Day 6: Ireland is Cold!

So I must say that I was tricked! While it does not "snow" in Ireland the temperature does drop to snow like weather. In the ministry today we had a nice size group and I was able to place a couple of sets of magazines but eventually I could no longer feel my toes or my fingers.

The ministry here is similar and at the same time different from what I am use to in college park. The responses are similar "I'm not interested" or as one guy said to Preben "Right or wrong I am going to always be a Catholic" they people at least come to talk to you at the door. So even if they aren't interested you may be able to read a scripture or having a nice conversation.

One sister I spoke with said that the newspaper said Ireland was a post Catholic country where people have gone fromone extreme to another, from Catholism to no faith at all. There are others that sill have a sense of loyalty and there are many stories from others that had been mistreated by the church which is really sad.

There are many stories of people that have suffered abuse and are dealing with emotional scars but continue to hold on to their faith as that is the only thing they have ever known, however they are still looking for answers to Bible questions.

The other day we spoke with a nice man until he we said we were Jehovah's Witnesses and he said that he wouldn't listen to us because we let children die. Of course we tried to correct that misunderstanding but he wouldn't hear us. The sister I was working with was a nurse and proceed to explain the types of treatments we would use involving blood but he had already closed his mind.

On one call I went on was with a former nun who was really nice and had a sad story regarding leaving her post because she could not believe Jesus would approve of the way she was being treated by her mother superior afte over 26 years of missionary service in Africa. She is having a difficult time but enjoys Biblical conversations.

I want to say that the sister we are staying with Jo Ann is a great example of patience when it comes to following up with people even when it doesn't seem as if they are making spiritual progress. I am ready to turn a person loose after a while if they know that this is the truth but they aren't making spiritual progress as fast as I'd like too. A constant reminder that it isn't about what I think but how Jehovah makes spirituality grow in each persons heart differently.

I love Jo Ann