It began last year in July when I was fresh out of college with no plans and no idea what to do except to help people in anyway I possibly could. I looked at many trips and spent a lot of time praying about it. Eventually it was decided that I will be going with the charity Operation Mobilization (OM) on a trip to Ireland for a St Patricks Day Mission Outreach.
So last Saturday the 12th I left home and landed in Dublin where I eventually met my team. The first thing I noticed and made me slightly worried was that I was very young compared to the rest. I am only 19 and everyone I thought was much older. I was out of my comfort zone already but I had never been more ready. On the mini bus drive back to the house we were staying at in Co. Roscommon, I sat next to a girl and it became apparent that we both had a love for adventure and we wanted to get out of the mini bus and explore all the places we were driving past. After briefing, we headed off out for a walk and I fell in love with rural Ireland.
On Sunday we went to church to meet the team we were going to be working with for the next week. It was a tiny little church of about thirty or forty very lovely, friendly people, most of whom worked closely with the charity OM. Although it was small it was actually about average size apparently which is shocking. What is even more shocking though is that in a country that is so religious only approximately 1.5% of the population are Christians. After church we went out on the streets of the town Athlone to hand out leaflets and free teas and coffees on the charities Big Red Bus. It was my first time doing this and with no training it was an interesting experience but a good base to work from for the next day.
Monday was a glorious sunny day and so lunch was moved outside, but it was a full day of training. It was information overload going from 9:30am to 7pm with a few breaks. We covered topics like culture, Catholicism, the gospel, evangelism and safeguarding. Although it was a lot to get in a day, it was such good solid training. Very bible based and really encouraging. It was practice and amazing thinking about the 100% assurance we have in the cross of eternal life and it got me so excited to share it and I realized there was a real need for everyone to have this gift and that is what my job for this week was.
Tuesday was the first full day of ministry. We started off with a womens meeting in the morning where we were able to share our own faith stories and how God has worked through us and others in our lives. It was so encouraging to hear and relate to others stories. Then in the afternoon we did some more big red bus, and we were able to start putting some of our training into practice when a conversation arose about heaven and hell and after life. By the evening we starting to get pretty tired and the crazies started to kick in just in time for an evening prayer walk. We walked around the town stopping at various locations to pray for different things, like the catholic church, hospital and police station.
Wednesday was a very long day indeed. We started of bright and early with a bit more Big Red Bus in the morning and then Kids Club at the church in the afternoon. Then we had dinner and had a lot of hanging around to do at church till 11pm, so we watched a movie called War Room which was an amazing story about the power of prayer and it was incredibly encouraging and uplifting. Then 11pm came and we were out on the Big Red Bus again. Because St Patrick's day was the next day, most people in the town were out drinking so we were there giving out gospel tracts and free tea and coffee. It started off well, and a lot quieter than I expected, with a few interesting stories involving a penthouse glass window and the guy waving......hmhmm. But then then a few more people stated to get out and people were drunk. When a fight looked like it was going to break out and I was right in the middle I realized it was time to go back to the bus. So instead of talking to people I ended up praying the night away till 1:30am. It was an amazing chance to spend so much time talking to God and reading my bible and just as beneficial. I realized that what we are doing this week, we may not see any fruit but that is because it is just seeds that we are planting and we cannot know the depths of everyones hearts who read what we give them. We plant the seeds and God waters them till they grow. It takes patience.
Thursday - Happy St Patricks Day! This was an amazing day full of green and fun! We walked the Athlone Town parade. The Big Red Bus pushing us along and I was among the few to have the privilege of leading our float with the Irish flag along with a girl who was my twin on the trip. It was so incredible, there was so many people out and we carried a cross around the whole town and everyone saw that were a church that is Bible believing and do more than just Sunday services.
Now I am home. And I struggled to leave Ireland. It has always been my favourite country and I always hate leaving, but I am reminded of Gods faithfulness. He took me there and kept me safe, each and every time. I will go where he leads me. One day I will take Sam there but for now I am glad to be home in my own bed having had an amazing week learning so much about God and his creation and who is. He is a God who is loving, and all powerful and merciful, but he is a God who is just and who gives us this gift of eternal life, all we have to do is believe in him. I am so thankfully for the cross and that is something that hit me. How essential that cross is. And at the centre of that? Love. For God loves us.
Ephesians 2:8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
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