<--My pack and Mr. Monkey keeping my stuff safe.

Tomorrow's the day. I head out to Lansing around 8:30a to meet up with my sister. She's driving me to Detroit and helping me navigate the airport. Then on to Chicago and then to Dublin.

After 6 months, I can't believe I'm leaving tomorrow! I hope to periodically grab a computer at a cafe or at the hostel. Stay Tuned!

In case of Emergency:
I'll have my phone on me, but it's only for emergencies (since the rate is $1/min). If you don't need me to call you back, please don't leave a message. If you do need a call back or it is an emergency, please contact my mom, Karen, or roommate, Emma. They will be handling all this.

Karen Waldron (989) 268-5963
Emma (616)481-7366

Thanks you so much for the prayers and the warm wishes. Please countinue to pray.

1. Please pray that flights are on time and the journey there and back is a calm one.

2. Please pray for the team; for unity, safety and health.

3. Please pray for the churches that our hosting us.

4. Please pray that I allow God to work through my weakness, that I may show others His strength.

5. Please pray for ears to hear and eye to see. Both for those we minister to and the team.

6. Please pray that our passion shows others the freedom, transformation, and hope of Christ and that God is glorified in all we do.

Whaaaa! I'm excited and nervous. Unlimitedly it is in God's hand and thoes are pretty good hands to be in. :D

A Little More Info

Geographical Division and Size

Ireland is divided into 26 counties which are broken into four provinces: Leinster (east), Munster (south), Connacht (west) and Ulster (north). Three of these provinces plus three of the nine counties of Ulster now comprise the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland comprises the remaining six counties of Ulster and is part of the UK.

The Irish Republic is ‘Eire’ on its stamps, but is usually referred to simply as Ireland. To call it Southern Ireland is to make a political statement, therefore refer to the Republic as “Ireland” and to the North as “Northern Ireland”.

Population

The population of the Republic is around 3.9m while that of the north is 1.5 million. Dublin is the biggest city in the Republic with nearly l.5m. The second city is Cork with 160,000 people, followed by Limerick with 75,000.

Culture

As a country bordering a large neighbor, the Irish are understandably nationalistic. Many aspects of Irish life are unique to Ireland and reflect the distinct racial background, despite the shared language with Britain. The national sports of Irish football and hurling are not played widely outside of Ireland.

The Irish language, Gaelic, is only spoken as a first language by an estimated 55,000, found mostly in the areas known as the Gaeltacht in the West. It is, however, a compulsory subject in the schools and finds a place in national life and government institutions.

Ireland is known for its writers. A long line of distinguished literary giants have been produced including George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce and William Butler Yeats. Musically, Ireland has a strong traditional music scene and a number of festivals of Irish music (fleadh cheoil) take place in various centers during the year.

Much of Irish life and culture is dominated by the Roman Catholic church to which 93% own at least nominal allegiance. Though there is a growing separation of Church and State in national government, on the local stage it is still difficult to separate Irish society from the Irish Catholic Church.

Irish life is dominated by the bar and large consumption of alcohol. Drugs are an increasing problem in the cities.

Politics and Government

The two main political parties in Ireland are a product of the settlement achieved with Britain in 1922. The largest party is Fianna Fail (‘Feena Foyle’) which was the party formed by those who opposed the treaty signed with Britain giving Free State status to Ireland. The party that signed the treaty formed the government and are now known as Fine Gael (‘Feena Gayle’). Recently Fianna Fail has dominated the government with a coalition formed with the Labour Party. The most influential of the other parties are the Progressive Democrats (a break away from Fianna Fail), the Labour Party, and Democratic Left (formerly the Workers Party). Sinn Fein (‘Shin Fain’) also exerts an influence in both the Republic and Northern Ireland. The Irish parliament is known as Dail Eireann (‘Doyle Air-an’) and a member as a Deputy or “T.D.”. The prime-minister is termed the Taoiseach (‘Tee-shuck’).

Geography

Ireland is in the form of a saucer with generally flat land in the centre and hills on the perimeter. About 10% of the land is in the form of peat bog which is drained and cut as fuel for both private use and burning in power stations. Much of the scenery is beautiful and lives up to its designation as the Emerald Isle with its forty shades of green.

Climate

Leon Uris described Ireland as an island swept by Atlantic gales. The average of 266 days of rain in the West may justify that comment! It can certainly be very wet with a steady drizzle producing a “soft day”. Though often damp and cold it seldom falls significantly below freezing. Whatever the weather, it is always a topic of conversation!

Date?

Hey friends. If I sent you something in the mail, could you email me the date on it? I had everything on a spreadsheet, but something happened and I lost the info. Or leave a comment in the comment section. Thanks!

There's less then a week until I leave and I must have some prayers coming my way, because the fears about the airports have almost disappeared. Thanks!

I sent out prayer card this week to those that offered to sponsor a day, but made a little mistake. You see the spreadsheet that contained who had which day did not get saved. Oops. I've figure out a majority of the days, but you might be getting a call from me. ;D

This one doesn't need an application, I guess.

Ireland is an independent country (again this came from the Preperation Packet, I received)

Following the formation of the Free State, the Irish have maintained neutrality, remaining out of the World War II despite the fact that many thousands of Irishmen fought in the British forces. Even today a number of Irishmen join the British armed forces. This fact reflects the often paradoxical relationship between the Irish and English. Thousands happily live in England yet would fight to maintain Ireland’s sovereignty. At one level there is great affinity with the English and at another a deep resentment. It is said in the Republic they like the English but hate the British state; in the North they love the British State but dislike the English. There is an element of truth in this.

Ireland is a great land which has produced more than its share of great figures who have exerted a world-wide influence, but insecurity resulting from centuries of misrule and abuse has taken its toll. Quite innocently, foreigners visiting Ireland may trigger this insecurity without realizing it and be surprised at the reaction they receive. It is always a factor to be born in mind, especially if one is of an over-bearing or self-assured manner.

How do the Irish relate to Americans? Due to emigration there is a close connection between Ireland and the U.S.A. American tourists are common and most families have relations in the US. You would think this would mean a very warm relationship, but it is observed that Americans visiting Ireland are not as warmly welcomed as Irish visiting the US. The large numbers of Americans visiting who claim Irish descent can be a little trying for the native population. The key to surmounting barriers is to recognize the Irish tendency towards insecurity.

In 1972 Ireland’s entry into the European Common Market has done much to change its attitude to Europe. It has served on the United Nations Security Council. It is not a member of N.A.T.O., nor the British Common-wealth. In the 1980s it entered into the Anglo-Irish Agreement with the British government in an attempt to solve some of the problems of Northern Ireland. The Agreement grants Dublin a say in Northern Irish affairs as a spokesman for the nationalist community in the North. These relationships and the independent nature of the country are areas of great sensitivity and an unwise comment can close a door which would otherwise be open.

Tonight, I took a dry run with my backpack, meaning I packed up (almost) everything and tried it on. Not too bad at all. I was expecting to be toppling over by the weight, but everything felt very comfortable. I guess the research on packing light, is going to pay off.

There is not much to do in the next couple days. The flight is booked. I have almost everything I'll need. And I have you, my prayer partners. I really want to make it a point to set time aside to really prepare for this trip. It seems the psychical preparations are out weighting the spiritual preparations.

Please pray for:
1. Quite times to meet with God.
2. Fears to be quenched.
3. Solidarity in our team.
4. Ears to hear and eyes to see.


...Ireland is a young country

A succession of home rule bills (to allow Ireland to govern its own affairs rather than the English parliament in London) were attempted to be passed in the late 19th and early 20th century. The final one succeeded but was not enacted due to the outbreak of the 1st World War. In 1916, a small band of Irish men and women staged a rising on Easter Monday. They took over key buildings in Dublin and declared a republic. The main command post was the General Post Office, in what is now O’Connell Street. After heroic fighting, the loss of many lives, and the destruction of much of central Dublin, the rising was overthrown a week later. The leaders were captured and most executed. The Easter Rising had not had widespread support initially, but the brutality of the resulting executions produced a backlash and within six years Ireland was granted Free State status under the British crown. This, however, did not satisfy the more ardent republicans and Ireland was plunged into a civil war. Pro-treaty forces formed the government and fought anti-treaty republicans who had previously fought by their side.

The pro-treaty forces won in 1923, but not until many more lives had been lost. The six counties of the north east, which had exempted themselves from the treaty and remained part of the Union due to their majority Protestant populations, formed the separate state of Northern Ireland. The border between the six counties and the Free State came into existence and remains a bone of contention to this day. Two distinct cultural and ethnic groups, each with their own interpretation of Irish history share the island but will not agree as to the form of government. With these facts in mind one recognizes that Ireland is a young country and proud of its hard won independence. It became a Republic in 1948 and now takes its place among the nations of the world. One of the leaders of the rising, Eamonn DeValera, became its first President and only died in the mid 70s.

Application:

Many are still alive who recall the events surrounding the founding of the nation and so nationalism is a very live issue and has implications for the gospel. To diminish the achievements of this small and culturally rich country is to strengthen the barrier against the gospel. One does not need to be a Roman Catholic to respect this proud and independent race; the more one respects them and their history, the more likely to gain a hearing for the gospel.

Fears

As the time gets closer to departure, my mind is racked with fears. I'm scare I did not leave enough time between two of my flights. I'm scared that I'll get to a new country and all the bravery I mustered in the states will evaporate. I'm scared of the unknown. Please join me in praying for peace in these matters. I keep asking that God takes care of me, but at each little hiccup I grab the control back from him. Please pray that I allow God to take control.

The financial aspect of this trip is also beginning to add up. All the little things; travel sized items, proper footwear, and check in fees are beginning to add up. I'm tempted to just buy with the mindset that this is a lifelong dream, but I want to be wise with my finances. Please pray that I find a balance between need and want.

Thank you so much for your prayers. As the time gets closer to departure, I need them more than ever. In the next couple weeks, those that have responded to pray for me, while on the trip, will be receiving a creative reminder in the mail. If you'd like to join as a prayer partner, drop me a line at Gayle84@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

Some Info:
Ireland has known much suffering

Once the land was handed over to foreign landowners and settlers there developed a large peasant class dependent upon the estate owners for a subsistence existence. Through the 18th and 19th centuries poverty in Ireland was apparent, but not universal. In the north of the country, Belfast was beginning to be industrialized as a centre for the linen trade and the prosperity of the N.E. generally was in contrast to what existed elsewhere.

Landlords owned most of Ireland, but were commonly absent relying on agents to collect rents from tenants in exchange for a small hovel and a patch of ground to grow the staple diet of potatoes. Life became impossible for the Irish peasants in the late 1840s when the potato blight struck for five years in succession. As the peasants lived on little else famine came quickly. Many were forced to leave their homes as they could not afford both food and rent. Many emigrated, dying in what became known as “coffin ships” on the way to America or on the islands in New York harbor. Others died at home. Throughout these years, however, there was food being exported from Ireland. Of the estimated 8.5 million population in 1845 over I million emigrated and a further 1 million died.

The impression was that England had done too little too late. Only home rule would remedy the situation. At the end of the 18^th century the Catholic population had been partially emancipated and could now run schools, join professions and vote, but full emancipation was still to be achieved. The struggle for this was led by Daniel O’Connell who in 1823 formed the Catholic Association. Following Catholic emancipation in 1829 O’Connell served as a member of parliament. His Association had a longer term effect. Based on the parish network it brought together Irish people as never before as a united force.

They were united by their faith as Roman Catholics and to be Irish became synonymous with being Catholic. This was a change as prior to the turn of the century both Presbyterians and Catholics had been oppressed and stood against the English Anglican ascendancy. During the 19th century Presbyterians, fearing that home rule would mean Rome rule, increasingly sided with the Anglicans. The situation that prevailed at the beginning of the 20th century has overshadowed the significant role that Protestant non-conformists played in fighting for Irish freedom.

Application:

All of this has implications today when presenting the gospel, which is often identified with Protestantism and oppression. A trait the Irish have developed from this period is bending without breaking. To exist during these hard centuries the Irish had to appear to go along with the ruling class, while underneath retaining a strong and independent spirit. This characteristic comes out in a number of ways, not least in the unwillingness of most Irish people, despite their evident friendliness, to let you know their true feelings. Partly this reflects their insecurity and it is well to learn not to place too much store by what people promise.

May Update

A month from today I'll be standing in the Dublin airport, bewildered that I just flew to another country by myself. Actually by this time, I'll probably be on the road to Co. Roscommon. As the departure day grows nearer, I get more and more excited for this journey to start. Just one more month.

Elle, my OM contact, sent my support summary and guess what?!?!? Everything is in except for $29! It makes me smile in shock every time. I can handle $29.

Some History:

In 1172 Henry II, King of England, invaded Ireland to establish British rule and ensure the security of his western defenses. This was with the permission of the only English Pope there has been. From that time there has been a foreign military presence on Irish soil. English influence was centered on Dublin and extended out from it into what became known as “the pale.” Over the years the strength of this influence varied.

Whilst the Reformation took root in England, it was opposed in Ireland. Despite some initial progress within the pale, reformed religion met the united opposition of the Anglo and Gaelic Irish. The reformed church was established by legislation and became the church of the new English colony and the official class. Various methods were used to subdue the Irish including the plantation of loyal subjects in various regions. These were unsuccessful until the early 17th century when opposition led by the old Irish lords, O’Neill and O’Donnell, was crushed marking the end of the old Irish world. Ulster lay open for settlement and was populated by Scots Presbyterians and English Anglicans. The town of Derry was given to the merchants of London and became known as Londonderry.

The injustice felt by the native population resulted in a brutal uprising in 1641. Claims of the number of Protestants slaughtered at that time are now considered greatly exaggerated, but at the time they gave rise to feeling of outrage. The eventual reprisal for this was the landing of Oliver Cromwell on Irish soil in 1649 at the head of his Puritan army. Cromwell’s infamous activities resulted in many Irish Catholics being dispossessed of their lands. By 1660 Catholics were not allowed to own land east of the River Shannon in the province of Connacht and Co. Clare to which many had been banished. All of this is vital to grasp as it shows the reason for the deep antipathy towards the English and Protestantism. The puritans may be revered as godly Bible expositors by evangelical Christians but they left a terrible legacy in Ireland. The indiscriminate inhumanity with which revenge was enacted by Cromwell’s forces on the towns of Drogheda and Wexford left an indelible impression on the Irish. When in 1688 there was the “Quiet Revolution” in England with the accession to the throne of the Protestant William and Mary in the place of the Catholic James, it was to Ireland that James looked to raise the army to regain his throne. The decisive battle ending his hopes was at the River Boyne, near Drogheda, in 1690 and is celebrated to this day in Ulster on the 12th July. It became known as the day the Protestants beat the Catholics! (The fact that the Pope celebrated High Mass in commemoration of the victory is a little known, but illuminating fact!)

Application:

History is very relevant to the Irish and explains the fierce demarcation between the communities in the North. Preaching the gospel into this context is fraught with difficulties. To be a Protestant can be viewed as being an alien, a supporter of the foreign oppression that was finally thrown off in 1922, and as a justifier of Cromwell! The Protestant community is tolerated in the Republic, but to expect an Irishman to become a Protestant is to ask him to reject not only his faith, but his culture and his national identity. This was not always so, but the 150 years has done much to produce within the Irish people a view that to be Irish is to be Catholic.