Xpresso Arts Festival 2009!!!

We have been working with inner city kids a lot this week. I would be lying if I said it was easy, it's one of the hardest things I have done. These children aren't as easy to get to know, they've built up walls of aggression and toughness. They don't seem to trust anybody and like to test you. I think I have been called every name under the sun this week from kids as young as four years old! The first days were hard but as we continued to get to know these kids, they slowly began to warm up. No one ever gives them the time of day and they just

 need to know that we are going to be there, we aren't going to leave them. They're out for the summer and most of them are left to roam the streets and do as they please. At one of the community centers we volunteer with we started out with about 12 kids. At theses centers the children can  come and go as they please so they aren't forced to stay anywhere. By the third day we had been working with them thirty children showed up and most of them stayed the entire time we were there! This was amazing and inspiring to see. They may put up fronts and may challenge you but these children want to be loved like any other. The kids were even staying to help us clean up and requesting us to come back as soon as possible. 

We went for a picnic yesterday with some friends for the fourth of July at Phoenix Park. We were just enjoying the day and next thing you know a group of kids come up to us, first they tried to grab a friend's camera and then they just stood looming over us. They asked the guys who were with us to fight and had a very tough exterior. They proceeded to steal our ball and run off with it. At one point one of the boys, David, had stolen our mini American flag we had with us. He then came back and returned the flag and proceeded to spit on the flag. We did not give them any negative attention and tried to act like none of their actions were really effecting us. After he spit on the flag he realized what he had done and turned back around smoothed the flag on our blanket and said he was sorry. Throughout the afternoon they continued to come up to us and some even stayed and began to ask about America. By the end of the afternoon we had gotten to know two of the boys, they brought our ball back and even wanted to play volleyball with us! This may seem simple but to me it speaks volumes. It's amazing how children respond when you give them respect they are looking for, acknowledgment. It may be hard at first but patience is the key. 

God has really been working in my heart and I have really grown to love the inner city kids of Dublin. I am not sure where God is leading me.. Possibly teaching... Possibly more ministry but I am soooo thankful to have a God who displays his Love for me daily, who shows me where he wants me to walk, who cares for my heart with deep affection. He is like no other. 

Also, I may have the opportunity to stay in Dublin for a year under the Presbyterian Church of Ireland. I would be able to continue to work with Abbey Presbyterian and continue the ministry that has already begun! I will update when I know exactly is going to happen, but I am pretty high spirits that it will probably work out!

Pictures from the fourth:

Community Center

Yesterday started the beginning of our three week art program with kids at local communities in Dublin. Normally we have been just going to help out/play and really get to know them, so we haven't had a structured program up until yesterday. Normally the kids come in and play games, draw or play outside. At this center the children have the freedom to come and go as they please since it is located in their neighborhood. So a lot the children wont stay for the whole allotted time that we are there, they wander in and out. Yesterday every child who came stayed the entire time and then did not want to leave, they really soaked up the structure and the craft we made with them!

Here's some pictures: 

Joy

What's on my heart: I want to stay in Dublin and continue working for Abbey this next year. I am praying that this will work out, but if it does go another way I must accept it. After all God is in control and he has the best plan for me, I only want what He wants for my life. It's the uncertainty of it all that makes me feel a little shaky right now but what would my life be without those little uncertainties? Too picture perfect, to perfect for me to contemplate or challenge myself. One thing I do know about myself is I love a good challenge. 

I hope you guys enjoyed the videos previously posted. These videos are funny and should not be taken super seriously. They were both made at 1 a.m. We were scheming about the arts festival very late and the thought just popped in my head, let's make videos! I just want to say that me and the girls I work with LOVE what we are doing here, LOVE seeing God's ministry unfold before our eyes, it's beautiful. God gives us joy and we just want to see that acted out in our work. These videos were geared toward the youth culture. I know when I was young the youth workers who always affected me were the ones who were relatable, who were silly, the ones who made me laugh, they connected with me. I was afraid of the stiff adult who I could not relate to. I feel so blessed to be doing what I am doing. I want to thank God for laughter because I enjoy a good laugh. In fact if there was no laughter, I am not sure how much of person I would be. 

"For I dearly love to laugh." -Elizabeth Bennett

I have been working on the blog site for Xpresso. It features videos of the musicians who will be performing!

Update on the Xpresso Arts Festival Blog, check it out!

http://xpressoartsfestival.blogspot.com/

Hey Kids! Xpresso Arts Festival is coming up!

One of the ads we were thinking about using for our arts fest in July, this is geared toward our youth camp! This is just the mock up version!

Let's have some fun

Christy, Alex and I recorded this video late one night! It's called Cup of Cha (Irish phrase for tea). We know we are completely ridiculous but missionaries gotta entertain themselves somehow... riight?

(Our voices don't really sound like that)

moving along

Well this week has been quite eventful, super busy with the arts festival and I am getting really excited! I think every night this week we shared dinner with someone from the church, it was wonderful. Here people really spend time with each other in conversation, no one jumps up and leaves as soon as dinner is over, you may end up talking two to three more hours. It's very different from most experiences I have in America. We have our busy busy lifestyles, things to do of our own and we just may not want to spend that long of time people well unless it is our families (which is almost required). When it comes down to it, on this earth what I find is most important to me is my relationships with others. So I quite like the Irish/European attitude in this area, it's lovely! 

This week we were back at The Lighthouse, a local homeless shelter. Each Thursday we go and help feed and hang out with the people who visit this place. Probably half the people aren't homeless who come, but they just don't have enough money to buy food. We welcome anyone who walks in the door. Alex(roomie) and I were sitting amongst the people who were coming in to eat when we both had men sit next to us. I met a man from Romania, he was about 26. His name was Alex. He was very chatty and immediately proposed marriage as soon as he found out I was American.(Mom, don't worry, there's is plenty of supervision at this place and no I'm not getting married.) His eyes did light up quite a bit and then he immediately asked me about jobs over there and how much money he could make, he works in construction. He did ask me out on dates quite a bit as well, even when I said no repeatedly in the nicest way possible, he still pursued! 

My roomime, Alex, also made a friend, John at the shelter. He has actually come to Abbey Presbyterian twice since we met him. He is a very nice guy! Alex plays volleyball and so does John, well it turns out that John had been praying for 8 months for a volleyball partner and well here she is! We hope to go actually play volleyball with him in a park one day, but we will be sure to bring along some guy friends. 

My other roommie, Christy, probably has the more the serious of all the suitors from The Lighthouse. His name is also, Alex, but he is from Latvia. He is very kind and sweet, and has made the statement that he has given his heart to Christy. Now we have been having some good laughs about the guys we have met and how well I pretty much think they want green cards, but maybe I am just cynical! Even though we joke, there's some real truth in wanting to be known and wanting others to know our story in the people we have met. 

Another woman I met at The Lighthouse was named Patricia. She was probably around 65 and had several bags that she carried around with her. She seemed lonely as I stared at her from across the room so I went and sat with her. She immediately started buzzing with conversation. She was so lovely. She had a soft face, silver and gray hair with a few black strands, she had a few twigs in her hair, which made me sad for her. I wondered what her earlier years were like and how she got to this point. She was very chatty and knew a lot about the church I was working for actually. She didn't seem to be afflicted with any type of drug problem (as many of the people have who come there), she seemed pretty normal, like she could be someone's grandmother, and maybe she was. I hope I see her again. 

(I really don't want anyone to be worried about us, we are fine!)

1. I have been made very aware of several things through this venture. Wow... these guys know how to pursue a girls heart... where is this in America or Ireland. I feel like guys of my generation can be so passive and guys it's okay to pursue a girl. Step up, take your role, don't make the girl take yours! It doesn't work that way!

2. From the people I have met at The Lighthouse and from ge

neral life experience, how much do we long to be known?? We strive to be known, we strive for relationships, for someone to hear our hearts! Think of all the things we have to be known out there: reality tv, facebook, myspace, blogs! and etc. I admit I am apart of have the things I just listed, so in my heart I am striving too! 

------------------------------------

He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight." Luke 16:15

"When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there." - Anonymous

Said to a wise man to one in deep sorrow, "I did not come to comfort you; God only can do that, but I did come to say how deeply and tenderly I feel for you..." -Tyran Edwards

-----------------------

        We had dinner the other night with these lovely ladies from the church.