Sunday, November 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Blog updates
We will continue to update the blog with pictures and videos for a few days. We had over 2,500 views of our blog in 2 weeks! The number of views doesn't matter really, but it means that our friends and family were watching and keeping track of the team during the mission trip. Thank you all for your kindness and support!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Flight delayed
We made it to DFW but our flight has been delayed. Looks like we will be in Abilene around 7:30 now.
Made it to Chicago
We just got off the LONG flight to Chicago. Everything is on time and we should be in Abilene around 6:30 of nothing changes!
About to leave Dublin
We left early and got to the Dublin airport early which was a good thing because it took a long time to get through customs, security, currency, taxes, etc. we are waiting on our plane now which shows to be on time. We fly from here to Chicago next.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Testimony from Kayla
I have been given beauty for ashes and joy for my mourning.
Tonight is my last night in Ireland. As I've been going through this trip, I've been asking God when my big "life changing" moment that everyone else seems to get was going to happen. And I got nothing. I was frustrated at first, but as I started thinking about it, I realized that He was slowly but surely altering my heart in not one, but hundreds of ways, some I'm not even sure how to describe. He moved in unexpected ways through unexpected people, and by the end, my heart was radically different. God gave me a brother and a sister, Wade and Raegan, whom I love with the deepest parts of my heart, and he taught me about vulnerability, unconditional love, grace, and most of all He taught me that when it comes to pursuing Jesus that physical age does not correlate with spiritual age. They love Jesus and live for Him in a such a beautiful, surrendered way; it's inspiring. They are living, breathing, testaments of the Truth of the Gospel. God gave me Emily, who showed me that knowing who you are in Christ is the only way you'll ever be able to walk in your calling. God gave me Kimi and Jill, who showed me what it looks like to be a spiritual mother, and how to war for people in prayer. God gave me Landon, who taught me about self discipline and a spirit of excellence. God gave me Holly, who taught me how to push through your circumstances to continually pour love into other people even when you feel like you have nothing left to give. God gave me Jimmy, who taught me how to relax and let the Holy Spirit flow through worship, and that my humble offering of worship through my guitar was pleasing to the Lord. God gave me an entire team of people that taught me that family is not necessarily bound or defined by blood relation. We are covered and washed by the blood of Christ-that is what defines us as family. They taught me that the unity of peace binds us together through exhaustion, frustration, laughter and tears. The peace that is cultivated from hearts that love Jesus surpasses all circumstances. Though God showed me small things through each person, when you put all the pieces together, you see that He showed me a big piece of His heart for me, and He gave me that piece so I can in turn, give it to others.
Tonight is my last night in Ireland. As I've been going through this trip, I've been asking God when my big "life changing" moment that everyone else seems to get was going to happen. And I got nothing. I was frustrated at first, but as I started thinking about it, I realized that He was slowly but surely altering my heart in not one, but hundreds of ways, some I'm not even sure how to describe. He moved in unexpected ways through unexpected people, and by the end, my heart was radically different. God gave me a brother and a sister, Wade and Raegan, whom I love with the deepest parts of my heart, and he taught me about vulnerability, unconditional love, grace, and most of all He taught me that when it comes to pursuing Jesus that physical age does not correlate with spiritual age. They love Jesus and live for Him in a such a beautiful, surrendered way; it's inspiring. They are living, breathing, testaments of the Truth of the Gospel. God gave me Emily, who showed me that knowing who you are in Christ is the only way you'll ever be able to walk in your calling. God gave me Kimi and Jill, who showed me what it looks like to be a spiritual mother, and how to war for people in prayer. God gave me Landon, who taught me about self discipline and a spirit of excellence. God gave me Holly, who taught me how to push through your circumstances to continually pour love into other people even when you feel like you have nothing left to give. God gave me Jimmy, who taught me how to relax and let the Holy Spirit flow through worship, and that my humble offering of worship through my guitar was pleasing to the Lord. God gave me an entire team of people that taught me that family is not necessarily bound or defined by blood relation. We are covered and washed by the blood of Christ-that is what defines us as family. They taught me that the unity of peace binds us together through exhaustion, frustration, laughter and tears. The peace that is cultivated from hearts that love Jesus surpasses all circumstances. Though God showed me small things through each person, when you put all the pieces together, you see that He showed me a big piece of His heart for me, and He gave me that piece so I can in turn, give it to others.
Our last night in Ireland
This is our last night in Ireland. We are in Dublin now but we fly out early in the morning for Chicago, then Dallas, then Abilene (hopefully our flight won't get canceled like it did coming up here)
This is an amazing country full of rich history, breathtaking sights, great Christians, and some of the best people we have ever met. We leave here feeling very good about the things we have done on our mission trip, but also leave part of our heart here with our Irish friends
This is an amazing country full of rich history, breathtaking sights, great Christians, and some of the best people we have ever met. We leave here feeling very good about the things we have done on our mission trip, but also leave part of our heart here with our Irish friends
To our friends in Enniscorthy we thank you for your hospitality and kindness. We send our best wishes to Christ Alive Church and pray that Go will continue to do good work through them in that city. Acts 17:26 (NIV) "From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole Earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." God has put each of you WHERE He wants you, WHEN He wants you there. You have a calling or a mission and He is going to do great things in Enniscorthy.
It's impossible to speak for all 19 members of our Beltway team but I think it is safe to say that we will all miss you and we hope to return again soon.
Take care an God bless!
Team went to jail!!!!
Part of our team went to jail this morning!
For a tour of course :-)
When it was first built in 1796, Kilmainham Gaol was called the 'New Gaol' to distinguish it from the old gaol it was intended to replace - a noisome dungeon, just a few hundred yards from the present site. It was officially called the County of Dublin Gaol, and was originally run by the Grand Jury for County Dublin.
When the Gaol was first built, public hangings took place at the front of the Gaol. However, from the 1820s onward very few hangings, public or private, took place at Kilmainham. A small hanging cell was built in the gaol in 1891. It is located on the first floor, between the West Wing and the East Wing.
There was no segregation of prisoners; men, women and children were incarcerated up to 5 in each cell, with only a single candle for light and heat, most of their time was spent in the cold and the dark. The candle had to last the prisoner for one week. Its cells were roughly 28 meters squared.
Children were sometimes arrested for petty theft, the youngest said to be a five year-old child, while many of the adult prisoners were deported to Australia.
At Kilmainham the poor conditions in which women prisoners were kept provided the spur for the next stage of development. Remarkably, for an age that prided itself on a protective attitude for the 'weaker sex', the conditions for women prisoners were persistently worse than for men. As early as his 1809 report the Inspector had observed that male prisoners were supplied with iron bedsteads while females 'lay on straw on the flags in the cells and common halls.' Half a century later there was little improvement. The women's section, located in the west wing, remained overcrowded.
Since its restoration, Kilmainham Gaol has been understood as one of the most important Irish monuments of the modern period. Principally this has been understood in relation to the narrative of the struggle for Irish independence. In the period of time extending from its opening in 1796 until its decommissioning in 1924 it has been, barring the notable exceptions of Daniel O'Connell and Michael Collins, a site of incarceration of every significant Irish nationalist leader of both the constitutional and physical force traditions. Thus, its history as an institution is intimately linked with the story of the Irish nationalism. The majority of the Irish leaders in the rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867 and 1916 were imprisoned there. It also housed prisoners during the Irish War of Independence (1919–21) and many of the anti-treaty forces during the civil war period. Charles Stewart Parnell was imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol, along with most of his parliamentary colleagues, in 1881-82 when he signed the Kilmainham Treaty with William Gladstone.
Edmund Wellisha, the head guard at the prison, was convicted of undernourishing prisoners in support of the rebellion.
For a tour of course :-)
When it was first built in 1796, Kilmainham Gaol was called the 'New Gaol' to distinguish it from the old gaol it was intended to replace - a noisome dungeon, just a few hundred yards from the present site. It was officially called the County of Dublin Gaol, and was originally run by the Grand Jury for County Dublin.
When the Gaol was first built, public hangings took place at the front of the Gaol. However, from the 1820s onward very few hangings, public or private, took place at Kilmainham. A small hanging cell was built in the gaol in 1891. It is located on the first floor, between the West Wing and the East Wing.
There was no segregation of prisoners; men, women and children were incarcerated up to 5 in each cell, with only a single candle for light and heat, most of their time was spent in the cold and the dark. The candle had to last the prisoner for one week. Its cells were roughly 28 meters squared.
Children were sometimes arrested for petty theft, the youngest said to be a five year-old child, while many of the adult prisoners were deported to Australia.
At Kilmainham the poor conditions in which women prisoners were kept provided the spur for the next stage of development. Remarkably, for an age that prided itself on a protective attitude for the 'weaker sex', the conditions for women prisoners were persistently worse than for men. As early as his 1809 report the Inspector had observed that male prisoners were supplied with iron bedsteads while females 'lay on straw on the flags in the cells and common halls.' Half a century later there was little improvement. The women's section, located in the west wing, remained overcrowded.
Edmund Wellisha, the head guard at the prison, was convicted of undernourishing prisoners in support of the rebellion.
Rainy Sunday in Dublin
Our team split up into groups and went on siht seing advetures around the city. It started out to be a cold rainy day here..... and never changed much :-/
Saturday, July 7, 2012
relaxing in Dublin
We made it to Dublin today. Had some trouble getting checked into our rooms at the hotel, but eventually did. We split up into groups and went shopping, sightseeing, and eating. We get to sleep in (sort of) tomorrow. At least later than we have all week. It's amazing how much history (both country and religious) there is around Dublin. It's also a little surprising how old some of the buildings are. You hear a date of a building and it doesn't always register, but when you stop and think that thy were built centuries before the USA was founded, it's kind of wild......
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