News from Ireland

It's 9 p.m. Tuesday in Dublin -- 3 p.m. in Alabama -- and it appears our bodies are adjusting to the time change rather well, which is actually remarkable considering neither of us slept more than 2 hours on the plane last night. (Tomorrow may be a different story. The "lag" may come then.)

The trip over was not terribly difficult, save for the first half hour on the plane, after realizing that our reserved seats had been changed (as had about half the other folks on the plane) and Steven and I would not be sitting together for the 7-hour flight.

Now it's 9:15 a.m. Wednesday -- got into a conversation last night and didn't complete the post.

Anyway, survived the flight over after about a half-hour battle with my disappointment over the whole flight thing. (I know it may seem like a little thing, but I was having to preach the gospel to myself and trust that God has a purpose in everything.) Ended up having some good conversation with a young Irish woman seated beside me. There was an Irish fellow on the other side, but he slept most of the time.

Yesterday, after Eric Brauer picked us up, we went to the Brauer home for a meeting of the Church Resources team he leads. Eric, his wife Karen, and two single ladies (Kathy and Dianne) are the team at this point, though they are expecting another couple to arrive in a few months. These folks are dispersed throughout Ireland, as much as 3 1/2 hours apart from one another, and they work to provide support, encouragement and resources to the Irish pastors (and their spouses) who are planting churches in the country. They are in need of men on the team who can disciple and speak the gospel into the lives of Irish men.

Staying with the Brauers has given a good glimpse into their home life, much of it spent just the same as mine and yours. I went to the school with Karen yesterday to pick up two of her girls (there are three living at home now), who spent much of their afternoon working on homework, music practice, and preparations for dinner. Karen, Steven and I got to talk a good bit about education here, and the different approaches missionaries can take to educating their kids with an eye toward college back in the states. The girls' homework was a good indicator of the level of work -- a bit intimidating. (The third-grader is writing paragraphs, in cursive, perfectly punctuated dialog and all).

I'm especially struck, by our conversations with the team and with Karen individually yesterday, by the "God-lessness" of the culture. It is a place so in need of the gospel. For much of their early years here, Karen said folks thought she was part of a cult. As it is now, she is still careful in how she portrays the work Eric does, and opportunities with her neighbors and other folks she comes in contact with (through schools, etc.) are incredibly slow. And they have been here for 18 years. Dianne and Kathy also gave a pretty vivid picture of the patience needed in gaining trust and having any voice with the Irish, even with the Christians. Relationship is key -- way moreso than in America. Nevertheless, Irish are coming to faith, and two new church plants started as a result of the team's work in the last year.

Today, Steven will be spending time with Eric and me with Karen.

As for Dublin, we haven't seen the city yet. Our time thus far has been spent in the village of Lucen (not sure of spelling) where the Brauers live.

Oh, and for the fun of my children, who I hope will be reading these posts, here are some Irish terms for American words:

woolies -- sweaters
estate -- neighborhood
press -- closet
tele -- television
motorway -- interstate

And the kids might like to know that the Brauers have two pet parakeets (who chatter non-stop) and a gorgeous pet rabbit named Cinnamon.

Hugs and kisses to all,
Laura