Mission To Ireland (We're going!)

It's official.

My wife and I are headed to Ireland in October. I bought the plane tickets earlier this week.

We will be gone for ten days, eight days in country, two days of travel.

Where? What? Why?

That's a bit of a longer story...

There has long been an appreciation for the nation of Ireland in our hearts: it's people, the culture, the history, and so on.

Background
Though my last name, Campbell, is of Scottish origin (another land I would love to visit!) and one that I can trace back to Perth after about eight generations, there is also Irish in my ancestry as well. My mother was a McMullen, and several generations back, the McMullens migrated over from Ireland.

My wife was a Comer, and she is second generation Irish. Her grandfather came from Ireland to the States in the early 1900's. Here's a picture of him when he went back to visit later. My wife's dad is the middle child. So all through our marriage, there has been a great celebration of all things Irish. Our kids have grown up listening to the Clancy Brothers (among others), we watch the Quiet Man almost every St. Patrick's Day, and we have a deep love of corned beef!

Beyond those generalities, though, the Lord began to specifically draw us toward Ireland some years ago. During the early '90's, we lived in Tulsa and served a local church where I was the "youth pastor." During that time, we met a young man from Belfast and got to spend an afternoon sharing hearts and praying together for the people of Ireland and Northern Ireland. I came away from that encounter deeply affected, and I believe God was beginning to plant seeds for future ministry in my heart even then.

A couple of years ago, we became briefly acquainted with Alan and Kathryn Scott. The Scotts lead the Causewaycoast Vineyard church in Coleraine, Nothern Ireland. The discussions that took place at that time worked even more to increase our burden for the Irish people. I began to pray regularly for God's Kingdom to expand in the hearts of the people, bringing healing and reconciliation to many.

About the same time that we met the Scotts, my wife discovered an old journal she had used in college. In a late entry dated December 1988 (just a few weeks before she and I started dating), a quick final note said something to the effect of "while praying today, felt like God spoke to me about one day serving as a missionary in Ireland." It was an entry she had long forgotten about, along with even the existence of the journal. She made the discovery suddenly while going through some old boxes, and the timing of that find as it related to our initial connection to the Scotts stuck us as more than coincidental. We began to regularly pray that God would unfold His direction and timing to us.

What's Happening Now
Earlier this year, I felt prompted to begin earnestly looking for short-term missions opportunities in Ireland. That discovery led me to Operation Mobilisation. With an active missions base in Ireland since 2002, the ministry recently relocated toward the heart of the country in 2008. OM Ireland exists to partner with and mobilize Christians to see lives and communities transformed through Ireland (and the world). They describe it this way:

Take a moment to dream with us. Imagine Christians in Ireland demonstrating and communicating the love of Jesus in this nation and throughout the world. Imagine seeing people's lives transformed and whole communities change for good. Imagine churches in Ireland motivated, equipped and working together to bring about lasting change.

This is the vision that inspires the work of OM Ireland.We want to see individuals and communities reconciled, transformed and mobilised to live and communicate the message of Jesus.

I sent an email to OM Ireland inquiring about the nature of the ministry and if there was any way we could assist them. I soon recieved a phone call from Mike Mullins, the ministry director. He invivted us to come for a "pastoral visit." It would give us the opportunity to observe first hand what is taking place as well as potentially minister to the staff and to the people of the area in local churches. My hope is to discover greater ways to be connected and to possibliy bring future teams that could work in conjunction with local churches to reach those who are not yet believers and who are caught up in the heartache of living separate from God.

After praying, I completely believe that God has confirmed the need to be involved. The trick has been in deciding both when and how, as we work to accomodate my wife's grad school schedule and to raise funds. Her schedule allows for a break in the Fall, and these dates seme suitable for the minstry team at OM Ireland. So, plans have now been made!

OM Ireland
Operation Mobilisation Ireland is now based out of "Lacken House" (Rahara, Co. Roscommon). The property includes five acres of land, an office building with space for meeting rooms, a fully furnished 10 bedroom house, 4 self-catering chalets, and a stables building that is being redeveloped as bunk space that can serve 50 (or even 100) people. According to their web site:

• In October 2008,OMIreland launchedmonthly world prayer meetings at Lacken House together with local churches from Roscommon and Athlone building unity and raising awareness of world missions.
• In November 2008 the officeswere completed and team members move in. OM Ireland celebrated the Grand Opening of Lacken House with friends and supporters from across Ireland. A plaque is unveiled which reads: "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain." Ps 127:1

• Lacken House hosts the Evangelical Alliance Ireland retreat as key evangelical leaders plan and pray through their strategy for 2009.

  In addition, they give the following financial update:

  By theend of March 2009,OM Irelandhad received a total of €412,440 for the Lacken House Project with about €30,000 of this being used for development of the office and property. OM Ireland needs to raise an additional €75,000 by March 2010 to pay back the businessmen who gave us a loan at the time of the initial purchase.

  Another €650,000 is owed to the previous owners. OM Ireland has agreed to repay this amount in August 2009. We will look to raise these funds through gifts and through a mortgage or loans from other sources.

  We are hoping to raise up to €100,000 through our May Day Appeal to make further repayments to the previous owners. A generous businessman has offered to match every May Day donation to Lacken House up to a total of €50,000.

  What Remains
  Plane tickets were bought earlier this week (for $1,059.34). Through a series of circumstances, I was provided with the means to make the purchase at this time. So, we are trusting God for the costs that remain. These include:

  1. Food (estimated at $25.00 per person per day, x 10 days = $500.00).
  2. Housing (by staying at Lacken House, we save considerably! = $230.00).
  3. Car Rental. This one's a bit tricky. We've considered simply using the bus to get there and then trying to make do (a possibility that may very well happpen depending on what we are able to raise). But the availability of a car would certainly give us more mobility and cause us to be less of a burden to the staff of OM Ireland. I want us to be able to serve them well, and not become a drain on their resources and time. Economy car (super tiny) with insurance? Approximately $250.00.
  4. Gas. If we rent a car, we've got to be able to get it from here to there. Costs for gas (petrol!) seem to be around 1.18 euros per liter ($1.67). The Ford Festiva holds 40 liters. Two tanks of gas? Approx. $135.00. The great news? That vehicle gets over 40 miles per gallon!

  As the trip approaches, we are doing all we can to budget and save money. I recently sold a few copies of a book on worship that has already added a few small dollars toward the trip. As of today, that leaves us with around $1,075 yet to raise by mid-October. It would also be wonderful to be able to bless OM Mobilisation with a financial gift toward their ministry and to help with Lacken House!

  Lord, we are doing our best to respond to what we believe to be your call for this season. Give us your wisdom and enable us to serve you well, equipping, encouraging and touching many as Your Kingdom works in and through us. To Your Name be all the glory!