Parades in Northern Ireland

Every year in Northern Ireland there are many different parades that take place here. Here are some pictures of a two parades (Seige of Derry and Black Saturday) that took place here in our city this year.  We try to use these parades that bring thousands to our city as an opportunity to witness.  Here are a few pictures.

Update on Visa Situation

I wanted to write an update on the visa situation that I asked prayer for in a previous post.  I am sorry for not explaining the situation more fully.  The missionary (Gene McKinley), who asked prayer regarding his visa, lives in the Republic of Ireland.  Teri and I live in Northern Ireland, which is politically part of the United Kingdom, while still on the island of Ireland geographically.  Therefore, the laws regarding visas that we abide by are different from the laws affecting the missionaries in the Republic of Ireland.  Thankfully, this visa situation does not affect our visa, but we are very concerned for the churches, pastors, and missionaries in the Republic of Ireland.

Incidentally, our visa is good for another two years, and in June 2008, we can apply for permanent residency.  If we are approved for permanent residency, then we can come and go in the country as much as we like without a need for visas, which will be a big blessing.  The UK requires that we live in the UK for four years before we can apply for permanent residency.  June will mark four years since we first moved over in June 2004. 

One other bit of information about our visas is that when our children are born we have to apply to have them added to our visa.  When we returned from our trip to Morocco, the passport control lady gave Darci a two month visa to allow us time to get her added.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is a bank holiday here in Northern Ireland, a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland, and a special day that is recognised and celebrated around the world from Argentina to Japan.  There will be parades, meals, parties, all kinds of green worn, and all-night drinking sessions.  Here is Ireland for most people, it is yet another chance to get drunk.

However you may celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to just let you know a few things that we can learn from Saint Patrick.  The italicised words below are direct quotes from Patrick himself.  I want to thank Stephen Baker for emailing me much of the information below.  I think you will see that to have a day to remember and honour a man like this is good thing; I hope you won’t dishonour the Lord or the memory of St. Patrick by celebrating in an ungodly way.

1.  Patrick Knew He Was a Sinner. 

I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many, had for father the deacon Calpurnius, son of the late Potitus, a priest, of the settlement [vicus] of Bannavem Taburniae; he had a small villa nearby where I was taken captive. I was at that time about sixteen years of age. I did not, indeed, know the true God; and I was taken into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of people, according to our deserts, for quite drawn away from God, we did not keep his precepts, nor were we obedient to our priests who used to remind us of our salvation. And the Lord brought down on us the fury of his being and scattered us among many nations, even to the ends of the earth, where I, in my smallness, am now to be found among foreigners.

2. Patrick Trusted in Jesus Christ as His Saviour.

And there the Lord opened my mind to an awareness of my unbelief, in order that, even so late, I might remember my transgressions and turn with all my heart to the Lord my God, who had regard for my insignificance and pitied my youth and ignorance.

3. Patrick Believed that It Was His Duty to Preach the Gospel to the World.

Therefore, indeed, I cannot keep silent, nor would it be proper, so many favours and graces has the Lord deigned to bestow on me in the land of my captivity. For after chastisement from God, and recognizing him, our way to repay him is to exalt him and confess his wonders before every nation under heaven.

4. God Used Patrick to Ignite a Fire in Ireland That Reached Europe With the Gospel.

By his death in 461 AD, Patrick had founded 300 churches, baptised 120,000 believers and his followers re-evangelised Europe.

Dr. John Wimblish says,  Even so cautious and reliable a historian as Green, in his “Short History of the English Bible,” says: “For a time it seemed as if the course of the world’s history was to be changed; as if that older Celtic race which the Roman and German had swept before them had turned to the moral conquest of their conquerors; as if Celtic and not Latin Christianity was to mould the destinies of the Church of the West.” This was the beginning of the golden age of Ireland. It is forever true that when the Holy Word of God is opened and preached to the people, the chains of illiteracy and vice are broken. The real Patrick was a Bible-reading, Bible-believing, Bible-preaching missionary and it was the unadulterated Gospel of the Son of God that lifted the Irish out of the darkness of paganism into the glorious light of the Truth.  Hands that once grasped the sword were now folded reverently in prayer. The heathen stone idols, known as Cromlechs, that once marked their graves gave way to the cross of Jesus. Druid paganism was crushed and the “buffer state of Europe” became known as the “Isle of Saints.” Odriscol who, incidentally, was an Irish Catholic, in his work entitled, “Views of Ireland,” says, “The Christian church of that country, as founded by St. Patrick and his predecessors, existed for many ages, free and unshackelled. For 700 years this church maintained its independence. It had no connection with England and differed on points of importance with Rome.”  

It was not until the year 1172 A.D., at the Council of Cashel, that Henry II of England and the Pope prevailed over this people and another great victory was won for the Roman Catholic hierarchy. But from the days of Patrick to the fateful Council of Cashel, many glorious victories were won for the cause of Christ by the Irish Christians.

Nice Conversation

Teri and I had a very nice visit this afternoon from a Baptist pastor from Poyntzpass, Northern Ireland.  He and his wife are from Northern Ireland.  They are full of experience and were a big encouragement to us.  I learned some valuable things from them about the culture here.

We plan to go down to their church this coming Monday for a week of Bible Ministry as they call it here.  I found out from them that a mission is an evangelistic meeting that usually lasts at least 1 week and in the past has lasted up to 12 weeks long, while Bible Ministry or Bible Teaching is primarily for the Christians to build up the church.

It was such a blessing and we look forward to developing a friendship with them and seeing them next week.

Holidays in Northern Ireland

The holidays in Northern Ireland are very similar with a few differences to what we are used to in the States.  Christmas is a very big time of the year for families and for shopping.  Because there is no Thanksgiving holiday here, the shops begin to put out Christmas decorations right after Halloween and they promote it all the way through the new year.  Many people buy very expensive gifts for their children like video games, bikes, laptops, and other things like that.  It always amazes me the extravance of their gifts for their children.   Like most places, Christmas is very commercialized.  Many families only get together out of duty and many find it a very stressful time.  Drinking is a big part of the holiday celebrations; but then, of course, it is a big part of any celebration and any weekend, even if there is no celebration.  Even though we don’t drink, we actually received a bottle of wine as a Christmas present this year.

The day after Christmas is another big holiday called Boxing Day when people usually getogether to eat another big meal and be with family.  It traditionally comes from giving gifts out of a box to poorer people and also refers to boxing matches that were help on that day.  Everyone I talk to has a different story about how it originated, but that is what I have come up with so far.

New Years is traditionally a time to drink some more.  We had a party on Christmas Day evening and New Year’s Eve.  I really enjoyed both and it gave a Christian alternative to our church people.  They are a wonderful group of people and I really enjoy getting together with them.