So much is happening in Kilkeel. God is moving here and in everyone.
The past few weeks have been a real challenge to my faith but also a real blessing.
Northern Ireland is really starting to feel like home now. I now know most everyone in Kilkeel and they all know me...or at least know of me. I thought Stevensville and St. Joseph were tight-knit communities; they pale in comparison to Kilkeel. Everyone knows everyone and when in "outsider" is in Kilkeel everyone knows who they are.
JIMS is now in the full swing of things. We have Drop In every Friday and Saturday night from 7:30 to around 1 am. This is my favorite thing at JIMS. Basically kids, 4th year(freshman) and up, pay a £1 to get in and they just hangout. We have a pool table up stairs, an Xbox (complete with the new Fifa '12), the tuck shop, table tennis and playstation. There's also the upper-room. It's just a room with couches and people will just go up there to sit and chat. Like I said before, this is my favorite thing at JIMS. It really gives me a chance to get to know the kids, laugh, be crazy and unwind from the week.
This past weekend I got to meet some of the crew from YWAM. They are based in Rostrevor about a 15 minute drive from Kilkeel. They came and helped out with Drop In. Last night I went to the YWAM base for an open mic with a few of the youth that I work with and it was such a fun time. The YWAM crew is so welcoming and easy going, it was really nice to hangout with them and the youth I went with. It's good to get out of Kilkeel every once in a while.
While things are going so good for me there are my down times. I'm finding it hard to find people my age that I can confide in and be friends with. And I do get lonely sometimes, especially when I think of my family. I'm not homesick, but I miss my family terribly.
Pray for me
Pray that I find a friend to confide in. Pray for my family as this is a time of big changes for them. Pray that my faith and relationship with Christ will be a light leading others to a relationship with Him. Thank God for my housemates, thank Him that we get along well and we can rely on each other. Thank God that JIMS is a safe place for not just the youth of the community, but for everyone in Kilkeel. Pray that JIMS will continue to grow in Gods direction and continue to be a light for the community. Pray that I continue to grow in my relationship with God. Pray that I not be so worried about the little things.
Pray for Kilkeel.
Ellie O'Connor
