I'm determined to blog this trip as I go so I don't intend to do it later and then do not do it. I've been here just over a day and already experienced so much!
I left Nixa on Thursday and drove 4 hours to Sikeston. I spent the evening there. I was so anxious I only slept a few hours Thursday night. Friday morning I got up early and my parents and I drove to St Louis to the airport. I flew out at 2:35. I flew in to LaGuardia Airport there. I had 3 hours to get my luggage and get across town to JFK airport to fly out. Thankfully a good friend picked me up and drove me across. I got to JFK and made it through everything with 2 hours to spare! My flight flew out at 9:5o pm. I took a melatonin in hopes of sleeping but...it didnt work! I was up almost the entire 7 hour flight. It was a great flight though. I sat between two young single girls and enjoyed talking to them. I arrived in Dublin at 9 am (Dublin time).
After we got to the airport, I was gross and smelly so I freshened up and had to wait over 2 hours for the next team to fly in. When they got here they had to get luggage and freshen up so it was another hour after they arrived. We loaded up and took a double decker bus to downtown Dublin. We then WALKED all over Dublin for what seemed like forever (several hours). We pretty much saw every historical thing in Dublin on foot in a about 5 hours. At the end of the day we were so exhausted we had no interest in seeing anything else. It was so beautiful and so exhausting. We came to the church in Newburg (about an hour away) and had dinner and finally went to bed around 11 pm. LOOOOOOONG days!
Today (Sunday) we started off with church. I spent worship in the first service and then helped teach a 6-7 year old Sunday school class. I had 4 very energitic Nigerian boys. they were fun! After that I went to worship and preaching in second service. It was neat b/c I sat with a Nigerian, a Portuguese man and an Indian man. The diversity is fascinating. They have 21 nations represented in their church. It was incredible to worship with so many different people all worshiping the same God. I love being a part of the body of Christ. Being in another country also helps put things in your own life in perspective. I am so small compared to how incredibly big this world is!
They have made all of our meals here and they cook AMAZING food! After church I took a 20 minute nap and then had lunch with the teenagers. They are hilarious...very much like American teens. We then got to working on setting up for VBS. So here it is...about 10 pm (Ireland time) and we just finished. Tomorrow is our first day of VBS.
I have to admit my favorite thing so far has been the kiddos I've been able to hang out with. Yesterday I had 2 little buddies and today I have 5. One of them has been begging for me to be her team leader at VBS but I'm working with the little ones (5-6 yr olds). She saves a seat for me every meal and loves to help. Her name is Nief (I think that's how you spell it). Her cousin Courtney and her brother Matt are my other buddies. Today I met Veronica and Alicia. They are Philipino and just as sweet as they can be. I can't post pictures online but I got some good ones. Precious precious kiddos. Of course, in Cambodia they always teased me (in a good way) about how the kids just flock to me...and it's the same way here...and I LOVE it! I'm a kid magnet, what can I say. ;o)
So that's been my first two days! I've bonded well with the team for Oklahoma and they are already telling me I have to come visit when the trip is over. I have definitely met some kindred spirits.
I can't wait to meet all of the kids tomorrow!
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