Another Week Gone By: Project 32

This past week was fantastic, and it definitely surpassed all my expectations. After my last hosting-a-short-term-missions-team experience, I was almost certain this past week--well, I knew it had to be better than that one (almost anything had to be), but still not at the top of my list. Far from the truth. The team was absolutely brilliant, and the work was exhausting but so fulfilling. Seeing real change happen in the young people (both those from Dgn and the ones on the team) was such a blessing. It was worth the constant feeling of being shattered, unkempt, disorganized, and slightly grody. It was worth falling asleep to snoring, coughing ever morning, eating a forth of my body weight in junk, getting too much sun (but can't complain too much, considering what island I'm on and all), and being seen as "in charge" though I felt I knew nothing.

This past week, Youth for Christ in Northern Ireland did a missions week called Project 32 (for the 32 counties of Ireland, both Northern and the Republic; www.projectthirtytwo.com). Internationals (America, Canada, France, Italy) and locals came together in 8 different teams to see youth won for Christ, communities transformed, leaders rise up, and the body of Christ coming together and answering the call. We went without much sleep, without much hygiene, without much contact with our lives "back home" in order to come and be a team and see the gospel set in motion.

Team Dungannon did detached work in 4 different estates over the course of the week: Lisnahall, Cunningham's Lane, Milltown, and Annaghshee. Then, we'd do a junior drop-in for 7-11s in the afternoon, and a senior drop-in for 12-18s in the evening. Saturday was packed with a Community Fun Day in the car park of the church we stayed at in town (complete with rock climbing wall, bouncy castle slide, and face paints), then that evening we held a worship concert at the centre plus a 12-hour prayer event as well as Safe Haven that night. And I'm still recovering from all that lack of sleep.

Yesterday morning, sending the team off to Belfast was sad. To be honest, I think it was a combination of realizing I won't see them again though I can see how much God's done in each of them, plus realizing I officially am on my last week in Dungannon.