UPDATE

So quick update...Element which is the youth club that runs every Friday night started last week. There were 140 kids!! I know its not about numbers, but it was still amazing to see that many there! Praise God! Also the discipleship groups that run every Tuesday and Wednesday are going really well, and we are going over a study on being a genuine disciple of Jesus. Its really good! Also My parents fly into Dublin on Saturday, so I'm looking forward to seeing them. It will be fun to catch up and to show them what has become a big part of my life. Pray that the weather will be good! Also be praying for me...I have had a cold for the past two weeks, and it has been very draining and I'm tired of blowing my nose and coughing. EHH!!! Northern Ireland continues to blow me away, with its beauty and with the people. I can't thank God enough for giving me this opportunity to come here and share and learn about ministry, about myself and other people and also more about Him. Hope you all are well! Take care!

~Lauren

ELEVATION WEEKEND!!

Elevation weekend was incredible! God was so good to us up in Castlerock in the north coast of N. Ireland. The weather was absolutely beautiful! It was raining right before we got out of the van when we first headed up there early Friday evening.  When we got out or shortly before the rain stopped, and the sun was gorgeous!! It started raining tonight. Thank you God for the great weather! It was beautiful right on the beach and the whole place was ours for the weekend. There were 23-24 kids there and then 4 leaders. Paul, Val, Rose and myself and then Anne Shepherd who cooked for us. The kids were so energetic right from the get go and didn't let up until we were off the bus this afternoon. The weekend was packed full with fun team building games, playing on the beach, meals together and hanging out. We also had four group sessions Friday night two Saturday AM and PM and then one this morning. We did worship and a few fun songs which the kids seemed to really enjoy. Pauls talks were amazing, challenging and really encouraging. The weekends theme was about taking steps in our walk with God. The kids all listened really well and i think were challenged. We had small group time after the talks which was good, so we could sit and chat for a while about what we had just heard. So overall it was an incredible weekend! I'm exhausted as I'm sure Rose, Paul and Val are as well. I'll get a good break tomorrow though. So for now, thats it because I'm going to bed! Paul will probably have a mini movie or slideshow up on his blog about this weekend if you want to go check that out. His site is www.livingloud.typepad.com. Take care! 

Weekend Away

Hey everyone! Sorry again...for not posting much. These past two weeks have been like a whirlwind with all the activites starting up. Its been great to see all the kids coming out to the youth events! I don't have much time, but I wanted to let you know that we are going on a weekend trip this weekend. Were leaving this afternoon and get back on Sunday evening. Please be praying for our time up at the north coast of N. Ireland. Pray that God will really speak loudly to these kids and that they might learn something deeper and be energized by the time there in Castlerock. Also pray that the weather would be nice, seeing as it has rained all summer, it might be nice to see some sun. Its going to be a great weekend! We are staying in a youth hostal right next to the beach. So we'll be having loads of games and several talks and music and also archery and coasteering. Well sorry for just the short update, but thats about all I have time for right now. I hope and pray all of you are well!
Lauren Stark

SORRY!

Alright! Let me start off by apologizing. Sorry for not blogging more this summer. I do have some excuses though for the lack of blogging. First of all this summer has been SO busy! And when it calmed down a bit we (Becca and I) didn't have much internet access. But now that Bowmans and Hyndmans are back from being gone internet access is much easier. I also want to apologize for not having pictures up yet. I didn't get them downloaded until a few weeks after Czech and then Paul was away to America, so I didn't know where they were on his computer. Hopefully I will be getting some up soon, because believe me I have lots =) 

Ok I'm done apologizing. Like I said this summer has been extremely fast. Kids are starting back school these next couple of days, and it just feels like they were getting out last week. But I guess time flies when your busy and having fun. When I got here I hit the ground running with finishing things up with the youth club (Element on Friday nights) Teen Track (Sunday mornings) and Elevate (Saturday nights.) We were also busy with training to go to Czech. Czech was incredible as I have written. After we got back from the Czech Republic, we had a week "break" but Becca and I were busy planing for the next week. The next week was the busiest week of my entire life I think. I don't think I have ever been as tired either by the end of it. We had a 4 member team from Seattle. We had football camp from 1-4:30 in the afternoons (it rained every day except Monday) and then there were youth events Monday -Wednesday. Becca and I had planned for the evening programs. The biggest one was Monday night. Messy Fun Night. It was insane SUPER messy. It was rather stressful preparing for it, but once it started and got going it went well. God really answered our prayers and held off the rain and then he really gave us energy and excitment when we didn't always have it. It was an amazing and busy and exhausting week and it gave me so much more appreciation for seeing the behind the scenes work of youth workers and all the organization and prayer and energy that goes into events. 

After that Paul was away to America Val up to the north coast with the girls and the Hyndmans were away to America as well. So we got a bit of rest the next two and half weeks. We did a lot of hanging out with students and lot of football (soccer). We also went back up to Ballysally (the place where Paul and Val were ministering before Saintfield) to go see Val and the girls for two days. It was BEAUTIFUL! we took a scenic coastal rout on the Tour Head road. It was like driving through your dreams of what you picture Ireland. There's been a lot more too, to much to write at the moment. But this week we had a first years welcome (kind of like welcoming the Freshman to high school) and then a girls bowling night on Friday. So were busy. But the best thing about the summer has been getting to know the kids here better and to just hang out with them and do life with them. All of the events that we do are tools for building relationships with kids and sharing Christ love with them.  God has been so good to me this summer and has shown me how powerful he is and how he has answered so many prayers. 

Alright well I hope all of you my friends and family are doing wonderful! I miss you all!  

CZECH REPUBLIC

Well...it's been a while since I have posted anything. Sorry about that! But as you all may know, I was in the Czech Republic!  I could probably write for hours, but seeing as its late and that I am still trying to catch up on sleep I'll give just a brief summary. The Czech Republic was indescribable .  I have seen God work in ways that I have never seen before. I have seen lives changed, Czechs, Irish, Americans and the lot. God has been preparing me for this trip and for what I would be seeing there in the Republic. The Lord changed hard hearts and closed minds. Kids who didn't want anything to do with God or never thought of God were asking big questions at the end of the week.

The culture is so different and it was so good to be somewhere that wasn't English speaking. It was a push...it was hard, challenging, exhausting, rewarding and incredible. I wish I could explain it, but like I said I'm very tired and I don't have much time. But also I know I mentioned that I (and Becca Billinslea) needed prayer getting back into Northern Ireland as customs is always a crazy to go through. It is getting harder and harder each time. With much prayer and not to much trouble both Becca and I got stamps of gold in our passports. So we are here safe and sound. What a blessing! God has been so faithful. You should all go and 'Czech' out Paul Bowman (our youth leader) his blog... www.livingloud.typepad.com and look at the youtube videos etc. Those are all from our time in Velka Upa at Pension (Hotel) Mileta.  Thank you for all your prayers and support!

LAST POST FOR A WHILE

Hey friends!
Sorry its been a little while since I've posted anything, but its been busy...and its just going to keep getting busier. So if you don't here from me for a while that doesn't mean i don't love you, it just means that im either not near a computer or im running about everywhere! This is probably the last post that I will be making for a while, because I'm headed off to the Czech Republic on Tuesday. I'm so pumped! Please be praying for my team and I while we are gone. Be praying for safe travel, because we will be doing a lot (especially by bus and train.) Pray that communication during English classes and throughout our time with the kids would be good and that we would be efective in sharing the love of Jesus through our words and actions. Also pray for our re-entrance July 28th... the customs people are sticklers in Belfast! Things here in Norn Iron are great, we had our first really BEAUTIFUL day today (the 4th of July!! which made me miss home a little bit) The people are amazing and I am learning new things every day. THank you for all your prayers! Love you and miss you!

HERE AT LAST

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to send you a quick update...Im in NORTHERN IRELAND!!! I got in Saturday morning after a long time of of sitting on a plane and a somewhat scary encounter with the customs guy coming into Belfast. He wasn't to happy and I think he was taking that out on me a bit. Anyway it was just another reminder that God's hand is always guiding me and protecting me. I'm here staying at "the manse" or the house that church provides for the pastor and their family. Its lovely and I'm really enjoying the Hyndmans who I'm living with. They have two boys one (John) my brothers age and then Jack whos 8. They can be cheeky at times (as the irish would say) but they are great and im pretty sure they are glad that im here...at least I hope! Ive already been very busy the past couple of days and will continue to be these next two weeks before I leave for the Czech Republic for a few weeks. So if i am not contacting you all that much please forgive me, because I'll be very busy. I haven't gotten to take many pictures yet and i need to talk to James (the head of the house) to figure out how to put pics on his computer...but I will as soon as I can. Please be praying for me to be done with jet lag asap and also for these next couple of weeks in preperation for leaving for Czech, that our team would bond and that we would finish everything that needs to be done before we leave. Thanks that would be great! Hope all is well and I will updated soon! Take care! ~Lauren SDG