Dearest Friends,
We stand in awe of our Father, delighted by all that we see Him do. None of us can believe the crowds that come to the puppet shows. In all kinds of weather, they stand in the rain and ignore the rain and cold. Some walk away as soon as the name of Jesus is mentioned.
Salthill
Galway Bay is absolutely beautiful and with it’s incredible view at our backs, the band and the puppets shared with people walking along the seaside. It was an absolutely beautiful, sunny, cool day, with wind gusts that almost turned the puppet stage into a giant box kite. Our plan was to play to the people in short sets as they walked by, but God had other plans. Many people stayed with us for almost two hours through three sets with the band and two puppet shows with Bible stories. All along the seaside hotels, people were watching from their balconies.
Please pray for a man from Moscow who really loved the program, he does not know Jesus. He was touched by our kindness to his son. The father spokeEnglish well, but his little boy only spoke Russia. Linda used her little bit of Russian and shared him. Hw was so happy and his father’s heart was softened to the Gosple.
Galway & Ayre Square
About 9:00 that night, we began setting up in the Galway pub district pedestrian mall called Ayre Square. We sand and shared with many people until after midnight. Many amazing conversations take place as the team was sharing. Ester, Jude and Gail gave free CDs featuring Reality and tracts to anyone in the crowd who wanted one. One man who had just visited a friend in the hospital who had just lost a baby, came to our show trying find someone who could help him with his pain. God lead him to us as he talked with the team members.
Castlebar
Twice we set up beside the church on the green. Once, we had to move everything into the church because on rain, quickly rearranging all of our suitcases and sleeping bags (18 of us are sleeping on the floor of the church hall) to make room for all the children and adults, band equipment and puppet stage. The ladies of the church served nice cups of hot tea and biscuits (cookies) while we set up for the show.
The pastor is a precious man who has real kingdom vision. He came to all four of our shows in the area and always had a smile on his face. He lovingly welcomed all kinds of people, even very smelly drunks, into the church. Cathal challenged all of us to love Jesus more by his sweet spirit.
Pray for Val
One of the men that we talked to was named Val. He had been seriously injured and was on disability and had then turned almost totally to drink. After listening to the program (he actually came to four of them, hitchhiking 10 miles into town and then taking a bus to the Westport show) he was so excited about what he had heard. The band had given him a CD and Val had taken his "drink money" and bought a portable CD player so that he could listen to the music and testimonies. Pray for Val as the pastor works with him over the coming months. Linda and I, as well as many of you, know people who at one time were "given to drink" and are now good fathers, mothers, pastors and church workers.
Westport
Rain, rain, rain, rain, sun, rain, rain, sun, rain, rainÂÂ. No one believed that we would unload our equipment, PA system, guitars, puppets and a 240volt generator to share at the base of the St. Patrick monument. Standing under the trees, we waited a long time for the rain to stop and finally, God sent us enough sunshine that we were able to do two full programs.
Linda said, that of all the stories that she had told on this trip, these people listened the best. Clearly, God wanted us to be in this place. He just wanted us to have patience and trust Him.
Croagh Patrick (Mount Patrick)
This is one of the highest mountains in Ireland and it is a major pilgrimage site for the Catholic church in Ireland. On top of the mountain is a chapel and parishioners climb the mountain, many on their hand and knees, and pray at certain stations along the way. They believe that this is required to have their sins forgiven. They do not believe in the cleansing blood of Jesus to wash away their sins.
Please pray for the Irish people to see the truth of JesusÂ
In Christ,
The Agape Puppets Team in Ireland