I’ve arrived now in Belfast, Northern Ireland and have a bit of a lovely story to tell about it. A few weeks before leaving Romania we began hearing rumors that some of the planned mission contacts had fallen through for various reasons. Soon enough we found these rumors were true and ours was one that was on the brink. About a week before arriving on the shores of Ireland we learned our contact was going through some reorganization and would be unable to take us for the full three weeks, and could only now use us the last 8 days of the month. So, two weeks of unplanned space – two thoughts: slightly uncomfortable not know where you are going to sleep, wonderful opportunity to have our first A.T.L. (ask the Lord) period.
That morning team Shofar and L.Chaim (the team we are with this month) sat on the floor of our room on the 6th story of our Dublin hostel we began to ask. Most everyone was of the same mindset that we should be in Belfast but we didn’t know why or what we would do there. We began to ask for basically the impossible – our wildest ideas of what we wanted in Belfast. We asked for provision – maybe for a free place to stay, a contact with knowledge of the city and of a variety of ministries, a kitchen big enough to fit more than two people at a time, and many other things that are considered ridiculous luxuries on this World Race thing we are doing. We asked, but truthfully I expected little. It was last minute, we didn’t know much about Belfast and only had a few leads.
Suddenly a response came back early that same afternoon. It sounded too good to be true. A second hand connection from a guy working at a church in Belfast, a free place to stay, free internet, washing, and loads of connections to different ministries around town. We waited and before the end of the day it was confirmed, we had bus tickets for the next morning to Belfast and we were off!
What a blessing, what provision, how amazing is it that we only have to ask and the Lord listens and begins to work out the details on our behalf. If that was it, the story and the blessing would have been too much to ask for. However it doesn’t end. We arrived that afternoon to an unbelievably beautiful Presbyterian church within walking distance to the City Centre. We were given the full house on the back side of the church with access to the entire church with kitchen, game room, gymnasium, and sanctuary. They fed us a hot lasagna dinner first thing and one of our girls was so happy she cried during the meal. The hosts seemed dumbstruck at our amazement and joy, but after being directionless just 24 hours ago we were dumbstruck at the Lord’s unbelievable plan and provision.
A few days in this place has only surprised us further with blessings upon blessing and it would take too long to describe. I’ll leave further stories for another time.
-Jeremiah
