You see, Jesus was always surrounded by the "younger brothers". If the church is made up of mostly "older brothers" we need to be able to accept the embrace the Father gives us when He pleads for us to join Him in the feast. To be free to run in from the field and welcome the younger brother home! To love and welcome the hard-to-love's. To know the Fathers love for us is such a way that we are free to love the "younger brother's". I'll confess I don't have a natural heart to see Muslims reached. I am the older brother. Praise God though, I'm still a work in progress! 

All this to say, I am very excited about getting to be a part of this ministry in Belfast, about getting to be part of something bigger than myself, and seeing what God is going to do in this next year.