Busy Bee

I went to our church down the way again, and met a man visiting for the last 3 weeks from Manitoba. (Random? Bet your bottom dollar.) And he called me his "cousin" because Manitoba is right above Minnesota, so I should know all about where he's from, right?

So wrong. So, so, so wrong.

I just looked up where Manitoba was on Google Maps. Really, SOMEONE in the US public school system should be educating us about the geography of Canada, because I know nothing about the provinces or anything up there.

Anyway, we bonded over our horrible winter back at home, and about the impending doom of floods for our loved ones. He then told me I should come up and visit Manitoba now--fat chance, buddy. There ain't no way I'm driving 8 hours to a place that looks like where I'm from when I can hop on a plane to see something incredible. (No offense. But maybe someday, I'll finally visit Canada. Maybe.)

Then, we had dinner at the parents' of the husband of the couple I'm living with. (I wish I could just call them my "host family" because it would make it so much less complicated to explain...but I just can't bring myself to do it. It's not really a family. It's just a married couple. And all I really do at home is sleep.) They're a lovely couple. And if I could, I'd eat at their place every Sunday (or more!). It only happens when the wife of the couple is working, though.

And to top today's activity list off, we had a BBQ--the interns, our supervisor, the National Director of YFC-NI, and the chairman of the board plus his wife. And that couple had a lovely spread. Her homemade wheaten bread is delicious. (We don't really have anything to compare wheaten bread with back home, because they use a special kind of flour...and I intend to bring a bag of it back home with me, because it's that fantastic.)

Then, speaking at the Methodist for their evening service. And it went quite well. Steve, the National Director, gave a message on God's fatherly love for us and how there is absolutely nothing we can do to make Him love us any more or any less. A message I've heard a dozen times over (which happens when you have a mixed bag of contemporary church background in you, as I do), but hit me in a new way. I really appreciated it. I think my soul was thirsty for it or something, because it was like fresh words. (Perhaps the Northern Irish accent accompanying it helped a bit, too.) And Steve tried multiple times to rope me into different projects here--the football (soccer) evangelism team here that YFC runs (NO WAY), as well as possibly being on staff in a different town. I want to hang out with that man more. I've succumbed to being poor, so maybe I can leave this country with a job in place already...here's hoping.

And now, I'm in Belfast. Writing from the spare bedroom of my supervisor's house, and settling in for a day of adventure tomorrow about the City Centre. Hoorah! Never fear, photos will document tomorrow.