We arrived in Dublin,
Ireland on
August 4th and spent our first night sleeping on the airport floor.
Not exactly the way I pictured my first night, but I’m on the world race and
that stuff is to be expected. The tile floor treated me well for about 3 hours
of sleep and then McDonalds was calling my name for a fattening breakfast. Not
too much time went by before I found myself back in the McDonald’s line for
lunch. Once an American, always an American.
When we got to the hostel that afternoon we found out that
Manchester United was playing the Ireland Airtricity League in the grand opening
of their new stadium here in Dublin.
Honestly I couldn’t have asked for better news upon arrival. I threw my bag in
the room and went straight to the store to purchase my ticket and of course an Ireland jersey
for the game. I got one of the last tickets available. I was living a dream of
mine and realized in that moment how great it was to be in Ireland.
We got back to the hostel to find an elderly man being
thrown out for being drunk and apparently wetting the bed. We watched for a
moment and then made our way up to the room. Jessica stood by the window and
watched as the man stumbled his way down the back ally. He lost his footing on
a curb and smashed his face against the cement. Jessica saw the man roll over
with his head covered in blood. Jessica, Rachel and I ran out there as fast as
we could with a roll of toilet paper that we figured we could use to clean up
his face. We sat him up against the wall and started asking him basic questions
to assess how with it he was after the fall. We learned that his name was
David. He also informed us that he had too much to drink which to us was not
breakthrough information. Once we got him sitting up and cleaned up, we
attempted to continue conversation to keep him conscious while a local called
for an ambulance. David had a rough day. He told us it wasn’t just that day,
but the whole year has been rough. Jessica prayed over him for freedom from his
addiction and that he may find purpose and hope in the Lord. I was then able to
look him in the eyes and share with him how much the Lord cares for him and
desires to know him. It wasn’t until I told David of the love the Lord has for
him that he started shaking his head in denial. He couldn’t believe that anyone
would love him in the state he was in. I just repeated over and over again to
him that he was the one God loves. The Lord calls him his beloved. That is who
he is. That is his identity. His identity is not that he is a drunk, but that
he is a son of the King. Just before the ambulance showed up David stopped
denying what I was telling him and showed a little smile acknowledging the
truth I was speaking over him. It was so good to see God breakthrough to him.
That made for a fantastic first day in Ireland, but I still had the game
at night.
The Manchester United game blew my freakin mind. The
atmosphere surrounding the stadium reminded me of college football game day
which was the best feeling in the world. We got into the stadium just in time
for the opening ceremony. Manchester
dominated, but everyone knew that was going to be the outcome. I had my first
Guinness in Dublin
at the game which was quite enjoyable. Overall it was a fantastic first day and
I couldn’t believe the Lord had me here in Dublin for the month to do ministry. The Lord
is good and continues to bless every area of my life.
