A Double Decker Through The Countryside

The general first thought that comes to mind when you hear “double decker bus” is a London bus or possibly a large city tour bus. Outside of London, Dublin, or another large city, double decker buses do not typically just pull up in the lane next to you. Imagine seeing what looks like a London bus driving right through the center of your town or even better, in front of your farm in the countryside. The sight would undoubtedly be unexpected if not shocking and definitely out of the ordinary.

This hypothetical scene is all but hypothetical. It is exactly what happens when we go out with the Big Red Bus, but instead of just giving people something to turn their heads to look at, we give them something to think about. The natural question is “why is there a double decker bus?” If we stop in their town, we might have the chance to answer that question and tell them about Jesus. If we don’t, they are at least left with a few other questions provoked by the verse on the sides and back of the bus: Jesus answered “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me” (John 14:6). It is not enough for us to drive around the country and hope that people come to Christ just because we have a verse on the bus, but the verse just might plant a seed that was not there before. It has already opened up doors for conversations with people and reminded us on the team that we are ambassadors for Christ.

Unfortunately, it can be incredibly easy to forget why we are here, even when we are submerged in ministry. Fatigue can set in. The preparations can feel like a chore. The puppet routine can become nothing more than a performance. And a group of rowdy children can feel like just another group to get through. This is spiritual warfare. Each day we go into battle and combat these feelings and thoughts with prayer. We must rely on God and remind each other that we serve the Lord and He is with us. It is so refreshing and encouraging to work with the local church whose members are always excited to have the bus come. They tell us stories after the day of ministry is done about people who came to the bus and interacted with them when they never would have before. They see the kids’ faces as they watch us doing the shadow puppet show (something we cannot do while behind the screen) and tell us how they absorb the story like sponges. They pray with us and for us as we pray for them and once again, I am amazed by the body of Christ.

I don’t often think about how crazy this life is, but I am so glad it is. I get to work with an international team of incredible individuals driving around Ireland in a bright red, double decker bus sharing the gospel through puppetry. Crazy.

Taste of Ireland: If something is cool or really awesome, you might hear local youth say “class” or “savage!”

Hey! What Happened to May?

May has come and gone in what feels like the blink of an eye. May was not even particularly busy in terms of my ministry involvement, but was rather a preparation month for all the things we have going on this month. Several new people arrived at Lacken in the month of May, three of whom are a part of the Creative Arts team. Emily and Joanna are interning for the summer from Bryan College in Tennessee and David from Georgia will be helping drive the bus.

In the past couple of weeks we have been getting to know each other better while putting together the programs needed for this summer. One of the most exciting things we have done while in the office (or rather the main house living room) is record the audio track for The Tale of the Three Trees shadow puppet show. We will still be doing the shadows live on the screen, but with a recording I was able to add sound effects and small details to add to the storytelling. By itself it sounds like a reader’s theatre production. Hopefully we will be able to film the show and allow you to see what all I have been talking about.

Another exciting thing we did was participate in the Carrick-On-Shannon 400 year celebration on Friday. It seemed to be out of nowhere that we were invited to participate, but it was a reminder of God’s timing and provision. It was a week and half ago that we were in Carrick with the bus hoping to meet up with some of the teens from our ministry time there in February. Instead of having a full bus like we anticipated, it was completely empty. Some of us walked around town and struck up a few conversations with adults here and there, but even the town seemed to be dead. Then before the evening ended, Junior received a phone call from the man organizing the parade. He asked if we would like to drive the bus through the parade. We accepted and brought the bus back the following week. The sun was shining. The streets were packed with people. Both young and old celebrated the past and future of the town. We went along the parade route with our worship songs pumping through the speakers as we passed out tracts to the spectators. Then when we set up the tea and coffee bar, a whole family came aboard and chatted with us about God, faith, and Christianity. In conversation with the kids, I used the little girl’s name to explain grace and before they left, I got through a simplified gospel message using the colors of the pick-up-sticks we were playing with.

I am but a sower of seeds. The Lord knows if what was said was ready to take root or not and He is the one who waters and allows new life to grow. (fr. Mark 4:1-20)

 

This is normal.

If you would like to know more about Emily or Joanna, check out their blogs by clicking on their names! Plus, they update more than I do. :)

Taste of Ireland: “Top of the morning to ya?”… no one says that.

The Average Adventures of a Girl Named Laina

Part I: The Bus

It was a damp and grey day. The room was dim when Laina awoke to the sound of rain on the window. She looked at the clock and rolled over. The only thing demanding her attention was the pillow beneath her head, but soon enough the day beckoned her to join it. Laina rose from her slumber and went about her morning routine, much like many mornings before only without the haste or numerous glances at the time. And as she finished her breakfast and packed her lunch she looked outside and prayed the rain would stop, not because she didn't like rain, but because she would soon have to walk in it, no matter how hard it fell.

With rain jacket zipped and hood up, she braved the wet dreary day and began her adventurous journey to the west of Ireland. Fortunately the rain had dwindled to little more than a drizzle and remained that way for quite some time. And as uncomfortable as it was to walk with a seemingly very heavy duffle bag, she reached the town hospital where she was to wait at the bus stop. According to her sources, the stop should have been just past the hospital buildings, but there was nothing there, not a sign nor a bench or any form of a bus stop, at least as far as Laina was concerned. With a fear of missing her bus and a sense of uncertainty about what to do, she walked into the hospital building in hopes of finding a local who might be able to give her some sort of direction. Upon inquiring, the hospital warden assuredly informed her that she simply had to wait anywhere along the main road in front of the hospital. "Anywhere?" she asked with a hint of disbelief. "Yes, just along the road there," she replied. "Right," thought Laina, "I guess I'll just go and find a relatively safe and visible spot." After finding such a spot, she stood and waited. The bus was scheduled to arrive in a matter of minutes, but it would likely not be on time. How much so was uncertain and Laina didn't want to take any chances of missing it, so she stood firm, despite the increase in rainfall. Sure enough, the bus was late, five minutes, ten, fifteen, and finally twenty. At that point Laina was a little concerned that perhaps she had read the bus times incorrectly or the bus had somehow already passed through without her noticing. She rang the bus station and was patched through to the driver. “Oh sure. We’ll be there in about three or four minutes,” he said. That seemed like a curiously precise number of minutes for such a late bus, but it was assurance enough for Laina to continue waiting until it arrived.

After nearly half an hour, Laina boarded the bus and took a seat. She had a connection to make in Knock Village, but unless the bus made extremely good time, Laina already knew she was going to miss it. There was no point in being pessimistic though. Who knew? Maybe all the bus drivers were having an off day and this bus would be late too. Even so, the hour and a half passed and there was no way she would make the connection and the next bus wasn’t until five pm. That was 4 hours away. Feeling slightly discouraged, but also a sense of humor in the situation, Laina phoned the friend she was meant to meet at her final destination. It looked like she was stuck in Knock, by no means indefinitely of course, but nonetheless stuck, and according to Keilah, it was a terrible place to get stuck. There was some truth in that because there really was not much in Knock at all, unless you enjoyed shrines to Mary and buying plastic bottles for holy water, which you could have at that point easily used to collect the gallons of rain falling from the sky.

Not wanting to be wet or haul around her bulky duffle, Laina found a quiet café to sit in and read. After choosing the café, she wished she had chosen somewhere a little warmer or at least with more character, but still feeling optimistic, she reminded herself that the place she had chosen was well lit and quiet, perfect for reading. She ordered some hot soup and took out her book, eager to let her mind wander into a fantasy – if you are curious, she began reading Lord of the Rings for the first time.

At last the waiting, that didn’t actually feel terribly long, came to an end and Keilah (and Mum) came to the rescue! In the end she gained or saved three things: first, the money that would have been used to buy the second bus ticket, second, peace and quiet to begin a good book, and third, a story to tell afterwards, and for your sake, the last may have been the best reason.  

The End

Taste of Ireland: School buses in Ireland look just like the other buses (big coach buses), only they are labeled for school use. 

An Ordinary Day With Extraordinary Features

I seem to post a lot of things about "what I am learning" or "what God's teaching me," which is indeed a huge part of life, but I have not said much about days like today. Today was a normal day with extraordinary features. Everything about it seemed to contrast with yesterday. Yesterday was a windy day with bursts of down pouring rain. Today the sun was shining and the breeze blew but gently. The clouds in the sky were like the sheep that dot the fields. Yesterday I was tired and lacking in creative drive or ideas. Today I was well rested and full of new thoughts. Yesterday I was discouraged about finances and today I was greatly encouraged by God's ways and timing of providing. Everyday is new. Everyday is ordinary and yet also extraordinary.


Taste of Ireland: Even though I hate the thought of eating a little lamb, well made lamb stew is so good!

An Invisible Line

Travelling between North and South Dakota does not reveal drastic differences in lifestyle. In fact, not very much is different in terms of culture or customs. In contrast, the differences between North and South Korea would be drastic. Distinctions between Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland are somewhere in between (although no where near as severe as North/South Korea). For starters, Northern Ireland is a part of the UK and the Republic is not. I won’t go into the politics because I don’t entirely understand it all myself, but this distinction effects the way of life across the border.

After only one visit to the North, the difference in economy was notable. The cars on the roads and in the car parks were generally more expensive brands, models, and/or year. The shopping centers were bustling with people and no one was worried about heating their homes. The greatest difference I would like to note is in the evangelical population. The lunch we attended after the service of a church in the north had more people than if all the members of two local churches in the Republic came together. Contrary to popular belief, the Republic of Ireland only has about 1.5% Evangelical Christians. Over 90% of the population claim Christianity as their religion [Operation World], but especially in recent years, ritual, guilt, and social norms have taken precedence over true relationships with Christ.

It is sad to see how desperately lost so many people are. The fact that there are massive congregations just an invisible line away makes me think about how many lost people I ignore across my own invisible borders. I don’t know how to resolve the issues that lie between people of each nation nor do I have a right to say how things should change, but as a member of the body of Christ, I will say that there is a need for unity within the church in this nation and across borders. Junior used the story of the four friends who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus through the roof to illustrate the church [Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-25] . We must come together with the common goal of bringing people to Jesus. We must work together just as the friends carried the man and walked together. There will be obstacles that come in our way, but faith in the power of God will prevail. It can be uncomfortable to step outside of our Christian bubbles and see that there is world outside our doorsteps that still needs the love of Christ, but it must be done. After all, Jesus came to heal the sick, not the healthy [Matthew 9:11-13].

Taste of Ireland: The typical way to take a cup of tea is black tea with a lot of milk (seriously it’s like they are having tea with their milk) and some sugar. Don’t forget the bikkies! 

Hours Well Spent

In the days leading up to Good Friday, when we began our Easter outreach, I spent most of my time cutting cardboard and paper into shadow puppets. I was determined to finish making everything in time to use for Easter and so I ended up staying in the office working until eleven the night before we left for Carlow. I managed to finish enough that the show would work, even if a few minor details were missing. The first few runs of the show were slow since none of the puppeteers had seen what they were to be doing, and I myself had not seen everything together apart from in my head. After several times going through the show, it was more or less ready to be seen by the public eye. Unfortunately the only time we were actually able to perform it however was on Good Friday in front a few church folks.

Looking back on the week, I am surprised I am not disappointed despite having spent so much time putting the pieces together and then not being able to share the results with many people. We didn’t have the right audience so I knew the time wasn’t right. And even though only a handful of people saw the actual show, the experience of creating something for the first time was one I can only be proud of. The little taste I did have of sharing it with others made me all the more excited for when I do have the opportunity for more people to see it and in the mean time, I want to make it the best I can make it.

Another reason I am not disappointed is that I think the many hours I spent working on this prepared more for the week in a new way. Like times before, much of the outreach was spent on the Big Red Bus allowing people to come inside for a cup of tea or coffee and a chat. We had kids programs planned, one of which was the shadow puppet show, but little of it was used since we had very few kids come during the week. That being said, most of the ministry was in conversations with youth and adults. Unlike the other outreaches I have been part a of, I had good conversations with people everyday. That is not to say I didn’t do anything on previous outreaches, but this time I was less hesitant to approach people and bring up the gospel. This could just be time making me more comfortable, but I really think it is greatly due to how much time I spent on the shadow puppets. I didn’t have time to worry about “what am I going to say to people?” or “how am I going to share God with them?” For days all I was focused on was The Tale of Three Trees and in turn the amazing yet simple story of Christ coming to this Earth then dying for us on the cross. Through pieces of cardboard and paper, God reminded me that I need to look to the cross, and I need to trust in Him. Again and again I talk about trusting God, but it is something I am learning in new forms everyday. This time it was for strength, strength to continue on in His work, strength in His words and not my own, and strength in his unfailing love.

I am so thankful to everyone who encouraged and pushed me in this new direction and I can’t wait to share with you all the final results.

 

Production

A glimpse of the final product

Taste of Ireland: If it is dry outside, the Irish will be outdoors, even if it is three degrees Celsius and windy. I was outside the other day and a child ran by excitedly and yelled with glee: “IT IS DRY OUTSIDE!!!”  

St. Patrick's Day

I did not really know what to expect on St. Patrick’s Day. I knew it was a big holiday here, but I didn’t really understand why it is celebrated and to be honest, I don’t think most Irish people do either. The general consensus is that Ireland is celebrating St. Patrick. From there the facts and reasons sort of get muddled up. They know he “chased the snakes from Ireland,” but that isn’t even the reason he should be remembered. St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, chasing away paganism and he used the shamrock to explain the holy trinity. Most people just look forward to the copious amounts of alcohol and parties. – Side note. I wonder how much money people spend on this night alone. - Our way of participating in St. Patrick’s Day was walking through the parade with our big red double decker bus, a cross, and tracts. We passed out the tracts to people watching the parade and then parked the bus on the street later that night. The bus became a focal point for conversation and a beacon of hope as people moved from one pub to the next and passed by people who were completely sober on St. Patrick’s Day. For those who were really intoxicated, I am not sure how much of the conversations really stuck, but there are always people who remember and question. Personally, I am not good at speaking to people, but I can at least pray for their souls and for the seeds that were planted in their hearts to take root and grow.

Taste of Ireland: The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was in New York in 1762.