Jortosh in Ireland

Home away from "Home"

2008-04-04T01:43:00.006+01:00

Hey Everyone,

It has been ages since we have last updated this site! Please accept our apologies! Things have been quite hectic so far this year and some big changes have taken place as well! Tasha and myself have been home since August (9 months already), and Jen came home in November!

We have all settled back into Canada and the normal routine quite well, and we all have new and exciting things happening. Tasha has been attending Siast and taking "Early Childhood development" and has been doing very well! She is starting her practicum work in May! Jen is currently working in Admin at a really cool company called "Dyna Industries" and she is planning to start taking classes at the University of Regina for Social Work in September. I (Kristie) am currently finishing my second semester qualifying for the Social Work program at the University of Regina and working in customer service at Sangster's Health food store.

So as you can see, we are all doing very well, but all very busy with all the new and exciting changes that have happened. It seems like a whole different world than Ireland. We are all praying about our futures and not sure where God will lead us, but Ireland is still a huge part of all of our hearts.

I (Kristie) am hoping to travel back to Ireland next summer God willing to visit and re-connect with all the people I so desperately miss! When I am done my degree I am also hoping to return to Dublin for as long as the Lord calls me to. I am really excited about the prospects of going back, as Ireland is my home away from home and I will always be drawn back there.

So for now, we keep praying for the country and the people and would ask you to do the same if you feel the Lord leading you. Thanks once again for all of your love and support during this transition time and for all your prayers! We are taking it one day at a time with the Lord and looking forward to the plans He has for us in the future.

Much Love,

Kristie

Feeling Guilty For Not Updating ...

2007-06-24T15:21:00.000+01:00

Hi Everyone, this is a quick update to say sorry for not updating! (Really I am trying to relieve my conscience that keeps nagging at me to post something new, ANYTHING new). So here it is. I (Jen) just got back to Dublin after a 3 week stint in good ol' Regina. I went to my Dad's wedding, my sister's convocation and my friend Kristine's convocation all in one weekend. I spent the rest of the time on coffee/lunch/dinner dates with my long lost and much missed friends/family/Church family.

I returned on June 19th, bringing with me Shealagh Stephenson - little sister of one of my best friends. She is here to minister with us and spend some time getting to know the country and people. It's lovely to have her here with us - we are so blessed.

So as of right now, Tasha is gallivanting all over with her sister and grandparents and will soon be returning to us to show them around Dubs. I just got a job working for a Bank (again!) and am looking forward to starting on Monday. The kids are doing well - it's been raining like crazy since I got back from Canada, so I haven't seen their little faces at the door. It's supposed to clear up soon though and then it's back to swinging them around outside! We're knee deep in plans for the next kids party so we'll update you when details are more nailed down - but we're excited. It's going to be the best one yet.

We're praying you're all well and happy and as blessed as we are!

More than Well,
Jen, Kristie and Tasha
Jortosh Ministries Ireland

Pictures of the Kids, the Team and the City

2007-04-18T19:30:00.000+01:00

We don't know how but Cameron got stuck in Joe's shirt ... I wasn't there and I'm kicking myself now ....
Awww, Jill and Dylan. He loves her so so much.
Jill and Dylan again - the littlest things will entertain these kids for ages!
This is our fair city! That's the River Liffey.
That's Henry Street - one of the busiest streets in Dublin - Kiki used to work down there. And that crowd? That's mild compared to what it's like at Christmas.

Dylan with blue chalk all over his face. He's just as adorable in person.
Cameron, Kiki and Ericka - those balloon hats were a huge hit and are ever so stylish.
The kids playing some form of blindfolded tag.
Oh my - this is one of the best pictures we have. For some reason (again, I wasn't there when it was initiated) all the kids decided to pile on Jill and when Cameron wanted to join the fun, the only place left was Jill's face. So, he KNEELED on her head.

The kids during the Easter Egg Hunt that Tasha planned. This was one of the calm moments - I swear as soon as we turned around they were shanking eachother to get to the cream eggs.
Ah, this is Joe playing football with the kids.
Ahahaha, my favourite game. We encourage Cameron to put this pylon on his head and run around like a zombie. It was terrifying and so amusing.
That's Cameron, me, Joe, Joshua, Dylan and Jill in front of the house.
Joe and Cameron - so cute.

And this is our team photo. Tasha cooked Easter dinner and it was epic! We were all so full and it was so so good.

That's all the pics for now as this internet shop is super hot and I am hungry. But there's about 1000 more if you want to see them. We will update again soon.

More than Well,
Jen, Kristie and Tasha
Jortosh Ministries Ireland

A Safe And Happy Arrival !!

2007-04-08T17:39:00.000+01:00

Hey Again!

Just another quick post to say and Joe and Jill arrived happy and healthy yesterday (wow, that makes them sound like newborns doesn't it?!). We are so happy to have them and have had a blast already. We spent all last night ministering to the kids outside - and I swear, the boys in the neighbourhood could SMELL the testosterone when Joe arrived - they are so stoked to have a guy around to play football with!! Kristie and I are useless with the whole "sports" aspect, but at least Tasha tries!!

The best part of playing with the kids last night was getting to lead 3 of them to the Lord!! I walked a couple of the boys home and got to talking with them and my favourite girl outside. We discussed "Passion of The Christ" (as it was on t.v. here last night) and I got to explain why Jesus went thru all that and what that can mean to us. The kids were so excited and wanted to "talk to Jesus and tell Him [their] happy thoughts" that they wanted to receive Christ right that second!! So, on the grass, in the dark, on the anniversary weekend of our Saviour's death, 3 children came to know Jesus - unhindered, uninhibited and unaware of exactly what this moment meant to me. So praise God that He's up to something and thank you for your prayers and intercession. We feel it over here - we really do.

We'll send a more detailed update soon !!
Happy Easter - we pray you are blessed.
Much Love,
Jen, Kiki and Tasha
Jortosh Ministries Ireland

Counting Down to Jill and Joe !!!

2007-04-03T13:41:00.000+01:00

4 DAYS LEFT ....

Just a quick reminder to keep our friends Joe and Jill in prayer over the next couple weeks as they prepare to travel to Ireland to minister with (and to) us!!

We are so excited to have them here - Joe is an amazing prayer warrior and such a strong man of God and Jill is so beautiful and has such a soft fabulous heart. We will be so blessed by their presence here and we pray that they will be blessed by the community and the children we work with.

Please pray for protection as they travel, unity as a team, awareness of the numerous spirits that attack as you enter the city and the strength to minister, pray and experience this country and the battle within it. Also, please pray that God would be preparing Kristie, Tasha and myself to share our lives and ministry with these 2 great people and that we would welcome them into a home built on prayer and love.

Thanks everyone!
(Can't wait to see you Joe and Jill!!)

More than Well,
Jen, Kristie and Tasha
Jortosh Ministries Ireland

The March Kids Party!

2007-03-15T13:33:00.000Z

Hi Everyone,

We figured we would upload some of the pictures from the kids party we had on Saturday! It was a great success and we peaked at 15 kids - seeing as we invited all 20 in the neighbourhood, that's a great turnout! We discovered that sidewalk chalk it a definite crowd pleaser, as well as face paint! The balloon animals were brought out at the end and you can see why by checking out the pictures... We hope you enjoy them...

More than Well,
Jen, Kristie and Tasha

Tasha and Kiki manned the face painting station and got painted themselves!! I steered clear using "No artistic ability" as my well crafted excuse ... when really I had a sneaking suspicion (that was later proved right) that the face paint was not coming off without lemon juice and dish washing soap.

The girls were delighted with Kiki's little flowers and butterflies.

There's Kiki and I before the party started and Kiki and Tasha excited about the balloon animals they'd made. They made all the dogs, swords and flowers for the kids. I am useless with not JUST face paint - no no, my lack of talent extends also to balloon animals. I popped 6 balloons before giving up.

Hop skotch and chalk worms! I'm sure the East Wall Mums were delighted when their children returned home hyper from candy, stained with face paint and covered in sidewalk chalk. We're makin' memories here people.

Ah ha! I love this picture - somehow Kiki convinced these boys that they were tigers and when I told them to roar - this is what I got!

Then we brought out the balloon swords and the kids got rowdy. And this picture was a competition for the nicest smile. They all won cause they're so darn cute.

These kids were playing a very drawn out hop skotch game. And that's me and our little princess. She was so proud of her hand painted daisy and butterfly (kudos Kiki) that she ran around all afternoon with her sleeve pulled up showing off to anyone who would look. And yes, I'm wearing a balloon hat. No, I didn't make it.

The Old and New Bathroom

2007-02-19T16:02:00.000Z

All of the work done on our bathroom is detailed in these pictures. I don't have a final picture yet (as it has been painted a painful peach colour since these were taken) but trust me, it's beautiful compared to what it was before.

This is the bathroom after the mould was chipped away

Beside the window was terrible too - top left corner was the fan, which left a huge hole in the wall during some of the worst weather Dublin has had in the past couple years.

Inside the shower was disgusting - all the area with the chipped away paint was covered in mould. That stretches all the way under the sink too.

A hole left in the wall from another outtake fan. Having a giant hole leading right into the shower just pumping in the cold air was delightful.

The first hole, now looking even more pathetic because of the shabbily cut tiles to the left and down the side of the wall.

Isn't it beautiful?! Still freezing cold but still - all tiled and white. Such a wonderful change from the brown and black speckled shower we're so used to.

January and February - Pictures and News

2007-02-19T13:54:00.000Z

Hi Family, Friends and Everyone Else!

Welcome to the Jan/Feb update!! Sorry it's been so long since we updated you all. I've been waiting until we could send some pictures of the newly tiled bathroom and assorted other visual delights. The past month has been really hard for us. We seem to be hitting a large wall of discouragement and that's making it very hard to focus on the ministry right now. We could use your prayers now more than ever. Please pray for:

- Renewed focus, drive and vision
- Encouragement in ministry

- Unity with eachother as "a house divided against itself cannot stand" (Mark 3:25)
- Favour with the parents of the children we're working with. We are looking into having a block party in the next couple months and public events seem to spark a lot of controversy here.

- LOVE. May everything we do, say and think be seeded in love. We can't show God's love if we don't walk in it.

We're really trying to focus on what's going on around us right now but emotions are running rampant and we're 3 girls in a very small house - so please pray that our love for eachother would be dominant over our annoyances and nit-picking.

As you all know, it was Valentine's Day recently and we spent the evening handing out little treat bags to all the kids. Tasha and Kristie painstakingly wrapped chocolate and candy in little bags and attached cute bows to them. One thing struck me as we went around handing out the candy - the parents were delighted and not at all surprised! I was so encouraged by this. When we first started playing with the kids and handing out treats, the parents were shocked and admittedly, very nervous! And now, I am delighted to say that they've gotten used to it!! I think that says a lot about the progress that's been made here. Ireland is a place where everyone is suspicious of kindness and we've been trying so hard to show the people in our neighbourhood that our motive is pure and we just want to love them - so we feel like we've finally broken thru a bit.

The kids were so thankful and two of our favourite little girls came round the next day to thank us. We couldn't let them in the house, so they chose to hang thru the window!! And yes, for all those mothers out there clutching their chests and gasping in horror - they are definitely standing on the window sill wearing rollerblades.

Aside from the Valentine's stuff, we are just getting ready to have Joe and Jill come visit us from Canada! We are so excited to have them here and we have our fingers crossed that they will bring a puppet or 2 with them and we can incorporate a puppet show into our Spring party!! The idea is to have a barbeque and (hopefully!!) a bouncy castle and cake etc. outside for the kids. The parents are all very interested in the idea, we are just looking into permits and stuff right now. So just say a quick prayer for favour in that area.

The next few pictures are assorted from New Years, Andrea's birthday and some cool statues. I hope you enjoy them and forgive me for taking so long to get them out to you.

(L-R) Konrad and his sister Ania.

A cool Jesus statue that Tasha found in a little town outside Dublin

Me, joyously making smoothies to ring in the New Year

Andrea and I on her birthday

I hope you enjoyed these pictures and the next post should include pictures of the demolished and rebuilt bathroom walls!! Hooray!

God bless you all and thank you for your thoughts, prayers, emails and phone calls. We truly appreciate hearing from you.

More than Well,
Kristie, Tasha and Jen

Jortosh Ministries Ireland

2007-02-06T13:43:00.000Z

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since we've updated so I will try to keep this packed with info but short. The days are getting longer, and warmer -which I know you guys don't care about because its way warmer here (+4) than it is there (-18), so we are all enjoying that. We're all working full time and enjoying our jobs for the most part.

We have a new addition to our home!! Andrea Hoffman has come to live with us for the next few months before she heads off to Romania to work in an orphanage. Ania (the Polish girl) moved out to find her own place as she's 27 and would like a room of her own. So, it just so happened that Andrea came right around the time Ania left. We're missing Ania loads but Andrea is good fun and I've known her for years - so it's been fun to catch up.

We haven't seen much of the kids lately as it gets dark so early but we are planning some fun things for Valentines day so we hope to see them all then.

Things that are going on soon: Jill and Joe come to visit and minister in April, Kat and her sister come in May, big surprise in June and then Kris and Shaelagh come to stay for a couple months in July or so. Eventually Tina will make her way down here too so we are looking forward to seeing our friends and family soon!!

Stay tuned for some pictures from Andrea's recent birthday celebration, the demolishing of the wall in our bathroom to combat mould and other random tid bits. I will also be sending out a mass email some time this week so check your email for that!!

Thanks for reading all of this incredibly gripping information!

More than Well,
Jen, Kiki and Tasha
Jortosh Ministries Ireland

Christmas Pictures

2007-01-10T11:43:00.000Z

Tasha and I at an outdoor market put on by the Travellers in Dublin. Travellers are kind of like Irish Gypsies and they put on this market every year to sell their handmade stuff. It was amazing.

This convinced me that not all graffiti is crude. This is truly art.

Our house, all decorated for Christmas.

Me, nervously documenting my first ever attempt at cooking something for Christmas dinner. It didn't turn out well, but bless Kristie and Tasha for pretending it was good.

A sideways picture of our Christmas tree. Obviously we all got loads of presents and spoiled eachother rotten.

Adorable Dylan and Cameron holding the stockings we gave them. We gave out stockings full of gifts and treats to all the neighbourhood kids. It was a big hit.

Kristie and myself at the outdoor market. LOOK. AT. MY. HAIR ... !!!

Kristie and Tasha at the same outdoor market. It was a wonderful bonding experience for all of us.

So, we hope you enjoyed all of these pictures and allow me to apologize AGAIN for sending you all another email of nonsense. Please forgive us and don't make fun of my hair.

Much Love,
Jen, Kristie and Tasha
Jortosh Ministries Ireland

We're Having a Banquet !!

2006-09-24T22:01:00.000+01:00

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick update - on October 14th from 6pm-9pm, myself, Kristie and Tasha are having a Jortosh Ireland Fall Fundraiser at our Church! Tickets are $20 in advance, and limited tickets will be available at the door. So, this is just a general invite for those of you that we don't get to see enough - and for those of you who just want to know what's going on!!

Anyways, we are hoping to raise enough money to cover all of our plane tickets and first months rent - so pray if you can that God would move in a big big way.

Much Love,
Jen and Kiki
Jortosh Ministries Ireland

Home Sweet ... Home?

2006-08-28T05:51:00.000+01:00

It has been a while since we last posted - and for this we apologize. As you can imagine, things got pretty crazy when we arrived home in Canada. We've been here for almost 2 months now and it's been non-stop since we landed!! A lot has happened so far this summer, but I won't bore you with the details. Here's what's really on our hearts:

We're HOMESICK! Isn't that terrible? We were so homesick for Canada and now we're homesick for Dublin! I never thought I would say those words but there they are. We miss the kids, our friends and our lives there. Everything is so fast paced in Dublin that you feel like you're getting something done just by being there - but Canada ... as much as I love this place, it's just so apathetic. We are fighting so hard to remain passionate about our call to Ireland, but we're kind of having the life sucked out of us. It's not all bad though - we've spent some amazing time with our families and friends and God has definitely been solidifying our "call", so that's been awesome.

All in all, Canada is great but the Spirit of the place is just as heavy as Dubs, just in a different way. We are so excited to come back to Dublin to minister more to the kids - God moved in huge ways while we were there this year - and we know He's got great plans for our next stint. Thanks for your patience with our blog - I'm not great at the whole "updating" thing.

Much Love,
Jen and Kiki

Home

2006-07-05T19:28:00.000+01:00

Kiki and I have been home for almost a week now. Admittedly, it's strange to come back to a place you thought you knew so well and have it all be entirely different. We've done a lot of shopping and laying by the pool - and we've done A LOT of laughing. Canada is good for a laugh. We're worried about apathy though - which, as far as I've heard, is a common struggle for those coming off the missions field - allow me to explain why.

It's not hard here. It's not hard to be in Canada, it's not hard to work and live here - and it's comfortable - our family and friends are generally a short drive away, the ministry is easier, the people are friendlier, the groceries are cheaper! So you can see how easily one might settle into apathy when their surroundings are undeniably more comfortable than those one the front lines. So it's not easy - and I doubt it will get easier. Trying to carve out a new place for ourselves in old surroundings is frustrating and can definitely leave you a little lonely. It's easy to feel that no one understands what it was like for you on the missions field and no one really knows just how tired you are - but I think they sometimes do. I think it's easy to see how spiritually and emotionally tired people are when they come off of a long missions trip - I like to believe God makes it obvious so people know how and what to pray.

So, all in all, our trip home was stressful, the airport was beautiful and surreal, "home" is less like home and more like a taking off point and our friends and family - well, we realize more and more why we missed them so much. We are richly blessed.

Much Love,
Jen and Kiki

The Job "Situation"

2006-06-07T11:58:00.000+01:00

Kiki and I have been looking for work for the past couple months and it has proven excessively difficult. It's the time of year when all of the college students are finishing their finals and securing summer jobs - and, whether we like it or not, preference is given to Irish applicants at most jobs. We have been out of work for a few months and couldn't pay our rent last month, so we have arranged to pay last month's and this month's rent at the end of June. YIKES! That means we have 3 weeks to make 1800 euro. We were freaking out!

So, today I had an interview with a company called "Moneypenny" - yes, that's the real name, and yes, it's fantastic. The woman who interviewed me was completely wonderful but she wanted me for a permanent position to start immediately. I explained to her that I would be returning home to Canada in 3 weeks time - and she actually offered me a temp position!! It was thrilling because she so desperately needs someone to fill a permanent role, but she liked me and said she wanted to help me out by giving me a job for my last 3 weeks as she knows not many companies want to hire someone for that amount of time.

So, that was wonderful. And then it got way better. We were talking about payroll because the job pays monthly but I explained that we need to pay rent on June 29th so I need to be paid before then. Her solution - she is going to pay me WEEKLY IN CASH!! She also is willing to pay me the same amount per hour as I would have gotten on salary had I taken the permanent role. AND THEN ... she asked if Kiki had a job and I told her she was still looking and her response was "No no, you tell her to come in with you tomorrow morning and you can both work here for the next 3 weeks, we've got more than enough work to go around." I was stunned - not only did I get a job, Kiki got one too, at the same company! This woman is delightful! Both of us will be getting paid 11.50 an hour and because she's paying us in cash, we won't be getting taxed. AND they offer overtime. So, we can NOW pay our rent. We truly do serve a mighty and awesome God. Thank you for your prayers, support (financial and otherwise) and phone calls. Please, rejoice with us!!

AMEN!
Jen and Kiki

Who Am I - Casting Crowns

2006-06-01T14:44:00.000+01:00

( I stumbled across this great song today - I think it's fantastically beautiful and I just wanted to share the lyrics with you. Download it if you can, you won't be sorry)

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Ben, Jerry and Some Very Bad Decisions

2006-06-01T13:00:00.000+01:00

So we're back from my Mum's house in England. It was an interesting 5 days, and it was great for us to get out of Dublin. We ate a LOT of chocolate ice cream and borrowed my Mum's car and then crashed it. So all in all, a successful trip that met everyone's expectations. Ok, so that last sentence isn't exactly true. And I didn't CRASH the car - the roads were all muddy and wet and we slid off the road into the ditch and got the car stuck - our punishment was having to walk 5km home in the dark. I've had better times. It's kind of a hugely long story - but the rest of the weekend was pretty relaxed and we saw some unbelievable english countryside.

We also visited Salisbury Cathedral and Kiki tripped around the entire place until we left. I can't fathom why she can't stand up for more than a couple minutes at a time. Anyways, it was great and now we have 4 weeks left to find jobs and pay our rent! Wish us luck! We miss you guys and can't wait to see you - we can't believe we come home so soon!!

Love you's!

Cheerio!!

2006-05-24T13:49:00.000+01:00

Well, today Kristie and I are heading off to England for 5 days to visit my Mum. We are so blessed by the chance to leave the city and head into the beautiful English countryside. We will take loads of pictures for you all ... I am determined to have my picture taken with a sheep dog. So, we won't be responding to any emails or anything until Monday night! See you all soon!!

Much Love,
J+K

Tonight, We Laughed

2006-05-19T23:46:00.000+01:00

Jenn called tonight and it was exactly what we needed (not that talking to Todd wasn't just as good - it's just Jenn brings a more ... hyper quality ... nevermind). Seriously, I love this girl. WE love this girl. Here's a list of 10 things we love about Jenn Sanders:

10) Her great big laugh. It can almost overshadow mine (Jen) which is fabulous when in public places.

9) Her crazy mind - it works on a more intellectual level than most but when it comes to random stuff - this girl is the QUEEN. Example: She just yelled the name "Turd Ferguson" at me via Kiki - I love that she knows I will remember where it's from. (And by the way Jenn, $TEXAS)

8) Her energy - I don't know how she does it. She runs on pure love, I swear. Whenever you see her, she hasn't got coke, coffee or prescription drugs in her. She's just running on joy. We will have pulled an all nighter watching "Cat in The Hat" or "SNL" and she'll wake me up at 6am with a grin just ready to take on the day.

7) HER SKILLZ - This girl can dance - yes, all beautiful and stuff, but what I love? The way she makes up 80's dances with me (Jen) in the basement or somewhere public - and she dances like she's teaching the whole world how. It's like, everyone on earth was blind and she has organized a dance routine for when they simultaneously get their sight back. And the first thing they will see? Her doing her own rendition of "The Running Man" to "Jumping in the House of God". It's epic. If you haven't seen it, you need to. (Jenn, Kiki and I have since made up the BEST "Fruit Aerobics" for VBS)

6) How encouraging she is - We could be having the worst day EVER, and she just encourages us right out of it. And she can use anything as a tool to help - be it a dancing duck named "Puddles" or a picture of her looking like a little Irish boy. No funk is powerful enough to keep Jenn Sanders away. Except for Jen's funk - which is a whole different kind of funk!

5) How she deals with her emotions - Kiki loves how when she gets angry she just smiles and dances around. I like that she yells. LOUD.

4) Her inside jokes - Jenn manages to incorporate inside jokes to ANY public performance - especially VBS. I've never seen anyone make a puppet clear it's throat as much as Jenn.

3) Her love of SLEEP - She will fall asleep any TIME, any WHERE - it doesn't matter what the situation. If Jennifer Sanders is tired, so help you she will SLEEP. Like, in the middle of an emotional prayer time, or a movie, or VBS, even behind the wheel ... you get the idea.

2) Her ridiculous nature - She decides to get her hair dyed and then realizes half way through that she needs another box - now most people would send someone else to get them a box or just go through with the hair dying and do the other box later. Not Jenn. No no, she will just throw on sweat pants and treck out to Shoppers at 1am with hair dye still ALL OVER HER. I love girls who, like me, have absolutely no pride.

1) Her appetite and IRON STOMACH - This girl will eat ANYTHING. A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G. Noodles and ketchup, cold fries, half eaten sandwiches, old CAKE - nothing gets out alive. "I'm not even mad, I'm impressed!"

So, we love you Gomez and we wanted everyone to know just how much. This is only a list of 10 things, but we couldn't fit them all on the blog. Love love love love.

Jen and Kiki
a.k.a Bob and Kipper

Stuck In The Middle With Youth

2006-05-19T00:19:00.000+01:00

Kiki and I were talking about Youth tonight and it struck me that the Lord is really trying solidify a resolve in me to see a specific age group ministered to more. There's loads of ministry for young children, Christmas plays, pageants etc, and for older youth there's conferences, retreats, concerts etc. But what about those kids that are around 10-15. There's less for them to do. They're too old for pageants and Veggie Tales, but too young for concerts and retreats. They're kind of stuck in the middle and they're at that awkward scary age between child and teenager. They feel they don't fit in at Church, they probably feel like they don't fit in at school and yet this is the age that really messes kids up.

If you think about it, at this age kids have received enough damaging messages from their childhood that their hearts are wounded. The seeds the Enemy has planted in them at a young age are starting to sprout toxic roots deep into their hearts. They're confused, they're growing physically, emotionally and mentally and unfortunately, a lot of the time these feelings are brushed off as "hormones". I don't believe that for a second. Of course, hormones play a part. But I believe there's a bigger Enemy at work here. I believe that at this awkward stage in life, their emotions, beliefs and past experiences are twisted and used to manipulate them. Painful childhood memories, divorce, death, illness, war - all of these things are becoming understood, are becoming real. Things that these kids didn't understand when they were younger are now being remembered with startling clarity. I believe the Enemy has a 3 fold plan for the life of every child - it's a little rough right now so bear with me.

1) 0-9 "Seeds" - A childhood that is supposed to be happy and innocent many times is twisted into something perverted and tragic. Children at this age are suceptible to abuse, bullying and broken family dynamics. All of these things send a message to the heart of a child "This world isn't safe, you always need to protect yourself. You can't trust anyone". Seeds are planted and even though memories may be repressed or replaced with ones that are more idyllic, the battle for their hearts isn't over. It's far from over.

2) 10-15 "Roots" - Years of confusion and, a lot of the time, anger. The seeds planted years ago are starting to show their growth. Hormones are raging, feelings are out of control and the bad memories and experiences that may have been repressed can no longer be hidden. A lot of things resurface at this age and children can better understand what happened in their early years. Suddenly, memories of abuse resurface, the pain of divorce settles in, disappointment in God takes it's hold. They think "Someone was supposed to protect me, someone was supposed to make sure these things didn't happen to me. But they didn't". Children understand by this time that bad things DO happen to good people, and there isn't anything they can do to stop it. They can't protect themselves or their loved ones. They are vulnerable, yet they want to fight for good - they want their fairy tale. Little girls want to be the princess and little boys want to be the hero. But these dreams are twisted and used to convince kids at this vulnerable age that there isn't a fairy tale, it ISN'T going to be okay, and that the people they trusted have failed them - they didn't protect them and neither did God. They become anxious and confused children.

3) 16+ - "The Harvest" - This is where I get confused. Mainly because this is where I am today. I am in this category and I know what it's filled with. Anger, indignance, disappointment, apathy, resignation, guilt, fear. This is the age where youth understand their childhood, made significant decisions about their future and are now dealing with the poisonous roots left behind. Whether a decision was made for God or against Him is undeniably significant. We understand that what happened wasn't okay and we've decided how we're going to deal with it. Now we're left feeling angry that it happened, determined that it won't happen again and (many times) guilty for not knowing better or not being more prepared. I can't say much about this last one yet, all I know is that bad seeds and poisonous roots make for a bitter harvest when not mourned and dealt with.

So that's my thought for the night - that's how I feel. I know it sounds depressing and somewhat extreme and yes, I am aware that not all kids went through such experiences - but what child hasn't known pain and disappointment? The size of the seed doesn't matter - nature shows us that a tiny seed can grow into a massive tree, the Bible tells us that faith the size of a mustard see will move mountains, science tells us a microscopic seed is the start of human life. A tiny seed of anger, disappointment, guilt or whatever else can (and does) result in a massive amount of destruction.

I know what these kids are going though and I desperately want to help, I'm just trying to figure out where to start. Thanks for listening.
- Jen

I'm Not 35 ...

2006-05-15T18:20:00.000+01:00

As some of you know, I want to be a writer. I have for a long time and being here in Ireland has kind of awakened that dream in me again. Recently, I decided it might be a good idea to start looking into schooling for when I return to Canada. I stumbled upon Briercrest Seminary School - and was totally excited because I could become a Youth Pastor with a degree (of some form) in Youth and Family Ministry and do my writing on the side! It was PERFECT for me. Not too expensive, the classes sounded super interesting and best of all close enough to home that I can come home to visit whenever I want. And then the axe fell all over that idea and my excitement.
Turns out I can't get into Briercrest Seminary without having a Bachelor's Degree first - so that's 4 years of schooling (at least) before I can even qualify for Seminary and then another 4 years of schooling on top of that. I know this is common knowledge for a lot of people, but I am not a lot of people. The only other way I could get in is if I was a "mature student" and normally, a mature student is someone over 21 without a degree - but not at Briercrest. A mature student is 35 YEARS OLD. So I am bummed. Really bummed. Every plan I make for school falls through. Is the Lord trying to tell me something here?!? I am determined to go back to school but the idea of getting a Bachelor's Degree FIRST, is a tad daunting. I guess I will just have to keep praying that God works this out for me ...

Moving?

2006-05-13T12:23:00.000+01:00

We're in need of a little guidance here. Today, as Kiki and I bickered back and forth about trying to fit 2 sets of bunk beds and a 3 foot wide dresser into my bedroom (that measures 6ft x 8ft)we got a phone call. But first, let me tell you a little bit about our living arrangements.

Kiki and I live in a beautiful (but small) 2 bedroom flat. It's just enough for the both of us - but now, Justin (who lives around the corner) is moving and his adorable christian polish roommate has nowhere to go. So, we prayed - and then invited her to live with us. So that's 3 people. Then, we realized that in a few short months Tasha (Boule/Roto Tiller/Axe Handle) will be moving in with us too. So that's 4 people in a 2 bedroom house. We decided that since Justin is moving out of his house, we could take his bunk beds and then we would have enough beds for everyone. Yes, it would be a little crowded but we could stay in our beautiful little house.

So, back to the present day. Kiki and I are bickering and the phone rings. It's Justin - and he just spoke to our landlord Mic(we have the same landlord) and Mic has suggested again (he's already mentioned it once) that we move into Justin's house. It has 2 bedrooms but they are wayyyy bigger than ours and the bunk beds are already in each room. It needs a lot of fixing up, but when Mic was talking to Justin, he promised to fix whatever we want - such as the mould in the bathroom (that Kiki is allergic to), the kitchen counters (they are from the 50's), fresh paint on the walls etc. So, it would be nice and new again.

So now, Kiki and I are torn. Do we tough it out with 4 girls in our small house just because it's pretty? Or do we haul all of our stuff over to Justin's and have the room to house 4 girls (and whoever else might come to stay)? There are a couple things to consider:

a) We have the internet and phone line hooked up. It would mean another huge hassle with getting it all hooked up over there and we wouldn't be able to keep the same phone number.
b) We'd have to change over all our bills to Justin's address and get the utilities put into our names.
c) His house is ugly.

As you can see, this is a bit of a dilemma for us. We are trying to be mature and remember that "It's not about us" but still, we're settled here, we love our house, we love our neighbours - but we are only going like 40 feet away. Any thoughts, suggestions or prayers would be more than appreciated. Let us know what you think.

Impromptu Ministry Night

2006-05-09T20:15:00.000+01:00

It's 8:15pm here and we are exhausted! Our last post was about DIY - and not half an hour later we were outside with 4 adorable children. It's nights like these that remind us why we're here. We were just bumming around the house when a little girl showed up - she's loud, she's cheeky and she's fabulous. She comes over every day just to see what's new. Then another girl came running - Kiki's favourite. She's this beautiful, well mannered girl but she's got this dramatic flair that makes her completely hysterical. Example: We told her we had to go in for the night, and she argued that we had to stay out and play with her because as soon as we leave, she's packing up and moving to "the strip". She's kind of the ring leader of the group. Then came a young lad - he's got firey red hair and a heart of gold - he's this big gymnastics buff and can cartwheel himself into the splits - CRAZY!

We hung out with these kids for over 2 hours and swung them around, chased them, hugged them and let them climb all over us. I'm tired but delighted - Kiki is chuffed. In fact, she's so excited, she's now making sugar cookies.

Full time ministry isn't an option for us right now as we have to work and pay rent - but if it was an option, I'd very much like to think we could do it. I was so impressed to watch Kiki turn herself into a jungle gym for these kids - and her smile never faltered. I glanced around me and my cheeky little friend jumped up and hugged me. She smiled "This is the best night of my life. No one ever plays with us. You guys are so cool." She then hugged me so tight, my eyes welled up. And when I thought it couldn't get any better, she whispered in my ear "I love you Jen". I love her too. We love these kids. It's not easy being here with all of the crazyness and spiritual attacks - but nights like this make it worth it. What was going to be a night of relaxation turned into a impromptu night of worship. I believe that what we're doing here is a ministry - absolutely. But I also believe that ministering to these kids (and allowing them to minister to us) is, in essence, worship.

People Who DIY ...

2006-05-09T17:46:00.000+01:00

Okay, honestly now - do you DIY? As in Do It Yourself? I don't. I most definitely do NOT do it myself. That's why I know boys. I know that's like 100 steps back for the feminist movement, but I look ridiculous in a hard hat and plaid just isn't my colour. I know boys like Eric and Josh and Justin (here in Ireland) who can Do It Themselves, and then I won't have to worry about it. However, today, and yesterday, I Did It Myself (with Kiki's help of course).

When we got our internet, the deal was, they give you the snappy looking box, and you set it up yourself. Kiki and I don't do well with things that can break ... or electrocute us (i.e. the exploding hair dryers on Day 1). But I decided to try and set up the internet connection (and install Windows on our computer) all by myself. So I did. It took me 2 days to set up and properly install Windows and then 3 weeks to get the internet to work. And when we finally did, there was a huge drama about the computer not being in the right spot and Kiki wanting it in the kitchen - so we went out and bought a longer ethernet chord (I know that's not worded properly but I just install it, I'm not lingo savvy). We picked up a 3 meter one and it wasn't long enough - so ... we bought a 20 meter chord. Kiki would like to point out that some might find a 20 meter electric chord a little excessive - but to her, it's just practical. And by the time we had wound it all the way around the kitchen, over the cupboards and doors and down to the computer - she was right. With a mere 2 meters to spare, we hooked it all up. I scaled the kitchen counters, balanced precariously on the stove, and Kiki handed me tape. It was fantastic. We Did It Ourselves. For those of you who do this all the time, I applaud you. Now if you wouldn't mind, we have a couple pipes that are broken and could use a look-see...

Tina, I think your advice to become an electrician may be a little off base judging by this last little expedition - I stood on the stove and TAPED a chord to the cupboard. Hmmm ...

** Just a quick announcement - for those of you who care, Kiki just bought "snazzy new yellow, purple and blue velcro shoes" from the hippest shoe store in Ireland. Not like, Granny velcro, but the new "hip" velcro. I also have a pair - thank God the 80's are back because velcro is a lazy gals best friend.

J and K

Now Showing: Jen and Kiki's Theater of Shame

2006-05-06T17:20:00.000+01:00

Because we can't post pics of the kids we minister to right now (without signed permission etc), we decided to take one for the team, and post the most embarassing pics we have of US since arriving in Ireland. Kiki wouldn't let me post her most embarassing ones, so I will have to show you them when we get home - but mine are here. Oh yes, I have no shame. Please remember, we don't always look like this ...

Taken on Kiki's birthday outside the restaurant. Yes, this was taken in public. I don't know how I made my face take that shape ...

This pic is funny not only because Kiki is slightly cross-eyed in it, but because it's on an angle. I maintain it wouldn't be nearly as comical if it had been taken the right way up.

Also taken outside the restaurant on Kiki's birthday. I think we were trying to take a picture of something behind her, but on closer examination, her facial expression is still the funniest thing in the shot.

This is a tradition for me. If you leave your camera unattended, I will take this exact picture for you. Ask all my family and friends, everyone has at least one of these pictures. The best part is how straight my eyebrow is.

Okay, I never ever wanted this picture to get leaked. I know .. it's hideous and I look jaundice. It's completely humiliating but terribly funny because, again, look how straight my eyebrow is!! I hate myself because of this picture, but Kiki wouldn't let me put up the next one unless I showed you this one.

Kiki almost didn't let me put this up - but clearly it's majestic. I love it. Her beautiful blue eyes, that look of stunned confusion, and the slack jaw. This is what she looked like when that cupboard went flying across the kitchen.

We hope you enjoyed this Theater of Shame and that it made you giggle and, quite possibly, miss us less.

Much Love,
J and K

Greystones

2006-05-06T16:59:00.000+01:00

Seriously, if you want to have a real encounter with God, you need to go to Greystones! It's this quaint little town outside Dublin city center and all you can see is the Irish Sea for miles ... it's so beautiful. You can sit on the rocks and watch the waves come crashing in, or stroll along the rocky beach picking up shells. It's beautiful, it's quiet and it's so peaceful. Kiki and I took a much needed break and spent the day there a couple weeks ago. We came back to the city so refreshed and at peace. Here's just a glimpse of Greystones - although the pics could never do it justice.

We took this picture from a rock that overlooks the sea. It's just so ... Irish! This is what I pictured Ireland as before I got here.

That's Kiki (obviously) and behind her is the beach and this cute little cove (and way way far behind her is Bono's house!)

That's me, same view obviously. The clouds were coming in with the tide and the weather turned sketchy by supper time. It poured on us all the way home.

And just me and Kiki, smiling real big and wishing you all were here to see a little of God's beauty in a big big way.

Kiki's 20th Birthday!

2006-05-06T16:35:00.001+01:00

There are just a couple of pics from Kiki's 20th birthday! We had a blast with Kiki's family, and she was delighted as there was a never ending flow of virgin Pina Colada's for her! Look how pretty she looks!! At the end of the meal, all the waiters came and sang to her ... she turned a lovely shade of purple.

So this is me and Kiki after leaving the restaurant. Clearly I could hardly contain my excitement! (April 06)

(L-R) Lori, Me, Marlys (Kiki's Mum) and the birthday girl! We went to this ridiculously fun restaurant called Thunder Road and made a huge spectacle of ourselves (in true Canadian style!) (April 06)

This gent happened to be celebrating his birthday at the same restaurant, just one table over. When it was time for the staff to sing to Kiki, they went past his table, grabbed the balloons and decorations and repositioned them on ours. He feigned indignation until he saw this beautiful angel and decided to pose with her instead. He revealed that he was turning 40 and was extremely upset to find out that Kiki was turning 20 and was, in fact, half his age.

The Day My Hair Caught Fire ...

2006-05-06T16:35:00.000+01:00

So far, not a good day. Kiki left early to meet her friend for lunch, and when I (Jen) emerged from my comatose state and started to get ready, the stench of a "bad day" fell upon me. I went to take a shower and the bathroom light burnt out - our house is far too dark to take a shower without the light on, so I am shower-less. I couldn't reach the bulb to change it, and the chair wouldn't fit through the unreasonably small door way - so I couldn't even change the bulb. I was annoyed. I figure, "Oh well, I showered last night, I will just straighten my hair with Kiki's brand spankin' new straightener (that gets up to 215 degrees) and I will head out.

So, I heat up the straightener, and go right for my bangs. I don't know why I did this. I never ever straighten my bangs first - I go in layers. I straighten the very bottom layer of my hair (you know, the most HIDDEN layer) first and then work my way to the top. Today, no - I just went for the most noticed and front most part of my hair. It took a good 3 seconds before I realized that my hair was smoking and (wait for it) the straightener was melting and my hair was on fire. (The large amount of hair spray used in my hair yesterday was no doubt a factor.) I gasped, and removed the straightener, struggling with where to place it - not on the lacquered wood table, not on the porcelain plate, not on the plastic bag ... so finally I ripped the chord out of the wall and put it in the sink. (No, there was no water in it and the chord itself wasn't in the sink!) I returned to the mirror to survey the damage - and there it was. This 3 inch long singe mark right in front of my head - BRIGHT ORANGE and very very unattractive. And oh THE SMELL. You all know what burnt hair smells like right? Couple that with perm solution and you're approaching the smell of my roasted coiffe. So, here's what my head looks like today - complete with head scarf so no one can see that I no longer have bangs - just what looks like an orange brillo pad stapled to my forehead.

From this image, you can't really see where the fire began but if you would indulge me by taking a look at the next image ...

And there it is. My finger (looking unnaturally long) is pointing at the exact place (under the strategically placed scarf) that the horrible orange fuzz is.

That's all for now, I hope you enjoyed my humiliation - Kiki sure did.

Much Love,
~ J

The Holidays and The Team

2006-05-05T21:08:00.002+01:00

So, these are kind of backwards, and once again, please forgive the formatting! These are from Christmas, New Years and St Paddy's Day here in Dublin!

Tasha, Kiki, Jen, Chelsey and Shelley eating junk food and watching (what turned out to be) a fabulous game of Rugby! That's our living room - it's a little crowded cause there's a mattress on the floor! Bless you and your back Jason!!) (March 06)

Jason and our lovely friend Konrad! Thick as thieves but so much quieter. (March 06)

St Paddy's Day! March 17th 2006 - Shelley, Chelsey, Kiki and Jason, all decked out in their Paddy's decorations! We had so much fun shopping with Tasha for the most embarassing hat for Jason to wear - and he's hiding his delight - he truly loved it.

See! He's smiling! He loves that hat! I (Jen) look like a 10 year old in this picture. And you will all be relieved to note that shortly after this picture was taken, I got my hair cut. Yikes. (March 06)

YAY! Kiki and I on the Ha'Penny Bridge in Dublin City Center - this was New Years 2005 and we had a blast that night.

*Sigh* Our ghetto fabulous Christmas tree. Special thanks to Todd, Eric, Josh, Tasha and Jenn for making us this beautiful tree that we still haven't taken down, despite urging from ... well ... everyone. We couldn't afford to buy one, and we came home and they had made one for us! We were, and still are, delighted!!

One of my favourite pics of all time. Kiki, my beautiful sister Tina and I on New Years 2005. It was such an amazing blessing to have her here in Dublin - and we had sooo much fun.

Stay tuned - there's more to come!

Epsiode 2: The Cleanup/Aftermath

2006-05-05T21:08:00.001+01:00

These are all pics from after the backyard had been cleaned and the huge bin outside was overflowing with debris.

This is the huge metal bin that was RIGHT OUTSIDE our door! That's right folks, your eyes do not deceive you, that's a bed frame, some shingles and a boxspring. Let's take a closer look ...

Now, there's that bag of potting soil, some garbage, some paint, and various other delights. And just a quick reminder, that ALL came from our roof. Just ours, no one elses. Amazing.

This is the backyard after the cleanup! Look how beautiful it is! Look how clean! Look at that huge ladder ... (On the left, that's Kiki's window sill and mine is further back, near the ladder. I know you don't care, but still.)

This is the view from our back door. We had NO IDEA that big metal thing was there. We don't know what it is, but we are delighted that it's not covered in sewage anymore.

And, alas, the cause of all our trouble, the source of "the smell" and most disgustingly, home to the huge matted hair ball, many spiders and more than a dozen slugs. Those 3 pipes drain the water from the shower, the laundry machine and the toilet. Mmmmmm ... the word you're searching for is "rustic".

So that's the end of the Backyard Thrillogy pics. Not very entertaining, but at least now you can picture what we're saying in the emails.

Episode 1: The Backyard Thrillogy

2006-05-05T21:08:00.000+01:00

Sorry we couldn't get the pictures sent in an email to you all. The attachment was just way too big, so we created a blog just to show you guys all our pics and give you the latest news. We will try to update frequently, so bookmark this page (if you like) so that way you won't have to remember the address! Enjoy and leave us comments! We love comments! Love J and K.

Jen in the backyard with all the garbage. That's right, all that garbage was loose, and she bagged it all and it came up to her shoulders.
Disgusting. Absolutely revolting. This is Jen's sandalled foot standing amidst the garbage. Right before the sewage came. *Shudder*
That's right, baking pans were sitting there in our backyard. We just don't understand what's going on most of the time.
Can't even see the ground for all the garbage bags. Makes me sick just remembering "the smell".
Jen, post sewage and garbage bagging. I have still not recovered. Oh, and Todd, I'm gonna be needing a new Mohawk shirt ... thanks.

(look for post 2, Episode 2 of the Backyard Thrillogy)

Anita, Dylan and Cameron

2006-05-05T13:08:00.000+01:00

This is Anita, she's crazy and fun. She's 22 and has 2 little "angels", Dylan and Cameron who keep Kiki and I laughing.

This is Cameron - he is ridiculously cute. Like, it's stupid how cute this boy is. He's 3 and so cheeky - so of course I (Jen) just adore him!

This is Dylan, he's adorable and so LOUD! Also very cheeky but just turned 5 and is sooo cute.

The boys together on Dylan's birthday! They came over so we could blow up balloons for them, and then proceeded to beat eachother with them!

As I mentioned above, the boys beating eachother with balloons (inflated and not inflated - they're versatile those East Wall kids)

This pic was put up by Kiki's special request. She loves the look on Dylan's face as he pelts Cameron from behind with uninflated balloons. Apparently this pic is "so phenomenal and hilarious".