Week 3--I Take My Fellowship With a Side of Coffee and Biscuits

God is good. This week has been one surprise after another. I was very blessed at the beginning of the week with some new friends from church. We went out for crepes, only I was confused as to what I was being invited to partake in as they pronounce the word, “craps.”

This Monday I was truly blessed at the Women’s Bible Study, where we studied Jesus’ death and His seven last words. God is really present here, especially in the lives of those in the church. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, coffee!!!(at all church events, but hey, that’s not the only reason I go =), and prayer. 

I am embarking on a mission to help out with the “Teenspace” program that is being started in the area—a Younglife-type group where teens can come, have fun, and be presented with the gospel in a non-intimidating way. God literally placed this opportunity in my lap.

At the local student pub my friends and I have been dancing up a storm. I am surprised by the number of young men who want to instruct us how to dance. As one young man was trying to show us how to dance by doing a series of awkward pelvic gyrations, I assured him that we weren’t dancing for show and were just “having fun.” He gave up the cause, thankfully, though we had other interesting characters appear throughout the evening. One Irish Gent even showed us how to do some fancy Irish footwork to a very Irish song.

Last Friday I had the pleasure of enjoying some truly Irish music in the pub down the street. They were singing and fluting and fiddling up something grand! It was very catchy and jolly.

Last night I was able to attend the local election debate. I have been told that the Irish get very heated about politics, and the show proved to hold true to that stereotype. I am sure there are some who do not care nor are very passionate about politics in Ireland, but the crowd that was present last night certainly was! There was cussing and slapping tables and passionate speeches aplenty. It was very interesting to watch a political debate which I had no previous knowledge about. It was also intriguing to listen to the students, and which issues they were concerned about. All in all, a good show!

I have been enjoying myself immensely, and am certainly getting a variety of experiences to learn from. Tomorrow, if it does not rain, I shall go out in search of the countryside. I am quite determined, and will not stop until I find a good field, valley, or river of some natural beauty to gaze upon and praise God for.

If you would, please pray:

1)      For humility, for my heart to be centered on giving God the glory

2)      For all those I am getting aquainted with who do not know Christ

3)      For the Christian Union here on-campus. For God’s direction, mutual encouragement and growth in the body.

4)      For Teenspace: for God to take control of the leaders and students, and make each event an opportunity to present the gospel to the kids.

5)      For Maynooth Community Church: God’s financial providence and direction. That we would admonish and teach each other in Godly ways.

6)      Finances and wise stewardship

7)      For God to guard my heart, my mind, my lips

8)      The continual transformation of all the Christians in the Maynooth/Kildare area