Today we were taken to see the 'Peace Walls' which divide streets in Belfast. It is absolutely astonishing that a wall would need to be erected because of the dissent between communities. The wall is around thirty feet high and is covered in inspirational messaging. Someone from Berlin wrote 'tear down this wall' to me it demonstrated such a fundamental misunderstanding of the situation it was striking. This was further enhanced when I purchased a Linfield F.C. scarf. This is a soccer team that is identified with the protestant part of town. The man in the shop made certain to tell me 'not to wear the scarf in some parts of town'. Saying 'tear down this wall' is all well and good except what would it accomplish? The real emotion behind the issue needs to be of understanding and reconciliation. The problems and legacy of the 'troubles' are so deep here that it really can make it quite hard to believe that people are able to function at all. Yet they do and it leads to a most complex situation in which they can work together and live in the same city, yet also need to be divided by walls to ensure they do not destroy each others homes.
After this somber walk the mood was lightened by a trip to our friend Robert's sweet shop. We all ate many candies that we had not eaten before. Robert impressed the group by quoting lines from Willy Wonka perfectly as it played in his shop. Later in the afternoon we had another action packed day with the after school club of young children at Friendship House. They of course had lots of energy, we loved every minute of it and will miss these kids dearly as we will not see them again. The evening was a time for reflection the team has planned some great activities for the older kids tomorrow night and also had some time just to sit and have meaningful conversation with one another.
This is truly a trip in which the Lord is revealing new and wonderful things to us each day!
We think of all of you at home often, please keep us in your prayers.
Hello Everyone,
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that you're finding time to explore and take in the Irish culture. Such a beautiful people! We pray for continued peace and reconciliation that can only come in Jesus! God bless you as continue to serve in Belfast. May these verses encourage and inspire you: "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility." (Ephesians 2:14-16) Just has Christ reconciled groups in the first century church, may He work powerfully in N. Ireland. God bless!