This was definitely a summer of firsts for our team. But perhaps the most notable, and certainly the most exciting, is that this was the first summer RS has had a team do ministry in the Republic of Ireland. All past teams have done ministry in Northern Ireland, and they've traveled through the Republic, but we finally broke ground in Ireland and it was awesome.
The Royal Servants were involved in a 3-day Holiday Bible Club here, Monday-Wednesday, and that was so much fun to watch our team interacting so well with the youngsters. I even formed a friendship with one of the young guys, Daniel. He was 7 and extremely rambunctious, but we got along quite well. His family was a member of the church we were working with, and according to his older sister, when they got home Daniel wouldn't stop talking about his new friend Shaggy (because I look like an animated hippie who solves mysteries).
On Friday night we went all out. In partnership with Skerries Cornerstone Church we had a BLOCK PARTY. About 50 students came out and we had games of both football and american football going, we had groups just hanging out and talking. That's what a lot of our ministry was: half getting involved with the youth in sports and half engaging them in conversations. After filling everyone's bellies with grilled burgers and hot dogs, we sent our performance teams up. This was by far the most challenging performance of their summer. Elsewhere whenever anyone watched our performance they were interested and respectful. However, on this night we had some very loud and obnoxious guys making fun of our dances and drama throughout. And that makes me HAPPY. because it reminded our team that ministry is not always easy. and then when we had some of those obnoxious people interested in conversations about Christ afterwards it was SO rewarding. That block party was a massive success.
Ireland has been fantastic. Now we go on to London for debriefing.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Derry / Londonderry.
Hello everyone! I'm sorry it has taken me so long to put up an update but it wasn't out of laziness. This is actually the first time I have used the internet in two weeks. It's funny because you wouldn't think of Ireland as a place where we would have trouble getting online, I mean it's Western Europe, but up in Northern Ireland only Job and a few students were able to get access. However, we are now in the Republic of Ireland, specifically Skerries, and hopefully internet access will not be a problem. But let me just fill you in a bit on our life in Derry.
We worked with a great team of Irish people at Ebrington Presbyterian Church who were so excited to have us come and help bring youth through the doors. Our first three nights there we had an evening event called Identity where we basically opened the doors and whoever came in could hang out. We had people playing pool, air hockey, football (soccer), they would be playing instruments or hanging out in the cafe with tea and biscuits (cookies). It was a great time for the students and staff to develop relationships with the Irish youth and begin to witness to them. The ministry reminded me a lot of what I did in China back in '04 and '08. We also had a five day Holiday Bible Club (VBS) we helped run for ages 6-9. We also sent several students to the park to hang out with the kids who were too old to go to the Holiday Club. We planted many seeds which will hopefully be harvested in the near future (maybe even by the next Royal Servants to go there!) In all we had 15 youth accept Jesus as their savior and we praise God for that number.
As I said before we are now in Skerries, which is a small Irish coastal town, and we already quite love it. We'll be doing another Holiday Bible Club the next three days and you could be praying that it goes well. We are also having a big event on Friday. We are having a Block Party here at the church and we are hoping the entire town of Skerries turns out for it. I ask that you be praying for Skerries this next week that we would have good conversations and that the HBC and Block Party are both successful.
Thank you to all of you for your prayer and support. I received a financial update today stating that I have received nearly $250 over what I needed to raise. That is a huge blessing and will make a big difference when I return home and have very little money before I get back to work. Thanks again for all of your encouragement, prayers, and financial blessings.
God Bless.
-- Jack
We worked with a great team of Irish people at Ebrington Presbyterian Church who were so excited to have us come and help bring youth through the doors. Our first three nights there we had an evening event called Identity where we basically opened the doors and whoever came in could hang out. We had people playing pool, air hockey, football (soccer), they would be playing instruments or hanging out in the cafe with tea and biscuits (cookies). It was a great time for the students and staff to develop relationships with the Irish youth and begin to witness to them. The ministry reminded me a lot of what I did in China back in '04 and '08. We also had a five day Holiday Bible Club (VBS) we helped run for ages 6-9. We also sent several students to the park to hang out with the kids who were too old to go to the Holiday Club. We planted many seeds which will hopefully be harvested in the near future (maybe even by the next Royal Servants to go there!) In all we had 15 youth accept Jesus as their savior and we praise God for that number.
As I said before we are now in Skerries, which is a small Irish coastal town, and we already quite love it. We'll be doing another Holiday Bible Club the next three days and you could be praying that it goes well. We are also having a big event on Friday. We are having a Block Party here at the church and we are hoping the entire town of Skerries turns out for it. I ask that you be praying for Skerries this next week that we would have good conversations and that the HBC and Block Party are both successful.
Thank you to all of you for your prayer and support. I received a financial update today stating that I have received nearly $250 over what I needed to raise. That is a huge blessing and will make a big difference when I return home and have very little money before I get back to work. Thanks again for all of your encouragement, prayers, and financial blessings.
God Bless.
-- Jack
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Final Days.
Training Camp is wrapping up once again. Today is Parent Day when many parents, siblings, and friends will arrive and be able to watch the skills groups our students have been working on all week. Tomorrow is tear down day at the end of which the hayfield will once again look like a hayfield. And on Monday the Ireland team will drive away from this place and board a plane heading for London, and then Dublin. So exciting.
Our students have bonded very quickly and it's clear that we are a family. We win together, we lose together. In the words of Jack Shephard (LOST) "Either we live together, or we die alone." The Ireland Team is most definitely living together, and I am excited to see how God is going to use them to impact the communities in Londonderry, Skerries, Dublin, and London.
On a sad note I still cannot believe that Monday will be my last day on this field ever. I have spent time on this field every summer for the past 7 years and God has broken me here many times. I know in reality it is just a hayfield. But God has used it as more than that. It has been a jumping off point for my faith and for the rest of my life.
Thank you again everyone for all of your support, through prayer, finances, and care packages, I know that I have a solid support team behind me. Please be praying for our team especially on Monday as we head to O'Hare.
Ireland, here we come!
-- Jack
Our students have bonded very quickly and it's clear that we are a family. We win together, we lose together. In the words of Jack Shephard (LOST) "Either we live together, or we die alone." The Ireland Team is most definitely living together, and I am excited to see how God is going to use them to impact the communities in Londonderry, Skerries, Dublin, and London.
On a sad note I still cannot believe that Monday will be my last day on this field ever. I have spent time on this field every summer for the past 7 years and God has broken me here many times. I know in reality it is just a hayfield. But God has used it as more than that. It has been a jumping off point for my faith and for the rest of my life.
Thank you again everyone for all of your support, through prayer, finances, and care packages, I know that I have a solid support team behind me. Please be praying for our team especially on Monday as we head to O'Hare.
Ireland, here we come!
-- Jack
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