For a year and a half all I could talk about was moving to Northern Ireland to do youth ministry and mission work. Now that I'm here and that dream is slowly but surely becoming a reality, I can't help but dream bigger. When a team came over from CCU in March of 2009, a group of us talked about how great it would be for the 5 or 6 of us to move over here, and do life among the people, live amongst them, and simply be Christ to them outside the walls of the church buildings. We all talked about what we could bring individually as well as telling each other what we thought possible for them to do too. As much as it was a "wish" of the group, it became a dream I wanted to see become a reality, at least in my own life.
“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”-- Anatole France
Being here now and seeing the influence outsiders who stay long-term has on the community, gives me a better understanding, especially talking with locals, of what could be possible. When I was here before for a 3 month internship I noticed that teams would have a positive impact on the community for a couple weeks, but then they would leave, another team would come in, and they would have to start all over again from the beginning. The youth in the area were being positively impacted for short spurts and then they would have to start all over again, making small talk, eventually deeper conversation ensued, deep relationships and connections were made, but then the outsiders left again. It was a vicious cycle (even though it had a positive impact while it lasted). It made me see what could be, what ought to be. Many of the girls have told me that I am one of very few who have actually come back and kept in touch while I was away. They all said it feels like I never left because I have kept in contact, held to my word, and have made an effort to stay in their lives and come back time and time again. My desire would be to have a group of 5 or 6 come along side me in a mission of living amongst the people for 6 months to a year (at least) because outsiders have no prejudice from living among the young people they will interact with, whereas the people who are from here have their own thoughts on young people (which is the same thing for people in the States working w/young people in their neighborhoods and towns). But when outsiders come in, the young people are given a clean slate, a glimpse of hope, another chance. Isn't that how God sees us? Like Christ, a clean slate and seeing what we could be, what we ought to be? We are, in fact, called to be Christ in a world where love should triumph, where justice ought to prevail, and Christ be glorified through it all.
“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”-- T.E. Lawrence
I know what I am describing here is far out there and calling people to go out of the safety and comforts of home, but I believe God didn't call us to be safe or comfortable. Just look at His disciples. I don't know where this will go, but I will be praying that this dream, like others I have had before, will become a reality. Will one day come to be and transform this city. This is not to say that those from among the city are not needed, but the combination of locals and outsiders is unique and can only be a benefit with the locals' history and knowledge of the community and the outsiders' fresh perspective.
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