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! 

Unity

This past weekend we celebrated the tenth anniversary of OM Ireland. The two days of celebration were a culmination of months of hard work and preparation from staff and volunteers. Many things could be said about this weekend, and many good things have been said, such as how there were more people than we expected or how George Verwer, founder of OM, came and encouraged each individual in the crowd. What I would like to share however is not about the event or even about my experiences; it is about unity. The topic of unity came about several times this weekend and whenever something is repeated, you know it is important.

The ten-year anniversary was an event for us to celebrate with others all that God has done and is doing in Ireland, so naturally we had some people on the property who were not from around here. In speaking with one of them, it was brought to my attention how very blessed I am, and we all are, to have such a wonderful community and team. Each staff member has a job to do each day, yet we still find time to help one another and see the needs of the team as a whole. Work and duties aside, we are able to come together every morning and learn, worship, and pray with one another. It never even occurred to me that in other work places people don’t generally squeeze around one table at lunch to eat together, or spend time in conversation with one another over cups of tea, because it all just felt so natural. I believe it is this unity that made my transition into the office so smooth. It would have been difficult to not feel welcome. This unity among the team allowed us to pull together all that was needed for the celebration and it allows us to continue toward a common goal.

A common thread is essential for unity, and this weekend brought to light another form of unity. Over forty people came on Friday night and over two hundred joined Saturday, coming from near and far to be with us. And what was the common thread? It was not involvement in or even people who have been impacted by OM, although both had a presence. The common thread was, and is, Christ. Some who attended may not know who Christ is, but they came to see what He has done and is doing in Ireland. OM would not exist or have a purpose without Christ, and it is in Him we have unity. The two hundred people in that tent gave a mere glimpse of the unity that is in Christ around the world and the unity that should be enveloping every nation and people group. What else can bring together liars and thieves, pastors and preachers, young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor? We are all subject to the human condition, which means we all need a savior. When we understand that, we are able to stand together in Him.

The tent on Friday morning.
Thankfully the weather cleared up later.

Floating lantern ceremony, representing the different
lights we have shining here for God's kingdom.

Taste of Ireland: If you are asked "have you had any tea?" depending on the time of day, that could be a question referring to if you have eaten supper.