Under God's Tent

Women's World Day of Prayer was celebrated yesterday across the globe as women joined in common prayers written by the women of Paraguay. I joined with some of the women from Whitehouse in the service that we shared with other local women from various faith backgrounds. Star of the Sea Catholic Church, also located on the Shore Road in Newtownabbey, opened it's facilities for us to use and I found myself surrounded by women I've come to admire in Whitehouse and filled with the solidarity of spirit that the gathering of women inspired. The prayers, readings, and songs told us a small portion of the culture of Paraguay and the struggles of women there. It also gave us a space to be still and be open to the presence of God as we prayed for women all over the world.

The theme for this year was "Under God's Tent" and the women of Paraguay wrote of how we are united under God's protection and enfolded in his love like a cloak. Molly Dethereage was the speaker, a fellow US citizen, formerly from Oregon and now living in Northern Ireland studying for the ministry. She spoke about her family going on camping trips, the smell of the tent, and the presence of her father that seemed to abide in the familiarity of that setting and the object of the tent. Molly went on to talk about how the Israelites, in the desert, carried about a tent or tabernacle with the presence of God inside. But when Jesus came the Bible says the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, or literally "tented" with us. The spirit of God is now in us, abides with us. God cannot be contained. I was reminded of Liz's sermon about walls, particularly the peace walls in Northern Ireland and the similarities with the walls of the temple. Jesus' resurrection proved that even the temple, with it's intricate rules and restrictions, could not contain the presence of God. Jesus' death and resurrection shattered the boundaries and scattered the spirit to be in the children of God.

I left my family tent a bit over six months ago. I know you must get tired of reading my measures of time, but I find in an experience so vast time is the only certainty. God's work in and through my life cannot be measured, but the time that passes can, so forgive me if I use it again. In the time that has passed my awareness of the global Church or Church universal has expanded. I've seen the parallels between my congregation here and those at home, but I'm increasingly aware of and my heart bent towards the needs of the world community.

Last week, the Youth Alpha group at Whitehouse raised over $400 for Habitat for Humanity. After working on the site in Downpatrick, our youth felt God pressing on their hearts to be involved in the practical ministry of Habitat, supplying homes for people in poverty and in particular they are focusing on Africa, and Malawi where Whitehouse has contacts with the Steele family who are missionaries. So they made pancakes for Shrove Tuesday (on what we called Wacky Wednesday) and offered up music and praise.

They are striving to raise 1,235 British pounds which would fund one house. In conjunction with the action they've taken, the youth are also questioning. They are questioning why other Christians don't respond similarly everyday to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters who live without adequate housing, drinking water, food and sanitation everyday. Which is more important- to share the gospel with someone in our own community who chooses a life blatantly disregarding a relationship with Christ, or bringing higher quality of life and humanitarian aid (with a side of the gospel) to people in the two-thirds of the world that live in poverty?

Their questions inspire me to new depths with my own faith questions and have spurred my own searching. My appetite for God's word, discussion, reflection is too great for the time I have for my own pursuits. I'm thankful for the busyness, because I feel so excited about the projects growing up around me in each of my placements. The Afterschool project has more children now than ever before, with no full-time placements left! Eighteen children never seemed like a lot to me, but when they are all different ages it's amazing how they multiply. Yet even with that growth, our team is growing in our approach to children and the organization of the project as a whole. I'm wandering back to my instincts as a teacher, ones that I never should have left to begin with. I enjoy taking the time to discuss behavior and choices with children in a way that provides them an opportunity to reflect and shape positive behavior, instead of me imposing a system on them. For example, there is a child who uses inappropriate language (you know that F word that I feel like is part of every sentence I hear in Belfast). Well instead of me telling this child not to say that word we've given children the chance to say, "It makes me angry when you use that word in here." Then I can talk with that child about choosing to use language that makes their friends happy instead of angry. It's so much more lasting when that child comes to the conclusion that the language isn't appropriate or productive for the setting. It's positive and empowering for children who live in an area where those terms are foreign. They may not know there was an option to using the f word, but I hope we are providing them a space where they aren't condemned, but offered a new way of thinking about the choices they make.

The "Girls Allowed" project hasn't come to fruition like I had hoped. After several weeks of faithful volunteers and me showing up, no girls were showing up. We even changed the day because some of the girls mentioned Tuesday would be better. I had never been in position where all the pieces were in place, but no participants showed up. So on Tuesday, Nicola (another volunteer at the Trust) and I sat at the table at 4:30pm, slowly realizing the girls were not coming. Nicola and I had a beautiful conversation about youth work and how God's outcomes are sometimes accomplished even when ours aren't. She also explained to me that North Belfast is an area where the youth are not accustomed to opportunity. Youth from other walks of life might think they could start something up, illicit support, and see their idea materialize. Youth from our area of town aren't used to that concept and wouldn't know what to do. A good example of this was one of the first conversations I had with the 3 girls who came about a month ago. When I told them we had some money and could do some things, they couldn't think of ideas. It was like no one had ever told them they could do anything they wanted, all they had to do was pick. There is so much more to be done in this area with youth work, even though there are so many centers in the area that run programs for youth. There needs to be more outreach, more on the streets communication with youth, giving them choices and chances to do something other than the things they know. How could I be ready to serve, have the resources, and not be able to do anything?

Doug told me, during my interview last year, that it might be difficult for me not to see the affects of the work I've done. I didn't know how true until this project didn't work out like I envisioned in my head. But there is so much that God did accomplish through it, like my science project with beans in seventh grade that molded and failed all 3 trials, but I still got second place in the science fair. I was blessed to know Nicola and more about youth work in the area, including some of the challenges facing our community right now. I gained confidence in applying for funding, promoting my project, and walking around my neighborhood begging people to let me put up posters. Bill has even got a new project for me to start this week, providing tea, coffee, and whatever I want to bake up for people who are in the Trust. We're hoping to open up the Cafe at the Trust and promote it as a social hub by having food and fellowship.

I am learning so much about youth work in various and completely different settings. I work with the children of the Afterschool project and the Youth in the Disability project at the 174 Trust, some coming from disadvantaged parts of North Belfast and bringing a range of issues completely different from the issues of poverty in rural South Carolina. I also work with the Youth of Whitehouse Presbyterian who have passionate hearts for people of poverty and for reaching out to friends and neighbors in their own community. One of the guys in our youth group had the idea that we should start a Friday night youth club, where we have a band in the church hall and invite people to come and hang out at the church. These young people know that church is more than discipleship with other believers and even outreach to global needs, but "the church should be the reservoir for social capitol for the surrounding community." (David Campton)

I attended the launch of research on faith based youth work in Northern Ireland on Friday. In my small group I shared how in the United States there is no distinction between youth work and faith based youth work, all youth work is through the churches. Here in Northern Ireland, youth work is something you can be certified to do in your own community in centers independent of the church. Secular youth work is informing best practice and accountability for youth work in the church setting, but in an increasingly secular society how do we reduce suspicion and fear about our agenda as youth workers? How do reassure people that we are professional and serious about our impact in the community? How do we committ to transparency and diversity? There is so much going on in faith based youth work in Northern Ireland that can inform our youth ministry in the United States. And I find myself wondering how God will use what I learn here and where he is leading me by filling my heart up with passion for youth work.

So what about the tent? The smell of campfire and the presence of God tenting with us? Well, someone in the meeting yesterday said that our approach to youth work has to be holistic, not just hanging out and developing youth socially, emotionally, and physically. We also have to develop them spiritually. The same is true with adults, or the semi-grown up types most of us are. How can we develop the idea of God tenting with us, abiding with us?

I bought a ring, with the trinity symbol intertwined over and over. I wanted something unique, that I knew the meaning of and that would grow in significance to me as I wore it this year. I didn't fully understand the concept of the trinity when I bought it and I don't claim to now, but as I encounter God in authentic, rushing wind ways I am stretching my understanding of the spirit and what it means to grow spiritually. Letting God abide with you, so neatly woven into the fabric of your heart that your mind is bent to his will, maybe that's what it's like.