Week One: What is Belfast?

Asian Food.
Architecture.
Rain
And the Irish, wait no British wait, what?

Well one thing is for sure, they love Asian food. There is a Chinese food shop literally every block, sometimes two side by side. But food aside, I must say this is the most amazing place I have ever been.
The first week has most;y been overview, history and orientation. We have taken two tours, the first of downtown (City Centre as they say) where we saw the tow cranes used to build the Titanic. We saw the mall and the Capital building also (in the pictures on Facebook). This is a beautiful city...most of it at least.
We took a second tour of the many murals that were painted during the troubles depicting many different "martyrs" and paramilitary groups that carried on the war. With that we visited the "Peace Line" or Wall that separates the two communities.
We as a mission live in the "poor" part of town know as the Shankill Road- the British protestant side of the wall (the Irish Catholic side being Falls Road). It's a two or three mile stretch of pavement where many of the "Troubles" took place over the past 40 years. there is still evidence of the destruction by way of hollowed out buildings, "rubbish" covered foundations, and dirty sidewalks. They say say that people on either side of the wall can go the first 18 years of their life without ever meeting a person from the other side (only 3 block away)
That said, I have had a most excellent time meeting the people here. This Thursday was particularly awesome. Several of us went to the Belfast House of Prayer where a small group of committed Christians meet to pray for the city. I was great to meet some Christian Northern Ireland folks and worship and pray with them. After an amazing worship session a few of us YWAM'ers went to a local pub. When we were there a group of local musicians began to play traditional Irish music. I think they were a little skeptical about the group of Americans there but when they had played my favorite Reel i said "That the Tam Lin, that's my favorite tune!" the fiddle player handed me here fiddle and let me play a couple of songs with them. I'm not sure how any of you feel about periodically visiting a pub, but I'm excited to get to know these folks and intend to go back.
That's about all I have time for now. We'll begin to start our outreaches this week and visit a new facility in the Irish Country Side where we begin our first weekly lecture- "The Father Heart of God".
More to come. Please continue to pray.

Cheers
Mike