It has been way too long since I've added my last post. Part of the reason is that I've been on my feet with little down time to earnestly reflect on my experiences over the last few days, but another part is that I've been a little negligent (a watered down term for lazy) over the past week to sit and write.
Some things here have become routine, such as working at Open Abbey – the ministry where the church opens its doors to the public. Open Abbey allows for the team to meet tourists and locals from Dublin, offer Christian hospitality, and share the Gospel Message. It was through Open Abbey that one of our team members was able to share the Gospel and pray with a person to receive Jesus and this was all done in Spanish, not English!! We are praising and rejoicing with the Lord that another soul has joined in His kingdom and our thoughts and prayers are with our new brother, Daniel. We also are continuing with our daily time of prayer and devotions. This Tuesday I was able to share in devotions some thoughts that I had from the parable of the Prodigal Son and how it relates to our work here as a team. We have been called, like both sons, to spend our time at work with the Father. As the title to this blog suggests, I’ve had my hand in several different and eclectic ministry opportunities as well:
I’ve recently joined the Dublin Ultimate Frisbee League with the intention of meeting twenty and thirty-somethings outside of Abbey Presbyterian. I had my first game this Monday and of 
course my team prevailed. I was able to meet several people who ranged from a stereotypical fiery Irish redhead to teammates from places like Canada and Germany. We have several Americans on our team as well. One American, Scott, is working with a house church in Dublin. He shared this with me after he found out that I went to Grove City, because he had several Grove City students help him and his church several years back over an Easter break. (What a small world – and more to fact, what a wonderful way that God orchestrates things together) It was encouraging to make that connection and I hope to make many more connections through this opportunity.
Last week I took a day and worked on painting an antique bicycle – hot pink. It was Alan Boal’s (Abbey’s Minister) idea to paint the bike pink to make it a pseudo Post-Modern piece of art. The
bike was in great condition, despite the fact that it was nearly 60 years old, and it was still very much street worthy. Even the peddle-powered headlamp mounted on the front of the bike was in working condition. The bike has evolved from a work of art into an advertising scheme. We hope to use the bike when we advertise for our Xpresso arts festival that we will be holding in July. We think that nothing will leave an indelible image in someone’s mind like a pink bicycle coasting down O’Connell Stre
et.
Also this past week, I was able to have dinner with our new Brazilian friends. The Brazilians are students learning English at Grafton College, a half block away from the church. It was by chance on our first Sunday here that we were able to meet Paula, and rapidly from there we have been able to meet several of her other friends from Grafton. We went to Paula’s house which was several blocks away from where we are staying. Over the course of the evening we enjoyed dinner and conversations in broken-English that dealt with issues like our favorite sports, how old we were, and occasionally we would break out into song. The point of the conversation was not so much the conversation itself, but what was hidden behind the words. A phrase like, “American football, good: yes?” may have been asking me if I like the occasional football game, but behind the inability to fully express ourselves to one another we were reaching and connecting heart to heart. The words may not have been there, but we were fast becoming friends with these people. After our dinner, we ended the evening dancing – especially salsa dancing. It was a custom that I had never before experienced after a dinner party – but it was enjoyable and an evening I soon won’t forget.
Reflecting back on these occasions with tourists, frisbee games, pink bicycles, salsa dancing with Brazilians, and many other experiences that I have yet to tell you about; I never would have thought myself doing this when I committed to doing mission work in Dublin. When it’s listed together it seems rather silly and trite. I realize, however, that a pink bike or frisbee was not the end in and of itself – there is something greater at work. I am reminded of Luke 19, when Jesus commissions the disciples to go on ahead and find him a donkey to ride on into Jerusalem. What a lowly task to be given, and what a lowly animal to choose for the arrival of the Messiah. God had destiny in line for that donkey, we see it written through the prophet Zechariah, and that small animal would bring forth the king of kings. Though it was a small task, it had a glorious end. I like to think that Frisbees and pink bicycles can work in a similar way, that just like the disciples were told to say, I believe that “the Lord has need of it.” It is my hope that they too can be used in God’s ultimate plan for His kingdom and to bring Him glory.
God Bless
Thank you for reading,
Luke
