For this blog I am just going to write what I wrote in my journals so it is a lot more of reflection than what I actually did! Hope you still enjoy it! Check out facebook because pictures will be coming soon!!!!!
January 5th, 2011
This morning started off with a walking tour of the city by Fergus. Fergus is a man of a church just up the road. He is absolutely hilarious and shorter with sweet gray hair! We saw so many monuments, cathedrals, Dublin Castle, and so much more. What struck me is that I see everything as beautiful here; the streets, gates and even the doors yet I fail to see this beauty at home. Why is this? Have I become so familiarized with it that I lose the ability to see things as they really are around me? When I go back I want to look at the world around me through these same lenses of beauty. Ireland is another place God created and He also created Merrill. On our walking tour Fergus told us the history of the places. So much destruction, violence and hostility have happened. This trip is going to be so challenging as I try to engage and interact with this history and begin to understand. I don’t want to learn about Ireland but I want to learn from Ireland. After the walking tour we went to this sweet little café and I had the best minestrone soup I have ever had and then we headed to Dublin Castle! It is amazing to walk through halls that have had so much history happen in them. To stand where Michael Collins stood as the flag rose was chilling! So beautiful. Also the sun illuminates things here. The buildings will suddenly start shining and the statues that are all around will begin to glow in the Ireland sun. After the castle we went to a local Pub called Kearney’s. We talked to the bartender for a long time! He was hilarious. The humor here is wonderful because it is quick and witty and said in the same tone so you really have to listen for it. As I left I got my first real Irish kiss from and old Irish man on my cheek. Then we went and had some dinner and had prayer time with our group and then went back out to the Temple Bar. The Temple Bar is a touristy area that has a ton of pubs and restaurants. We listened to a band play Irish Jig music. I could not believe I was there. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. I can see why people spend so much time in Pubs. It is meant for the fellowship. Ben, Sarah, Trevor and I stayed later and listened to music all night! They even played my favorite song Galloway Girl (can be heard in PS I love You)
January 6th 2011
This morning I woke up exhausted! Right away in the morning we drove to Fergus’ house which is called Narnia. On the way we saw the ocean and it was so beautiful! The way the blue meets with the green is something only God could have come up with. Fergus’ house was a great cottage and Sarah his wife made an excellent lunch of potatoes and chicken filled with stuffing wrapped in bacon. Fergus talked to us about the history of Ireland. It amazes me how the Pope gave Ireland to the King of England. So it is the Catholics who actually started the whole ordeal that they blame the Protestants for. There is so much content and issues involved that I will never begin to understand it. It is so easy to pass judgment! Conflict is not about who is right or wrong and what is going on but it is the process of reconciliation. And reconciliation is not going to happen by blaming one side or trying to figure everything out. I need to learn how to listen and I am super excited to hear others’ stories to expand my worldview and ability to hear other people.
After his house we went to a castle and it finally felt like I was in Ireland. It was set back in the woods with a long path with the sun setting and it was gorgeous. Europe is so old. Fergus told us a 12th century village was found next to his house (and under it) and they excavated it and took pictures and then buried it again. Why? Things seem to be taken for granted here. The extraordinary seems common, just like for me at home. After the castle we made dinner and then Pud, Erik, Greg, and I went to Lord Edward’s Pub. When we walked in people stared at us. It was a local place outside the Temple Bar area. At the first the people were cold but when they realized we weren’t American’s looking to get wasted they stared talking to us. I talked with Billy (an old Irish man) for a couple hours. We talked politics, about the conflict, the economy, rock and roll, his life, and much more. He was amazing. He told me crazy things about the varying aspects of the conflict. About different parties that they have in Ireland (14 I think he said) and how it was a true democracy based off of what the candidates actually do for the community. One party is still like the IRA and uses violence to get things done. It was very interesting to listen to him and hear his opinions and viewpoints. Billy wanted to share all the knowledge that he had with me and help me out in any way that he could. The Irish people speak their mind but also do not want to force their opinion on you. They keep themselves distanced but also share what they know.
We also had a debriefing session today and talked about “the other”. Who is the “other” in my life? Which people do I not desire to listen to and put up a barrier against? If I was truly honest it would probably be everyone. I desire to make my life a space for people to share their story and in doing so love them. Listening is so closed to being loved that they are barely distinguishable. Another observation I had is that I felt like an object at Temple Bar but respected at Lord Edward’s. I want to experience Ireland. I wasn’t to interact, learn, and change. I do not want to be a tourist and just grab and take. This can be brought to my whole life, I do not want to be a tourist and observe life and just take what I can but I want to interact with it, get into the dirt of it and smell the fire that burns. This is so hard to do; to reject oneself daily.
January 7th 2011
Today was another great day! I can’t believe I have been in Dublin for 2 days! Today Father John Joe spoke to us about Celtic Christianity and I found out my birthday is the celebration of young life and marriage and fertility (full of nuptial energy). The Celts worked with nature so much and I respect that. I see God in nature and so did they. I connected very well with what John Joe was speaking about and I was very intrigued. They have an idea about Sacred Place and that the high mountain or the valley below is a sacred place and I believe this. There is so much beauty in this world (in nature and in the city) and it all is calling out praises to God. One thing I wonder about is the inculturation. Inculturation is incorporating the culture within Christianity. This is great for witnessing and recognizing the people but I wonder, “what is authority?’ It scares me to incorporate culture into the sacred because I am fearful of tainting belief in God. Where is the line drawn? When does inculturation become heresy? I do think we need to speak to culture and have that shape who we are and how we interact with people and it definitely affects how we interact with God. But I just don’t know how they all work together.
After his lecture we went walking around town looking for a thrift store. Unfortunately the receptionist didn’t know what a “trift”, as he said it, store was but he pretended he did and sent us on a wild goose chase around the city. Next we did presentations and then went to a Rugby game. It was freezing but so much fun! It was the first time it rained and I am still chilled to the core from it. The game was intense; brutal but fantastic! When they are kicking it everyone goes silent and only the sound of the rain drops could be heard. Leinster won! And then we shivered all the way home. Sarah and I quickly changed and head out to O’shea’s. So great! Sarah and I had such a great conversation about confession and struggles and our relationships with God. One question we were wrestling with is if we have tasted something as sweet as God why do we ever turn away from him? It was a truly life changing conversation as we wrestled with deep stuff. We also talked with a man who works with youth in Belfast and he reminded us to listen to the youth and told us that if we ask God to help us he may respond “I already have, when are you going to try?
January 8th 2011
God is soooo amazing! I have been so sucked out of everything lately and feeling somewhat down. Tonight I got refreshed and healed through talking with my roommates Sarah, Emily, Caroline, and Hannah. But before that, today was also splendid. We took a day tour south. We went to Avoca where we got to tour a wool shop and see how things were made. I have realized I have a hard time splurging on myself. I never buy souvenirs or anything, which should change! We then went to Glendalough (pronounced Glen-Da-Lock) and means valley of the 2 lakes. We saw an old Monastic City with a large graveyard. The graves were so old and there was moss growing up them. There are a lot of Celtic crosses and it is really great to see culture coming through everything. We walked from the upper lake to the lower lake and there were huge trees with ivy growing up them. Lots of moss everywhere and little waterfalls scattered around. It is beautiful and I really feel like my life is a fairy tale right now! The wind was SO intense! There were white caps on the lake and we had to work hard to stay upright! After our walk we went to dinner and my friend Caroline and I shared warm death by chocolate and oh my goodness it was delicious! The next part of our day tour was the Guinness Valley. I don’t know if I am just really emotional or what but I had to hold back tears. It was absolutely stunning. It is winter here and so it wasn’t very green but the valley was astounding. The best part thou was the wind! I literally could not walk when the big gusts came because it was so strong. Never before have I felt the immenseness of the power of the wind before! I stood there amazed by the glory of God that was radiating from that valley.
We then came back, ate dinner, and then had a meeting. We talked about the complexity of the conflict in Northern Ireland that we will face in Belfast. Then we talked about how to treat and interact with beggars. It is such a hard issue and I still don’t know. I would like to experience it to know how I should love and treat them. Perhaps after college I will travel around! After that we were going to go to a River dance but couldn’t because you have to buy dinner on the weekends to see it and it was done being served. This made me really sad!!! But God knows best! Instead I ended up having tea with Hannah, Mindy, Pamela, Greta, Bryce, and Tony. We shared something the others didn’t know and had a great time at Thai Spice. Then Hannah and I had a great discussion about our struggles and how we are doing on the trip. It was such a deep conversation! After awhile our other roommates joined in and we had a night of affirmation where we went around and shared what we appreciated and loved about each other. God moved so much because all of us had been down and struggling and through fellowship and encouragement that was wiped away. Praise God!!! We prayed for each other and then went to bed.
January 9th 2011
One week is already done! Today we woke up and went to Fergus’ church! The worship lasted for a loooong time; the music alone was over an hour long and absolutely wonderful. After last night I felt as though I worshiped God with unadultured praise. The church was very much modeled after the Acts Church. Afterwards we got on a bus (which I lost my bus ticket for! But then I found it luckily)) and headed towards Belfast. It was a long ride and when I should have been reading I actually slept. The reading is rough because it is dealing with the conflict and there is just sooo much involved and I get very confused. Again, I want to learn from Ireland and not about Ireland! We arrived in Belfast and I immediately felt at home again. We got comfortable at Arnie’s Backpacker (I am sharing a room with my professor Pamela!) and then went to the place we will have our meetings. We learned some phrases that I will take back to the states with me like a “thram” is someone who is awkward (I know lots of thrams!!! Haha). We then went out to a great little Italian Restaurant! The pizza was delicious and I tried goat cheese and loved it! And oh my goodness Tiramisu is the best thing that has ever entered my mouth!!! We came back and just hung out at the hostel.
I had an amazing conversation with one of the hostel workers Ben. He has been traveling around the world with no money working at hostels and receiving food and lodging for free. We discussed faith and how struggles make us ask the tough questions and seek out God. He had some amazing stories. We also discussed how God loves us the same yesterday today and tomorrow and how we do not need to be perfect to receive his love. Ben is an amazing man that I am excited to get to know more throughout this week! This trip has been filled with conversations that have challenged me and caused me to grow. I love meeting new people and sharing our stories. Testimony is powerful.
January 10th 2011
Today we had breakfast at Arnie’s and I got to eat cereal like Cheerio’s soooo yummy. Then we went and learned about Celtic Spirituality. We learned so much about the values and I am very intrigued. I want to look into it more and apply it to my faith because I think that nature, hospitality, and fellowship are things that are essential to the Christian Faith and the Celtic culture really dives into them. Then we had snacks (always tea…yum yum yum)! Then we learned a brief overview of the control of the different areas of Ireland and the political issues involved. We had lunch at then went on a 3 hour walking tour of the city. Much different feel from Dublin! There is barbed wire on the top of gates and walls dividing the Nationalists from the Unionists. They call the walls “peace lines” but they are so divisive rather than bringing peace. The only change that has happened since the peace agreements were for the walls to get higher. Also there are murals all around the city full of Nationalist or Unionist artwork. Some even say things like “Catholics must be killed”. I can’t imagine living in a town where that division and hatred is seen every day. These murals are done by both sides and so they are everywhere and helps shows where one group lives and where the other group isn’t welcome. (see pictures on Facebook) We walked and walked and walked. The city is spectacular and beautiful with wonderful sidewalks and it is amazing. We processed what we saw and I still have a heavy heart. I wonder how reconciliation and forgiveness can happen if reminders of the offenses are present everywhere. Can you truly forgive without forgetting the offense? How do these images affect those that are constantly reminded by them? How are the children affected? So many questions. So much to experience. We then came back and we are just chilling out tonight. Each day I realize more and more that God has called us to a ministry of Reconciliation. I got a ton of books from the place we have our meetings about forgiveness and reconciliation! (I donated some money to them because I wasn’t supposed to pay) I am so excited to continue this journey and learn more and be challenged and grow!
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