Breathing in the creamy cinnamon aroma, I wrap my numb fingers tightly around the steaming mug of my Chai tea latte. As the icy rain falls in torrents outside the foggy cafe windows, I melt into the warm sofa and for a moment I just bask in the quiet of the early morning. For the first time in weeks, I simply breathe.
As I do, the noise of the last two weeks gently begins to mold into coherent melodies in my mind. Last Saturday the tearful hugs from my campers had immediately led into multiple goodbye parties and heart-aching farewells with our Moldovan friends – the men at the constructions site, the high schoolers at the church, our English class friends, our host Julia and the many families that had shared their hearts with us this month.
After being ushered onto a bus early Monday morning, I realized driving away what a lovely month it had turned out to be. The relationships that had birthed those last two weeks were some of the most precious and intimate I’ve experienced all year. Along with those friendships was the incomparable joy of watching several of my campers receive Christ (including Lina) and experience the power of His presence for the first time. A month that had started out so rough for me had quickly turned into one of my favorites.
Still savoring the sweet memories of Moldova as we flew over Europe, I was hardly prepared for the beauty that awaited us when our plane landed in Ireland.
As we drove through the lush countryside into Northern Ireland, chuckling brooks danced with us through fields of wild flowers, while white cottages and castle ruins peeked at us from behind rolling green hills. Rays of sunshine streamed through the heavy rain clouds that hung in the distance as we pulled into our new home in the historic town of Coleraine.
The morning after arriving we dove head first into ministry, barely pausing to unpack our bags. With the entire squad of 55 together for this final month, our days have been filled with a variety of activities – from giving out bags of food to the poor, to visiting with the elderly over tea and scones; from collecting used clothes to give away, to working in a nonprofit vintage shop. Already this month is full and bursting with purpose and activity.
Causeway Coast Vineyard, the church body that we are working with in Coleraine, is phenomenal. I’ve never experienced a group of believers that is more authentic or passionate for the souls of the lost as this church. Their hearts beat as one with the Father’s heart, and it is so attractive. I just want to be around these people all the time and let the freedom that they carry rub off on me. 
I tried not to build Ireland up too much in my mind for fear of disappointment, but after being here for only two days, it far exceeds anything I could possibly have imagined.
Photographs and films come nowhere near capturing the magic of this country.
There is something in the air that is indescribable.
The musical Irish accents and aesthetic beauty of the cobblestone streets is enough to capture any foreigner’s heart, but it’s more than that.
Jesus is HERE.
His Spirit is thick in the air, and there is freedom in this place.
As I sit here in this coffee shop soaking in the freshness, my heart pulses with anticipation for this final month. Only a few days in, and I know that it is going to be the best month yet.
