Welcome to Ireland the flight attendant said as we disembarked the plane. Culture shock came quickly as my squad and I walked onto clean sidewalks, passed white people, and felt the fall weather on our faces. After five months in Asia, I felt like I was entering Heaven. We jumped into a bus and then a train to our new city for the month, a small coastal town called Coleraine. The cobblestone streets were lined with cute thrift stores and coffee shops calling my name. We marched from the train station to our house behind a parade of bagpipes and Irish pipe bands, and were greeted with a pizza party once we arrived.
We met a man named Hutch who was eager to take care of our squad and welcome us to Northern Ireland. This man was one of the greatest blessings we had last month and went out of his way to love us though buying meals, and encouraging us. Our home in Ireland felt like a five star resort, with beds, warm showers, wifi, and meals cooked daily by some of my teammates. I went to bed feeling more at home than I had in the last seven months.
We began our ministry the following day, working at a church called Causeway Coast Vineyard. I remember walking into that church on the first day feeling like I was walking into my church at home. The women in the front office gave us hugs, showed us around, and made us some tea. We had some sessions from the pastors who talked about the vision of the church and some of the ministry opportunities we had for the month. I was really excited to hear that the church had a lot of exciting things happening including a huge community yard sale and craft show, a movie night, vacation bible school, street evangelism training, a women’s ministry tea party, and an event for senior citizens.
Over the next month, I was able to serve at those events and several other community outreach projects including Celebrate Recovery, doing yardwork at appartment flatts for homeless people, and volunteering at a vintage thrift store that the church owned. Each day that came opened up more opportunities to grow and make friends and very soon this town and the church became my home.
We would work hard during the day at our assigned ministries, and in the evening, we would be free to experience Northern Ireland and have fun with our friends. I made two close friends, Becci and Paul, and in the evenings we would go to the beach, eat icecream, listen to Irish music in pubs, or take a ‘dander’ (a walk) around the coast. They would teach me Irish expressions and I would practice them with people we met along the way. They stole a huge part of my heart and made leaving Ireland last week one of the hardest goodbyes on the race so far.
It was a beautiful month of falling in love with the work that God was doing in Ireland and amazing people that I now consider family. It honestly felt like I was at home for the month.
One of my favorite moments from the month was on a Sunday afternoon when the church blessed our squad by organizing host family lunches. The squad was divided up into church member’s home’s and we each got to have an afternoon with a family for a homemade meal. Two of my friends and I were invited to a couple’s home named James and Gillian and they prepared an amazing meal. They listened to our stories, encouraged us, and made us feel so at home and comfortable. When I went home after that meal, I called my dad and actually cried on the phone telling him about it. There is something so special about feeling welcomed and at home when you are so far away.
I will always look back at my month in Northern Ireland with beautiful memories and I can not wait to return again someday. Thank you Causeway Coast Vineyard for loving us and building us up for the rest of the race. Thank you Becci for the beautiful clothes that you gave me and welcoming me into your life from the very first day. Thank you Paul and Sam for the many good times at Port Stewart and for the icecream memories. Thank you Ben for being the most encouraging person I have ever met. And thank you Hutch for the burritos, barbeques, adventures, and groceries. I love each and every one of the beautiful people that made Ireland in August something I will never forget.
Tomorrow, my squad and I will be journeying to a small village in Romania called Dragonesti. We will not have internet for the month, but I will be writing and will give updates on the amazing things that God has done at the end of the month. Please pray for safety for the squad and that God would open up doors for us as we serve there.
Abby- can’t believe its month nine already on the race.
