February Update

How are we all doing? I hope and pray that this letter finds you all well, and that the Lord is continuing to work in mighty ways in all of your lives. We serve an amazing God who is truly always moving. What a blessing it is to be called children of God!

Many of us can still recall when the group from Ireland came over and visited Denver a few years ago. Phil was one of the two men that came a week after the bigger group arrived. Phil works in Dublin’s city center at a homeless shelter run by the Salvation Army. Often times in Phil’s work he comes across men who are struggling with drug addiction. Recently Phil was able to link up with an organization call Teen Challenge, and has been able to send a few of the people he has been in contact with through this program. The trouble has been that Teen Challenge does not have a men’s home based here in Ireland. The closest one was in Glasgow, Scotland; and so Phil has had to send these men out of the country in order to go through the program.

For a while now Phil, along with other friends from DV8, have had a vision of getting a Teen Challenge men’s home up and running here in Ireland. A lot of thought and prayer has already gone into the project, but it still needs more. Please pray for the Lord to grant these men with His wisdom.

The reason I mention all of this to you is because I am here to update you on what I see God is doing in Ireland. Keith Flynn, Kevin, and Shirley are also involved in the project and I am certain that all of you are interested in their lives as well. I am telling you thing because this project needs your prayers. God is doing amazing things; however, this is by no means going to be an easy ministry for anybody. I am thankful for this ministry, and am thankful that there will be a place in Ireland for drug addicts to go. This will be a place that not only helps them to get off drugs, but also teaches them the truth of who Jesus Christ is and how he can transform their lives. Please pray for this ministry and for all the leaders involved.

We have officially started a choir at the Methodist church and things seem to be going quite well. I originally had about 12 people come up to me and say they would like to participate, but have only had about 7 actually come to practice. However, this is a start. We are practicing an arrangement of the Easter Hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” in order to be able to sing it at the Lucan Methodist church on Easter Sunday. It has been a bit of a stretch both for me and some of the members singing, but it has been a fun challenge. Please pray that we will not simply do a good job, but that it will build fellowship through being able to sing together.

I continue to be amazed with what happens here at the Friday night youth club. It seems that every Friday I feel discouraged before I leave to go play soccer with the kids. There always seems to be something whispering in my ear that it is not worth it. However, every Friday after all is said and done I come home uplifted and encouraged. God is doing something with these kids and I believe that Satan does not like it. I believe that he will continue to do all he can to discourage me from this ministry. Please pray for me to be protected from these spiritual attacks. Please pray that God will give me the strength to persevere every week to meet with these kids. Like I said, I know that God is doing incredible things in their hearts.

We have decided to only bring the same kids back to the church every week. At first this may seem kind of harsh, but it has actually been a tremendous blessing. We are able to meet with the same kids every week, and they have actually calmed down a lot. We have a curriculum that we are using and, although the kids would not admit it, the kids seem to enjoy it. Every week I am worried that they will get board and want to leave. However, last Friday they worked on their worksheets for close to 40 minutes without a complaint. They were asking me questions, and anxious to fill out the correct answers. It was so cool to see it. It is also quite humorous to watch them as they all swear quite a lot. You are never really prepared to hear both the “F” word and “Jesus” used in the same sentence when “Jesus” is used in the correct context.

Please continue to pray for these kids as well. Pray that their hearts will be softened and prepared each week to hear what the Lord wants to teach them. Pray that they will be protected from the harsh environment they live in. Pray they will be protected from getting involved in gangs, drugs, or alcohol. There is so much trouble available to them, and is quite frightening. They need your prayers.

I have been speaking to our minister Bill about the future, and have seen a need here at the church for a full time youth worker. The church has a lot of kids between the ages of 8-12 who are soon going to be teenagers. While I have been here they have always been under the care of the children’s ministry, but they are quickly going to be growing out of that. The church is open to having somebody come from the States to do full time youth work under the same arrangement they had with me; however, that is not the only place a youth worker could come from.

I ask that you will pray with me for God to raise somebody up who will be able to be affective here in Tallaght doing youth work. I desire for God to raise up someone who will be able to tackle both church and un-churched kids. Again, I know God is working in the hearts of the kids who come on a Friday night and I would love for someone to come who would be willing to invest in them as well.

As always God’s work is continuing to take place here in Ireland. Please continue to pray for me as I seek the Lord’s will for my own life. I thank you all so much for your prayers and support. You are such a large part to the ministry that is happening here. Thank you all so much for being obedient to our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May He bless and keep you all.