It was a Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas Everyone!
I hope that Christmas was a day of rest, family, and joy for all of you. My most valued gift this Christmas, with the exception of the invitations from families within my church, was an Invisible Children bracelet and DVD. Hopefully, you know about IC (since you know me, I am assuming that you do but just for the rare few www.invisiblechildren.com). I just finished watching the story of Emmy, which came with my bracelet. Invisible Children has started a bracelet campaign in Northern Uganda to create jobs and bring money back into Uganda. Women are paid fair wages to make the bracelets, then the bracelets are sold in the US for 10 times what they cost to make and then the profit made is used is sent right back to Uganda with the IC schools project. Pretty sweet idea. The DVD was sad, the story of an orphan. If anything, it made me want to go to Uganda even more. If you have spare Christmas money and want to make a big difference, send some to Invisible Children.

Friday night Alison and I got in the Christmas spirit by heading out for a night on the town. She had discovered a bar with outdoor heaters and music. So we went to check it out. Oddly enough the ratio there of men to women was probably 10:1. Made for a bit of an awkward entrance. We ended up going to sit with a guy who was there alone. We felt bad for him, and we didn't know anyone else, so we just did it. He took it at first as pity but we eventually made him realize we also were fairly alone, just in a pair. He was really funny and we had a good time hangin out with him. He convinced us to go in to dance, where they played the beach boys, Christmas songs, and all kinds of music. We had a great time and I was glad he wasn't just sitting there alone all night.
I spent Christmas Eve with the Hughes Family, the minister at Lauren's church. We had an amazing meal, complete with Indian Starters (The dad grew up in India). It was the first Indian food I had ever had and it was pretty amazing. I am jealous of all the YAVs in India now! We hung out after dinner, had wonderful cheese and crackers- my fav- and watched Calender Girls on TV before heading to the 11:30 Christmas Eve service at Whitehouse Presbyterian. The service was lead by the youth, and it was fun to be there. Also, it was just nice to be at church on Christmas Eve, as I would be at home. After church I opened my one present as the tradition stands and went to bed.

I slept better than I ever have on Christmas before. I woke up and opened my presents as I waited on my ride to Church. Rosemary had given me a box of cinnamon scones from our Christmas Brunch out. I saved them for Christmas morning because they taste exactly like Moravian Sugar Cake which Dad always slaves over all day for me on Christmas because I love it so much. It was great to be able to start the day with something familiar, even if called a scone! The church service was good, lots of hymns and a meditation that challenged the men to do the dishes this Christmas. The women in the congregation loved it! It was good to see friends and familiar faces on Christmas morning.

The rest of my Christmas day was spent at the McGrath house, a wonderful family from church. The 3 kids are all in The Point, so I know them well. The cousins were there as well, whom also go to the church. Jessica whom I think is 5, is obsessed with the colour pink, it was fun to see the tons of pink things that she unwrapped. Christmas dinner was amazing and we laughed a lot and I heard fun family stories. It was so wonderful to be with a family for the day. Michelle (the mom) insisted that I call home to say Merry Christmas. It was good to talk to them all. The day continued with Tea and cheese and Crackers- just like the night before and still my favorite. We watched some soaps and had a great time. I stayed the night with them and almost stayed up as long as the girls.

The next morning we headed to Bangor to participate in the Boxing Day Swim, which supports Action Medical Research. The air was cold enough in a coat as we got out of the car. I was nervous, I must admit. We got changed and made our way outside just before we had to be there. There were probably 30-40 participants on the chilly morning. We all slowly made our way down to the waters edge and the countdown began. Lauren, Megan, and I grabbed hands and braced ourselves for the freezing water. The hardest part was wading in. The water itself was no where near as cold as I imagined it would be but it was still freezing. I think playing in mountain water in Boone and Brevard for 4 years was good preparation for the Irish Sea. When we were about knee deep I attempted to dunk Chris. He was a block of ice and didn't budge a bit. Lauren and I then counted to three and went under. By that point, Chris had already gone under and was quickly making his way out. haha. Megan's face as she came up was priceless. We quickly changed into fleece pants and hoodies and were handed hot whiskey and mulled wine. We all went straight for the sausage rolls (my favorite food here....) Overall, it was quite an experience! A great McGrath family tradition, and one that I am so thankful to have been included in! I got a certificate and everything! As I promised some of you, here are pictures- don't judge it was freezing!
I warmed up and then was off again to the McCormick's for Boxing Day. Rachel and I hung out and she showed me around their amazing house. Jonathan told me that their house was the original house in the area and used to belong to the grounds keeper for Belfast Castle. So cool. We had our Christmas dinner and had a good time. There was much laughter over dinner and some interesting conversation. haha. Dinner was lovely and we had Yorkshire pudding which made me think of mom cuz she was determined to have them while she was here. Michael was sick, so that was pretty sad. He did eventually come down and join in the crazy game of charades that had begun. We had a great time just hanging out and doing nothing. Again, it was so wonderful to be with a family and just hang out.

It was a wonderful first Christmas away from home. I couldn't have asked for anything better. I am so thankful to have such wonderful families in the church to support me and take care of me. I don't know what I would have done sitting home alone and I can never say thank you to them enough. Having friends all over the world, I know it wasn't as easy of a day for others. I espcially thought of my roomie in Peru because I love her so much! Again, I hope it was a great day for all of you! Thank you for those who sent cards and gifts, Thank you cards are to be out soon.

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree....

This week has been busy and wonderful. I have been surrounded by the Christmas spirit from the start of the week, in more ways than I probably ever have. Working in the schools here, I got to be included in their Christmas celebrations, including concerts and carol services. I have posted many pictures in this blog, to help you get an idea of what I have been up to, but also just because they are fun. The week started with our meeting with Doug where we talked about journeys and how this is a journey for us, and about the different Christmas journeys and the intentions and emotions behind them. We found comparisons with our lives here in Belfast with those of the Shepperd, the wise men, and Mary and Joesph. Tuesday night I went to the Currie Primary Christmas Concert. Almost all of my BB kids and then the P6 class I work with on Wednesday mornings performed. The little ones were too cute. I don't have many pictures, I didn't want to fight parents who really should be the ones to get the good shots, so I only have one of these two precious wee ones.


Wednesday morning I went with Ms. Rock's P6 class that I do swimming with to the Pantomime. Strangely enough it was held in the Pittsburgh Steelers Bar here in Belfast! We had been looking for the place (Alison is from Pittsburgh) and oddly enough I ended up there with school. Pantomimes are a fun Christmas Tradition here, where they change around a fairytale, or make a new one by combining old ones, and act it out. The lead female is always a male, and there are many one liners intended for the adult audience. Audience participation is also very important. The kids had a good time and for my first pantomime, it was pretty good! Here are some pictures of the P6 kids and the panto cast...



Wednesday Afternoon and Thursday afternoon I spent my time at Castle High School where the whole school was involved in getting ready for Thursday afternoon's performances for their annual Grandparent's Day. The cast of Oliver was to perform 4 of their songs, all in full costume, and other Christmas songs and dances were performed. Spending two full afternoons with tons of the kids was so much fun. I got to chat more with the ones I knew, and meet some that I hadn't met yet. The event went very well on Thursday afternoon, the Granny's and Grandas were too cute and the kids did very well. It was good fun, and of course, here are some pictures...


I am very grateful for my role within the schools because it has given me the opportunity to really see what life is like where separation of church and state doesn't exists. Yes, I notice things every day, with the troubles and churches running the schools, but this week has been a very clear example for me. Coming from a place where we use the term winter break rather than Christmas break, and had Holiday parties in school rather than Christmas parties, it was a new experience to be in school and hear Christmas said so often and attend a school carol church service. I have never really been one to be bothered by the lack of religion in schools, I didn't feel like I was missing out or not being a good Christian by celebrating a Holiday party. If anything, looking back, I would say it was more of a Christ-like thing to do, include everyone. But it has been fun to be in schools where you don't have to be careful as a teacher or even volunteer what you say to the kids about this season because the diversity and likelihood of offending are slim to none. It has been a very fun week.

On another note, Belfast has decided to turn into the North Pole. The high this week was about 30 each day and a thick fog covered the city. I first opened my front door and really thought I was back in Boone for a minute. haha. I know this is not all that much colder than Boone, however I never realllllly walked all that far at school My 25-30 minute walk is teaching me just how cold the 20's really feel. I learned that to clear your windshield here, using boiling water from your kettle is customary as I saw this on my street 3 times. Also, the sidewalks here turn into ice skating rinks! I was out before 9 every morning this week and as early as 8:15, where the sidewalks were white sheets of ice. No precipitation had fallen, the water on the footpaths had simply frozen through. I was so surprised by it, I took a picture... (Anne, aren't you proud?) This is my life, early in the morning...


We had a nice dinner the other night and pulled some Christmas Crackers, getting into the spirit. Alison, Lauren, and I will all be with different families from our churches on Christmas day, so it was fun to sit down together.

Three in One (kinda like the Trinity...)

I haven't been good about posting, so here are three posts in one. Don't worry I'll try to keep them short!

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT SUNDAY....

While it is not chicken and baked beans or cat napping on the porch swing as Craig Morgan sings, there is a lot I have come to love about Sunday. In fact, I have decided that Sunday is my favorite day of the week here in Belfast. Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian is a place that feels like home. I have gotten use to keeping my coat on through the service, having a new minister each week, and singing hymns without any music- only words. I enjoy seeing my youth in the morning, and the other people in the congregation who I have come to know. Yesterday was the Sunday School Christmas play during the service. The kids were really cute and did a great job. I wish I had taken pictures... Then the guest minister asked for volunteers for her Epilogue. She suggested some of the other young people come up, and I looked over my shoulder at my youth, but none of them moved. So I got up. As soon as I did, I felt like momma duck because up they all came, and I decided I would call them out by name if they didn't. haha, I am so kind huh? We were given mixed up letters and had to order ourselves to spell a word. The word was Emmanuel.

After church, I tend to have the house to myself. I have started a Sunday Afternoon Cleaning that I love. I know, me loving to clean... its a HUGE shock. I guess its a sense of accomplishment, something that isn't always evident in my work here. The house looks better and I feel better. Yesterday I scrubbed the front door (it was covered in dirty and red berry stains from the kids), hoovered, organized the closet and the drawer of travel brochures, and washing my windows- which involved me hanging out of them to wash the outside... a funny site had I been seen...

Last night was the candlelight carol service. The youth lit the candles for people as they arrived. I was very excited to be part of a service where I got to hold my own candle! UPC stopped letting us hold candles when I was probably 13 or so, too many flaming hairs and carpets covered in wax. The lanterns on the ends of pews are nice, but its just not the same. The church was covered in candles, our Christmas tree that we decorated looked wonderful, and the atmosphere of the church was great.The service was full of carols, solos and full congregation renditions, and 4 Christmas readings each from a different nativity characters view point. Joesph, Mary, the Shepherd, and the Innkeeper. It was really good, three of my youth and I read the parts. After I visited with my youth and other members of the congregation. We had traditional Christmas treats: Mince Pies. I am not all that big of a fan, but the shortbread was good! Every time I leave that building, I realize how much I enjoy my time there, how great the youth I work with are, and how fun the families are. Even if they pick on me : )


CHRISTMAS TIME!


The Best way I know to tell you about Christmas thus far, or December in Belfast, is in pictures. Here we go: Our wee little 3 ft. fake Christmas tree that I love, My first selection box- a box with all different kids of chocolate packaged especially for Christmas, Our inner door with the fake snow I decorated with, a Christmas Cracker-more to come when we crack them, the elf hat we found in the house, again that I love!, an ugly bow decorated Christmas tree- blue and gold too (eww), The wreath on our front door, our three stockings hung with tape on our mantle, presents of course! Needless to say, this house is pretty festive. And I like it. Christmas Morning very early Maura has invited me over to breakfast. Then I will go to a Christmas Day service (that will be something very new!) then home with the McGrath Family for Christmas Day. I am staying with them Monday night, and on boxing day morning will be doing a polar bear type swim for charity. Yes, I am going to jump into the Irish Sea in the middle of December... Once I thaw out, I will be headed to the McCormick's for Boxing Day. Having amazing families include me in their holidays is so wonderful and I am so incredibly grateful. I am truly looking forward to both of these days!


ALL IN THE NAME OF CULTURAL IMMERSION... haha

I noticed shortly after arriving in Nireland that fashion is huge over here. I attribute this to the European location, where fashion happens here first. The clothes, the access of designer perfume in a local drugstore, the high heels always. With this comes the norm of colouring ones hair. I have needed to get my hair cut for so very long, and finally just called and made an appointment. I decided that since it was going to change length, I would just make all the changes at once. I have been debating playing with the colour of my hair for a long time and here seemed like the perfect place to do it. NOT that I fully support conformity, but all are accepted here - purple hair, badly died red, and streaky bleach blondes alike. So, needless to say, you might not recognize me if my plane home were to land tomorrow and you were waiting with insatiable anticipation to see me. My parents, mainly mom, has anxiously awaited these pictures, so I know I am filling a need by posting them. I am not sure how I feel about it still, thus the delay in posting. But it is slowly growing on me.... If you hate it, please don't tell me...



So there ya go. That's whats new around here. I just hung some lights outside today! I will have to take pictures tonight once it gets dark! I hope you are all ready for Christmas, and I am sure those who had exams are glad to be done! That is one thing I very much don't miss about Appalachian! However, App won the national football championship for the second year in a row last Friday! I was very sad to miss that! But GOOO Mountaineers! haha. (and Tarheels of course... #2 in the nation, woo woo.)
xoxo

relationally challenged?

On my walks to and from work, I often find comfort in the settled feeling I have here in Belfast. As I walk faster than I ever have before to get warm until I reach the Tesco, where I begin to roast and I slowly take off layers on the second half of the walk, it is familiar. The Antrim Road feels like a long skinny version of the Appalachian State Campus that I knew so well not too long ago. Life has become routine. But I came here for more than a walk back and forth to the church every day. I wonder now, sitting reflecting on this whole experience, if the routine takes away from the experience. While I welcome the settled feeling, knowing how life goes here, no longer even thinking about which way traffic is going, I wonder if I have missed opportunity or not searched for it because of the comfort of routine. I often have to remind myself that I am here as a missionary, and not just working for the year. Yes, I would use that term. Forget the evangelical, proselytizing picture you have in your head. There is more to Mission Work. And yes, I do have a 'job' per say with a boss and set hours, but I have many other 'jobs' or 'goals' for my time here. I want to seek out new things to be involved in and new ways to make a difference. This is my challenge for myself in the new year (a bit early for new years resolutions... haha but it just came to me)

I talked with my friend Emily back at home today briefly, she was distracted at work and through IM I got to aid in that. She asked about work, and I said it was going well. Which, on the surface it is. Week to week, the groups I work with and the events we do are running well. But, I got to thinking, what difference am I really making, especially in the lives of the kids at school and at the youth club. I feel very content with my work with my church kids; I feel like I know most of them, we have formed relationships, and I can genuinely say that I care for each of them. The other kids I see are different. While I see all my kids only once a week, how is it that I've bonded with one group, but not the others? Is it the nature of my work with them or the difference in the kids themselves that changes the general relationship dynamic? Am I not trying as hard with community kids as I have with F&M kids? How can I work on this?

This week marks 4 months in Belfast. With another 7 months ahead of me, I hope I can say I have formed relationships with all my kids, however small they may be. I hope I find no great difference in my relationships within the groups of kids I see, and I hope I feel a greater sense of accomplishment than I do now.

life, as I know it....

This year I have learned more about Advent that I ever have in the past. One, the chocolate here in Advent Calendars is way better haha. Two, I made a sweet notice board, complete with a Santa advent calendar, for the church, and planned lessons for the Point. Pretty crazy how we go through the traditions but don't really know what they are representing. I mean, I knew Advent was the weeks leading up to Christmas, and probably could have come up with the significance of the wreath and the colours, but I didn't know it originated in Germany, and other little facts. While churches here would have wreaths, it is not common for families to have their own. Because this was something I liked growing up, I decided that at the point, we would each make our own wreath. We used a rice and glue mixture, food colouring, and birthday candles! They turned out really well, as you can see in the pictures. We lit the first candle, the hope candle Sunday night. This coming week we are doing secret Santa's, talking about giving at Christmas, and will make cards for our adopted grandparents. There are lots of members of the congregation who have little family and support, so with help from Muriel, the Clerk of Session, I have paired my youth up with these members, and we will be sending them holiday cards through out the year and hopefully having a Grandparent tea at the end of the year! We haven't started yet and the kids don't even know we will be doing this, so I am excited for Sunday. Plus, my youth at church have become my saving grace. I look forward all week to spending time with them on Sunday, and they are what get me through the week.

We have started decorating the house, we need an extension cord to get our wee little tree lighted, but it is nice. We have enough stockings for us, the Brady Bunch, and the kids on our street. I found three lights to go in our front windows, just like mom would do at home but they have already burned out. Christmas parties have started, and going out for a Christmas meal is a big tradition here. Almost all office groups and organizations will have a Christmas meal.

Thursday we had the Newington Day Centre party, it was great! I hung out with Teresa and Joan, two volunteers on Tuesday with me and met Marie, another volunteer who is friends with Joan. We had lots of fun and good conversation. At one point Joan pointed out our age range, lower 20s, upper 30s, 50, and mid 60s, and how great it was that we could sit and have a great time. The comment was fleeting, and went by seemingly unnoticed, but it made a big impression on me. It is amazing how I am finding each day that my friends range in age from 13 to 70. And friends, not just people I work with. It is a new experience, and one that I really value. I also got a card from Grandma this week that had girls shopping and talking about spending time with your girlfriends. Grandma wrote in the card 'We can still be girlfriends, even if I am your grandma!' If I have really learned anything specific thus far in Northern Ireland, this is it. Friendship can cross all boundaries, all differences, and all generations. I hope that the people I work with can learn this two, working to mend the hurt and division the Troubles have left.

I spent the day in town with one of my youth. It was great to just hang out with her, to shop some and just get to know her outside of church. We went for tea at Roast, as is the tradition on my trips into town, and she was shocked when I went to talk to a complete stranger who was wearing a Carolina Panthers jersey. Yes, Panthers, in Belfast. I don't see much NFL gear, and if I do its not Panthers, I was excited. Overall, a great way to spend my Saturday. I am hoping to start spending more time with my youth on days other than Sunday, because I enjoy them.

Now, I am sitting listening to Appalachian playing in the semi-final game on their way to another national championship. I can even hear the cheers and the bell ring on 4th downs. Ah love. Yet again, I am out of the country for the whole playoffs. Last year I was in Barcelona, while my friends all traveled to Chattanooga to watch us win. sad. But still, GOOO MOUNTAINEERS!

Become empowe(RED)

As hopefully some of you know, today, 1 December, is World AIDS day. Possibly you saw some people wearing Red ribbons, maybe you have even seen the Gap (RED) line or other products, maybe you even wore a red ribbon. I hope so. If not, keep an eye out for them and if you are in the market for a new iPod, mobile phone, or hoodie, you can put some good behind your dollar (or pound!)and buy (RED). I went out to get the Independent, a UK newspaper, that has turned their edition red today for World AIDS Day. Many of the articles are about Africa, AIDS (naturally), Stories of people living with AIDS, and movements within the UK to fight AIDS, and the prejudices that go with it. Pretty sweet. I am hoping to get down to the Gap in city centre tomorrow to see the (RED)line that has come out recently, where half of the proceeds go to The Global Fund. the RED movement has raised over $10million dollars, used to decrease the price of medicines in Rwanda and Swaziland. Antiretrovirals are available at most corner shops in Africa, but at just $1 a day, people are too poor to afford them. RED is changing this. As is the Clinton Foundation.

The Global Fund is an innovative partnership of governments, non-profit organizations, and the private sector, working together to rid the world of AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. Its sole purpose is to raise funds and make grants to countries, organizations, and communities that urgently need financial help to allow them to respond to these epidemics. How sweet. I think one of the coolest things about this movement is they strive to eradicate AIDS not just reduce it or help one or two countries. What a goal and what a movement. To find out more about the products in the (RED) line and to get inspi(RED) -sorry been looking at a lot of (RED) advertising haha- check out www.joinred.com

On a somewhat similar note, atl east the Red thing, I gave blood yesterday for the first time in my life. A fellow volunteer at Newington Day centre has been a long time donor and with the blood supply in Northern Ireland running low, they asked her if she could recruit any new donors. She asked me and without thinking, I said yes. I was a little nervous, that I would faint or get sick, or something else terribly embarrassing, but it went well. I think the doctor liked me because she kept coming to check on me, either that or I gave off the I'm clueless and nervous, baby me vibe. I hope it was the former : )

As I lied with a big needle and blood running into the bag, my view was of a poster that read 94% of people in Northern Ireland don't give blood. Wow. What a huge percent of the population, missing out on an easy way to make a difference. I have been trying to find statistics on American blood donation but I can't. Giving blood, unlike most of my work here was an easy way for me to see that I was actually making a difference, giving something to the community-in this case a red bag. Also, its pretty cool to think that I am leaving a part of me in Northern Ireland. I also learned that down south in the Repub they used to give donors a pint of Guinness after they were done, replaces the iron. Haha. Only Ireland.

So Happy AIDS Day. I think I might watch RENT tonight, to be reminded of the realities of the disease, and of course to sing at the top of my lungs. Maybe you'll get inspired (I'll spare you this time with the (RED)) to make a donation, talk to your kids, buy a (RED) product, or find your own way to make a difference! All for the love of people, and Africa!