The Morning After...

The Morning After…

We were up, ate breakfast and were loading on to the bus by 7:45 a.m. We headed north with stops along the way. First stop, Ballynahinch: this is a town where one of our guests ministers. He had asked if we would pray for the community. We did.  Next stop, Hillsborough: this is the castle where the Queen of England (UK) stays when she is in Northern Ireland. It was a quick stop just to see the home, not a tour inside. Further up the coast we made a stop at Larne, a fishing harbor. They have a public restroom and a small convenience store so we did the necessary and stocked up on candy bars and drinks—you would think we hadn’t eaten properly these past several days!

Queen's Residence in NI

Some of the guys at Larne

Back in the bus and further north for a lunch stop. Deirdre had called ahead and the restaurant was going to let us use the dining room. We had brought bread, jam, peanut butter, crisps (potato chips), fruit and bottled water. They prepared coffee and tea. You could order from the menu if you preferred soup or something more substantial. It was a very lovely dining room! It was very generous of them to allow us to do that!

We drove along the coast for a while enjoying the beautiful scenery and the Irish Sea. Our driver, Sam, pointed out things of interest. We neared Carrick-a-rede Swing bridge and he pulled off to an observation point so we could see it from a distance. This was a photo op for those who would NOT be walking the quarter mile from the parking lot to the bridge and crossing. Since everyone was out of the bus, it also seemed to be a perfect opportunity for a group picture. We weren’t allowed much time; the drive to the north coast takes a while and we had lots to see.

The next stop was the swing bridge. I had done that hike two years ago and was quite content to just hang out in the bus and coffee shop. A few others passed on the walking/climbing but most were eager to try it! And did they enjoy it!! Adrian said it was ¼ mile to the bridge and would take 10-15 minutes to walk….now remember, this is uphill and a stone path with ups and downs.

Sam, the driver, slipped us in to Giant’s Causeway. We only had about 45 minutes before the last shuttle bus back up the hill and he didn’t think we should have to pay the 8.5 pounds each. Several walked down to the water while others paid to ride the shuttle. The rock formations are amazing. You really should Google it! They are from volcanic activity a long time ago leaving the stones in hexagonal columns. If we had had all day, there are several trails. Giant’s Causeway is one of only 6 places in the world with these formations. There were lots of photo ops and the more adventurous did some climbing up on the stones.

Leaving Giant’s Causeway, we headed to Dunluce Castle but it was too dark at 4:45 to see it. So we headed south to a restaurant for a 6 course supper at carvary. It was Tulleyglass Inn. The meal was 15.5 pounds or $24.00 each. This was not provided by the CGB. : )   Andrew’s wife, Lorna, had been in Belfast for classes (working on a theology degree) so she drove up to Tulleyglass. After dinner, there was a 90 minute ride back to the castle, then a team meeting and farewells to those who are leaving tomorrow. Later we learned that those departing Chicago tonight are waiting for the plane to be de-iced. It sounds like the weather ‘back home in Indiana’ is causing problems!

Thurs to Sunday, Love Team, Nov. 2014

Do you ever get frustrated with technology?  I had just typed a whole page....a whole page!!....and my laptop went "ahhhhhh" and closed down. Didn't save a word...and there were some good ones on the page. So now I start again and with me, the first one is usually better so I'm apologizing already for the content of this one. 

I told you I would not be posting during the Great Banquet Weekend but I really thought I might have a couple of short ones because there are 13 of us here on the Love Team who are able to come and go into town if we want. As it turns out, I kept my word.  

The plan was to get everything ready on Thursday morning and then have several hours of free time. Well, the meetings ran long and there was more to do than we thought. But on Friday several people did get out for a while. Some walked to Castlewellan (town-a mile or so and back again) for a wee bit of shopping. Others walked down and around the lake and back UP UP UP to the castle (about 3 miles). And others went to the Peace Maze on Friday or Saturday. It was raining most of the time so folks got wet! 

Castlewellan (town)

Ty in the phone booth 

Drumadonnell Cross in Castlewellan

This is a granite replica of an original stone cross that is believed to have stood in the  Drumgooland graveyard until the late 1700s. It was then set into the north gable wall of the Old School House in the Drumadonnell townland and during this time the cross took on its present name. It’s significance ties into the local legend that Saint Patrick, when preaching here to some soon-to-be converted heathens, was shown a sacred standing stone marked with a circle symbolising a moon goddess. He then made the mark of a Latin cross through the circle and blessed the stone, hereby making the first Celtic Cross. The original Drumadonnell Cross is now safely housed in Castlewellan Forest Park and is now designated as a ‘Monument in State Care’.

 The Irish tell us that this week has brought some of the hardest rains they can remember. Some of the windows have leaked at the castle because of the wind and rain. One of the guests arrived late because he rode a motorbike from north of Belfast. Another was late because his furnace went out. He was able to get it going but it did cause him to be delayed.

On Friday, Donna began to have “floaters” in her right eye. As the day went on, her eye got worse as a “curtain” kind of came across the right one. She called her optometrist in Kokomo who told her she needed to see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. Jerry Van Auken came to pray for her and a guest, who is a pastor in Castlewellan, came to see if he could help connect us to the right people. He called a friend who is a doctor who said we should go to Belfast. Alan, who attended the Logansport GB in August, was our driver and Andrea, who is a nurse and on the Love Team, accompanied us. We were off to Belfast at 8:30 pm. The waiting rooms are notoriously a long wait so the  Irish had given us plenty of coins for the vending machines.

Alan maneuvered through driving rain along the narrow, dark and winding roads. Finally Belfast! We went to A&E (ER) and were checked in. Later she was called into triage for a brief conversation. After a while, Donna felt her eye was getting worse and told the clerk at reception. They took her in and we all trooped in with her. Oh My…the ER is one huge room with all kinds of situations. Alan and I were invited to leave and Andrea stayed while the GP saw Donna. The ophthalmologist would not come until he heard the assessment from the GP.  Donna and Andrea came back out and again we waited. Finally at about 12:30 a.m. Donna was called in to see the specialist. He told her it was a torn retina and she should return in the morning for surgery.

Alan collected the car and picked us up at the door and we made the trip back up to Castlewellan. Andrea had drops to be put in Donna’s eye in the morning.  We were back at the castle after 2 am with plans to be on the road by 7:30 in the morning. Deirdre had given me her phone so we had been in contact with the castle. They made the transport arrangements and left a note at my door.

Saturday came early (short night). Andrew (manager of Castlewellan Christian Center and agape for the men’s weekend) drove us back to the hospital in Belfast. He had some paperwork to do so he dropped us all at the door. Andrea had put in the drops while Andrew confirmed we were in the right place. I had the phone so I would call him when we were ready to leave. On the way to to the 8^th floor, Eye Trauma, Andrea put in another round of drops. The receptionist did not have Donna on the surgery schedule but as we tried to explain, the Hungarian doctor who had seen Donna in the ER dashed in with the paperwork. Now it was time to wait. The doctor looked at her eye and added more drops.

The surgical appointment was for 9 am and I was told it would be a 30 minute procedure. They took her back at about 9:20 so of course, I was expecting her before 10. Ten came and went and by 10:15, I was getting concerned. What I did not know was that the doctor had to unlock the operating room and he had the wrong key so that was another trip back to the office area. And I didn’t know that he had two patients, not just Donna. They finally came back at 10:30. We had to wait a few minutes for the post op exam and then we called Andrew to come get us. We were back to the castle by “half twelve” – the Irish way of saying “12:30”.

Donna went to lie down so I had the privilege of telling the team and guests that the surgery was over and she was resting. It had been a long 16 hours. After she rested, she did call home (she had made me promise not to) and let them know all about the problem. She has no real restrictions although the team has told her NO LIFTING and NO BENDING OVER. We are praising the Lord for the way He went before us and made the rough places plain!

We saw God moments all over this experience. It is very unusual to get to see a specialist and unheard of to have the surgery so quickly. If we had gone to the closest hospital, they would have just sent us on to Belfast. Alan knew us and had a vehicle here. He is on team. And Andrew had asked Paula to pray that he have an uninterrupted hour….little did he know it would be in the car waiting in the parking lot in Belfast. But God answers our prayers in peculiar ways sometimes.

Later on Saturday, four more of the women’s team arrived. They needed a nap to adjust to the 6 hour time difference but were up by tea time (supper).

Sunday was another full day of dining room duty.  The meals have been wonderful and those of us staying for two weeks are already looking forward to the repeated menus which include steak pie and of course the desserts! Apple Crisp with Custard Sauce, Chocolate cake with ganache, Trifle, Banoffee Pie, Cadbury Carmel Chocolate Cheesecake, and cherry tarts.

Our kitchen team has not been able to prepare the food. None of them has an Irish food handler’s permit. Deirdre and her castle staff have done all of that…and quite well! However, our kitchen team helped the castle staff by manning the dishwasher...for the nearly 60 of us and the group of 100 teens!! They were in the dish room for 2 hours after each meal! 

It was leftovers for supper on Sunday after the guests left and we were all quite happy with that! It was wonderful to hear the testimonies and fun to see that the guests were in no hurry to leave. After our late supper, we had an abbreviated debrief team meeting. There are things to tweak but no major issues.

Late supper with team. 

Donna, Jean and Pat 

The other part of our meeting was to talk about the plans for Monday. We will be going to Giant’s Causeway that the North Coast. I’ve been there three times and delighted to be going again. It is one of those amazing natural formations left from molten lava many centuries ago. We will have to get up “early” as breakfast is at 8. The day will be full of sightseeing. The evening meal will be at a “carvary” and six courses! (Carvary—a restaurant that carves the meat for each patron).  

There are some great pictures of almost everyone in this room but I only included the one so Donna's family can see how she is doing! And of course, a picture of our Lay Directors!

Those of us staying 2 weeks have only one more day with 23 of our team. Thirteen will arrive on Tuesday for the second week. 

Ted Merrell, Lay Director, CGB #1
Jean Merrell, Lay Director, CGB #2 

Elegant Evening, Wonderful Wednesday, Part 2

After lunch, the Newcastle group went to Dundrum to visit the ruins of the Dundrum Castle which dates back to 1177. It sits high in town and gives a perfect view of Murlough Bay.

The Keep at Dundrum Castle

Tonda, Donna, Barb and Phil at Dundrum Castle

Murlough Bay from Dundrum Castle

Andrew Forson, manager of Castlewellan Christian Centre,
Barb and Donna at Dundrum Castle

After the bus with the Belfast group returned, there were only a few minutes before we all boarded the bus headed for Burrendale Country Club for dinner. Deirdre had given us a menu yesterday on the bus so our orders were in. It is in Newcastle and quite lovely! The tables were ready and Deirdre assigned our seats (to help the servers with our orders).

The starters (appetizers) were amazing! Mine was Chicken Liver Parfait with a small salad of mixed leaves and grapes accompanied by toasted brioche bread and Burrendale fig and apple chutney. Tonda had Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese and Kilkeel Prawn Salad, Marie rose sauce , celeriac remoulade, organic leaf salad, buttered Burrendale Guinness bread. There were three other choices just as enticing!

The main courses were also elegantly presented and deliciously prepared. We had sides of seasonal vegetables which included parsnips, carrots, snow peas and a veg that may have been rutabaga. The entrees included chicken supreme with cabbage, turkey with dressing, ribeye steak with carmelized onions, hake fillet with chorizo and Kilkeel prawns and truffle mash...well, you get the idea.

When we couldn't eat another bite, dessert was delivered. Well, maybe we could eat just a wee bit more. Eclair and warm brownie and pavlova with fruit!! Oh Yes!! Many thanks to the Irish part of the team for providing this wonderful time for us. It was superb!!

Some of us...

Some more of us....

And the rest of us....(see end of blog)

More of us....

Desserts! 

Menu...Made Especially for CGB!

Back to the castle for a group picture and team meeting. If we get all our work done tomorrow morning, we may get to have a short outing before the guests arrive!

This is a painting of Castlewellan Castle and the lake.
It is about 6 ft wide and 3 ft tall...hangs at Burrendale Hotel
and Country Club

All of the team, men and women's plus love team. On the stairs to the Main Hall

Team with a prayer shawl sent from Connecticut. 

and...if you couldn't find someone in the other dinner pictures,
here's the rest of us...now we are all accounted for!!

Wonderful Wednesday, Part 1

A cemetery in Newcastle

At the cemetery in Newcastle

At home I call it "Wonderful Wednesdays" because I spend Wednesday mornings with my great-granddaughter and of course, my dog, Willow. Today was Wonderful Wednesday but with other little girls and dog. Richie Shilliday and his wife Jenn are the leaders/directors/everything at R.I.O.T.-Revival in Our Town-ministry for teens. They have two precious girls, Charley and Addy and a yorkie, Talbot. While others went to Belfast or Newcastle for the day, I went to Shillidays! We played with My Little Ponies and "made tea" and watched a movie and took a nap! Jenn fixed lunch and ran Talbot to the groomers. Later in the afternoon she had to take one of the R.I.O.T. interns to the doctor. The little girls and I had a grand time! (Pictures of the girls on my Facebook page)

R.I.O.T. House at left. Chalet where teens meet at right rear.
Methodist Church at right. Note the stone fence!

As for the others.....thirty some went to Downpatrick to visit the church and the burial place of St. Patrick. I have been there a few times. They said the curator was excellent and gave them so much information about St. Patrick. From there they went to Belfast to visit the Titanic Museum. That is a great experience and they all enjoyed it too! I don't have pictures from there, of course.

Another group of four went to Newcastle and Dundrum. I do have pictures of their day. They shopped along the main street, went to the promenade and along the sea. They had lunch at my favorite place, Creme Cafe.
Both groups saw rainbow after rainbow today as there was a bit of rain, again and again. The mist on the Mournes lifted in the afternoon and those in Newcastle were able to really enjoy the mountains.

The Irish Sea and the Mourne Mountains...along the Promenade

Along the street in Newcastle

Barb and one of the many rainbows.

A favorite road sign...near assisted living!
Complete with a "new" couple, Barb and Phil

Knackered?

You will have to read to the end to find out about "knackered?" But back to the beginning. Forty of us met at Upper Deer Creek Church to get on a bus to Chicago. There was some repacking as some bags were over 50 lbs. There was also a big box of books to be distributed in bags that were not overweight so we wouldn't have to take another bag. There were 18 large plastic trunk/totes with supplies for the weekend. Those who can pack lightly gave up their free checked bag so that we could bring decorations and supplies for the weekends, Castlewellan Great Banquets, #1 and #2.

The day was beautiful but a bit windy. We were able to get everything packed and boarded the bus. After about 40 minutes, we pulled over. There was an oil pressure problem. We prayed; we posted the request on Facebook and we proceeded. A couple of calls were made and there was a backup plan. Amazingly...the pressure held and we made it to Chicago in the original bus! Praise God!

Just before we were called to begin boarding, Ted and Jean went around to tell all of us that the plan had been to have a devotion time. There didn't seem to be a place to do that so they suggested that we gather in groups of 2 or 3 to pray for our flight, the weekends and each other. That was a beautiful sight in the Chicago airport as there were ten or twelve clusters in the waiting area huddled in prayer!

On the plane!

More Great Banquet team...

It was a 7 or 8 hour flight...tiring. We arrived in Dublin at 7:40 a.m. It may have been 2 am or 3 am in Kokomo or Chicago. At that point we just knew it was time to be alert as we had to collect all that baggage and get onto another bus which was en route. We only had to wait a few minutes and then we saw four of our Irish friends' faces waving at us from the other side of the airport road. We walked down to the crosswalk lugging those bags...probably over a hundred total...each of us with a carry-on and a personal bag plus some who had a checked bag plus those totes. 

Collecting baggage

A great welcome from Alan Dumigan!

Adrian became our tour guide. The driver took us for a "look see" in Dublin. We passed Trinity College, the Guinness factory and other impressive buildings as Adrian gave us an abbreviated history. Then we stopped at Christ Church which is over 1000 years old....one thousand years!! Time was limited to 90 minutes but we were duly impressed with the structure, the relics, the icons and the history.

Christ Church, built before 1170

Sharon mentioned that we would need to gather for the Moment of Remembrance. I didn't know what she meant. Today is November 11...known in Europe as Remembrance Day rather than Veteran's Day. People gather to pray at 11 am on 11/11. So we joined that tradition. Our group met in the crypt area of Christ Church for prayer. Yes, wars have touched every nation. 

A stop at a historical cemetery was cancelled as we had rain. There was a late lunch at a small food court on the motorway. The terrain seemed to change as we headed north. We saw sheep, stone fences and quaint towns. We were in Northern Ireland! 

It was about 3 pm when we arrived at Castlewellan. Andrew boarded the bus and inquired about how we were feeling using a term we weren't familiar with (and I don't remember). He tried to define it by saying, "are you knackered?" We were, we just didn't know it....worn out!!! 

So those 100 bags and totes were moved again. We were assigned rooms and given 2 hours until "tea time". Tea is supper. We had a lovely sweet and sour chicken over rice followed by apple crisp with warm custard sauce. And of course, coffee and tea.

Team enjoying supper in one of the dining rooms. 

Some local pastors came in to chat with our leadership and most of us kind of "hung out" in front of the cozy fire blazing in the sitting room. All in all....a wonderful full day. We ARE knackered but in a good way. 

T-1

Tomorrow at this time, 43 folks from various places will have come together to begin the journey to Castlewellan! I think I can speak for everyone when I say we are very excited for this opportunity! We will be visiting Northern Ireland, renewing friendships with those that some of us have known for a few years and others only met in the Spring and Summer. We will experience some of the beautiful sights and sites in County Down and up to the North Coast. We will walk along the Irish Sea and learn to have a cuppa' at anytime for any reason.

While all of that will be wonderful, our purpose in this trip is not to vacation but to serve. The Kokomo Great Banquet is sponsoring the first Castlewellan Great Banquet in Castlewellan, County Down, Northern Ireland! This has been prayed over for well over a year. God planted the seed for this as different ones have developed connections. Then last year a team of six went to Dundrum to share this vision with nearly forty Irish folks. A core group agreed that this was "of God" and plans began to bring some to Kokomo and Logansport to experience the weekend. Dates were set, a team was called, Skype meetings were held and now....we are on our way!!

I have packed and repacked and still have a few things to tuck in.
And it looks like a few things to take out...oh my, decisions, decisions!  I don't really pack THAT much. Friends in NI have asked me to bring a couple of items and then I put in a few things I knew they would like.

This all needs to fit into my computer bag...I'm in trouble!!

We do covet your prayers as we travel. This is the first international trip for some of our team. Some are traveling with spouses and some are not. We are taking decorations and supplies that we will need for the Great Banquet weekends....trunks and trunks! Pray that we all arrive safely and that the trunks make it with us!

Just one more outfit to get in here....

This is the bag with "stuff"...requests, decorations, and oh, yes, a warm hat for the fierce Irish winds!

I had a glitch with uploading photos and have found a way around it.I am trusting that we will be able to share some of the beauty of North Ireland with you all in the next two weeks. (You are welcome to read and invite others. Please do not tag anyone! Thanks!)

The theme song for both the men's and women's weekends is "Lord, I Need You".  As you listen, think of us....43 tomorrow and another 20 over the next 7 days...who are serving at Castlewellan Great Banquets, #1 and #2. (There are several Irish on team also!!)