Hi

So my most recent blog is now a few weeks old. Since then we have been busy as usual, watching our life whizz by us. I would tell you more but there is something I must do first.

Today, 12 youth and leaders from First United Methodist Church in Port St. Lucie, Florida touched down at Belfast International Airport to embark on a mission journey that they have been planning and preparing for for over 6 months. I am thoroughly excited to have them here and was even more excited as I walked into their canteen at lunch time today to see them all. The forst thing I have to do is say this too all parents. Your kids are fine - extremely tired and will sleep very well tonight, but they are tired. I saw them just as they were finishing lunch and then left them for an hour while I took Mike and Diane Burns to East belfast Mission and to my house for a very speedy tour - I had left the stroller at home and did not like the idea of carrying my 30lbs daughter through Belfast. We got back and all the kids where there ready to go for a walk into the city centre. We walked in and stopped by some traditional irish music playing buskers outside the Ulster Hall who the kids liked listening to, and finished up at our city hall gardens. This is a cool place where people congregate to sit on the grass when it is sunny. I parked Eva, myself, Chelsea and Erika there while the others went to see some shops. It was cool and Eva thought it would be fun to chase the pigeons that were landing there and feeding on scraps, she also felt the need to go and talk to everyone seated around us. From here we walked back to the halls where the kids are sleeping. I was leading the pace and walked like lightening to get back because Eva was suffering in the sun - oh yeah it is hot hot hot here at the minute.

We got back and took a seat under the shade of a tree again and just hung out for a while. margaret called with us on her way home from work and basically we all just connected very well again. It was as if there had not been four months of no contact between us all.

Diane asked if I would pray with the group. I said of course and decided that I would share something with them that has been on my mind this week as I thought of their impending arrival. In my time as their youth director I always took these kids on trips and really pushed the fact that they had to function and survive as a team and their input into the team was of the utmost importance. This trip provides all of them with a great opportunity to go out on their own and learn how to function as missionaries without the comfort of the youth group around them. And so I also say that to parents that are anxiously wondering how their wee ones are doing. The anxiety is understandable as they are so far away - but, and there is always a big hairy butt!!!! This is an immense opportunity for personal spiritual growth and deevelopment in their lives and I am prayerfully excited for them and I know you pray also for them. Pray that they will grow, survive and shine as they fit into teams where they don't know everyone as well.

I will be touring around all of their teams and taking pictures as they work and get to know a new group of people. Please feel free to call me if you need to know how they are getting on. I cannot give out my number on here of course, but Susan Skinner has it and I she now has permission to share it. Just remember there is we are five hours in front of you and the Charles' don't sound good on the phone in the middle of the night!!!!!!

I will update with more and maybe some piccies tomorrow night.

Blessings