Dearest Friends,
STREET SHOWS
Dublin is an amazing city, bursting with people from all over the world. Yesterday, we shared with people from the Middle East, many European nations, many African countries, Brazilians, and people from all over the Ireland. It was a great day! The Lord held back the rain. The crowds were huge in the afternoon and good sized in the evenings. People wanted to talk about real things. I am always amazed how people will share with us their deepest hurts. I know that their openness to the Gospel is a direct result of prayer. Thank you for standing with us in prayer!
There were so many sweet stories, but I will just share with you my favorite story of the night. On Friday night, the team had talked with a lady who was not a believer. Her past made her very afraid of men and she would only talk to a woman. Last night, she returned to tell us that she had put her trust in Jesus. She said that she had to come and see us. She said that she was “drawn”. She shared all of this with a young man on the team. Already, God had begun to take away her fears and pour His love on her memories. Thank you Jesus!
HEART BREAK
Toward the end of our evening street show, a group of ten girls came walking down the street. They were twelve to fourteen years old and very drunk. Some of them tried to pull the puppets out of the stage. Worse, one of the band members told me that this is not an uncommon sight on the streets. Drunkenness is a big problem here and for some, too many, it becomes a lifestyle. We are losing too many to the emptiness and loneliness that comes when you don’t know Jesus. I don’t know what this group of girls could hear and remember, but please pray for them. God knows their names. My heart broke as I saw them struggling to find the happiness that only Jesus gives.
THE LAST PICTURE
Every time we share on the street, the band and the puppet team sing the last song together. We have made special puppets that resemble the Reality band members. As they all sing, “Oh Happy Days” together, I draw a special picture. It is a drawing of two cliffs, with God on one side and people on the other. Between the cliffs, the word sin is written to show what separates us from God. I finish by drawing a large red cross to show how Jesus is our bridge to God.
I prayed with the puppet team and asked the Lord to send me someone who would ask about that picture. God sent a man named Ray in his thirties. A year and a half ago, his 32 year old wife died. Shortly before that, his baby boy died. He was broken and he began to drink.
He was so excited about all that he heard and wanted the picture. I explained it to him and he called it a treasure.
I shared with him about the little baby that Mike and I lost when I was six months pregnant. I shared his pain as I told him about my husband’s death. We talked, we hugged. Both of us had tears in our eyes.
Could the Father have sent anyone better for me to talk with? Ray still has two daughters this side of heaven. They desperately need their father to stop drinking and be their father. Please pray for Ray.
Again the Father had kindly reminded me that we comfort with the comfort we have been given. He has shown me such love and comfort! Every time I come to Ireland, I am overwhelmed by all of my memories, the wonderful ministry God gave us in this place. I have cried many tears, but I have enormous joy. I will always love my sweet husband. I will always love my sweet Lord for the comfort He gives me.
In Jesus,
Linda for
Sam and Silvana, Heather, Mykayla, Krista, and Seth and all of REALITY