Friday, May 22, 2009

Team Newcastle West

Andrew Cockburn (team leader), Ontario
Jewel Hobbs (assistant leader), Ontario
Brian Kramer (driver), Minnesota
Brian Aggett, Washington
Kevin Bibelhausen, Iowa
Amy Deligdisch, North Carolina
Mylene Lavoie, Quebec
Rachel De Lazzer, Ontario

Today was a travel day. We spent most of the afternoon watching the Irish countryside pass us by as we headed about three hours west from Greystones, Co. Wicklow to Newscastle West, Co. Limerick.

Full-time worker Colin Burnett and fellow missionary Andrew Shanks from the assembly in Newcastle West drove out to Carraig Eden to spend the morning with us and share their testimonies.

Colin and his wife Natalie were previously missionaries in Africa and later carried on a ministry to the poor in Hamilton, Ontario. He spoke of how the Lord put Ireland on his heart. When they came to Newcastle West, he said they found that they were reaping seeds that had been sown earlier by John Griffin, a chimney sweep in Newcastle West who had been praying for a church to come to the town for five years before Colin and Natalie arrived and established one. Our team will be helping them in door-to-door, open air and children's work in the week to come.

Watch for updates and photos from the Dublin and Waterford teams tomorrow. We'll have photos tomorrow as well.

Packing up at Carraig Eden in Greystones, Co. Wicklow Friday afternoon.

Arriving at Newcastle West Bible Fellowship in Newcastle West.

Pizza dinner with Colin and Natalie Burnett and Andrew and Gillian Shanks, missionaries in Newcastle West.


Andrew Shanks, Andrew Cockburn and Colin Burnett planning the following day.


Kevin Bibelhausen, Andrew Cockburn and Brian Kramer in TESCO shopping for food.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Today we knuckled down on door-to-door and open-air basics. Ron Hampton gave us an overview of priorities on the doors. “Find the one person that wants to keep going,” he said, as opposed to trying to get to multiple homes quickly.

Kevin Woytowich, one of our team leaders, reviewed some common questions on the doors and possible ways to answer them including everything from “God is not important to me” to “Everyone has their own religion.”

Tim Hood, previously a missionary in the south of Ireland for 10 years and another one of our team leaders, went over some dos and don’ts. Be perceptive as to their sincerity, he said. Try not to veer off track. Don’t be in a hurry but keep the conversation flowing. Ask questions and don’t monopolize the conversation.

We later got some practice time. Leaders posed as residents answering their doors.

Andrew Cockburn taught us how to preach a simple gospel message with a paint board and how to approach those who stop to listen. Tim added a rope trick that can serve as a teaser to the paint board message.

Today was lovely on the coast. It hardly rained but once in the evening.

After four days together, it’s tough to know we’ll split into three groups tomorrow and head to different parts of the Republic for the rest of our trip before we rejoin for the three-day Ireland tour at the end. Teams were announced tonight. We leave tomorrow after lunch. One group begins in Dublin, another in Waterford and the third, in Newcastle West, Co Limerick.

Morning session on door-to-door techniques.

Andrew Cockburn teaches us how to use a paint board to preach a gospel message in the open air.

David Wilson, missionary in Waterford, tells us his testimony after lunch.

Playing round robin before dinner.

Jewel Hobbs, Amy Deligdisch and Kevin Bibelhausen helping in the kitchen after lunch.

Kevin and Mylene Lavoie in the kitchen after lunch.


Danny and Pat Gleason from Shankill sharing their testimony after dinner.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

By now, we’ve all more or less adjusted to the fact that you don’t leave the building without an umbrella or at least a rain jacket. But having the sea on our doorstep more than makes up for the fickle weather.

We’ve yet to get right down to any active evangelism and are still learning the ropes, so-to-speak. One of the organizers and teachers here, Jim Van Dine, gave us some guidelines this morning on effective ways to witness. Steering us to the gospel of John, he suggested using the approach of that particular book in presenting the gospel on the doors. The word “believe” occurs in John 98 times. It clearly presents who Jesus Christ is and the gift of salvation He freely gives to those who receive it. “Jesus offers eternal life as a gift … Lead off with that,” he said, suggesting that even if someone cuts you off before you can finish, you still leave them with the most important idea.

He suggested steering away at least initially from anything the person has to do, and focusing on what Christ has done.

He also talked about avoiding what can be misleading or confusing terminology, such as “inviting Christ into your heart.”

In the afternoon, we had a group picture taken by Ron Hampton’s photographer son-in-law Jeremy, who is here visiting with his wife Meagan. We also continued with some labeling we started yesterday. There are 25,000 gospel magazines in all that need contact information labels on them. They will be used for distribution in counties Dublin, Waterford, Kilkenny and Limerick.

Three of our team members, Child Evangelism Fellowship veterans, ran through the Five-Day Club program from the CEF. The TnT team will be involved in child evangelism as part of this trip. We were taught the general format – memory verse, songs, Bible lesson etc. – and how to make it engaging for children.

Frank and Grace Carolan, who are native Irish and local missionaries in the Republic of Ireland, joined us for dinner and shared their testimonies. Grace shared how dire it was for her to leave her family’s Catholic faith around 20 years ago when she became a believer. Her father said he disowned her as his daughter.

Tomorrow, we go door-to-door.

Monday, May 18 and Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Tuesday, May 19, 2009
John is a “traveller.” He belongs to the gypsy people of Ireland, who are called the travellers. But unlike most of them, John names Christ as Lord.

The TnT Team met him today when he shared his testimony with us at Carraig Eden. His tales were the high point of the day for many of us.

Local missionary Kathy Moriarty says he tells her a new story about someone he has just witnessed to or led to Christ each time she sees him.

Kathy, who serves in Greystones with her husband Jim, taught us about the Irish people and how to best approach them. "Irish people are much more on the subdued side ... Think before you speak. Be polite and be gracious."

They are an open and friendly people but also private about their personal life, she said. We are to let them volunteer personal information rather than probe.

Jim taught us how to present our testimonies in under three minutes. "Keep it simple ... Keep it at the cross." We were then given a chance to practice with each other.

After being "sent" to bed at 9 p.m. Irish time yesterday, most of us have caught up from our jet lag. We wrapped up the day with a beautiful meal of bacon-wrapped chicken breast, stuffing and vegetables.

En francais:

(veuillez prendre note que les accents de ce texte n’ont pas ete ajoutes du aux complications que la traduction encourait. Toutefois cela ne devrait pas affecter la comprehension du message)

John est un “voyageur”. Il appartient aux bohemes qui habitent l’Irlande. Mais contrairement a la plus part de ceux-ci, John reconnait Christ comme Seigneur.

L’equipe TNT l’a rencontre aujourd hui alors qu’il a partage son temoignage à Carraig Eden. Son histoire a ete l’evenement de la journee pour plusieurs d’entre nous.

Une missionnaire Local appelee Kathy Moriarty nous a dit que chaque fois qu’elle voit John, celui-ci vient de temoigner ou de guider quelqu’un a Christ. Il est un grand encouragement.

Kathy, qui sert a Greystones avec son mari Jim, aida notre comprehension par rapport au peuple Irlandais et sur la meilleure facon de les aborder. “les Irlandais sont beaucoup plus reserve concernant leur vies privees…pensez avant de parler. Soyez polis et gracieux dans vos commentaires.”

Nous avons egalment ete enseigne sur la facon d’apporter notre temoignage. “Gardez la chose courte et simple” Nous a conseille Jim. “Rapportez vous a la croix” a-t-il ajoute. Le tout en moins de trois minutes. Par la suite nous avons eu un temps de pratique, ce qui a ete profitable.

Apres avoir ete envoye a 9:00 p.m. heure local, hier, la pluspart d’entre nous se sont remis du decalage horraire.


Monday, May 18, 2009

Team members arrived safe and sound today from their various locations in Canada and the U.S.

After several trips to and from the airport for the organizers, we settled into our rooms, a little in awe the beautiful Carraig Eden school building we find ourselves in.

Overlooking the Irish sea, the Bible school is an old home in Greystones, Ireland, not far from Dublin. Several of us took advantage of the one Internet connection in the building to send emails back home announcing our safe arrival.

Others of us took a walk to town to get our money changed into Euros, the currency of choice here in Ireland, and browse the main street. Some went for a walk along the water.

Matt Roch, an elder at a local church here, visited the team and shared his testimony. As a youngster, he was always getting into trouble. One day, the nuns from school paid his mother a visit -- he had been stealing from the convent. Later in life, he worked as a chef in a hotel restaurant. About six years into the job, the hotel was bombed and he found himself thinking more and more about death. The persistence of a co-worker later helped direct him to salvation.

En francais:

Les members de l’equipe sont arrives sains et saufs aujourd’hui, arrivants du Canada et des Etats-Unis.

Après plusieurs voyages alle-retours de l’aeroport, tous se sont finalement installes dans les chambres. Nous logeons dans un etablissement scolaire appele Carraig Eden. L’endroit est magnifique et pitoresque.

Surplombant la mer Irlandaise, l’ecole biblique est en fait une vieille maison de Greystones non loin de Dublin. Plusieurs d’entre nous ont eu l’opportunite d’envoyer un e-mail a leur famille afin de les informer de leur arrivee. Le village detient un café internet et pour ceux qui ont apporter leur ordinateur portable, le batiment contient une connection internet que l’equipe peut se partager.

Nous avons egalement eu l’opportunite d’aller changer de l’argent en euros et de se promener sur la rue principale du village. D’autres ont prefere prend au marche au bord de la mer.

Matt Roch, un des anciens de l’assemblee locale, a visite l’equipe et nous a partage son temoignage. Dans sa jeunesse, il avait le don de s’attirer des problemes. Un jour, sa mere a eu droit a une visite des soeurs de l’ecole car il s’etait fait prendre a voler dans le couvent. Plus tard dans sa vie, il a travaille comme chef dans un hotel. Apres 6 ans a occuper ce poste, l’hotel a ete la cible d’une bombe ce qui a amener Matt a penser de plus en plus a la mort. La persistence d’un confrere de travail l’a plus tard dirige vers le salut.