My time in Ireland is drawing to an end, its sad and good all at once.
I've been living with my team these last two weeks in a home all to ourselves, in a place called the Backend of Nowhere. Its a beautiful place with a big back yard and we are surrounded by cows and sheep. This month has been full of blessings and moments of real stretching.
While here I was able to serve with Discovery Church and really felt like a member of the community they have built here. I spent most of my work days painting living rooms, bathrooms, hallways, and doors. In doing that I got to share Christs love with some pretty cool older people. I was able to serve the church in helping with their Sunday school with my team. I got to be a puppet named George and use him to sing songs and help tell the bible lesson. It was a fun time learning to use the puppets and work with my team to make it look good and still bring the point of the bible story to the kids. I also got to be a part of their healing on the streets ministry this past Sunday. After church we were treated to McDonalds for lunch and then headed to the shop street of Galway to set up the sign and hand out a leaflet about what we were doing. At first I really had a crappy attitude about handing out a flyer to people. Then a lady from the church came up to me and said, "maybe just hand them out and not say anything?" So I felt I could at least say hello while handing the people a flyer. So with an attitude adjustment and a prayer for divine appointments, I started just smiling and saying hello and giving anyone who would accept the flyer one.
I got to talk with 3 different people that afternoon. All three were so very different! The first lady I got to talk with had been to our church that morning and was visiting Galway. I was able to pray with her with my teammate Ashley for her job and if she should stay, that she would be able to follow Gods leading. The second lady I was able to talk with was just burdened. I met her eyes and just felt sorrow. I was able to pray with her with Pastor Paul. As we prayed for her we just asked for the burdens to be lifted and that she would be filled with Christs love and Joy. It was a great priveledge to pray for her and she will continue to be in my prayers and I hope yours as well. The last person I spoke to was a man. At this point I was handing out flyers by myself with the others only a few steps away. He started to ask alot of questions and then as I tried so hard to answer and follow his line of thought I just felt so overwhelmed. It really got to deep or theological for me. With a silent desparate prayer for help my teammate Mikala was at my side. The man left almost as soon as she was by my side. I felt like I had let down God, the church and my team after that. I turned into Mikala and just had her hold me for a moment. We walked over to the rest of the group because it was time to tear down and get going. Someone asked how did that go? I just started to cry and unload all my feelings of dissappointment. Two wonderful moms held me and spoke truth over me in that moment. I was told that no matter what my words were or weren't it was in Gods hands and that I have a gentle spirit and with that comes the need to be strong in it. I'll find out about that more I'm sure.
When we finally got home that evening and had team time our leader Lindsay asked how we thought it went with healing on the streets. I told the story of the man and my feelings after that encounter and again had truth and life spoken over me. Apparently I was being watched by the girls and during the whole conversation I looked peaceful and full of light and just calm and ok. I did Not feel that way! It had to have been God the whole time! I'm just glad that all that came out was good and not any kind of fear or uneasiness.
I've learned alot about myself and more about who God is and just how much He loves me and His people. I don't really want to leave Ireland, the people here are to good to me and I love the way they love. Jesus is here in Galway and he is loving on the people here. Jesus is also in next month and every month after. I will be serving in L'viv Ukraine next month at Bethel House. Somethings we might be doing are, wait for it, PAINTING! And maybe a softball camp, gardening, english classes, or kids ministry.
So I'm getting ready to say see you later to my new family here in Galway, preparing my heart to leave this beautiful house in the Backend of Nowhere, and go forth to serve in L'viv.
I've been blessed many times over while here in Galway and I thank Abba for this time of being filled up and stretched and loved in my messiness.
Thank you all for walking with me on this journey, for your prayers, and for all the comments and emails!
I hope to make my next blog just pictures… at this point I haven't gotten any onto my computer. I will fix that asap!
Much Love, Mary
