Much of the team is heading home today after an outstanding week of ministry. The VBS was over the top with over 100 kids attending. God's Word was shared with the kids through out the week with a real focus on Thursday of sharing the gospel. Several kids prayed to receive Jesus in their small groups, while seeds were planted in the hearts of many. 

Not only did we get to work alongside the church in Listowel, we were also blessed to serve with a group of college students from Northern Ireland - outstanding young people and the future of Ireland.

Thank you for praying for our team and the outreach. We met in one of the homes that we had rented and served the men tacos - Tony G. style. The men's outreach was incredible as the Holy Spirit moved upon the hearts of the men. We had a time of testimony, repentance, prayer and encouragement in God's Word - very moving! Photo's of men enjoying the taco's.

VBS Success

Youth Night

Group Effort

Group effort - Cherie, Heather, Erica, Delores

On Sunday Karen from LFC expressed that she needed more time in the ?Word and it has started a chain reaction of transparency.  On Monday the youth met and some of the invited kids saw Christians having lots of fun and yet still be approachable and serious about living their faith.  The Men said their night was "crazy good" - lots of repentance and desire to know God more.  Please pray for men to lead more men's fellowships more often - that someone would step up to help JP organize this effort.  The single ladies were invited to Anne's for dinner and again there was a night of sharing.  Ten of us squeezed around a tiny table in a tiny kitchen and shared and prayed for hours.  Forgiveness for the tiny things that get between sisters was asked for, along with strength to persevere through misunderstandings and the ability to continue to serve side by side.

Tonight - PRAYER REQUIRED - FOR THE WOMEN'S TEA!  We had the evening planned western style and organized, and God has turned those plans upside down.  We anticipate about 50 now, not 30, and may need to break up into small groups to fellowship, which may enable the Spirit to move even more freely.  Pray for our flexibility and that this will be the first of many nights of fellowship here.  They want to meet more frequently, as the men do, to continue to grow and be more effective as a body in their community.

Our first day of Kids Camp!  Many of us were nervous, emotional, concerned that we couldn't do this, so the hardest part was getting to the church.  Our devos reminded us that prayer is the key to allowing God to work, so we were praying mightily!

The kids started arriving all at once and it seemed like pandemonium.  But the Listowel team are experienced hands at this now and managed to get all of the children to the assigned tribes.  We are doing a study of Daniel in Babylon and the various experiences he had there and how God helped him.  So the children are divided into the 12 tribes of Israel.  Most of our team are tribe leaders, but a few are shopkeepers who may be Babylonian.  Today we learned that God said, "I will never leave you.  I will never abandon you."  Daniel needed that promise a lot. So do we.  Together we sang and danced to the fabulous songs, had tribe time where we talked about what it was like to be transplanted into a new and strange culture, and played games inspired by Babylonian activities like building towers and walls.  Then we had a chance to "shop" in the marketplace and visit different booths for crafts and lessons. That is the schedule for each day, ending with wrap up tribe time and more singing with the parents looking on as they wait to pick up their kids.

We were tired but with full hearts as we thought about the fresh young faces listening to God's word and the responses we got from them as they asked questions and talked about the lesson.  They do see this as a trip back in time to Babylon and are quite entranced by the staging of it all.  Listowel Christian Fellowship goes all out on this and the quality is known across Ireland.  But the best thing is that God is being glorified and children and their parents will come to Him this week.

We can't wait for tomorrow! (after a nap!!)

All together for fellowship and devos over breakfast

Artists in our midst!

Today we spent time painting the posters for the various "shops" for VBS and lo and behold we have some very talented artists in our midst!  Delores was stretched to do something she didn't think she could as she worked on the "Dye Shop" sign.  Kathy and the Pappadapoulos girls and their mom Joann and Erica all worked on the Babylon Boutique and the Food Court and the Metal Works.  Cherie worked on several signs and Heather showed amazing ability to try new techniques on many of them as well (her scrolls were awesome!).  Others worked on them as well and we copied ideas from each other and especially Irina and Abbey, the resident gurus of poster art.  God was so good to allow us to finish almost everything, leaving just a few for the crew that will be there tomorrow.

We have a rest day tomorrow and then will hit the VBS prep hard on Saturday again.  thanks for your prayers - we are learning and stretching and watching God's grace abound in each other and those we are serving!

Cherie

Connections

The son of the pastor here in Listowel knows Christian surf buddies in Lahinch. I asked him for their phone number today but we got sidetracked and I didn't get the phone number from him today. Tonight, we are at the pub using the wireless and Terry said that the brother in law of the pastor in Lahinch is coming to stay the night with us on Saturday here in Ballybunnion and then he is going up North to go teach IN LAHINCH! WHICH, is only like 20 miles from where Norah lives. I emailed her the link to the church and will connect her with their phone number of some of their church members there to see if there is a closer church to Loostervarna but in the mean time, Norah has a good church to go to on Sunday. God went a LONG way for her! Thank you for your continued prayers for Norah!

God's faithfulness seven years ago

The finished Church building in Listowel 

~Prayer and Praise~

Praises:

Although some experienced airplane delays, cancellations and missed flights, a majority of Ireland Missions Team Members arrived safely and are here.

Those who visited Listowel 7 years ago are blessed to see how far the church has come.

The first day of work and VBS preparation went well.

A woman named Norah prayed to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

Prayer Requests:

- We will continue to stay healthy and have appropriate sleep.

- Safe travel for the remaining 3 team members; everyone will be here by Saturday.

- Team unity and protection from the enemy's attacks.

- That joy would be overflowing in each one of us.

- As we drive around on the left hand side of the road with a little less danger and risks.

- Wisdom with how to spend time and expend energy (prep this week/VBS next week).

- For willing hearts to do the work that's been given to us.

- Kids worship music starting on Thursday.

- Good weather for the Women's Tea Event being held outdoors next Wednesday evening.

- A gentleman named Steve who is an atheist.

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,

I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 

2 Chronicles 7:14

A productive work day

Cherie getting the shop signs ready to be painted

 Kaitlin helping to hang tarp 

 Alexia painting 

 Irina, a local, doing some finishing touches 

 Paster JP, Seth and Drew doing the heavy lifting and

 building the frames for the shops of Babylon 

Work is fun

Abigail, Irina, Patty and Heather getting tea ready

 Drew, Steve, Chris doing more framing

They really like bright colors in Ireland!

A New Sister in Christ...all things work together for the good of those who love God

Philippians 1:13 Because of Paul's  imprisonment, the jailers were saved. Because of my sleeplessness for days on end, we ended up taking the short trip up to Western Ireland on Sunday. We had packed our bags but the coffee cup was too tall for the center console of the car. So I went in three times to downsize my coffee cup, thereby missing the ferry by 37 seconds. I was so glad to know that there was a shorter way up to Galway for the night. 

A LONG two beautiful days later we left Galway, and saw our first ever hitchhiker going to "Doolin".  We had no idea where that was (and did not pick him up of course!) but, 5 maps, 8 routes in the middle of and the West coast of Ireland (we found where "nowhere" is), we stopped into a cute little wool sweater shop. We peeled into the parking lot completely unplanned to find one little gal in the shop. We tried on all kinds of sweaters and capes that were too warm for Santa Barbara and way outside our budget and when we said goodbye, I asked her if I could give her a gift and something to read while she waits for her next customer. I handed her "Plan of Life" Gospel of John and she said "Oh I am very spiritual. (I was remembering Steve on the plane going to London- "NO. There is no God. I am an atheist" - and thinking about how creative God is and how He worked this whole moment out for us and I said to myself "No Steve, you are definitely wrong.")

After she said she was spiritual, 20 minutes later, there were tears and smiles and thankfulness for the SALVATION that she just received.   At some point we asked her where on earth we were, and she said "Doolin".!  We will put Norah in touch with a bunch of Christian surfers in Listoorvarna, her home town.   She was so grateful to God for bringing us across her path. We hugged and hugged our new sister (tears while I am typing) and prayed for her to find a great Bible teaching family there locally.

She is off on Sundays and so she can go to church. 

On the way home,, on Sunday, on the ferry, it hit me that Norah would have not even been there had we driven the long way to Galway a few days before. 37 seconds. Be in the moment and not worry when "things don't work out."

When I am tired, God uses my weakness to save another….

Heather and Cherie

First day on the Emerald Isle.

 The perils of "rush hour" (their sheepherder was a blue Mitsubishi and a lone sheep dog)

Sunset at 11:00PM over the Atlantic

 The Cliffs Moher 

Sunrise over our Cottages (think the houses in the movie "Truman Show"

Green finds it's way in even on the rocks of the Burren. The only place on earth where tropical and non-tropical plants grow together in the same place (this is where we found "no where." We decided Thelma & Louise would never braved this road trip alone without a guide. Dame Judy Dench (Cherie) and Maggie Smith (Heather) OH but we have a Guide...)

Please Pray

Our team has begun traveling to Ireland on the 22nd of June. Please pray for safe travels, open doors and that we would find favor as we travel and share. Some have already been delayed traveling, please pray that each team member makes it safely and that all the VBS supplies reach Listowel.

Pray that God would prepare our hearts, the hearts of those that God has sent us too. Pray that we would be bold and sensitive to those that God has given us the opportunity to bless. Please pray, for we do not wrestle against flesh and bones.

Thank you for partnering with us!