Gosford Forest Park - Day Ten

Friday, July 3rd, 2015

We were able to work I'm service with the Peel's again today. It was a real treat to be with them again. We did returns, the. Had our break at a nearby lough. The highlights? We saw a Gerard Butler look-alike, the Titanic pose returned, and we were nearly blown into the lough. No big deal.

That evening we finally made our way to Gosford Forest Park; a rather large, in-tact castle in our area. The park is filled with animals (Nicole tried to hug the chickens), walking paths, a place for caravans to camp, and of course the castle. When we checked out the animals, much to my surprise, their deer were more like elk, and much larger than Ohio deer. This sign has us in stitches.

The castle was recently converted to apartments, which cannot be toured. But the grounds are free to walk on. So we did a little exploring.

The evening air was cool, and the sun glistened through the trees. The evening felt like magic.

Time with the Congregation - Day Nine

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Thursday we began our day in the field ministry. We always have an encouraging time with the friends! A large group of us were out. Each service day starts with about an hour and a half of solid door to door. The entire group works together. This way a lot gets done, we meet a lot of friendly people, and we all stay together. Then, it's time for coffee break. This break was spent by a farmer's cow field. They were super curious about us. Too bad they weren't in our territory.

That evening was the meeting. Brother Peel had asked us to do an interview that night. We agreed, of course! Any nerves we had were flushed right out with Jehovah's help. In the end, it wasn't about us, where we came from, or our experiences. It was about the friends here. We love them all so much already, and if anything we said was helpful or encouraging, then that's all we could possibly wish for.

As promised, here's a photo of Joe and Regina. (He's the super zealous trolly witnesser. He's Portuguese and she's South African. And they make quite the team.

A Day in Belfast - Day Eight

Wednesday, July 1st, 2015

Belfast is a bustling city, located on the Northeastern coast. As we headed into the outskirts of the city, we noticed a mountain to our left. This mountain, called Cavehill, is said to be the inspiration for the giant in the well known story "Gulliver's Travels." Likely for the prominent facial structures on the mountain's top.

Farther into the heart of the city, we saw more and more of the country's history and future. The town is filled with massive, beautifully constructed buildings. Many of which were designed by the architect Charles Lanyon.

Along the city's walls and bridges, are the city's well known murals. These stand as a heavy reminder of the country's violent past, current religious issues, and hopes for a peaceful future.

One of the city's gems is its' art exhibit. Artist Collin Davidson was currently showing his gallery composed of eighteen different oil paintings. Each was designed to capture an indivual who was unknown to anyone except their family. Each one had suffered in life. He was able to stop time in the moment when they were lost in  thought. Quite a moving gallery. 
(Kayla, our resident artist, will have a separate post later with more info on this part of the trip.)

Another gem of the city is its' Titaic Exhibit. Titanic was designed in here, built here, sailed from here. It was here that many excited family members waved goodbye to their family for possibly the last time. We stood within yards of where those people were. 

So as not to end on a sad note, we made sure to have at least one tourist moment. *Cue the Celine Dion music, please."

Here's the peaches who gave us the tour. Brother and Sister Peel. To know them is to love them. Instantly.

This is also a good time to mention that after searching for more than a week, I finally found some "almost" iced sweet tea. It is pretty much extinct over here. Withdrawals have insued. 

Country Territory and Kindred Spirits - Day Seven

Tuesday, June 30th, 2015

Tuesday is one of the Portadown congregation's biggest service days. About fourteen met this morning, which is nearly a third of their publishers! Everyone was excited for service together. Even us, after we got over getting lost and beind flustered. 

Each car group met up in the same territory. It was like unleashing an army to distribute convention invitations! 

Then, a little later, it's time for our group coffee break. We ended up settling beside a lake with some stones to set on. Everyone opens up their hatchbacks, revealing "flasks" (thermoses), "biscuits" (flat cookies or even KitKats), coffee or tea, plenty of cups, brown sugar, and "a wee bit of cow" (milk). 

Here's our group for today. They each have their own story. One German sister, Hilda, used to be a ballet dancer and actress. She left Germany at twenty two and moved to England, found the truth, and now in her eighties lives in Irleand. Spunky as ever; she even dances a bit.

We met loads of animals in service today. Nicole literally "field witnessed" to this cow. And even a few sheep got loose.

That evening, a precious sister named Louise invited us to her home for dinner. Her home is an eclectic combination of antique, beach, country cottage, and indie. It was charming! She was filled with stories of Germany, her homeland, and her brave mother who helped distribute literature despite Nazi reign.

We sat in her flower garden and enjoyed a delicious homecooked meal. To finish, she treated us to German Iced Coffee. It is served chilled with a small layer of vanilla ice cream, a layer of homemade whipped cream, and grated chocolate.

This trip is flying by. And we may be leaving in just a couple weeks. But these friends will always be in our hearts. A kindred spirit is forever.

The Ministry and the Mountains - Day Six

Monday, June 29th, 2015

Since no groups meet on Monday, we decided to go in the ministry together for the morning. We started our day with a sweet bread called "brack." The closest thing it could be compared to is a raisin bread, but still with a flavor all it's' own. Traditionally the raisins are soaked in tea prior to being baked into the bread. It is served with delicious Irish butter on top, and a cup of tea.

The territory was lovely. One of the people let us pet their goats. 

And of course I made the car group stop so I could see the flowers.

Here's the adorable Kayla and Nicole coming back from a door. Clearly they're having way too much fun.

After service, we headed our way to the South and Southeast to see a few sights. The first castle we saw was called the Narrow Water Castle. Overcast weather can typically feel gloomy, but in this case it contributed to the setting of the castle. The dark grey background gave the castle an ominous feel. 

Next, we headed to see a water reservoir. It was nestled into the beginnings of mountains. The hike up and the scenery were both stunning.

Then, we were on to the Mourne Mountains. We instantly noticed one difference between this area and more inland towns. Instead of hedges separating properties, the coastal areas had stone fencing. Everywhere!

You see sheep nearly everywhere. Usually they are more leery of strangers, but these ones were actually quite curious. Maybe our bright blue buggy distracted them.

Some of the mountainsides were covered in flowers. This one was half-covered in rhododendron. From afar, the mountain-side looked dipped in purple.

Looking forward to a great night's rest now... 
All hoping the jet lag will leave as quickly as it came.

An Irish Congregation BBQ - Day Five

Sunday, June 29th, 2015

The Evans family hosted a Congregation BBQ. That gave everyone a chance to get to know each other a little more. The beginnings of life-long friendships are in the works. While we're falling in love with the scenery of this beautiful land, we're falling in love with the people.

Here's a few faces for you to fall in love with too. You'll see Southern and Northern Irish, Polish, and Portuguese friends.

Has your heart melted yet?