Catching up...

Well heeeelllllooooo!!!

It's been a while since my last post and SO much has happened - I don't even know where to begin?!

Our team retreat to Ireland was fantastic! We started our trip in Belfast, where one of our partners (Tim Foley) took us around town and told us about the "troubles" and the peace work which has been done since the 20s. He even set up an appointment to talk to a current peace worker in the area. We also took the opportunity in Belfast to catch up with an American Mennonite couple living there for two years. The first night we were there they ordered some pizza for us, and for that we're eternally gratefull. I I don't know if I have mentioned this in previous blogs, but food here in Britain isn't the best. ESPESCIALLY the pizza! I don't know what goes wrong in the pizza kitchens of England, but I have not had one good slice of pizza on this island! So thank God Ireland had some kick butt pizza! Actually, for all I know it was mediocre at best... but to us it was like Italy in our mouths.

On the second day that took us on a long walk through the Catholic/Protestant neighborhoods. It was absolutley incredible walking through "martyr" memorials, old IRA check points and past the HUGE peace wall that seperates the different sides of the city seperated by denomination. (We signed it!) We spent 3 days altogether in Belfast before headin south to Dublin! Dublin was busy with people from all over the world walking along the Liffy and partying at Temple Bar. Marie and I were hoping to grab a Guiness while we were there, but we happened to go over Holy Week (week before Easter) so all the bars were closed! Can you believe it? The bars in Dublin closed! 

"Love Will Win" on Belfast peace wall

From Dublin we went on a 3 day trip through Southern Ireland - Kilkenny, Cork, Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Killarney, Blarney - all the way back to Dublin. From Dublin we took a bus to Ennis, where we stayed in the best Hostel in Ireland! We spent our last night at a pub listening to the most incredible Irish folk band.
From Shannon airport we flew to London! A few of our friend from Bradford met us and we all checked in to the London Mennonite center. I LOVE the mennonite center! Unfortunately they JUST sold it - but it is a massive house in Highgate with a full library, high ceilinged rooms, a full kitchen and a lovely back yard garden.  Mennonite a traveling through Europe stay there, but mostly the house is occupied by full time staff and volunteers. In any event, the place is beautiful and right next to the tube station so the black line took us straight into downtown London. For Marie's birthday on the 27th we did a self guided tour of Banksy work. If you're not familiar with Banksy, he/she is a spray paint artist who tags buildings all over London anonymously. Nobody has any idea who Banksy is, and he/she has been able to put up every peice of work without ANYONE witnessing it. We had a blast!

The next day was one I will NEVER forget - The Royal Wedding. 

It was the most amazing day... It sounds strange, but the crowds weren't overwhelming, everyone was so friendly, and we had a great spot on the Mall. Plus, I got to share it the friends I've made here. I feel so blessed.

Since then I've been back to school. I really missed the kids and it was fun telling them about the wedding and getting to hear about their breaks. I promise to post something about my time with school soon - ESPECIALLY more details about what I do here. I realized I haven't done a very good job of that. Recently a good friend asked me what it is I do here and 9 months in that's not a good thing...

I thought I'd add one more event -
This past week Marie, Louise (Methodist Pastor) and I went to Epworth, the home of John Wesley. It was absolutely incredible. The history was fascinating, and just knowing I was in the birth place of Methodism blew my mind. Our tour guide did a really good job of humanizing the Wesley's. he told us all the dirty little secrets about the family and all of the good they were still able to do. He kept saying how even though some of the parts of the Methodist story weren't the most ideal, if they didn't happen we wouldn't be where we are now. I realized if it wasn't for those quirky unlikely parts I wouldn't be where I am either. If John Wesley had never done his thing I would still be a Catholic, presumably not into spirituality, I wouldn't have heard about the Mennonites and therefore I wouldn't have come on this year. Funny how thing's work out...

The Wesley House

John Wesley's Bed Spread

Market Corner where Wesley gave some open air sermons

Field on a blue sky leaving Epworth