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.