So it’s been a week since arriving back in America and I’m enjoying home but missing Ireland so much. Not just the place, it was largely the people: our team, the staff and the youth.
Christmas came fast once home, but didn’t feel like the time until really that day when opening gifts and relaxing. A different Christmas, spent at home, eating lasagna, watching movies and playing xbox. Not cold enough for a fireplace, which we don’t even have. Who needs one in Florida? After I relaxed at home, lazy was the game. Spent time with Taylor and Dave the past couple days catching up on films, looking at stores, wishing I could buy it all or even just spend money, and wasted lots of gas.

It was nice giving my testimony at church on Sunday, which they may never let me do again. 5 min was 15 min to me. But really was great to share my experience, and that I’d like to go back in the summer for 3 months and somehow need to raise $4,000. Lots of prayer, somehow wasn’t that successful at raising it the last time, just had a generous mother, and some few people.

So yesterday was the last day as I’m on the plane flying over the Atlantic Ocean right now, a nice 8 1/2 hour flight to Atlanta. But yesterday and last night really ended the trip great. Looking back at it, I have been changed.

We started out by attending Dundrum Methodist Church. Real interesting and very traditional. After that and lunch, we took a nice drive to Dundrum Castle and Castlewellen Castle to explore and take many many beautiful pictures. Dundrum Castle was real beautiful, just ruins, but such a marvelous view of Dundrum Bay and the town. Castlewellen was still kept up, but private property so we couldn’t go inside. After those wee visits we went down to Newcastle Town Centre for some quick shopping. I was able to buy a nice purity ring with the Karas (if that’s how it is spelled) and it fit my ring finger. We then went home to have tea and then to Oasis to prepare for the concert.

The turn out was phenomenal as about 30-40 young people showed up and literally packed the place. It was truly awesome and a great night of singing and dancing. After everyone left our group kept dancing to songs and having fun, Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha Slide, Michael Jackson, trying to break dance, a Grease dance with everyone, swing dancing, and so much more. We then headed back to Murlough House to recap the week and day and a final meeting with the team before the trip home and craziness, and sadly as we each will go our own ways with life. We went around and said our favorite parts of the week and some last words and final prayer. I then decided to take a shower, getting ready to leave at 6am, and it was already 3am, luckily I had packed earlier in the day. About half the team stayed up all night and played Mafia (our team’s main stress relief and hang out game). Great times here in Ireland, and very tough saying goodbye to it. But already trying to think about plans to come back, just wish it was with all the same people on this team. God’s work is amazing!!

Well now 6 hours left on the plane and then getting through customs (after pre in Ireland), an hour flight to Tampa, then half hour drive to Lakeland to sleep at school and head home to Fort Myers tommorow.

So I’m starting with writing this at 11:30 at Oasis after setting up the sound and trying to get the lights working. But last night went real well, each day just was better then the day before, and even the staff said it every night and that this was the best group and best time they’ve had ever being here. The kids said we were the first Americans they would miss. But for the second time we were able to quiet them to let us talk, and for more than one person and 5 minutes. It was amazing that they asked to hear more from us, truly God. Saying goodbye was also tough but I left them with some words of hope and encouragement as each one of us in the team said something they felt needed to be shared. Truly an amazing work and miracle! All I can say is Gos is amazing and changed me in every way.

Nightlight was also very fun. We walked in Newcastle town centre praying and talking with such nice people here, even though some were drunk. But we headed back to central park at 2am to chat with the people coming out of the pubs and clubs drunk, and offering tea and coffee and hot chocolate. Just showing love and such. Some pretty funny stories, and just another great form of ministry here, very different then the youth earlier on. It was a great night, and we all were cold.

So today was also great having our day to ourselves. We took a coach to Belfast and shopped around for about 2 hours. It was great! Nice seeing a city here, kind of like back home except way older buildings, double decker buses, and British looking taxis. Got mom a lot of things though and Ashley. Bought one of her Christmas presents, not including the one I bought in front of her that she’s now wearing, her new purity ring. Which I got one too. We got those though up at the north tip of Ireland, Giant Causeway. Very cold lunch up at the top of the mountain, but walking down below was awesome! Real beautiful, got many pictures even though it was raining, not hard though. The rocks were so cool, and the columns. Would like to find out more about the history of it, and maybe see the castle next time (if there is one, or add it to the bucket list). But a very interesting day after finishing a great week, and looking forward to one last great day tomorrow, but very sad to leave even though I am missing home, but I’m in love here!

Counting down the hours left now, I’ll miss it here, and am changed by God truly. Pray for Project Evangelism here and the ministry done here. Most of the people are great here, and the organisation knows how to speak to these people, but many struggles are ahead, as well as looking back on the amazing success, because we’re here to live by faith, and not successes, only God can succeed using us. Truly amazed and changed this week.

Well it’s the last day to work with the kids before the weekend begins and those activities. We had a great teaching this morning and awesome session planning and praying for tonights time with the teens here.

Before finishing this day I need to back track to Thursday night during our reflection on the day from different teams and prayer and singing. It was amazing that three hours went by so fast as we got caught up in the amazement of God with each team, and spending at least an hour singing praises and praying to God in so much thanks.

We went into Dundrum earlier this afternoon to hand out flyers for Sunday evening and it went real well. So we’re just waiting to go out tonight to crosspoint and nightlight. Asking God for blessings and an amazing last night of ministry here before heading home. So far it has been an amazing week on every way possible and thanking God for this amazing team.

Oh, and the crisps (or chips in american) are crazy! Cheese & Onion, BBQ Rib, Baked Chicken, Steak and Smoked Bacon flavours that are made by a Lays looking logo called Walkers. I wonder who thought up the look of the logo first?!

Cheers!

So it’s Thursday now and we’ve been here since Saturday, experiencing a lot of change in my life and here. Going on this trip everyone in the teams had their doubts, but now we’ve become closer than ever imagined or thought we could. Working over here has not just brought us together though, but with these kids and teens over here dealing with struggles of Christianity and relationships. Many people back home wondered why we weren’t going to a third world country or why Ireland. Now we know the reason and I’ve even thought of interning 3-6 months, just to work over here with these kids and what opportunity there is for God’s work. In the US there’s many many youth dealing with almost similar issues, but as the lead singer of Casting Crowns said, 90% of youth leaders are in the US, and 90% of the youth not knowing God are outside the US. That is so true in this country, and area alone. I feel God can move so much here as He has with our team, it’s sad we just have tonight and tomorrow with these kids, but we will definitely pray for them and keep a relationship. And keep in prayer God’s work and where He calls me.

Hey, it’s been a real long time since writing on here, but I kind of was busy and at the same time lazy to write up here.  But I’m back, kind of relieves stress.

Well I’m up here at camp for the summer, and I believe we’re halfway through, or almost, and I will definitely miss it here.  I really love it up here, and will be looking forward to coming back (if possible).  They’re keeping me real busy with videos and running sound and lights, and anything else that involves media!  I really feel I need to start growing a closer relationship to God, and this is the perfect environment to do it, just practicing positive ethics and Christian values doesn’t mean anything without the devotion.  

On the other hand, Ed and I discussed our future living arrangements in California, New York, Nashville, and who knows where from there.  But first, a year and a half here in Lakeland and Tampa for some schooling.

Well, I’m going to get to bed now, it’s late and I need all the rest I can get, tomorrow starts the stampede of “goodbye” videos the staff does for the campers!  Peace out! Later later!!

Well, I’m tired after a long day of working.  We had a “Beautification Day” at our church and cleaned out storage rooms and any other rooms that needed cleaning.  The problem is that we all ran out of time to finish each room, which means the work isn’t over yet.  I know starting back Monday, I’ll have a lot of work to do this week, and the next coming weeks.

Luckily school’s finished for this semester… now looking ahead for Fall.  I graduated last night with my AA degree (woohoo!!) and will spend the entire summer up north, then off to Southeastern to get my BS in Film Studies and Youth Ministry.  I look forward to some fun, enjoying life now!  Oh man, I need to get to sleep, but first need to finish preparing for tomorrow’s Sunday School lesson I’m teaching… not to mention running the Video for Church and also the Audio & Visual for the evening service… I’ll be off now!! Later!

The week is almost over after enjoying this youth workers conference in Nashville, TN.  I’m really loving it here, getting some time to actually tour downtown the past couple days.  Maybe sometime in the future I might live here, or it would be California!

On the other hand, the main reason I’m here, the conference is going well… some sessions a little long, but a couple pretty cool things we’ve been doing and learning.  I really feel a strong interest in youth ministry, and working with the youth… and I’m learning a lot being here.  I also had the opportunity to network and meet some territorial people and get to operate THQ’s camera jib (which is awesome!).  Well, I’ll get going now, get to another session and hopefully learn some more interesting things and get some more resources… which I found some pretty cool stuff to bring back!  God Bless!!

Wow! It’s been a while since I last posted a blog… but just to touch up what I’ve been up to, here’s a brief overview:

The beginning of April through last week I had all my projects due, one in each of 7 classes… talk about a load, and very time consuming!

After that, I went up to Orlando, FL on Wednesday to get ready for Youth Councils that weekend, and ended up helping take down too, getting home Sunday night.  I had a blast though, meeting so many new friends from Tampa and Lakeland, as well as from around the division.  I hope to build these relationships with all these great people!  So much can be said about this weekend (all positive, nothing negative)… but that would probably take all day! So I’ll just say that I worked my tail off (till 4 & 5 am), but enjoyed every minute of it… because it’s something that is of interest to me, and also because of the great people there!

Now, being back in real life, back home, final exams are this week!  I have to take them early because of next weeks conference in Nashville, TN!  I still have 2 more exams, one I’m about to take in 20 minutes, and the other one I’m praying hard about tomorrow morning.  After that I will take a day off, then it’s back to work… all day Sunday, then Mon-Thur in Nashville, and then Friday!!

Hopefully I’ll also find out soon if I get the chance to go on the Missions Trip to Oklahoma May 10-17!  Then a vacation to Connecticut, congress in Atlanta, camp all summer and finally Southeastern in Lakeland!!  Busy and exciting future ahead of me for the next couple months, but I’d like to also plan a visit to my new friends in Lakeland and Tampa!!

Well, I’ve got to get going, still a little early for the exam, but now I have 15 minutes left… pray for me!

I’ll be back! God Bless!!

It was a great weekend so far… even though it’s only halfway through!  The Orlando trip was fun… Medieval Times and Animal Kingdom were awesome!  I hope everyone else had fun on the trip, and I look forward to more in the future, and all the events coming up also!!

P.S. – can’t figure out how to make the move!