Sightseeing Ministry

There is one certainty when it comes to short-term mission trips: Your expectations on the trip will be broken.

We came to Northern Ireland expecting to jump right into ministering with youth. This means we expected to spend all our time talking and hanging out with young people, being made to look like fools on the 'football pitch' with young people, having our American-ness made fun of by young people, and generally, well, just being with young people. However, up to this point, we have only spent one afternoon and evening with them. Rather, our time has been spent together: planning for next week's VBS, eating, drinking tea, and walking or riding to one of many sightseeing locations. I already mentioned our literal first stop after arriving from Dublin: Monasterboice. Since then, we have seen multiple incredibly interesting sites, plus taken in the flavor of some of the local villages. The most memorable and picturesque destinations included Downpatrick Cathedral and cemetery (the site of St. Patrick's grave and one of the more active locations of his ministry), Tollymore Park (one of the places the great C.S. Lewis found his inspiration for Narnia), Castlewellan (which included a real hedge maze, a beautiful castle overlooking a lake, and a large garden, full of exotic plants and trees), the rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede point, and especially, the Giant's Causeway.

First, it should be noted for posterity that I finished the maze first. Not only that, but I was well ahead (by about 10 and 30 minutes) of the following two groups.

No, really, I was!

Okay, now that anyone who actually knows me has regained a sitting position, I should add that I split off and tackled the maze alone, rather than attempting to run it in a group, meaning I had much less discussion to deal with on choosing the correct route, so take that for what it's worth.

Anyway, I wish I had space to truly do justice for all the beautiful places I have seen the last couple days, but I'll stick with the one that was by far the best.

The Giant's Causeway lies nearly at the 'top' of the island, where the Irish and North seas meet. It is, without a doubt, the single most breathtaking thing I have ever seen in my entire life. The sheer beauty of the Causeway – the stone formations, the bay, the cliffs – is still a little too much to take in. After walking the 1/2 mile trail to the famous hexagonal stones, we continued up the criss-crossing path on our way to the top of the cliff. The final stage was 162 stone steps known as the 'Shepherd's Path', which, after having walked all day and then taken the steep trail to the steps, was quite the workout! Finally, we found ourselves on the edge of grass-covered cliffs overlooking the Causeway and bay. The sun was beginning its descent through the clouds just to our left while the slate-colored sea went out endlessly before us. I took pictures, but I almost wish I hadn't, just so the innocent sacredness of the moment might live on forever in my memory alone.

(Okay, I'm going to stop trying to describe it because I'm not getting anywhere near the mark. Suffice to say we all could've easily stayed upon that ridge until every last ounce of light had vanished behind the horizon.)

Back to that in a minute.

After the return drive and dinner at The Galley (N. Ireland's best fish and chips three years running... no really, the spuds were brought in that day from nearby farms and the fish was caught that morning in the bay across the street), we made it back to Murlough and had a short 'de-breifing' time during which nearly every one of us expressed our utter wonder at God's creation, our enjoyment in the few short hours we have spent with the kids, and also our frustration at the (so far) lack of 'real ministry'. Again, expectations were that sightseeing would be mixed in with our ministry, or else held off to the end, but this seemed to be the opposite – a sightseeing trip with ministry mixed in. "When will the real ministry begin?" we all asked.

First, I should say we were assured that the 'expected' ministry will begin, officially, tomorrow (Sunday) when we attend the church in Crossgar where we'll be doing the majority of our work next week, but perhaps more to the point, I realized that the ministry has already begun. I found myself face-to-face with an unsettling challenge to a truth about the Christian life. A truth I hold very dear and have hertofore spoke of with such confidence: "Everything is ministry. Everything is worship." Yes, there are definitely times when it is more overt and planned, but a Christian's life is meant to be lived in the world, worshiping God and ministering to the needs of others in every situation, not merely visited for official God-business. Although the relationship-building with the youth in N. Ireland has yet to begin in earnest, I kind of came to the realization that I have been building relationships this entire trip – with everyone from the Campus House, with our hosts at Murlough, with our hilarious driver, Paul.

Not only that, but I have had some serious alone time with God this last week. It seems everywhere I turn, I find another place meant specifically for me to have a brief moment of worship. As soon as we arrive at a destination, such as Monasterboice, the maze at Castlewellan, Downpatrick or the Causeway, I make a beeline for the most seculded spot and just start conversing (talking and listening!) with God. Maybe that's the ministry I've needed to be participating in – God's ministry to me. Yes, I am very excited for the relationships we will be building this next week, but I can't allow myself to believe that's when the 'real' ministry begins. The most intense ministry I may ever experience happened not in the church building but in the few moments when I ran to the edge of the Causeway and looked out at the sea that was washing the stones at my feet. It was when I paid the price of sweat to walk the path up the cliff and have the sheer majesty of God literally throw me to the ground in reverent awe.

Ministry is everywhere. Worship is everywhere. We're not bringing it with us, we merely have the opportunity to join in with what has been going on for all eternity. May I have eyes to see what's always all around me. May you see the ministry (and the worship) all around you, wherever you may be.

Blessings,

Josh