Belfast Christmas and 2011 wrap-up

Christmas has come and gone over here in Belfast and we've certainly enjoyed every minute of it. As I reflect on the past few days, I'm reminded of the words in the Charlie Brown Christmas song "Christmas Time Is Here."

Christmas time is here
we'll be drawing near;
Oh that we could always see
such spirit through the year.

Keeping the family tradition of Christmas Eve oyster stew alive!

Such spirit through the year. Ah, that would be wonderful. But as this blog will show you, we've received the hospitality our whole time here in Belfast. Christmas wasn't anything especially new because people have been going above and beyond for us our whole time here so far. In light of that, THANK YOU! It's been a great first four months and that is due to all of the people we've been working with and in contact with at Woodvale Methodist, the 174 Trust, and Whitehouse Presbyterian. And thank you to Doug, Elaine, the staff at the YAV office back home, and all of the other YAVs in Belfast and around the world for the support that you've provided.

Ellison and I in the kitchen at YAV Christmas

Some of the highlights of the first four months have been mentioned on the blog already, i.e. the numerous lessons learned at the 174 parent/toddler group. But other memorable moments would include any time Pat (the do-it-all guy at the 174) has said something ridiculous and I've jotted it down in my notebook. For example, "He's about as useful as a one-legged man in an arse kicking competition." I'd also have to include the time with our newly formed young adult group at Woodvale. We've had many tough discussions that have brought us all closer together and have even made time to go bowling and do some outreach. Last week, on the 23rd, we took soup and bread over to the fold (a type of elderly housing) that is next to the church to share a meal with residents and sing carols and visit. It was an effort by the group to look beyond ourselves this Christmas season and give something that we normally wouldn't. I pray that we continue such a spirit of giving through the year.



Josh visiting and sharing a cup of tea

One of the not-so-scared kids at the party

At the Christmas party for the parent/toddler group at Woodvale I dressed up as Tigger. I'm not sure who decided this or why it was decided but someone thought the kids would like Tigger at the Christmas party. Well, the kids liked the idea of Tigger. They didn't like Tigger himself. As I held children for parents to take pictures, the majority of the kids cried. I scared more kids than I would like to admit but when Tigger left the party, many of them were asking where he went. Like I said, they liked the idea of Tigger but not the big orange guy himself. The experience made me quite glad I don't work at Disney World.

One of the yearly Christmas traditions at Woodvale is a Christmas ball. You put on your best attire and come for a wonderful three course meal and then get your dancing shoes on for a bit of fun. We had a wonderful time at the ball and, staying true to Wyoming form, even did the Cotton-Eyed Joe. That's right, the song was magically on the iPod that was being used to play the music and I found it on there. Thus, we taught Woodvale how to dance Wyoming style. I'll upload the video later as the try to so far as resulted in 12 hours of waiting.

Thanks again to everyone who made Christmas and the first four months over here so great. Now, may we strive to show the spirit of Christmas all year in 2012! Happy New Year!

twitter

I've joined that sensation that is twitter and will be tweeting about my YAV year each day. At least, I intend to. I always said I wouldn't join twitter but the string of good one-liners I heard this week made me second guess that decision. Now, when someone like 9 year-old Katie at Urban Magnets says to me "Karl, I can kick my own bum" and then proceeds to jump in the air and do just that, I can share it with you all much more quickly. So follow me there on twitter for further updates! My twitter name is karlheimbuck.

Merry Christmas!

His law is love and His gospel is peace

Last night, the evening service at Woodvale was a carol service. The church was dimly lit and candles sat on each window ledge. I'll admit that, up until this point, it didn't feel like Christmas here. Santa sat in store windows, mannequins wore snowflake covered scarves and jumpers, and the busyness of City Centre all pointed towards the holiday season, but I didn't feel it. There isn't snow on the ground. Some sits on Cave Hill, but it's not accumulating. It's not Wyoming/Colorado and that's about all I've ever known for Christmas.

But last night was perfect. And Christmas hit me when we started to sing "Silent Night." The ambiance that surrounded us was exactly that which is Christmas to me. It made me think of all the Christmas Eve services I've been to that have closed with the famous carol and each person holding a lit candle. It made me realize that Christmas comes to Belfast the same way it does Wyoming. And it made me so happy to be celebrating Christmas here with our new families: two new church families and a new family of friends in that lovely thing we call the YAV community.

As if the night couldn't have been more perfect, we followed "Silent Night" up with "O Holy Night." I think my favorite line from any Christmas song comes from this carol. By the title of the blog post, I'm sure you've guessed what that line is, but I'll still tell you because it's worth repeating over and over. His law is love and His gospel is peace. What wonderful things we find in Jesus Christ, love and peace, and what better time of year to celebrate those than right now as we celebrate His coming to teach us that love and peace.

Earlier this week, I witnessed a two year old abide perfectly by this law of love and seek peace for a friend. Now, before I tell you about that, note that you will likely hear me tell this story more than just once if we see you after this year. I think I will forever link my YAV year with this story.

Wednesday, at the 174 Trust parent/toddler group, Jacob (whom I've mentioned on here before) was having a tough day. He came with Patrick and Patrick's mother because his mother was away with Jacob's older siblings at a pantomime. And I think Jacob really missed her. He's not one to seek attention and I don't believe he likes others to feel sorry for him so he showed no outward signs of this distress aside from wandering around the hall not knowing what to do and seeming disengaged from anything or anyone. I tried to perk him up and get him over to the tricycle he likes to have me push him around on since his feet don't reach the pedals. When we got to the tricycle, Jacob put his arms on the seat and then buried his face in his hands. I picked him up to comfort him and see what was wrong and if there was anything that could be done. There didn't seem to be so we just stood there in the hall together trying to figure things out.

It's fair to mention, at this point, that Patrick was having a rough day as well. He continued to cry off and on, for some reason I didn't know and neither did his mother. As I'm standing in the middle of the hall holding Jacob and trying to comfort him, Patrick walks up to us crying. I look at Jacob and he isn't in tears so I put him down and pick up Patrick. I begin to walk with Patrick back over to his mother who was busy preparing the snacks for the kids so she gave me a look that said something like "You're good with him, you can handle this." It might not have said that, but if it didn't, I like to pretend it did.

Patrick and I sat down on the steps and I tried to calm him down and see what was wrong. He was starting to lighten up a little when Jacob walked back over to us with Lightning McQueen in hand. Now, the Lightning McQueen car is one of the most treasured toys at the 174 parent/toddler group. All of the boys love it. It's the only toy I've seen Jacob even get a little defensive over. Despite the popularity of the toy or maybe because of it, Jacob handed the toy to Patrick and sat down next to him. Patrick took the toy and began racing it all over the steps and the wall. He was happy again and because of this, Jacob was, too, as I could tell by the newly spread smile on his face.

I was floored by this whole scene. I couldn't do anything to really cheer these boys up and then one act of sacrificial love by one of them worked to make both of them happy. Talk about a great sermon illustration! What Jacob did was truly give Patrick the most sacrificial gift that his two-year-old self could have. In Jacob's world, I don't believe anything could top giving your favorite toy to a friend to help cheer them up. There is nothing more he could've done. Had Patrick not cheered up because of this gesture, I think Jacob would've been shocked. But it all worked, as it almost always seems to when we give sacrifical gifts.

This holiday season, let's strive to give the kind of gifts that make all the difference in the world while keeping in mind that we received the gift of love and a gospel of peace on that first Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone! It really is and is going to be!

catching up part 2

The actual day that was Thanksgiving was very much a typical Thursday for the Belfast YAVs. There's nothing special about the fourth Thursday of November in Northern Ireland. I started my day out with Little Steps (the parent/toddler group at Woodvale). Then it was over to the 174 Trust for the after school program followed by time with the football boys. I then headed back over to Woodvale for Urban Magnets.

The Saturday that followed Thanksgiving told a much different story. First off, I slept in. I normally can't so this was especially wonderful. Then, after lunch, Team Skeg made their way over to Bathgate for a typical Thanksgiving football game. We headed down the Belmont Road to Belmont Park where we were greeted by a beautiful green park, lots of open space to play, and mud. Oh yes, it was muddy! But I can't imagine it would've been better if it hadn't been so slick on account of said mud.

the heimbuck faction of team Skeg

We set up a short field and played that each team got four downs to score. The field was long enough that punting would've been a good strategic move for some of the drives, but we're YAVs, we don't punt. In the end, Kendra led Team Skeg with two touchdowns passes. Christina made a boatload of "tackles" and I was on the receiving end of Kendra's touchdown throws. Team Bathgate featured Patrick with a touchdown reception and a pick six. I think Liz threw the touchdown pass and Ellison just about threw a touchdown pass to himself. On fourth and goal from about the 3, Ellison threw one up for Patrick, I got my hand on it to bat it down and did so but it went right back to Ellison. He caught it, ran, and Christina stopped him just short on the 1. It was a close game and the official score was 14-14 but we decided that we would say that the score was fun to fun and Jesus won.

After the football game, we made our way over to Doug and Elaine's for an incredibly delicious feast. The turkey was terrific and I can't begin to tell you how good the stuffing was. If the stuffing is great, then it's always a good Thanksgiving meal. Based on the Baker's stuffing, it was a GREAT Thanksgiving meal. The YAVs provided most of the desserts and I was quick to take a piece of Kendra's apple pie. It's certainly one of my favorite desserts. Fortunately for me, there was even some to take home. So I enjoyed it more than just once.

patrick on edge! literally.

Before the meal we watched Michigan and Ohio St battle it out. After the meal we were able to watch the Alabama vs. Auburn game. It might be more accurate to say that we watched Patrick reactions to the Alabama/Auburn game more than we did the game itself but it was a treat to have live football. In fact, the whole night was a real treat. Thank you to the Bakers for making the night possible for us. You spoiled us. You really did. And it means a lot to have people that will spoil you right when you're hitting the funk that apparently comes just as the Christmas season is starting and you've been away from home for coming up on 4 months. With that said, I hope you'll be inspired to take some time today to thank someone who has gone the extra mile for you at some point and it's made all the difference. Doug and Elaine, thank you!

a random pic of the group on the North Coast - seemed like a good one to add

catching up part 1

I'm going to try and catch people up with all that's been going over here in Belfast for me in a multi-part blog week. Lots has happened in the past few weeks. We had the 24 hour prayer at Woodvale (mentioned in the last post), I got a nasty bit of the flu, Urban Magnets is going with some sense of regularity, the Christmas market at City Hall opened, we had Thanksgiving at the Baker's house, we played American football before said Thanksgiving, Ellison ate my Secret Santa name so no one would ever find out who I had, Kendra and I went to see Hugo (first movie in about 4 months!), we had the Christmas Ball at Woodvale, we went and saw the Belfast Jazz Orchestra, and I've eaten more snowballs than I can count. But for this post, Part 1, we'll just focus on the 24 hour prayer.

About three and a half weeks ago a group of about ten of us courageously took the night shift for our 24 hours of prayer and stayed at the church overnight. We didn't just pray. We had some fellowship. We even snuck in a bit of sleep. So, to be fair, it was probably more like 20 hours of prayer.

my "pod" dealing with our service in the world for others

The church opened at 11 on Saturday for people to begin coming in. We set up various "pods" in the fellowship room at the front of the church and in the sanctuary for people to work their way around, praying at each place. The pods had different themes, giving people different things to pray about and different ways in which to pray: leaving written requests, meditating on specific trials that we have, or praying for others were a few of these ways.

The mood in the church was incredible. It was calming and peaceful. As darkness fell, the candlelight rose. For some reason candles seem to go well with prayer and this night was no exception. They added to the feeling that the Spirit was at work. At work providing a peaceful place in which we could be heard by each other and the Lord and allowing the space to be one in which it was easy to truly speak and listen.

After time in solo prayer, the group came together to pray for the church and the many requests that were written and left. It was about 2 in the morning at this point and some of us were really fighting to keep our eyes open (that wasn't me yet). But we persevered and spent some great time both praying and then reflecting on the prayers together. One prayer that was left and really stood out to me was "Lord, help me to serve all people, not just those I am comfortable serving." I really started thinking about this a lot over that next week. I think if I was to write out a request like this, I would add "Lord, please help me to serve when it is inconvenient as well." It's great when we serve, but we often do it because the opportunity to just about slaps us in the face and we almost don't have a choice not to serve. Or that the opportunity to serve comes at the right time and this time spent serving isn't going to burden us in some other way later. I, myself, am guilty of this. I even try to justify not serving in my mind when it's so obvious that I just missed the opportunity to. For example, two weeks ago I was headed up the Antrim Road, going back to our flat from the 174 Trust, when I noticed one of the restaurants along the way closing. This restaurant usually has tables and chairs set up just outside the door underneath the black awnings. As they were closing up, one of the workers was carrying in the tables and chairs. She appeared to be the last person left for the day, and the chairs and tables were difficult for her to carry. I could have helped her finish in no time but I walked right on past. A half a block later I knew I blew it, but I kept walking and tried to justify not helping her out. I failed at justifying this and am still wrestling with it weeks later. "Lord, help me serve when it's uncomfortable and inconvenient."

another one of my favorite prayers that was left - "help us to be real"

So thank you Woodvale for getting me involved in the 24 hour prayer. It's helped me remember the importance of prayer. Even if you're unsure of whether your prayers are being heard or not, it's important to work things through in your mind in the way that prayer allows us to. And maybe for you, like it does for me, it'll help you be more attentive throughout your day to all of the ways this world keeps ticking and how we're all a part of keeping the motion positive.

i did get some sleep. also had my camera stolen and found pictures like this one put on it.

mustache, 24 hour prayer, City Centre - just a typical Saturday in Belfast

I haven't posted much lately. I hope to get something with some real content up soon for you but this will have to do for the time being. And I will say, it sure is fun living in a community that encourages doing things like growing a creepy mustache. Now, off to City Centre for some YAV time and then to Woodvale for our annual 24 hour prayer. I'll be there all night! Should be some great worship, fellowship and reflection.

who's that writin? john the revelator!

I had my first opportunity to share the message at one of Woodvale's services last week when I was able to speak at the Sunday evening service. It was a small crowd, as it usually is at that service, which allowed me to be a little more discussion oriented and engage the congregation in ways that one couldn't do so well on Sunday morning. I spoke on Revelation 1:9 through 2:7. This passage was given to me by Margaret, the minister at Woodvale, since the Sunday evening group is working through Revelation. Alright, first time up and I get to run with Revelation. My initial thought was, hope I fair better than Robin Ventura when he went up against a legend. (The first 30 seconds of the video below might clear up any confusion on that one for you.)

The first part of the passage I dealt with, verses 1:9 through the end of chapter 1, dealt with a lot of imagery. I worked through this passage explaining some of the imagery. The combination of some notes from Margaret and my Disciple Bible study class last year made this a much less daunting task than it would've been before. Then, in 2:1 through 2:7, I took the group into a deeper look at the address to the church at Ephesus. I'll take you through some of my notes now.

•  Ephesus was a pagan city and the majority of people worshipped the goddesses Diane and Artemis. It would've been quite difficult to be a Christian in this setting.
• In verses 2 and 3 the church is commended for what they've done well. For hard work and perseverance, not being led astray by false prophets and testing those prophets claim to leadership, and not growing weary despite hardships. What are your church's strengths?
• In verse 4 the church is then condemned for their failures, mostly that they have forgotten their first love. That is, they've lost their passion for Christ. The same church that was commended by Paul in Ephesians 1:15 for their loving attitudes as now lost touch with that.
• The church at Ephesus would've been a busy church. It is likely that they were doing much to benefit the community around them but at this time their mission and programming was of the wrong motive. The work of the church must be motivated by our love of God and the desire to bring equality and a heaven like attitude to this earth. It must be our response to God's love in our lives. Mission and programming for the wrong reasons will not result in sustainable ministry. After looking at this condemnation of the church, are there ways in which our church would be condemned? Have we lost touch with our first love? In light of this criticism, how can we go about reclaiming this first love?  
• In verse 5 the church is counseled. They've been condemned but now they're given some useful pointers. They're told to repent. First and foremost, we must repent. By acknowledging what we've done wrong we recognize our fault and can make changes. On an individual level, repentance is necessary to find Christ within ourselves. If He dwells in us, then we have to work through all the muck within us to get to Him. Much of our relationship with Christ is dealing with the stuff we don't want to deal with but it is that mess that separates us from God and the person He intends us to be. 
• In verse 7 we get the age old advice to listen to the Spirit. God is always working but almost never in the same way. We must be tuned in with the Spirit to know how God wants to reinvent and direct us both as individuals but even more importantly as the Church. What's the consequence of tuning out the Spirit? How's God challenging our church and the wider Church right now? 

You probably weren't looking for a lesson on Revelation or a video of Nolan Ryan beating up a young Robin Ventura. You got both. I would definitely call this post a twofer. But in all honesty, the book of Revelation holds some great advice for churches that is, in fact, relevant in today's society, even when we take it in the correct context and seek to understand what the imagery meant for early Christians. So thanks to Margaret for giving me the opportunity to do a little preaching and to Woodvale for encouraging me in my doing so! It was a great experience to try preaching to a church with a different background than what I've been in before and set in a much different community than I've been in before.

leading the revival!

a visit to the Benedictine community in Rostrevor

Zoe and I during our wee tea break in the bus

Today we visited the Holy Cross Monastery near Rostrevor and had the incredible opportunity to worship and pray with the group of monks there. Additionally, we were able to engage in a Q&A session with Brother Thierry. In the short time we were able to spend with Brother Thierry he gave us many great ideas to think about through the sharing of both his and the monastery's stories.

First and foremost, one has to commend the monks for the way they treat their guests. It is an example of the way many of us strive to welcome others. Brother Thierry shared that anyone who comes through the doors of the monastery is Christ. They are treated in the same way Christ would be. Whether Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Jew or something else, that person is Christ. I nearly broke down as he looked directly at us and declared "You are Christ." And because each person who comes through the doors is Christ that person blesses the monastery. To hear these words simultaneously humbled me and lifted me up. What an amazing attitude: we are Christ and we bless each other.

As conversation continued, Brother Thierry commented that their are three things he believes makes us human beings and are essential to our being: prayer, work and community. Brother Thierry then elaborated on community and talked about ways to build successful communities. One way which stuck out to me was that we have to find how to look at the same person each day in a new way. To look at them continually in the same way is to trap them in a certain stage. It is to inhibit their growth. It is to kill them and the relationship. The other thought that stuck with me was that labelling kills community. At the current moment I'm blanking on the thoughts I had earlier about this but I'm sure you're coming up with examples and thoughts of your own that support this idea. Maybe you're even coming up with counter-examples. If so, please inform me of your thoughts. I'm always looking to hear different interpretations and thoughts on ideas.

a view of Holy Cross Monastery

A bit of background on the monks at Holy Cross Monastery before this next bit. They came to Northern Ireland in 1998, a small group from the Abbey of Bec in France, as a response to the Catholic church's decision to engage in spiritual ecumenism in parts of the world where Christians were (and are still in most cases) divided. This led Brother Thierry and, I believe, five other monks to relocate and begin a ministry of prayer for healing and reconciliation. The monks ministry plays well into their location in Northern Ireland. It is a country that has long had division between Christians. Thus, we found that Brother Thierry had more great thoughts to share. This time on why reconciliation is important and why the monks chose to come to Northern Ireland. And those thoughts let to the quote below from Brother Thierry.

"Self-sufficiency will be the death of the church."

If we let it and strive for it, then yes, I agree. The more divided we become, the less we are the Church and the more we are a broken, splintered group of individual, albeit well-meaning, bodies of believers. Furthermore, as Brother Thierry shared, we cannot be who God intends us to be without each other. Catholics cannot be Catholics without Presbyterians. Presbyterians cannot be Presbyterians without Baptists. Baptists cannot be Baptists without Catholics. So the circle goes round and round. We all bring different things to the table, especially in terms of theology, but when we get down to it, as I believe, the Church is called to be this world's comfort and light. The Methodists aren't called individually to do this. The Lutherans aren't called individually. No one faction is called individually. And no one faction can handle the needs of the world by themselves. They just aren't equipped to, even if they believe so. Because each church is not self-sufficient. Though we sometimes strive to be, God doesn't intend us to be. He intends us to work together. We need each other. Plain and simple. Theological differences aside, we must realize that we worship the same God. We sang praises to the same set of ears. We pray for the same loving arms to wrap themselves around this world. We do the work of the same God because we are responsible for caring for the same broken world. When we begin to understand those simple commonalities, theology isn't such a big deal. What is a big deal is how the Church responds as a whole because I believe the Church IS equipped. The church (emphasis on the lowercase here) is not. We all strive to be a light in this world. Right now we're thousands of candles burning together but placed all around. It isn't impossible for our lights to merge into one bright beam. It will take time but let's pray that the beam will get brighter each day. Then, let's suffer to make it happen. Because, as Brother Thierry shared with us today, "The question will not be 'did you achieve unity?' The question will be 'did you pray and suffer for it?'" (I believe he said this came from Pope John XXIII.)

There's a lot to think about and my mind has been running all day but I thank Brother Thierry for planting all of these ideas in there for me to wrestle with and for taking the time to speak with us. I'd also like to thank all of the monks at Holy Cross Monastery for their kindness and letting us worship with them. Lastly, I thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope this post helps to get some questions going in your mind. Blessings and peace!

rollin' up the sleeves

Every once in a while we just get into a mess. No one knows what to do and people just stand around hoping everything will sort itself out.

One of the streets which the 174 Trust's mini-bus must go down while making the after school pick-ups is incredibly narrow. It's the kind of street I was told I'd find in Ireland. You've got to be methodical about when you get there and where you park if you're even going to venture down it. You hope that all of the grades don't get out at the same time because the resulting mass of children rushing out to the vehicles all at once will be the perfect storm.

As a walked back to the bus with the child we had picked up, I noticed the street looked especially crowded. I shrugged it off and we got into the vehicle. Usually this is sorted out by a nice alternating system where a few cars going one direction go through, then a few going the other way and then repeating this process. But after sitting in the vehicle for a few minutes and noticing that none of the cars up the street had gone anywhere, it was obvious something wasn't quite right. Yet, no one was doing anything about the mess!

It was at this point that Pat, the do-it-all guy at the 174 Trust who also drives the mini-bus, got out and walked up the street to check the mess out. It turned out that a lady's car had died right in the middle of the street and in her confusion, not knowing what to do, she just sat in the car. Compounded with that was the fact that a humongous garbage truck was trying to make it down this tiny street. But Pat rolled up his sleeves, got the dead car pushed out of the way, and then directed traffic through in a manner that would then allow the garbage truck to somehow make it down the street. He rushed back to the mini-bus so we could jump in the queue going through and get out of there.

 

Looking back, this mess that we were in was in no way Pat's fault. But he didn't stand by and watch. He took some initiative and got it sorted out. This is a great illustration for what we are called to do as Christians in this world. Sort things out. We've stood by far too long simply because we didn't cause the problems and they weren't affecting us. But the problems are affecting God's creation so we must be forces of change. Matthew 25 says we have to feed the hungry, invite in the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and imprisoned. We might not have caused poverty. We certainly didn't cause many diseases that exist. But we're obligated because of our faith to sort out these messes. Not halfheartedly by throwing the man on the street a few coins but by taking him to dinner. By feeding him because he's hungry.

It's tougher to do than it is to write but when we roll up our sleeves and get down to business, we can change the world, even if it's for just one person.

the goings-on

This past week was a great one and I think it's only fitting I share with you all some pics and stories of the past few days. I would also like to give you all an idea of what my typical week is shaping up to be.

Monday I spend my day meeting with either Doug, our site coordinator, or with the him and the whole group. We discuss what is going on at our placements, what we're struggling with, and how we're generally doing. I love these meetings. Doug is certainly a seasoned vet when it comes to many of the things we're dealing with so he is a wonderful ally for us in this year abroad. After the meetings I head up the Antrim Road to the 174 Trust where I help with the after school program for about an hour and a half before meeting up with the football club that I've spoken of before. The after school program usually consists of going out on the bus to pick kids up from their primary schools and then hanging out with them at the Trust. Hanging out includes, amongst other things, board games (a lot of Connect 4), painting/art, and Wii sports.

A typical Tuesday puts me at Woodvale in the morning to help with the C'mon In Cafe. The Cafe is a community outreach effort by the church that seeks to offer a cheap, yet hearty, meal to those who live in the area. What I find most interesting about the Cafe is that all of the volunteers who run it are locals whom you wouldn't see Sunday mornings. They are called the Forthriver Royals and meet often to discuss problems facing the community and to serve the community in the Cafe. They are a great group who have a heart for serving their community. After the Cafe I head over to the Trust for the after school program. Then, in the evening, I help with the disabilities club at the Trust. The disabilities club is one of the highlights of my week. We work with a variety of ages (about 5 to 15) and a variety of disabilities. We strive to give the kids a safe place to play and a place where they understand they have something to offer and are valued. But I think it's safe to say that I get much more out of this club than I think the kids get from me!

Wednesdays see me at the Trust in the mornings for the parent/toddler group. The first week at the group I mostly just set up and then put toys away. When the second week began much the same way and I was off to the side as the parents and kids were playing, if my role was at this group was anything more than being the "muscle." I figured that the Trust was out of its mind if they just had me for my muscle, because that's not one of my strong points, so I sought out a way to be more involved. I went over to the cars and began playing with a little boy. His mother runs the group so she was working with another parent and Jacob was playing by himself. We played together for only about 10 minutes but at the end of the day, when it was time to head out, Jacob ran up to me and gave me a hug. It was in that moment that I understood that I was indeed more than just "muscle" at the parent/toddler group. That day, I was there for that 10 minutes with Jacob.

I'm off Wednesday afternoons and in the evening we have a midweek service at Woodvale. The midweek is often a time of study, prayer, and reflection. It is pretty laid back. This past week I was able to lead music at it and we split into a couple of groups for some great discussion.

Thursday morning I head back to Woodvale for their parent/toddler group. There my role is more defined as I start with kids during their free play and mostly kick the football (soccer ball) around with some of the boys. I then make my way to the kitchen where I help prepare the snacks and then wash the dishes as they come in. After this group I head back over to the Trust for the after school program and then the football club. Thursday evenings will see me at Woodvale with the Urban Magnets group, their youth ministry but that has not started yet.

a few of Woodvale's young adults

On Fridays I am at the Trust in the afternoon for the after school program again. Then, in the evenings, I am at some function with Woodvale. Some Fridays I will be with a men's Bible study, others I will be with the young adult group we are getting started. This past Friday was a night of fellowship with the young adults. We met in the church hall to play Guitar Hero, eat a lot of food, and share in some delightful conversation.

me and the YAVs that joined our group Friday night

On Saturdays I am off, as is Kendra, so we look to do something fun that usually consists of exploring the Belfast area. Today we went hill-walking (hiking) at Cave Hill. Cave Hill looks like a man lying down and was supposedly the inspiration for Jonathan Swift to write Gulliver's Travels. Cave Hill also boasts some good trail trails and magnificent views of the area. On a clear day you can even see Scotland in the distance. Some pictures from our hike are below.

Well, I've flooded you with information, so now I'll go back to watching Teen Wolf while I wait another hour until 12:30 am my time so I can listen to the Wyoming Cowboys game over the internet. Yes, Michael J. Fox and a football game in the same night, it's a good one.

heading up Cave Hill

us at the top

a good view going up

how a parent/toddler group got me thinking about the "american dream"

The Belfast YAVs have officially begun working. With that said, I didn't have to work today. I'm off Friday mornings, Friday afternoons at the Trust are dependent on whether or not I'm needed, and the Friday evening groups at the church don't meet every week. Today was one of those great days where it all comes together because Kendra didn't have to work either and we got to spend a day exploring our neighborhood. We went down to the Trust quick so I could show Kendra what our after school program looks like and then hit up the charity shops. The charity shops may not have been the best idea, seeing as how we came home with 4 books. The other day I found a Ray Bradbury collection of 3 books for only 87 pence at ASDA. I guess that means we've already bought 7 books over here. I'm just going to look at is as building a library for future YAVs. Or maybe visitors would even be willing to back a book or two home for us.

Yesterday, a day I actually did work, saw me start the morning at the church's parents and toddlers group. I arrived at 9:30, helped set up some chairs and then sat and visited with a couple of parents once they started arriving around 10. After about an hour I made my to the kitchen and prepared toast. They don't trust me with making the tea yet (just kidding, I think...) but I can butter the heck out of a slice of toast.

After the morning, I began thinking about how parent/toddler groups are an incredible ministry. They give people a chance to see others they might not normally and catch up on what has been going on. The ministry gets people exposed to the church who otherwise might not ever set foot inside the doors. It also promotes healthy, valuable family time. The programs are so popular over here that I'll be helping with one at the 174 Trust and there are even government funded groups that exist. With that being said, I started to think about why there aren't too many of these groups in the States. At least, so far as I am aware. I can't come to any great conclusion about this. There seems to be a limited amount of childcare offered here during the day. I haven't seen any preschools, either. That alone lends itself to the need for a stay-at-home parent who would be able to take part in a parent/toddler group. But I also think that some of it has to do with how the family is valued. Over here, mothers get almost a year off for maternity leave. In the States many women are pressured to return to work less than 3 months after having their child. Now, I'm not saying that people in the States do not value their family. I think there is tremendous value put on the family and I'm fortunate to come from a family that loves being with each other, even makes time to do so, and cherishes that time spent together. But there is that underlying theme in the American culture that screams to everyone that they need to work hard so they can buy a new car, a bigger house, better clothes, etc. Because of that theme, the "American dream," as some even call it, there is always that idea that work should be put at the forefront of what we do.

Now, I may be way off with some of this, but I'm truly enjoying how through this YAV year, even after just about 2 weeks, something like a parent/toddler group is getting me thinking about what I value and how I desire to live my life. Once again, it's going to be a great year!

a green minibus, 6 on 6, and my first experience with the boys at the 174 trust

Today all of the YAVs in Belfast will begin working at their placements. I'll be at Woodvale working out the details of the year's work at the church. Usually I'll be at the 174 Trust on Wednesdays, but on Monday I was given the opportunity to go there in the late afternoon and get a taste of what I'll be doing and who I'll be working with. I think that afternoon is one I'll never forget.

Our group dropped me off and we waited at the Hammer, a recreation facility, for the group from the 174 Trust. When they pulled up in the green minibus we found that the Hammer was locked up, so I piled into the bus with them and we made our way to a park with a football pitch. I gave a quick introduction as we travelled to the park but found I was spending most my time trying to understand what this group of excited teens what shouting back and forth. I don't feel like I've had too much trouble understanding people so far but this was a whole new experience.

Once at the pitch we split into teams and played 6 on 6, using the whole field as requested by a few of the boys. I didn't score any goals. I didn't even put myself in position to take a shot. When I played goalkeeper I gave up a goal I shouldn't have as the wet ball slipped right through my hands. But I had a great time and was amazed at how the group seemed to include me almost immediately. Once we were back at the Trust and the boys were given an opportunity to ask me some questions and get to know me a little better, I think I found out why they're so welcoming and inclusive. The group prides itself on being cross-community. That is, the boys come from both Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods. But at the Trust they come together to learn, to grow, and to talk about these differences.

After asking me a number of questions, including whether I am Catholic or Protestant (to which I replied Christian and made the boys eager for more conversation on that) and getting to know me a little more, the Trust's director, Bill, steered the conversation towards the value of the month. Each month the boys get to pick a value that becomes one of the topics for discussion that month. August's value was friendship and the discussions, from what I understand, centered around how the group and the last YAV had built a friendship. September's value will be respect.

After Monday's visit I'm extremely excited to begin work at the Trust tomorrow. I'll get to be out on the pitch again and see if I can get that elusive first goal. If nothing else, I'll just try not to make a fool of myself. But even if I do, I know that this experience will be a rewarding one.

the first time at church

Today was my first worship experience. Not ever, mind you, but my first in Belfast. The minister at Woodvale Methodist, Margaret, gave me a lift to the service this morning where I was introduced to the congregation. I was greeted with a very warm welcome by all and am truly looking forward to serving God alongside and learning from my new congregation.

Later this evening we had a joint communion service with the Shankill Methodist Church. Their pastor is Charlie, who will be ordained next summer, so Margaret helps them out with various services. I was asked to read from Philippians 4 during the service and was honoured to do so. And in the way the Spirit so often seems work, verses 8 and 9 were exactly what the type of reminder I needed to hear as I begin my volunteer year. "Finally, brothers and sisters, what is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." How wonderful it is to know that the God who goes before gives us great peace and that, though it may be incredibly difficult, He will comfort us with that peace when that which we go out to do, what is true, what is noble, what is right and admirable, is nerve-wracking and difficult.

After the reading, Charlie gave an incredible message. He spoke about something I know many people cringe at doing - passing the peace of Christ during worship.

"Who knows where those hands have been?"

"Do I really have to get up for this?"

"For Pete's sake, this wooden bench just finally got warm!"

I love that Charlie gave a message on the passing of the peace. I'd never thought of giving a message about a part of the church service. But more importantly, Charlie had great insights as to why the passing of the peace is important for a church to do. It is the recognition that God and his comforting nature go alongside us always, even if we cannot understand that unimaginable presence of that peace. The passing of the peace also serves as reassurance that we walk together and God's peace binds us. I certainly felt that reassurance as the peace of Christ wrapped me in it's arms, the arms of many strangers who welcomed me into their church and made me feel right at home. While I know this year will be trying, I am now encouraged in the thought that God's peace goes with me through the love and support of both the congregations in Wyoming and my new congregation in Belfast. And a big Amen for that!

we've arrived!

At this time we've been in Belfast for about three days. Orientation has consited of getting settled in our new apartments and adjusted to our living accomdation's new creaks and squeaks. We've failed miserably at figuring out our heater and remembering to switch off our outlets all the time. Yes, the outlets themselves have switches on them and need to be off when not in use. Preferably, at least. We've made a run to Tesco to get some essentials and have organised our apartment to our liking as well. There are many new aspects of life to get used to and I'm sure I'll tell you about them as the year progresses.

Aside from experiencing another culture, with admitted successes and failures so far, we've been visiting the YAV site placements this week. Tomorrow, we will visit Woodvale Methodist, the church I will be working at, and Whitehouse Presbyterian, the church Kendra will be working at. Yesterday, we visited the 174 Trust, a community center that I will also be working at. The 174 Trust is an incredible community center, though I am reluctant to call it that because it offers so much more than what we might call a community center in the US does. I encourage you to check out the website: http://174trust.org/v3/index.php. I am very excited to begin work with them in a week and gage what all I will be doing. 

At the placements were there is an emphasis on work done with people affected by the Troubles and the outcomes of the conflict, there is a lot of work put towards helping people tell their stories. I've come to realize that a story is an incredibly powerful thing. It expresses who we are in an intimate way and because of this, we are reluctant to tell it to just anyone. If we do, we often leave out many details. In light of this, I am going to focus on listening this year. I want to make sure that I am earnest in listening to others and strive not only to connect to the words they are saying but also to connect with their heart. I want to do this because I want the relationships I form to be authentic. Too often we pretend that parts of the other person or even parts of ourselves don't exist. We choose not to recognize them. When we leave these parts out and we pretend certain pieces of us don't exist, we make it impossible to build meaningful and lasting relationships that can make a difference in both people's lives. I look forward to taking on the challenge that comes with earnest listening and proper response to hearing someone's story. I look equally forward to telling mine and opening up to others.

The placement visits have helped me compare and contrast the way churches and Christian organisations operate here and in the United States. I know I need to be careful when doing so, especially given the fact that I have been here 3 short days and have yet to see a church and how it functions up close. That time will come. And when it does, I am going to love sharing my thoughts with you. Until then, I'm going to leave you hanging because it is late and I've got to get some sleep and get over this jet lag!

Love, grace, peace,

Karl

i get by with a little help from my friends

Yesterday, at Orientation, we looked at different stories of "call" during our morning Bible study. We were to pick a story that interested us and answer some questions pertaining to it. I chose the story of the calling of the disciples as told in Luke 5. It's a wonderful story. Christ tells Simon Peter to cast out the nets, nevermind the fact that they haven't caught anything all day, and the haul is nothing but enormous. Christ then tells the discples that if they give up their possessions and follow Him that He will make them fishers of men. Needless to say, the discples do just that.

One of the questions that was given to me on the passage simply asked me to write down words and phrases that stuck out. I hadn't thought of breaking down a passage in this way before and it proved to be an incredibly useful tool. I wrote down "because you say so, I will," "called their partners for help," "don't be afraid" and "left everything and followed." I think these phrases work well together to tell the story of what a calling from God often turns out to look like. First, we choose to take the course of action that we do because we perceive that God has told us to do so. Second, we go forward in confidence knowing that God will help us and does not want us to be afraid. Lastly, we often give up comforts, peace of mind, even relationships to walk the path He has layed before us.

I've addressed three of the phrases I wrote down about the passage but purposely left out "called their partners for help." For a long time I thought that a calling from God was an individual thing. He would lay it on my heart to do something and I would go do it. It was my responsibility. I realized yesterday that this is not the case. The disciples are told by God to throw their nets into the sea, but they are not able to bring them back in by themselves. They have to call for help. The job that God gave them is much greater than what they can handle alone. Through this passage and the preparation for this YAV year, I have realized that even though God has called me to serve in Northern Ireland, I cannot do this alone. And the evidence of this is overwhelming. When Kendra and I needed to raise $16000, friends and family came forth and helped us take care of that. When I've needed pick-me-ups because I've begun to understand what I am leaving behind, a kind email arrives in my inbox encouraging me to go forth and live out what God has planned. Your support has been enormous and I thank you for the help you are giving me in my calling. Blessings and peace!

nearing departure...

In a short time Kendra and I will be flying to YAV orientation in Stony Point, NY. About 30 hours to be more precise. I'm getting nervous. After a week in Stony Point we'll fly to Belfast, Northern Ireland. About a year later, we'll fly home. This blog will be the story of our time overseas loving God's people and learning about ourselves, His plan and what amazing things can happen when we simply get out of God's way and let them.

I've been putting off starting this blog for some time. Tonight I'm putting off sleep so the blog is finally getting its due start date. I've decided to name the blog "put your hand in the hand" a reference to the old gospel song. I love the line from the song "take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently by putting your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee." When we are willing to walk side-by-side with Christ, then we give up our identity as part of the society. We give up that identity that is thrown on us by this world and we become like Christ in that we can begin to see other people for what they are truly worth and who they truly are, not for the ways the world labels them. Because I am trusting and hoping that God will open my eyes and heart in ways that allow me to see other people through His eyes, I thought this would be a fitting title for my blog.

This first entry is just going to be a short one. I hope you'll take the time to continue following my blog and Kendra's blog (http://belfastbulletin.blogspot.com) through the year. I would also like to thank all of you who have supported us financially and with your prayers. At this point we have raised all of the money we have been asked to (about $16000 for the two of us) but donations will still go to further offset the costs of sending us abroad through the program. Thus, if you would like to give and haven't, please do by going to http://gamc.pcusa.org/give/E210109/ and making a donation. Most importantly, please keep us, the people we will be working with and all of the Young Adult Volunteers serving in the States and abroad in your prayers. Thank you again for your love and support. Blessings and peace!

Karl