A trip round County Down

After a full day of classes on Tuesday, we loaded up the mini-bus and headed off to beautiful County Down. After having tea and scones at our beloved professor's home, Hadden Wilson, we spent the day traveling within County Down to various historic sights, beginning with what is believed to be the grave of Saint Patrick. We visited the Cathedral that is adjacent to this burial ground, which today has become a place of pilgrimage for Christians of all denominations from around the world. It's open daily as a place of prayer and worship.

While we were in Downpatrick we also spent some time at a small museum, which used to be a jail. A few people even spent some time in the Solitary Confinement Cell to see what it would be like, but they didn't stay long.

We ate lunch near the ruins of a Monastic Site known as Inch Abbey. After lunch we explored the sight, which dates back to the twelfth century. Hadden pointed out unique features of the Abbey, reminding us that this would have been a place where strangers were always welcomed. They never turned anyone away. Inch Abbey was also a place of great devotion. Hadden said they had a call to prayer nine times a day.

The last place we visited was Saul, where Saint Patrick built the first Christian Church in Ireland in 432 A.D. A small church now sits on this sight, which was built in the 1930's.

As I sat in the small sanctuary at the end of the day, wanting to find some way to bring closure to all the history we had experienced, I opened my Bible to Psalm 103.

"As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--" Psalm 103:15-17.

What better place to reflect on the permanence of God's work than in the most ancient ecclesiastical site in Ireland. As I thought about the significance of this place and the words of the Psalm, the silence of the chapel was suddenly filled with the happy chatter of our youngest team member Ella, who is 18 months old. I turned to see her running up the aisle with an exuberant smile on her face. She made her way to the front and climbed up onto the platform, continuing the talk and smile. Although some may have considered it irreverent, I thought it was absolutely perfect. Here was an example of "our children's children." This is one of which Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Luke 18:16. Well done Ella. Thank you for reminding us.

Armagh

Monday we had the opportunity to visit the St. Patrick's Cathedrals in Armagh, one Church of Ireland and the other Roman Catholic. Our visit to Shankill and Falls on Saturday was a perfect precursor for this trip for a significant reason: it revealed how far this beautiful country has come. Being reminded of a day when, not so long ago, a very impenetrable wall existed between these two groups of people that greatly effected their day-to-day lives, I was able to recognize the incredible significance of being able to step inside a Catholic cathedral as a Protestant. I realized this well after we left. Both churches were built a long time ago as places where people could come to worship the Lord. I suppose we all subconsciously recognized that as we sat in each of the churches to reflect, contemplate, sketch, or pray. This country, like every other place in this world still has prejudices and hurts to recover from, but it was truly unbelievable to be able to sit and reflect on the beauty of these two churches, considering the past history.

As you will surely see by this picture of the Catholic Cathedral, it was absolutely breathtaking. I, and I know several others, remember walking in and actually forgetting to breathe. The architecture was phenomenal and had such intricate detail that we could do nothing but just stare at how someone could create that without the modern technology we possess today. It certainly made me stand in awe of a Heavenly God who made such minds and hands. He alone is worthy to be praised and worshiped.

~Jillian Carruth

The Shankhill Road

Americans hear a lot about the conflict between the Catholics and the Protestants in Ireland, but I did not truly understand what the conflict was about until we toured Shankhill Road and Falls Road, the heart of the conflict between the two groups. From the names, one would assume it was a religious conflict. In reality, however, it was much more about politics than any religious differences between Catholics and Protestants. As Great Britain was expanding, they took over Ireland. When the Irish were finally able to secure independence, what is now Northern Ireland wanted to remain with the United Kingdom, because many people from the UK were living there. They associated more with the rest of Britain, and therefore were Protestant. The rest of Ireland, however, still retained it's Catholic heritage.

Our tour was lead by Billy Stevenson, who grew up on the Shankhill Road, or actually right off of it. His father was involved in one of the Protestant groups resisting the Catholic IRA. Hearing his story, his father's story, and being able to see the very site were much of the violence occurred was an amazing way to understand what really happened. It is one thing to read about an event in a book, but it is so much more meaningful when you see the actual place where it happened. It is far more meaningful when you see how the community is still being affected by something that ended over a decade ago.

One of the main things we looked at were murals. They are very important in telling each side of the story. We saw several on Shankhill Road, the protestant area, and then also saw several along the Falls Road, catholic area. Also on the Falls Road was a memorial site dedicated to men who had been killed. It was much more elaborate than anything on the protestant side.

For me, the tour was very sobering. One of the most powerful images I saw was not one of the many murals, but the youth we encountered. There was an abandoned church, and three teenaged youth were throwing rocks at the building. The empty look on their faces will not escape me for some time. There are many beautiful things we have been able to see so far here in Northern Ireland, but the Shankhill Road reminds me that there is a dark past to this beautiful green country.

James Cooke

Our Home in Ireland

Welcome to Lakeside Manor, our new home. Our 18 bedroom house is located just a few miles from the city center of Belfast, and not far from Queen's University. Here it is that we eat, rest, laugh, and learn together. One thing I love about Lakeside is that most days I wake up and fall asleep to the sound of people laughing together.

Although we've only been here a few days, I already feel like this is so much more than just a place to eat and sleep. This is a safe place, in every sense of the word.

Billy said when he thinks of Lakeside he's reminded of the description from Psalm 23:2, "...He leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul..." For many of us, this trip gives us a chance to step outside of our normal enviornment and ask questions. Our immersion in the Irish culture forces us to look at and ask questions about our own values, faith, and culture from the outside as well. Lakeside provides a safe place for us to ask these questions.

I also believe the second part of this verse is a fitting description of our home at Lakeside Manor. I believe this will be a place of healing for many who are here this summer. Some of us came with questions that seemed too big to answer. Some of us are struggling in our relationship with God, desperately searching for understanding and authenticity. Some are healing from wounds we feel no one else can understand. I am one of those people, and I go to sleep every night overwhelmed with gratitude as I say, "Thank you God for allowing me to be here." I believe He is at work in this place in an amazing way, and I believe we will all come back home different people because of our time here.

Kara Bird