One Year Together!

Tuesday, July 13 we slept in after the eventful holidays. The morning was spent reading and painting before heading to work in the office for a wee bit. We didn't last too long. Most people were still off work so the most of Northern Ireland was shut down except for the 2 of us so not much was accomplished. About mid-afternoon we decided it was enough for the day and did some much needed grocery shopping for the evening meal with Thomas and Cami. A delicious American delicacy of tater-tot casserole was made.

Wednesday was our rest day. We ran some errands in the morning and then headed into city center to find some much needed maps for when Micah’s family arrives. The evening was spent cleaning the Ark in preparation for hosting Cami's sister, nephew and friends.

Thursday we spent the day in the office: Micah worked on grant applications; Lucy worked on continuing to find a volunteer for October since one backed out when his mother became ill. In the evening we headed over to the Ember for a James’ specialty: beer-butt chicken. James cooks a full chicken with a bunch of spices rubbed on it and a can a beer up the rear end. It may sound a bit odd, but turns into a quite tender meat! The evening was spent around the table chatting and having a good craic in typical Ember form.

Friday we had an allotment party since the lads were off work. Micah, Scott, Lucy, Thomas and Larry all headed up in the morning. We spent the morning picking strawberries and raspberries, mowing and weeding. Makiko, Noah and Matthew joined us at lunch time for a barbecue and more weeding, picking of broad beans, peas, garlic and kale. It was a full and tiring day, but also a great day of fun up in the beautiful and quiet allotment. When we got back to the Ember, we used some of the veggies from the allotment to make a soup for dinner before heading back to the Ark to crash after a hard day’s work.

Thomas.

BARBECUE!!

Larry inspecting the old broken down Volvo at the allotment.

On Saturday we were present in the Ember. It was a hard day! Jillian was in bad form. She woke up in bad form and stayed that way most of the day. No matter what we were doing she was not a happy camper until we went to Rose Week at Lady Dixon Park. She then enjoyed interacting with Thomas and seeing the beautiful roses as well as hearing the harp music.

Sunday was our one year anniversary!! So we headed to church at City Church then we took the train to Bangor to celebrate. Bangor is a village about a 30 minute train from Belfast situated on the Belfast Lough and the Irish Sea. We were able to spend Sunday and Monday in a bed and breakfast in Bangor to relax and realize that it has already been one year since we got married!! Once we arrived, we walked around a bit and then checked into our B&B. After making a plan for dinner, we sat out by the water before heading for tapas. The evening was spent with backgammon and Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang (which Micah fell asleep during!!).

Monday we were treated to a deluxe breakfast! We both started out with delicious fresh fruit and a hearty portion of porridge before Micah enjoyed an Irish Fry and Lucy tried duck eggs. Way too much food but way good! After breakfast when we thought the weather had cleared up, we began a walk on the beach. We had fun climbing on rocks and enjoying the view across the Lough until the rain began. The mile walk back to the B&B in the rain and wind along the beach was not as much fun especially when we only had brought along one pair of trousers. The lesson we learned: it can always rain no matter what the weather forecast says so always pack 2 pairs of trousers. Luckily our B&B hosts were gracious enough to dry our trousers for us AND there were robes in our room so they didn’t even have to see us trouser-less. Once our trousers were dry it was time for dinner (now we were especially thankful for a big breakfast since we had missed lunch), we decided to eat at a place called Papa Joes New Orleans. The Cajun food was a nice change of pace from our typical plate here even though we doubt it was too authentic. We took a nice walk back from the restaurant along the water and then enjoyed a sit by the water outside the B&B.

The B&B

Beautiful!

The harbor.

Our adventure on the beach in the rain.

Tuesday we were up early. We needed to be back in Belfast for a meeting at 10 so that meant breakfast at 7:30. No fear we still got a delicious and big breakfast. The beginning was the same and then Micah tried a salmon omelette and Lucy had the Irish Fry. After race walking (at least as well as we could after that breakfast!) to the train station we slid through the doors just before the train pulled out. After an express commuter train back to Belfast we walked the 1.2 miles back to the Ark just in time to get trained in how to give medicine. Up to this point, only support staff have been able to administer medicine to core members, but as of Tuesday, the volunteers are also allowed to give medicine! We are not allowed to punch the pills out of the pack!! Woot woot! It was a long and tedious training, but we passed the quiz! Then it was off to the office to try to recruit volunteers and get money through grants!

Today has been a crazy day. We were present in the Ember in the morning. Then have been trying to set up a bank account (again). After 3 months ours that we did set up is closing because we cannot prove our residence here since we are not paying any utilities. So, we have to open another one, and use the bank statement from the previous bank to prove our residency. Seem a little silly? AND we didn’t even have exactly the right paperwork so we will have to go back, but it will have to wait till after holidays! So we have been to city centre twice today which would be a hassle for most people, but with no car it is a big hassle to walk/bike in especially when one of the bikes breaks part way in!!! This evening has been a quiet evening in the Ember, Jillian is at her dad’s for the night, Thomas is at work at Common Grounds and Larry is at dinner at a friend’s house. May just has returned from Hong Kong with her family so she is unpacking and cleaning her room. Not much activity is happening in the Ember tonight!

Tomorrow we are back in the office plugging away at volunteer coordination and grant writing THEN the Loucks family arrives on Friday! We are anticipating their arrival in Belfast!! Pray for their safe travels and our safe travels around the island.

The 12th of July

Yesterday was a day of celebration for about half of Northern Ireland. Wikipedia has a good explanation of the reasoning behind the celebration and why only part of the community celebrates. So we will include that information below.

Edited from Wikipedia:

The Twelfth (also called Orangemen's Day or, in Belfast, Orangefest) is an annual Protestant celebration on 12 July. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution (1688) and victory of Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne (1690). Members of the Orange Order stage parades throughout Northern Ireland and to a lesser extent in several other parts of the world. While it is a Protestant celebration, not all Irish Protestants celebrate it, whether due to political or cultural reasons or indifference. More recently, attempts have been made to play down explicitly political aspects of the parades (as well as any violent history) and present the Twelfth as a "cultural" event, at which tourists are welcome.

History
The Twelfth itself originated as a celebration of the Battle of Aughrim, which took place on 12 July 1691 in the Julian calendar. Aughrim was the decisive battle of the Williamite war, in which the predominantly Irish Catholic Jacobite army was destroyed and the remainder capitulated at Limerick, thereafter being exiled to France to fight in the wars of Louis XIV, the Sun King. The Twelfth in the early 18th century was a popular commemoration of this battle, featuring bonfires and parades. The Battle of the Boyne (fought on 1 July 1690) was commemorated with smaller parades on 1 July. However, two events were combined in the late 18th century to switch the Twelfth commemorations to the Boyne.

The Twelfth parades of the early 19th century often led to riots and public disorder, so much so that the Orange Order and the Twelfth were suppressed in the 1830s and 40s.

Events on the Twelfth

Lead-up to the Twelfth
The 'marching season' begins around Easter, and from this point until the Twelfth the Orange Order stages numerous small parades. The most common of these are lodge parades, in which one lodge walks with a single band. Others, such as the 'mini-Twelfth' at the start of July, feature several lodges.
At the start of July, some unionist areas will be decorated in a 'loyal' style. In most such areas this will include the flying of flags (primarily the Union Jack and Ulster Banner but also the Flag of Scotland) from lamp posts and houses, and sometimes the erection of bunting over the streets. In especially Loyalist areas such as the Shankill Road and Sandy Row in Belfast many householders will also decorate their houses with large quantities of bunting and flags, murals will be touched up, small banners will be attached to lamp posts, and arches will be erected.

Eleventh night
The night before the Twelfth sees enormous bonfires lit in some Unionist districts. These are alternately seen as friendly community get-togethers, depending on time, place and personal viewpoint. A recent criticism of the bonfires is that much of what is burnt (especially tyres) causes serious environmental pollution. In the past the fires were lit on intersections but damage to nearby houses and to the street itself meant that most areas now have an area of waste ground set aside for this purpose.

Official events
The main official way in which the Twelfth is celebrated in Northern Ireland is through parades, which are held all over Northern Ireland. Within Northern Ireland each District Lodge usually organises its own parade. In rural districts the parade will rotate around various towns, sometimes favouring those in which there is less likely to be trouble but in other years choosing those in which it is felt the 'right to march' needs to be defended. The Belfast parade has taken more or less the same route for the last few decades, although in the 1980s the destination changed when the Order purchased a new field to end the parade in. In most areas the parade begins at an Orange Hall and proceeds through the town to a field where members of the Order, their friends and family, and the general public gather to eat, drink and listen to speeches by clergymen, politicians and senior members of the Order. In the past the Twelfth has been a major venue for discussion of the political issues of the day. A church service will also be conducted and sometimes band prizes will be awarded.

Lodges march together, and will generally alternate with marching bands of various kinds. Band members are often not formally associated with the Order but are hired for the day, although most are clearly of a similar political hue to the lodges, and have similar names. The bands, especially flute bands, have a reputation as being less respectable than the lodges, although they are seen by many as serving the useful purpose of keeping young men from working class areas out of trouble.

Controversy
Parades on the Twelfth are often controversial due to the nature of the Orange Order, and the Twelfth is a tense occasion in many parts of Northern Ireland, with riot police on duty at flashpoint parades to prevent clashes between the nationalist community and unionist community. Many in the nationalist community view the parades as triumphalist and a sign of Unionist Protestant dominance in Northern Ireland. Marchers insist that they have the right to walk on public streets, particularly along their 'traditional routes', even if these routes take them through or past what are predominantly nationalist areas. Nationalists see this as a deliberate territorial affront. Over the last few years the number of these flashpoints has appeared to decrease, as the paraders have been told to desist from, or moderate them by the Parades Commission, and nationalists have adopted a more relaxed attitude.

Every Twelfth between 1970 and 2005, British Army soldiers were deployed in Belfast to help police the parades. In 2006, for the first time in more than three decades, soldiers were not deployed on the streets of Belfast during the Twelfth, in what was seen as a benefit of the reduced tensions under the peace process. Due to improved policing and the Northern Ireland peace process, recent parades have been more peaceful. Any complaints about parades may be referred to the Parades Commission, who can set restrictions or even ban a parade if it is seen to be too contentious.

Not our picture: But shows an example of what we saw and a common size of a bonfire.

Our Experience:
On the night of the 11th we were watching the football game at James’ apartment in West Belfast and were able to see a 3-story bonfire waiting to be lit with the Irish flag on top. This would be common throughout the communities.
On the 12th we headed to Lisburn Road to watch one of the many parades that occur throughout the day. Some of the parades are more political charged and heated than the one we attended. In our experience the parade was lots of flute bands consisting mainly of males ranging in age from very young to very old. Each band represented an Orange Order, which is a Protestant political group from a neighbourhood. There were Orange Orders from all over Northern Ireland and a few from Scotland and England. There were well over 100 bands in the parade. The strangest part of the parade for us was part way through when everyone stopped for a beer and water break. Not something we had experienced before when watching a parade! As we walked the route of the parade we were amazed to see the number of people watching the parade. There were thousands of people watching this one parade. The rest of the day was really calm in our neighbourhood because it was a holiday. Most shops were closed; many people were out of the city, especially Catholics. In other parts of the city it was not as calm as this is a tense time in Northern Ireland. If you are interested, there are a few links to BBC which explain other happenings in the city.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/10612779.stm
This news shows some rioting on our road about 3/4 mile from our house on a bridge we cross frequently when going to city centre.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/10612369.stm




Orange Order Banner


The parade and all the people!!


A typical flute band

Cork Holiday

Saturday July 3 we headed to Cork with the community. After a slow start to the morning (it is hard to get 15 people loaded into cars), we started the 5 hour drive down to southern Ireland. We enjoyed a nice picnic along the way and arrived just in time for dinner. In the evening we headed to a nearby pub to watch the world cup match!

Sunday we slept in. Lucy went to mass with a few members of the community and then headed to the beach after lunch. After a long walk on the beach and an ice cream cone, we headed back for dinner. Then we headed into town toward city centre to find a pub to hang out in. It was a lovely walk along the river!

The group at the beach (Micah, Maria, James, Bernadette, and Matthew)

Bernadette the only one brave enough to enter the freezing water

Monday we went to L’Arche Cork’s 25^th Anniversary celebration. We enjoyed a lovely cup of tea, picnic and mass with them and others. After lunch we embarked on a ridiculous pilgrimage. We all (about 50 people) lined up and were strung together with yarn to walk SLOWLY more than a mile across roads and bridges to the first L’Arche Cork house. It was a nice idea, but the execution was not as nice as the core members burned in the sun and others were a wee bit miserable! The evening was spent in the apartment playing card games and relaxing.

Jillian helping Father Joe with mass by singing Beautiful Jesus

Tuesday we headed out for a community outing to Fota Island Wildlife Park. We met up with Maria’s brother and another group that does organic gardening. It was a nice (although wet) day with the animals! It was fun to see the core members enjoying the animals and mixing with the other group. After dinner we (of course) watched the world cup match in the apartment!

Monkey!

Wednesday we went to Kilarney National Park organized by L’Arche Cork. It is the largest national park on the Island. Once at the park we walk around the grounds and enjoyed seeing an historical farm including different buildings, animals and gardens. The evening was spent (again) watching football!

Killarney National Park

Thomas comparing beards with the goat...maybe in a few years Thomas!

Thursday we headed off to Blarney Castle with Larry, Jonny and Murray (2 friends of the community). Larry made it up and down the 100 stairs even with no hand rail on the way up, really narrow stairs, and not being sure footed! HeWe kissed the Blarney Stone so we should be very eloquent speakers now! Then we enjoyed walking around the lake and the woods before heading back to the car for a “picnic” since it was raining.

Blarney Castle!

Micah kissing the stone!

Typical Larry

Friday, we were back at L’Arche Cork to celebrate the end of their anniversary week. We joined in the afternoon for a Caleigh, a traditional Irish dance. Although many of the core members could not quite follow all the moves it was a good time! In the evening we enjoyed a meal out as a community. It was a real celebration as our community does not eat out together often. It was a nice way to end the week together!

Jillian and Pam (friend of the community) dancing at the Caleigh

Makiko and Cami enjoying a good craic at the Caleigh (aka a good time in Belfast lingo)

On Saturday we headed home. Micah drove the entire 5 hours in the unending rain. It was a rainy rainy day, but we were all glad to be back in Belfast!

Sunday was a day of relaxation. We were pretty lazy until the World Cup Final when Larry, and the two of us headed over to James’ apartment to watch with a few of his friends. Larry loved that it was projected on the wall.

Community holiday overall was brilliant. It was a great time to see core members outside their normal routines. Jillian was in a great mood, Larry loved messing about, Thomas enjoyed the one-on-one time and the time with other assistants was priceless. It was much like any holiday or vacation that the memories were well worth it, but it was also very energy sapping. In addition to our core members, friends of the community were invited along. One of the friends, Bernadette, lived in our apartment and was a bit needy. It took awhile to figure out what assistance she needed and for her to figure out the community expectations, but by the end of the week, life went much smoother! We enjoyed almost every minute of holiday, but were very ready to be home and ready to rest!! Not exactly a holiday where we came back rested!

Home Sweet Home

Monday June 28 we had our team meeting where we spent most of the time discussing the upcoming HOLIDAY! Then Micah had a meeting with East Belfast Mission to learn more about the work they do. They are a social enterprise that does everything from homeless hostels to second hand furniture shops to cafes to meals on wheels. They are an impressive organization and Micah was able to take away a lot. After that, we wasted a lot of petrol. We ran a bunch of errands around town just to have to return items for different sizes. It was an exhausting day.

Tuesday we had another work day in the Ark for our formation meeting. We deep cleaned the kitchen, moved the office furniture from the bathroom back to the office and arranged bedrooms. It was really helpful to get it almost move-in ready! Micah then headed off to a meeting with Open Door Housing, one of the collaborators in Root Soup. Lucy spent the afternoon in the office working with volunteer coordination and beginning to write the history of the community! In the evening we had a goodbye prayer for Faythe who is heading back to America to be with her Grandma before moving to South Bend. Her husband, James will be joining her in South Bend in August as he begins a peace studies programme at Notre Dame.

Wednesday we went to Ian’s Bakery for doughnuts before cleaning the Ark to prepare to MOVE-IN!!! It finally happened, we moved back into our home! To celebrate we had some delicious spring rolls and samosas from the Asian market down the road. After dinner we went to a cell group (small group) from City Church. It was good to be able to meet some new people and relax outside the L’Arche community.

Thursday was a day in the office. Lucy worked on the history of Belfast and responded to tons of emails! Micah began to work on grant applications. In the evening we headed up to dinner at fellow BVSer, Pam’s house. Before actually arriving we got pretty lost!! Belfast is not a nice grid layout as one would hope in a city! Once we finally arrived, the lasagne and company was well worth the trip. After dinner we headed back to L’Arche to pick up Thomas, Larry, Matthew, Makiko and Cami in order to go to Neil’s gig. Lucy only got to see the first band, because Thomas decided he was tired and wanted to go home. Not the best use of £4, but life goes on. Micah thought the opening bands weren’t as good as last time, but had a good time hanging out with the guys and hearing Neil play.

Today, Micah worked in the garden and had a meeting with Orchardville Society, a potential training facilitator for Root Soup. Lucy had a nice relaxing morning and then headed to the Ember to be present for the afternoon. Micah and Scott brought back 18 lbs of strawberries from the allotment so Lucy, Jillian and Jonny spent a long time chopping strawberries for muffins and to be frozen. The evening was spent packing in preparation for holiday tomorrow.

Tomorrow we leave for Cork for our community holiday. We will be gone seven days with the community to help to celebrate L’Arche Cork’s 25 anniversary as well as just hang out as a community. It is sure to be a good time and we will surely have some stories when we return!

We are glad to be back in the Ark. It feels good to be home again. Even though we haven’t replaced everything that was lost from smoke damage, we are glad to be settling back in. Our prayer request would be for our health. Although we have both managed to stay healthy so far we feel like the month of June was a whirlwind of activity. We are ready for the change that holiday will bring.