I’ve been meaning to write my final blog on Ireland for a few days now, but I’m still processing exactly what it was that God was revealing to me over the month. We’re in Ukraine now, and I’ve had the last couple of days to rest, read, and pray.
Our final week in Ireland was spent at Dublin Christian Mission’s girls’ camp for 7-9 year olds. Kids in Ireland are quite different from kids in America – although they are still little girls, they act more like teenagers, and have the knowledge of teenagers. Many of them are super self-sufficient depending on the home environment they were raised in. And almost all of them have a lot of sass.
Our girls on Mismatch Day
It was definitely trying, but I realized some things about myself that I hadn’t been aware of before. First, I have no idea how to discipline kids. Especially these kids. And that’s all part of the struggle I’m experiencing with having confidence in my own voice. I don’t feel like I have authority, so what I say doesn’t come out very convincing. That’s something I need to work on in other areas as well, such as speaking truth into peoples’ lives, and sharing the gospel of Jesus boldly.
The second thing God showed me is that I am far better with kids than I ever imagined. I haven’t really worked with children much – never really volunteered in the nursery at church, never babysat, nothing like that. But the bonds that I formed with the 4 girls in my tent that week at camp were so far beyond what I expected. And maybe that’s because I still like to play and joke like a kid myself, but something really drew us together, and it was incredibly hard for me to leave those girls.
Picnic on the last day
It was amazing to see the transformation in hearts over the week. The first night the girls arrived, I was thinking, “Oh my goodness. I can’t handle these kids.” They started out being a bit distant and defiant, but each day we spent together, they opened up a bit more. They started asking questions about Jesus. They asked for Bibles and began reading them constantly. I think that was my favorite part of the week – they were literally choosing to read their Bibles rather than go play at times. It ended up that about half the girls accepted Jesus by the end of our time at camp. Praise Jesus for that!
The girls reading their new Bibles in the tent
It was truly rewarding to have these kids seeking me out, wanting to sit with me during session, asking for hugs, and letting me hold them when they cried. Please keep these precious girls in your prayers, that their relationships with Christ continue to strengthen, and that He overcomes any problems their families may be having.
Matthew 11:25-26 – “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.’”
Matthew 18:3-4 – “And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’”
Matthew 18:12-14 – “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”
Overall this month, I feel like God was showing me that everything has a purpose. Every interaction with every single person – there is a reason for it.
It started out with Kelan in our hostel. God put him right in our path because He had a message for him.
Then at the Lighthouse where we served meals for the homeless, it was always a bit difficult for me because I wanted to have meaningful conversations with the people who came in. However, we girls weren’t really supposed to approach the men for conversations, and most of the people who came in were men. The last night we served at the Lighthouse, I specifically prayed for God to set up a situation where I could demonstrate His love to someone. Not long after, one of the guys called me over to his table and I was able to try to encourage him in his search for a job after a long stretch of unemployment. I felt God telling me to pray over him but I didn’t do it, and I still wish I had.
And then at camp, I know that God placed those 4 specific girls in our tent for a reason. He ordained every conversation and interaction that occurred that week. And I pray that I had the impact on those girls that God intended me to.
Aside from those instances, there were others – with new friends from the hostel, to people on the streets who randomly approached us and began talking – that God strategically worked out. I’m learning to pray specifically for God to bring about these opportunities to share Him with people, and I’m seeing Him prove Himself faithful in those moments.
After all, that’s exactly what we’re here for. Not just on this race but on this earth.
