Updates for Days Two and Three at Kitty's Road

Another miraculously clear day dawns in Kilkeel as we gear up for Day Four at Kitty's Road.

Day Two:

Tuesday saw enthusiasm from the kids about the pretty spectacular puppet show our team has put together, an ongoing story about a puppet named Tiernan who time-travels back to the time of Jesus, but has never quite caught a glimpse of the Man himself, always arriving only to see the people who have been affected by His various miracles and teachings. After Treasure Hunters time was over, fifteen or twenty kids joined a few of us in a big game of soccer, where with reliable teamwork and cheery encouragement our team members continue to build trust with the kids, which I've been seeing pay off in more open communication and readiness to have a real conversation at other times.

In the afternoon the whole Kitty's Road crew headed to Cranfield Beach, where, despite the fog that had crept up during the late morning, was a really enjoyable outing for all.

In the evening we returned for our second session of silly skits, worship songs, a testimony or story of salvation from one of our team, teaching, and discussion. Alli shared her story for the first time, though this is here fifth year on the team and second year leading. The community know and love Alli very well, and hearing her talk with complete frankness about her life with Jesus was powerful. Grant's message about David led into a good discussion of sin in our own lives and the true possibility of forgiveness.

Day Three:

The afternoon activity at Kitty's Road today was their annual Fun Day, where rented inflatables and a DJ invade the grassy space and turn it into a carnival. The day lived up to its name, and what's more, the time we got to spend just hanging out carried over into an evening session that was remarkable for its frankness and fluidity of discussion. Justin shared his story, which included the recent loss of his father. As some said in the debrief afterwards, "You could have heard a pin drop," and "There wasn't a dry eye in the room." We were all riveted on this young man as he spoke of this tragedy with both sadness and an undeniable hope. Afterwards, as the children were dismissed before the talk, I winced as one of the teenage girls in front of me got up from her seat, supposing she was leaving with the children and bringing her friends with her. But then, "Where are you going?" asked one of her friends.
"To sit in the front," she whispered back, and the row of girls climbed forward to fill the front seats vacated by the children, eager to hear.

Ryan's talk about the reaction of Jesus' family to his rise to ministry was immediate and engaging. It was so easy to imagine Jesus as one of the Kitty's Road kids, growing up and then coming back, standing in this community center and, shockingly, reading out, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me..." Various discussions ensued, some difficult, some relatively easy, but overall, the gospel and what it means to have a personal relationship with this Jesus are some very live questions at Kitty's Road right now. Praise God!