everything changes in a moment

i was going to write about last nite and everything good that happened, and as i go to sit down, we get news.. news that completly changed the way today is going to go.. so i will write the good.. the bad.. and everything in between.. in sequential order.. God is good.

so.. yesterday, starting early in the morning, we took some kids to the zoo.. the weather was nice and mild.. was a gorgeous day.. and we had so much fun walking around seeing the animals.. the girls we took were so lovely.. so hilarious and kept us on our toes all afternoon.. made it to drimnagh eventually and we went around and visited all our teens.. they were all gettin ready for parties.. the the kids were runnin around in costumes... in all the grassy areas in the middle of the estates, you just saw kid after kid with shopping carts full of mattresses, wood, crates, sinks, tires.. more wood, of every shape and form, stacking this all into as high of a pile as you coule imagine, some were like 30 feet high and like 20 feet in width, all ready to be burned.. and as i looked around, all you could see were billows of black smoke rising hundreds of feet in the air.. all around, in every part of town.. you smelled burning rubber and burning plastic, and wood.. and... i walked back into dcm around 6pm, just after it had gotten dark, to grab a quick bit to eat and then join in the town stuff we did with our kids..

we took about 60 kids all in these monster inc. costumes all the way across town to meet up with about 140 other ppl. met at city hall.. and got in our groups, and marched thru the town.. we were the parade.. little did i know what i was getting into!! this was the towns highlite of the nite, and here i was rite in the middle of it!! it was awesome! so, here i am in the middle of 200 ppl in very fancy costumes.. and there were drummers that lead us thru town, as the streets were packed with onlookers, and every apartment and restuarant had ppl looking at us.. for 2 miles we marched to the drum beat.. and were seen by the entire town of dublin.. it was soo cool! we got on the news and everything.. front page of the irish times this morning.. so all my pictures you see below are me from the "inside view" of what the rest of dublin was seeing.. eventually.. (like 2 hours later) we made it to our destination, it was a long march! but we got inside this huge production called pans labyrinth, thats put on by the actual city council of dublin.. and here we are, in the middle of acrobats, and music louder than i have ever heard.. fire breathing dragon creations.. spinning fire dancers, fireworks... an entire huge production.. with hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of ppl looking at us.. and here we are rite in the middle of it.. it was amazing!!! then when it was all over.. we went to the fish markets and there was a marquee, full of catered food.. a disco.. tables.. and a bonfire that was built at least 50 feet high, and when once was lit.. oh my goodness!!! it was the biggest fire i have ever seen.. plus fireworks.. it was amazing acutally!.. a few squabbles here and there.. but for the most part.. it was safe.. and with little drama.. and was amazing.. so praise God for an amazing nite...

so thats what i was going to write.. and say, wow, how cool.. and had just gotten to the office to do so.. when... paul comes in.. and goes.. "so, rita was found dead on the street last nite." and that was all he said.. immediatly, all of us in the room were like.. "what?!" rita works at the pub next door.. is in her early 40's and is always outside smokin and hangin out.. and you have to remember that the communities over here are so tightly knit together.. ppl have lived in these flats for hundreds of years.. well.. their moms, and grandmas and greatgrandmas.. they are all related and the community you live in here, is actually the only world you know. ppl would die for each other here.. basically, you mess with one person, you mess with the entire community. so he said that, and we just sat here stunned.. no one knew the details of what happened, other than.. her son, who is 18... he is sooo sweet.. found her dead in the road!

so.. we have this play called the cross and the switchblade that we were planning on taking 70 ppl to tonite.. its a huge performance in dublin.. and its will be so good for our kids and ppl to see.. basically.. were not sure how its gonna go now.. becuz the community is in shock.. and apparently, when someone dies.. the community all bans together and buys tons and tons of alcohol for the family members who have had a loss and bring it to their house and there are ppl in the house for 24 hours a day, drinking with them.. and bringing lines of cocaine for the mourners to have. so.... its just shocking really.. we recognise it as satan. and him trying to destroy and discourage our community.. but we also know God is good.. He is sovreingn, and that He loves these ppl and has plans for good in all of this...

soooo.. if you could be praying for her family.. her sons name is anthony.. he would have made a decision a couple years ago to follow Christ.. but in all of this, ya never kno.. pray for her daughter.. pray for the ppl in the community who know her.. pray for our involvement in their lives in all of this.. pray for the play tonite, we are taking 20 kids from choose life to it.. im so excited!! one of my girls, kerri, who i know from the lighthouse, who made a decision a couple weeks ago.. who wouldnt have any Christians in her life has said she will come.. so pray God uses this in their lives in a huge way tonite.. pray she comes, even.. pray for these ppl.. i have never been around so much sickness and death.. just pray for these ppl.. God is so good.. and has such great plans.. please just pray for us in this next while.. thanks guys... talk soon.