Sorry this is late y’all, I’ve had issues having/keeping internet the last week with travel days and transition.
The last week of our time in Ireland was spent with Dublin Christian Mission’s summer camps. 25 spirited 7-9 year old’s arrived to the campground Sunday afternoon for a week of sleeping in tents, games, crafts, songs, fun outings, and best of all to hear about Jesus. For many of them, this is their only ‘vacation.’ Our job was to love them to Jesus (and not lose them).
Now these girls are nothing like my sweet 7 and 9-year-old nieces. They are 7-9 year old’s with 16-year-old knowledge, experience, and life circumstances trapped in a 7-9 year old body with 7-9 year old brain/emotional/mental ability to process. The shows these girls watched, the music they listened to, the language they used made my 20-(something) year old brain uncomfortable. Structure or discipline for a lot of them were foreign words. Now don’t get me wrong… they are very sweet, very loving… most of the time…
But the Lord worked miracles that week!! After 2 weeks of cold, RAINY weather, we had almost an entire week of sunshine and warmth giving the girls plenty of time to run and play and go on outings (and burn off their energy/high sugar diet). THANK YOU JESUS!! And better yet, 15 out of the 25 girls gave their life to Christ during the week. I loved talking with the girls and seeing Jesus in them, in what they say, how they are processing Jesus in their lives. THANK YOU JESUS!!!!
It became ‘cool’ to get a bible and read it. Can you ask for anything better or sweeter? At any given moment there would be 5-6 girls, heads in the Bible. We had to drag them away from reading the bible to play the long awaited camp Olympics! Then, they began asking questions; first questions on how to find various chapters. That led to questions that I’m pretty sure I didn’t think about until I was in college. (Have you ever had to explain spiritual warfare/psychics/demons/ghosts to a 9 year old without giving them nightmares because the generalized flowery answer I gave them right away wasn’t enough?)
I just wanted to leave you with a couple conversations I had throughout the week:
Me: Why did you push her? You weren’t even on the swing or wanting the swing!
A: Because I wanted to (shrugging)
Me: But why? (I was a little baffled)
A: I just wanted to!
Me: Come sit and talk to me.
Me: Who is Jesus to you?
A: I don’t care who Jesus is because I don’t believe in God
Me: Whether or not you believe in Him, He does exist and He loves you, He wants you.
A: Why?
Me: He wants you to be His beloved daughter
A: I am His daughter. Besides why would I believe in someone who doesn’t exist? (not sure where she got the first part of that thought)
Me: But He does exist and He loves you. Remember what I read to you last night? (Psalm 139) He knitted you in your ma’s tummy, He knew you, He knows you.
A: Then who created God?
Me: He always has been. Always will be.
A: But who created Him?
Me: He always was, he didn’t need to be created.
A: Can I go now?
Spa night!
Another one:
Me: Who is Jesus to you?
E: He’s my friend (big smile)
Me: Your best friend?
E: Yes! (another big beautiful smile)
Me: I could tell, I can see Him in you, in your smile, in your eyes.
E: Really?! (bigger smile yet)
Me: Yes
(Silence)
E: Is Jesus your best friend?
Me: Yes, for most of my life I’ve known Him and have believed and trusted in Him, but not until a couple months ago have I truly fallen in love with Him.
E: Me too!!!!! That happened to me this week!!
Me: Do you have friends who love Jesus or go to church?
E: My mom’s been going but I’ve never wanted to until this week. Now I’m going to start going to church with her!
These are just a couple of the amazing conversations I had throughout that week.
Thank you Liesel, Lexi, Natalie, Lauren, Biddy, Kim, Katie, Shannen, Becki, Leslie, and the rest for welcoming us, teaching us, loving on us. You are all amazing and will forever be in our hearts and prayers.
Got to play guitar for a bit!
The whole beautiful crew!!
