the face of love

Today was my last Sunday at Whitehouse Presbyterian Church. I'm flying home next Sunday morning, too early to mention, so this was my farewell service. Liz gave me the priviledge of choosing the hymns, the scripture and speaking. I was really nervous and have been agonizing over my message for weeks, but I wanted to use the time to really communicate how thankful I am for this year. The time of preparation taught me how much goes into a Sunday service. But I also learned that it is a beautiful process of working intimately with God to seek out what he wants to share through you. I found myself taking my random bits of the service that came to mind before Christ and working through them in a prayerful way. It was a humbling and growing experience. Below is my "sermon."

My first year teaching I was doing a brilliant lesson on the hemispheres of the earth. I was going to use an orange, cut it into halves and use it as a model for the hemispheres. Unfortunately, I forgot the knife that morning. So I sent a responsible student to the cafeteria to ask for one. Several minutes later she returned and said, “They told me to tell you they don’t give knives to children.” I took the comment in stride and it quickly became one of my favorite “first year” stories.

That first year teaching there were so many times when I felt like I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I carried with me the years of teacher training I had in university and a strong passion for sharing an enthusiasm for learning with children, all children.

Last year I felt God’s insistent nudge to stretch the boundaries and try something new. I applied for the Young Adult Volunteer Program because 3 separate times it had come up. So I thought I would push on the door and see if God opened it. I was interviewed and went to Kentucky to discern where God was calling me. I saw pictures of God at work in Belfast and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I didn’t really have a clue what I was doing, but I quit my job, left my family and came here to Northern Ireland. On my first night in Belfast I wrote the following prayer in my journal.
Protect those I love
Heal our grief at loss
Connect our hearts and souls
Focus me on your task
And help me to lay it all aside
To follow you
Lead me Lord

God knew. God knew what was ahead for me before I even thought about putting a foot on a plane. Alec Motyer says, “The Lord is completely different from humans in what and how he thinks and in his ways of action.” His ways of action are not how we would operate.

When I first arrived here, it took me awhile to understand the unspoken bits of conversation. I found it so interesting how Liz could so beautifully orchestrate a conversation to end up with that person coming round to her point of view or volunteering for something. Little did I know then when that tactic would be used on me occasionally! But God’s way of thinking and acting is so much more masterfully orchestrated. We cannot even conceive of his methods. My roommate Alison calls it “divine mischief.” What mischief has God been up to in your life today? Because his ways are immeasurably higher than ours.

In Isaiah 55 we heard, “As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Rain, Motyer says, is a heavenly gift. It produces transformation, making the earth flourish, and turns deadness into life. God sends rain, as a free gift, to transform the earth and turn death into life.

I love this passage. I love it because of the natural imagery and because of a piece of music I once was priviledged to perform that used this text. In the piece, the orchestra sounded like rain with staccato, succint notes. The “rain” of the orchestra grew in intensity much like a rain storm, to a crescendo that showed the flourishing of the earth that rain promotes. The choral music had long fluid notes that were dependent on one another. No one section could have sung the piece and one missing voice or instrument would have ruined the affect. It also seemed to me that those long fluid notes showed how insistent God’s voice is in this passage. Just like the uncompromising flow of water from the heavens, so is God’s word, God’s breath alive in His people that goes out from His mouth. So is God’s voice in His children. He sends us out for a purpose and we will never return empty but accomplish the very thing He sent us for. I love this passage. I rest in it on the days when I don’t have a clue. And this year I know it to be particularly true.

[Here I read a short story called "The Teachers" that Doug shared with us during the year. It's about the surprising teachers in our lives and how we should never be afraid to be touched by the very people we seek to reach.]

All year I have been humbled by the teachers in my life. I have been transformed by the free gifts of your love and the Father’s love reflected in each of your faces. I have been taught to see. You have taught me to see the beauty of Northern Ireland by taking me on outings and into your homes. I’ve learned how to see my boccia ball flying out of bounds and also see it hit the jack, with lots of practice. You’ve taught me to see people from their heart outward, and to truly see through the eyes of sincere, loving, Christian fellowship.

You’ve taught me to walk with my hand gripping firmly the hands of other disciples, to give direction and new depth to my personal walk with Christ. The members of the PHAB clubs also taught me a lot about walking. Walking behind a wheelchair, how to push it in the sand and on bumpy roads. The humility of having a fully functioning, healthy body.

Care. My friend Andrew, who was in Argentina as a Young Adult Volunteer, told me once in an email, “Jesus said to give the hungry something to eat, the thirsty something to drink, invite in the strangers, give the needy clothes, take care of the sick. In your year, you will receive all these things and it is so humbling.”

You had me into your homes and took me out to delicious meals, I was a stranger and you invited me in to your fellowship and you always made me feel welcome, like we were old friends. When I was sick I had people tucking cough drops into my hands and B vitamin tonic in my handbag. You gave me lifts all over the place! You gave me the best Christmas I can remember since I was little kid and you had no reason to do it. What did you know about me? What had I really done for you? You have freely given and my life has been transformed. The deadness of homesickness and being in a foreign country all vanished in the face of love you showed to me.

There are so many “heart pictures” I will carry with me of those reflections of the Father’s love.
The girls in GB learning how to make American Thanksgiving food and my Brigaders studying the Bible with me, countless cups of tea with the GB leaders,

the “girls” at the coffee morning and how they encouraged me to keep growing my hair to donate it when I was so ready to give up,

joining together in prayer at the Healing Service and hearing Sam play the organ,
the kids at the afterschools when they would come in from a day at school and tell me about their day or when they learned to swing on the monkey bars and asked me to watch,

the members of the youth PHAB club chatting about their hopes for the club and the future,

meeting with the staff of the 174 Trust and hearing how passionate they are about reaching out to most disadvantaged in North Belfast and giving them a voice,

my youth Alpha group teaching me not to give them “the look,”
the boccia group giving me friendly pointers on how to play better and learning how to join in a beetle drive,

Billy with cerebral palsy smiling at me when he got in the bus for PHAB club on a Thursday night and feeling like the whole world was just lighting up,

Contact Club Christmas Eve, puppet sketches, Mannafest, concerts, the students at Ballygolan and Whitehouse Primary schools, playing music with the praise group and the youth, and so many more than I could ever list. It has been an overwhelming year.

I don’t know what you have gotten from me being here, because from where I stand I can only see the faces that have shown me the love of Christ all year. Faces that are my teachers, my family, and have transformed my life.

That piece of music I performed last year, my favorite part was at the end. This song that had started as a gentle pouring of rain turned into a massive swell of rejoicing. Isaiah 55:12 says, “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” There is rejoicing. God’s purpose, though we cannot see it fully, has been accomplished for this time. There is so much we have shared and experienced together. All of creation rejoices, not over me, but over God at work here in Whitehouse and in the hearts, minds and spirits of each of you.

Our Father God has so much more for Whitehouse and for you than just me, or Chris, or whoever. In those moments when you don’t have a clue he reminds us that just as there is order to the beauty and purpose of nature in the rain and snow nourishing the earth, so there is order to the beauty and purpose of your life being nourished by relationship with Him. So look around you, look for “the teachers,” and thank God for the face of love that he reflects to you each day. Thank you for sharing yourselves and God’s love with me this year. I thank my God that I will never be the same again.

and companions on the road

Flax was laid in a field to dry and had to be bleached before it was beautiful white linen. The flax flower is the new symbol of the Northern Ireland Assembly because they had to choose something neutral that represented Northern Ireland’s shared history and shared future. The children at Ballygolan could identify Ian Paisley as First Minister, but had no idea who Martin McGuinness was. Teachers everywhere have that student who they just don’t know what else to do about. “Clon” means a hill with sheep and “drum” means hill. I think that pretty much every name of a place in Northern Ireland comes from the same list, they just pick two pieces and put them together. Ballycultra, Ballygomartin, Clonard, Dundrum, Dungiven, Drumallis, just to name a few. During the gun running of the first period of the Troubles in the early 1900’s, the port of Larne was used as a drop point for gun smuggling. My haircut, that cosmetic sacrifice, was something that I shared with the ladies of the Coffee Morning and they felt that it really connected me with them. A woman who used to be a childrens’ nurse felt that it was a particularly special moment and she grew closer to me by sharing that with me. Faith journeys meet at strange moments and you suddenly realize that you are treading on the holy ground of someone’s walk with God. You realize the blessing of the intimate joy in hearing that story and it makes you walk a little more softly in reverent awe of God’s glory. It’s okay to say you don’t feel like doing something and it’s okay to want to have your decision respected. My great idea to write something in glue and then cover it with tiny sequins was not a great idea, but I didn’t realize it until my fingers were stuck together with glue. My friend Anne makes me laugh when I need it most and I want to be just like her when I’m 70. Sometimes I’m overwhelmed by the thought of being back in the classroom again and others I feel like I might jump out of my skin if I have to wait much longer to be teaching. The schools didn’t teach Irish history and two people I spoke to this week said everything they know about Ireland they had to learn from books they read on their own. Cookstown has the widest main street in Ireland. I wish I could still swing on monkey bars and jump rope for more than 5 minutes.

These are just a few of the things I’ve learned about myself and the place I live this week. A few, and as I was recalling each I was overwhelmed by the volumes swimming in my head and heart, the things I’ve absorbed and gained just in a few days time. How will I share all that I have learned, seen, and done this year? How will I communicate it in such a way that will do this year justice? How will I use words to paint a picture that conveys what is in my mind? It is huge to me to think of returning home and scary to think of the resposibility of sharing my year. But I feel an urgency and an excitement at the same time, because I have such a confidence in what God can do. God can extract from my experience that exact thing that should be shared with the exact listener or receiver. I know he can do it and I thank him for the times this year that I was the listener or receiver.

When I came to Belfast, I told your stories. I related to people by telling them of how you had given me the strength and courage, building me up so I could take this journey. When I come home I can’t wait to tell you their stories, of how they loved me and folded me to their hearts, teaching me more than I ever could have imagined about myself and the love of God.

When I lived in South Carolina, I talked like a South Carolinian, I thought like a South Carolinian and I reasoned like a South Carolinian. Now that I have lived abroad and loved another city I weave the ways of childhood into my present attitude. For when we see only our own community we know only our part, but when we see the world we know our part in it more fully, opening ourselves to the fullness of God knowing us through the love of others, his children.

THANK YOU!!!

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone for your financial support!! I have raised $9,810.00 to date, which means I only need about $200 more. When I set out with the goal of $10,000 this year I admit that I was nervous. The way the church has provided for the financial support of this year and all your prayers of support have been an amazing testament to the hands and feet of God in my life and in the world. In times when I personally struggled, knowing that so many people cared and believed in what I was doing this year has truly lifted me up and given me the strength to continue with renewed vigor. Praise be to God for such cheerful givers in so many ways!

running the race

Today in our meeting with Doug he talked about the theme of running the race of our faith journey. Perserverance and an extra burst of energy as my time, and the time all of us have left, winds down. Now is not the time to lose sight of the goal, but to push on so that, as Doug says, when we step on a plane we will have more of a sense of satisfaction than if we let these weeks plod on by. Letting go of that which slows us down and pushing on with renewed vigor is something I have personally been pursuing already and hearing it again today reminded me of the importance. So I wanted to share with you some of the projects that are on my mind so that you might join with me in prayer for these things, in the hopes that some of them will meet me at the finish line of my time in Belfast.

At the 174 Trust...
-pray for the director Bill and the other Staff, some are putting together summer programs and securing funding, others are finishing projects and want to see their hard work come to fruition
-give thanks for the completion of the afterschool mural! our children loved the project and our talented artist, Anna Donovan
-pray for the dance project we're hoping to start this month in the afterschool, Aisling and I are going to work cooperatively with the children to create a routine
-pray for the children of the afterschool, that they continue to grow socially and in their respect of one another and confidence in themselves
-pray for the PHAB groups (adult and youth) that they will have enjoyable outings in the spring and that the youth fashion show will be a productive and worthwhile project for our members
-pray for the members of the groups that they will have the support from social workers that they need
-pray for energy for the leaders of the groups and time for them to spend with their families

At Whitehouse Presbyterian...
-pray for the younger youth club that had 7 youth on Sunday night!!! this group is growing and we want to see these youth enjoy their place in the congregation
-pray for the "older" youth gatherings- they are all coming to my house (ahh!) and I hope that we have many other times to meet and share fellowship before July
-pray for one of our youth who has the priviledge of going to the Triennium this summer! what a great opportunity!
-pray for the upcoming General Assembly in Northern Ireland
-pray that I'll be able to use some of the insights I gained on Iona in our prayers for healing service on Tuesdays
-pray for the walking group which is starting today (and it's raining and cold right now)
-pray for the women of our congregation that we may be able to organize a women's group outing in May and luncheon for June
-pray for Bible study groups studying Job (yes, Job...enough said)
-give thanks for Alpha members who have taken the first steps to start an intimate faith journey with God
-pray for the leadership of Whitehouse as they plan a strategy for the next few years after gaining information from the healthy church survey and Presbytery report
-pray for Geoff, Derek, Bethan, James and I as we seek to practice and grow as a "praise group," also pray that a pianist will emerge whose talents we covet :)

Et cetera...
-pray for my roommate Libby as she prepares to lead her youth weekend at Guysmere Camp
-pray for my roommate Alison as the leadership of her community placement changes
-pray for the youth of Northern Ireland
-pray for political leaders in Northern Ireland as they take exciting steps to secure a shared future for Nothern Ireland, pray for their wisdom and discernment
-pray for my family as they are about to be subjected to my return :)
-pray for my church families in Fort Hill and Greer

Please let me know how I can be praying for you as well.

If necessary use words

Today is May Day, a bank holiday, the Belfast City Marathon and a day for me to rest and reflect. I'm so thankful that the past month has been so full, that there is so much more about this amazing experience than I could ever write in a blog. Liz recently told me that the best way to share this year is to tell the stories of my experiences, tell the stories and let people filter them through their own hearts and minds. I'm so full of stories of people and places that I've experienced that I pray God will remind me of them all.

I have led a glamorous life the past month which includes sporadic work and a variety of travels. :) Mom came to visit in March, stepping off the plane to worship at Whitehouse. We went to Edinburgh for 3 days where we toured the Scottish highlands and some of my favorite spots like Holyrood Palace. She came with me to Friends and Neighbors lunch club and listened to me talk about my life in South Carolina, why I had chosen to come to Belfast, and some of what I do this year.
Then I took her on a whirlwind tour of the city starting with seeing Cats at the Grand Opera House,
a pint at Belfast's oldest pub,


and a glance at the smallest house in Northern Ireland.


We spent St.Patrick's Day in Belfast.


Alison was in the Belfast parade and then we all went to the pub for free Irish stew, Six Nations Rugby and a bit of craic with friends.


Sunday it actually snowed in Belfast! Mom and I celebrated UK Mother's Day by hopping the bus to Dublin and were mildly frightened they wouldn't let us across the border when the Garda got on board and asked us for our passports. St.Patrick's Day brings a lot of visitors to Ireland obviously and there is a hightened monitoring of people crossing borders. It was reminder of the power of American citizenship that we take for granted, because we didn't even have to present ID though I had my driver's license ready. But the travellers next to us had to present extensive documentation. In full scale tourist mode we took the Dublin bus tour and hopped on and off at various locations like Christ's Church cathedral where we heard the choir practicing for the service of evensong. The beauty of the music, and the poetry of God's word set to clear tones, was a blessed reminder to me of how music does truly bring us closer to heaven. We lit a candle for peace in Northern Ireland and it felt like closely bending God's ear to pray in such a special place of worship.

We also saw Downpatrick,

helped cater the launch of the "Gospel in Conflict" course that Liz helped to write,

saw Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Distillery, toured the Belfast Zoo,

ate at La Cuisine (my favorite), and saw some of the more recent murals on a tour with Doug.

Some of the new murals show the progression of peace in Northern Ireland. One portrays the uncertain future of Northern Ireland. Since Paisley and Adams were shown on television, communicating a shared future and seated together, people here will tell you that there is a different feeling. There is a feeling of peace and though there is still an element of skepticism there is also a strong sense of hope. Another mural shows Andrew Jackson, "Old Hickory." Some of the murals now show famous people who had roots in Northern Ireland, shared figures that cover up murals of gunmen or messages of sectarianism.

It was great to have mom visit, to be able to talk to her without paying 4p per minute, to share meals and everyday things with someone and to just have her near. I was at work for a few days. Whitehouse was going through a consultation process with the Presbytery and we held a service of worship and presentation for that. I felt a huge sense of pride in the church as I watched each presentation, including a hilarious puppet show written by Bob, a former member of the Duncairn/St.Enoch's congregation who is a dynamic part of Uncle Bobby and Auntie Anne who take such good care of us PCUSA volunteers.

The last weekend in March I met Dad in Paris to spend the weekend after he was there on a business trip. I arrived in Paris on my own and I was confused from the minute I got off the plane. I was concerned that customs would ask me questions in French and I would be furiously searching through my phrase book. I couldn't find where the taxis were and I was watching other people to see if I should ride in the front or back of the car, since I was used to chatting in the passenger seat here in Belfast. I had a small taste of what the other international volunteers must have gone through, trying to learn new languages and feeling disoriented. When I arrived at the hotel the Eiffel Tower was glittering (hourly lights) and at least I knew the phrases that helped me to be polite like merci!

Paris was a friendly city, with most people being forgiving and taking pitty on me after I mangled my way through a French phrase. Dad and I saw the Musee Rodin, Grand and Petit Palais, and Notre Dame Cathedral.

The beauty and size of the rose windows was humbling.

There was an altar carving of Christ's childhood until the Passion and seeing the images was a meaningful preparation for Easter. There was also a prayer service and the prayers in French combined with the sheer height of the cathedral felt like stretching to God.


The surrounding gardens were so neatly organized and vividly blooming. We heard the bells at 5pm and had warm crepes from a street vendor. On the way back we rode down the Champs Ellyse and past the Arc de Triomphe. That night we ate dinner at La Coppelle in Montparnasse. It was a massive restaurant with great platters full of oysters, lemons and an assortment of seafruits. It was buzzing with conversations and we savored every minute of our homard (lobster). The next day it rained like crazy and we were completely soaked.

We stopped off first at the Church of Magdalene, dark inside the feeling of depth was increased by the recessed walls with large statues and the massive high ceilings. There was a service in progress but we sat and listened to part of the noon mass. The large statue of Mary Magdalene, surrounded by angels, was ethereal and the way it swallowed and radiated the light in it's white marble was beautiful. Since we couldn't take pictures my "heart pictures," as Alison says, will have to do. We spent the rest of the day in the Louvre. My favorite parts were the gardens which had been enclosed to preserve them. The contrast of the trees and marble made the statues even more amazing.





I really enjoyed the 15-18th century sculptures like Daniel and the Lion's Den, David and Goliath, and the Zephyr that was carved so finely the light shone through the wings. Of course we saw the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa (which is much smaller than you'd think).


I came home to flooded kitchen because the washing machine door wouldn't close properly. Alison and I swept the water out the back garden and then enjoyed a night of movie watching. On the plus side, our toilet was finally fixed so now we have two! ;)

In the week leading up to Easter Whitehouse hosted activities each night that were ways to make the walk to the cross a contemporary personal journey that also drew us into Christ's suffering and sacrifice. Frances and I, with the help of Bethan and Ross, organized activities for the youth. We had about 20 youth each night. My group soon found out how much I love to make up games and give them ludicrous names like Pebble Pictionary which we played one night. We also did reflective activities like writing down something that weighs heavy on our hearts and then plunging it deep into water to symbolize how with Christ our sins are plunged to the depths and never lifted again. On Easter morning the church met at Hazelbank park on the shore of the Belfast Lough. The sun came up over the water and illuminated the city. Afterwards we went to the church and had a traditional Ulster fry breakfast cooked by May and the catering team. Over 100 people were served! The service, the fellowship, the beauty of the lough, all captured Easter and the power of the risen Christ in a way that will continue to be as special to me as the Easter sunrise services at Old Stone Church that are dear to my heart from my childhood.

After Easter I had a week off from the afterschools and from church activities. It gave me time to be lazy. I also had time to meet people for coffee outside of our normal times when you sometimes feel like you don't have enough time to chat or enough time to truly spend in fellowship. On April 12 I went to the Colors Salon on the Antrim Road and Paul, the hairdresser my GB girls recommended, cut 10 inches off my hair for me to donate to Locks of Love. I have always wanted to be involved this worthwhile charity, but usually got so sick of long hair I chopped it before it was long enough. The roommates came with me and we made a fun day out of it. That night we went out with the 174 crowd for Dan's going away party (though he would kill me if he knew I called it that). Dan left us to travel through Europe and then he's off back to the states. I've moved back downstairs into my old room, which feels different now. It feels like each room I've lived in has represented various stages of this year, this journey. I am also realizing how much stuff I have acquired and starting to get concerned about how I will get it all home in two months.

That Friday the youth of Whitehouse held a 24 hour fast to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. Their goal is to raise £1235 to become "Hope Builders" by funding one house in the two-thirds world. They came and spent the night at the church and then had a car wash the following morning, complete with fire hose. I came by for a little while since we were leaving for Iona at 5.30am the next morning and in my short stay there they managed to trick me and treat me to the "bumps" which involved me being thrown in the air by 20 teenagers 10 times. The youth of our church continue to amaze me with how committed they are to reaching out to the world and doing practical, passionate things to show God's love to others.

April 14 we left for Iona at around 5.30am. We took a taxi to the Europa buscentre, a bus to the ferry, ferry to Stranraer, bus to Glasgow, train to Oban, bus to the Isle of Mull, ferry to Iona. It was an entire day of travel that at times challenged my attitude and patience. The train was my favorite part of the journey, chugging through the Scottish countryside. It felt like we had been transported into the C.S. Lewis novel The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe with the massive trees around us and the clear, blue streams beside. As we got on the ferry to Iona the water was rushing up around the platform. The sun and fresh air were so restorative compared to the Belfast air which carries a bit of the fragrance from the local animal feed plant. When we arrived on Iona

we were met by staff and walked up to the McLeod Center where we stayed for the next week. We passed little lambs, sheep, stone walls, wood gates painted bright yellows and blues. We joined in the evening meal and got to know some of the other folks there for the week. At the beginning of the year Doug had asked us if we wanted to go on this trip and we had heard about it from previous volunteers. There was a program for the week with a few sessions but a lot of the week was really about living in community and being a part of Iona, a remote island that feels closer to heaven. Attending the first evening worship in the abbey, hearing the sounds of people inventing harmonies resonate on the old stone walls, I started to have a sense of the magic of the place.


The Iona Community is dedicated to a holistic pursuit of peace. Peace that includes the healing of people, the protection of the world of which we are God's stewards, and the call for justice for all people. There is a rhythm to life on the island that comes out of the ideals of the Iona Community. We did chores each day, shared basic vegetarian meals, attended worship at 9am and 9pm, and explored the island which is populated mostly by cows, sheep and the beauty of Scotland.

All the activities were optional and it was freeing for me skip worship to take a walk around the island and not feel guilty. I felt that I met intimately with God in that morning walk and throughout my time to reflect and be still on Iona.

On Tuesday Alison and I went to the service of prayers for healing. People on the list for prayer were in groups, but the groups weren't named like "those in hospital" they were more broad and respectful like "those who suffer pain, those who suffer in mind or spirit, those struggling to overcome addiction or abuse." After each group was listed and people prayed for by first name only, we sang a different response. We prayed for situations in the world and prayers were lifted for the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting. Alison and I both were deeply moved by the prayers. After prayers were also given for peace in Northern Ireland we were both in tears. We left the abbey in silence and went together to pray in Columba's cell, the location of St.Columba's tomb. The two countries we loved were lifted up to God's ear and there is something that deeply touches and heals your heart when sincere prayers are offered on your behalf.

The Thorndale girls took a trip to the Island of Staffa, which has similar hexagonal basalt columns to Giant's Causeway on the North Coast of Northern Ireland.
Legend has it that it is the other end of the causeway that Finn McCool built to walk to Ireland. We saw puffins and seals and walked the solid columns to Fingal's Cave. We all agreed that Scotland got the better half of the causeway.

We also took a pilgrimage while we were on Iona.

In the first 30 minutes I stepped in a bog all the way up to my knee. I was stuck in it so far that it took 2 people to yank me out! I almost pulled Alison in with me.

Seeing the island and taking a good walk were only part of the pilgrimage though. At each stop the leaders highlighted history of the island or how parts of the island remind us to pray for certain things. For example at the nunnery,

which is now in ruins, we prayed for the underrepresentation of women in history and then sang a song as we travelled on. There was deep peace in the seamless weaving of prayer, exertion, nature, and fellowship. We also saw the quarry where the oldest marble in Europe exists, the reservoir that used to provide water for the island, and several of the beautiful beaches that hem Iona in. Alison and I spent our last day walking the North beach and soaking up the sun, the beautiful stones, and the tropcially blue water.

It was an amazing trip and we made some great friends also.

On the way home our bus to Glasgow was delayed by two hours due to a chemical spill in the road. We missed the bus to Stranraer and our ferry, so we had to stay the night in Glasgow. We were so tired but made an adventure of it, dividing up the complimentary vittles in the room and drinking water out of wine glasses. It was fun and nice to sleep in a comfy bed until the fire alarm went off in the morning.

Libby kept saying, "seriously" and we were all in fits of laughter at the crazy situation of us in our pajamas on the streets of Glasgow. We finally got home on Saturday night and were so glad to see Thorndale.


A few days after Iona I went to Birmingham on whim to see Keith Urban in concert with the added bonus of seeing Monisha and Anni who are also YAV's. I got there in the afternoon and Monisha gave me a tour of her placement. She laughed at my wide-eyed amazement at the gym in the YMCA in West Bromich were she works. I will never again take a gym for granted after Belfast, where the nearest leisure center is a 10 minute walk and costs about $8 per use. Fortunately the Waterworks park is close by and I walk there often, but I am looking forward to aerobics classes and free weights when I get home. Monisha treated us to her local chippie and my kebab and chips were class. Then we took the train back into town and headed to the Carling Academy. We didn't realize that the Carling Academy is a first come, first served venue and we ended up at the long end of a queue that wrapped around several buildings and was many blocks long! We got in and started to look for a place to stand on the upper balcony but it seemed that every tall person in the UK was up near the front. Anni scouted it out and found a place on the side with a view right on top of Keith! We sang to the top of our lungs and danced around like nobody was watching. Monisha who admitted she had never heard of Keith Urban even loved the music. I flew out the next day and felt like the trip was over before it started, but I loved seeing YAV buddies and doing something spontaneous.

This week I've been getting back in the routine. We've had gorgeous weather in Belfast- warm and sunny with temperatures in the high 60's. The afterschools kids were out every afternoon this week and my freckles actually started to show up again after months in hiding. Youth PHAB played games in the back garden this week and adult PHAB took pictures down by the shore before going for ice cream. Bernice even taught me how to push her wheelchair through the sand and was very patient with me as I learned. On Friday I started back with the coffee morning at the 174 Trust. I've been baking cookies and making sandwiches for the staff and groups that meet. The Alcoholics Anonymous group also meets on a Friday so they usually come get something to eat during their tea break. The first week I did this project, people were so amazed that I would make them their cup of tea and offer food for free. I was humbled by their amazement at what I felt like was just natural hospitality. I see the importance of continuing this project and it has already been so rewarding for me.

My time here is going too quickly. In eight weeks I will be back in South Carolina. This weekend a strategy committee from Whitehouse went to Newcastle to look at the results of our healthy church survey and come up with some objectives for the next few years. That meeting has been on my calendar for months and it felt so far away. Now it's over and I feel even more acutely how much I have learned from my time here and how much I feel there is still I'd like to be a part of. The people here are part of my life, my friends, my extended family. My friend Andrew said in a recent email that I will soon be a person who has lived in two places and never really left either. But it's also like the words of David Lamotte, "Your heart isn't broken just because your heart is sore. All that love just stretched it out and now it holds a little more." My heart holds so much more and God is teaching me constantly. He is teaching me to grow in the confidence of my decisions and to rest in the contentment of his provision and love. I'm learning about my amazing Heavenly Father and I am excited for the journey we'll take together throughout the next few weeks and as I return home. By the way, I recently accepted a fourth grade teaching position at Chandler Creek Elementary in Greer for the 2007-2008 school year which I'm very excited about. I've been richly blessed.

Thank you for your prayers, for reading this blog, and for your support. I look forward to sharing my stories with you when I get home and I can't wait to hear what God is doing in your lives. Thank you also for your generous giving over the past months. I'm still in need of about $1,000 of support. If you would like to support God's work in Northern Ireland please send your donations to:
The Presbyterian Church USA
Individual Remittance Processing
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

*Please put my name in the "for" line- Lauren Simmons ECO#074555

I thank God for you and remember you in my prayers.
"Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words." - St.Francis of Assisi

The Making of a Legacy

As I've started to apply for teaching positions back at home, I got a piece of advice from a former professor. She told me that people need to be able to see me and suggested I find an accessible webcam. Well I found a webcam, so if I need to do a high tech teleconference I'm all set to go, but I also have wanted to do a video with images set to music for ages. With the help of Geoff from Whitehouse I found a great program that does it easily and I'm hoping that you will enjoy the finished product and being able to see a bit of my life in Belfast, set to a song that gives me new energy and inspiration. Don't forget to choose the option to see it full screen!

This week is Respect Week in our area. The Community Empowerment Partnership for the New Lodge area is putting on several events, some of them at the 174 Trust. The week will highlight the work of community projects and how they are inclusive and exemplifying the ideals of respecting differences.

http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/nbcau_empowerment_partnerships#cep_greater_new_lodge
(for more information on the CEP)

The children in the afterschool project have been working through some lessons I put together about respecting differences and creating artwork that will be displayed this week along with information about our project. So, in the spirit of Respect Week I painted a picture of the occupants of 31 Thorndale Avenue. The children wrote a bit about the person they respected and I'd like to share with you why I respect my roommates.


(From left to right)

I respect Alison because when I'm baking or cooking she sits in the kitchen with me, DJ's our favorite tunes from the computer, and is the best at stirring things. She leaves me messages on the magnadoodle in the hall and she makes me laugh, especially late at night. She will finish any food that is leftover and usually mixes it all together. When she has a really tough day she can still laugh about it and end by saying how much she loves her job. She understands the beauty of having an ADHD conversation and she is kind and patient in a way I truly admire.

I respect Dan because he can put up with 3 girls everyday. He taught me never to throw something away without asking (Christmas cake that was months old) and he taught me to be more confident in my own opinions and not worry about what other people think. He makes great pancakes, opens the window when he cooks something smelly, and plays beautiful music on the guitar. He does things that need to be done, even if no one will see or give him recognition.

I respect Libby because she taught me how to pluck my own eyebrows, she takes videos of me and Al dancing and laughs with us late at night. She watches Nick Baker's weird creatures with me and appreciates how often I change my mind. She persevered in her placement with great patience and determination, and she continues to love and sincerely care for the youth she works with even though funding is running out. She organizes the silverware in the drying rack. She tells great stories and laughs out loud at the computer when no one is around. She has a heart for the children in Northern Uganda and shares the message with a passion. I respect her even though she is an Appalachain State grad and UNC fan. :)

God blessed me with wonderful roommates who listen to me, surround me with grace and love, and make my days bright just by their presence.