Wow...It has already been over a full week at the Mission! This week has been fun and hectic all mixed into one!!
On the 7th, I began my placement and was immediately introduced to one of the programs I would be a part of this year. Around lunch time, I hopped on the bus to go around East Belfast to pick up the sweet elderly ladies of the Friendship Circle. The Friendship Circle is a group of ladies from both Protestant and Catholic faiths who join together once a week in fellowship. The first meeting was basically just getting back into the swing of the meeting with a few photos from my supervisors trip to Atlanta this summer. During this meeting, I also introduced a little bit about myself just so that they can begin to get to know me. I will do a little presentation with pictures a little later on. Thursday I went to do a bible study sort of group with a group of kids at a primary school in East Belfast. We talked about second chances and hope and how that relates between our lives and Jesus. The kids wrote down what they hope to accomplish for the year, such as "I want to be a better dancer" or "I want to still play/be better at football (soccer)". Since it was my first time in a primary school, or any school for that matter, in Northern Ireland, it seemed like total chaos. The kids were constantly chattering, cutting up, rough-housing with each other or trying to pelt each other in the face during the name game we played at the beginning to try and learn the kids names. I'm hoping by the end of the 8 weeks we have with this group of P6's, I'll at least know some of their names (I'll explain their school system in a minute). Later on that night, I attended bible study in the Community Center with fellow church members. It was a very eye opening bible study and really allowed me to think about my faith and my surroundings.
Friday, to me, seemed like another evening/night of chaos. There were over 60 kids that came to Fusion. Fusion is a program for kids in grades P1-P7 to come run around, do a craft, and learn a little bit about Jesus. For the first 15 minutes (so from about 6:30-6:45), kids can run around and play with a number of different activities in the hall (looks like our basketball gyms, but they play soccer in theirs). After that 15 minutes is up, the kids are split into the older and younger groups which are sent into different rooms to either do the activity first or run around and play games first. About halfway through, they switch rooms which is an interesting task in itself to get them all to sit down with out fighting and be quiet. Soon its 8 and its a short breathing period before the older group of kids Form 1-Form 5. That groups come in from 8:30 till 11. They basically are not really needing of like leaders just supervisors and play mates for the Wii. By the time that is over, I am exhausted but it was a lot of fun to run around and play with a wide range of kids.
So y'll are probably like "P1-P7 and Form 1-5? I don't understand. What ages are those?" In Northern Ireland, kids begin with nursery school at 3. Once they turn 4/the next school year, they begin primary school, which is the equivalent of our elementary school. The kids attend primary school from 4-11. At the age of 11, they move into secondary school with is ages 11-16, Form 1-5. During their fifth form, they take wahat are called the GCSE's. It is basically a standardized test that they take for a certain number of subjects. From there they can do one of two things, either continue on with school and go to university or drop out and find a job. If they choose to continue on with school, they go on to Lower 6 and then Upper 6, during which time they take their A-Level, another testing situation. I am not fully clear what each set is testing for nor can I remember how many the students must take at each level. I do know, from talking to the kids at church, that the tests are hard and very stressful.
Whew...now we are at the beginning of this week. The first full week at the East Belfast Mission. Sunday, I went to church at 9:30 to help set up for worship since we are in the Community Center till Skainos is built (I'll explain more about Skainos at a later date). After church was over at 12, I headed to a fellow church members house to be a part of the Church Council meeting. During this meeting, the council members talked about everything from community, worship, discipleship, and prayer. It was very interesting to hear what each group had to say and it will be interesting to see how each group functions. Monday are our YAV meeting days. We meet with our lovely site coordinator, Doug, in a room down by city centre to discuss how our lives are going and any topics we don't quite understand. We also explore our faiths in different ways through not only our personal lenses but also with those we have gained by being in our communities and churches.
Tuesday began with staff prayers at 9:15 followed shortly with a pastoral meeting. There were a wide variety of topics discussed and although I didn't quite understand what they were talking about all the time, I did find it very informative as to what each person of the pastoral team does on a daily basis. After the pastoral team meeting, my supervisor and myself met with three people about the different programs I can and will be a part of this year. First was to talk about the women's group and the things that they are having up until Christmas, where they are meeting and how I can be involved with them. Also, in that meeting, we talked about Kids GAP, which is basically a mom and tots group. This is a group that moms, guardians, grandparents, caretakers, etc can bring their kids to be involved with fellowship with other moms and let their kids play in a safe atmosphere. Its a lot of fun but total chaos at time since there are kids just running around and playing!! Immediately after that I rode on the bus again to pick up the ladies for the friendship circle.
I think from here on out I will have schedule which will provide some structure and consistency in what I will be doing day in and day out. I love the change up though from the constant and at times mind numbing activities and classes from college. It has been an interesting week but it has been fun and full of times to be in amazement at the abilities, ideas and sayings of the people I work with. Everyday, I begin to think about things in a new light and begin to wonder how things can be and will be different at the end of my year here through the activities I am involved with.
Next post will hopefully include pictures!! :-)
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