Learning as we go!

 We arrived about a week ago and Christy was sick in bed for a few days, but is feeling better now. We've been busy meeting with people and getting to know the area here. The YWAM staff has been amazing at welcoming us by taking us out to coffee, setting up a nice place for us etc.

For the first couple days, we went through some training to work with children.

This week we started working at a cafe on the street where we live. It is called The Feed and is run mostly by volunteers - YWAM helps to run the cafe. Joseph and I started yesterday and today we were given the keys to open the cafe. The cook didn't show up so Joseph cooked while Christy took care of the customers. It was a lot of fun and we learned fast. The main item on the menu is the Ulster Fry (pictured), which consists of greasy sausage, ham, soda bread, potato bread and egg. Usually the frys come with tomatoes and mushrooms but most of the folks on the Shankill aren't keen on the veggies! :) Almost always served with a cuppa tay(tea).

 It's lovely to be able to meet people in this setting - and have a chance to begin to get to know people - we met one lady in the Cafe who remembered us from when we were here a couple years ago. She and her husband have been to Ketchikan.

 Tomorrow, we are going to Bushmills, a town a bit north of here for a few days retreat with a Catholic group called Sword of the Spirit. It is a wonderful thing to be a part of, people deciding to work together in this area.

We took a cab the other day and he just immediately started telling us about all of his family and friends that had died in conflict here. The people here are so lovely and many of them want to just talk. They wonder why we would want to be here, staying in this area of Belfast. (We are living on the Shankill Road which is the protestant side of West Belfast). On the other side of the 'peace' wall is the Falls Rd. (primarily Catholic). YWAM works in both communities.

 The history here is so intricate and we are seeing that there is still an incredible amount of division and pain here. May the healing love of Christ shine in all of us. We need Him so!

We also did a walking tour of the murals in West Belfast which helped a lot in understanding more about the area. There are 44 'peace' walls (26 miles of them) in and around Belfast.

Kids have been coming around the house and throwing stuff or putting boards through the mail slot...there isn't a lot for them to do around here and they can get a bit rowdy, so they test people to see how they will deal with it. Love, grace and healing Jesus!

Some challenges have been: understanding what people are saying :) , beginning to live in community again, the radiator in our room being broken, and the incredibly icy sidewalks with no salt on them.

We are glad to be here and are getting settled in with lots of learning.

LOVE,

Joey and Christy

Belfast!

We are here and all is well. Getting set to start volunteering on Monday.
Yay!

New Year's Day

We had a good New Year's Eve (minus Christy getting a fever and having to go to bed at 9:30), but it broke in the night so praise be to God!

I love sitting in the Presence of Jesus after songs of adoration, and it being so quiet that you can hear everyone's tummies growling, and there is such real peace. We got to experience that yesterday singing to Jesus with our friends Richard and Rachel.

A scripture Holy Spirit spoke for the new year:

Isaiah 55: 10-13

"The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause
the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread
for the hungry. It is the same with My word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper
everywhere I send it. You will leave in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees
of the field will clap their hands!
Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow.
Where briers grew, myrtles will sprout up.
This miracle will bring great honor to the Lord's name;
It will be an everlasting sign of his power and love."

We fly to Northern Ireland later this afternoon!
A new adventure!
A marvelously lovely new year to all!
-J and C

Winter in London

The snow has been fun for Christmas-time, but this part of England hardly ever gets snow so they have been shutting down all sorts of things and having a tough time driving...
We had a blessed Christmas including carols, candles, a couple hours of playing tag in the park and an amazing meal un-like any American Christmas dinner!

There are all kinds of little discoveries every day about English culture -
It is a joy to be able to learn.

(Sidenote: The yogurt you can buy here is so delicious - and comes in tons of flavors we don't have in the states. Rhubarb is the best!)

This time in England has been a blessing- time to read and take lots of walks, as well as lots of time spent with the family we are staying with. We have played a lot of hide and seek, making animals out of baloons, and other creative ventures with the 4 kids who are here. They are treasures!
We've also been cooking, cleaning and gardening around the house.

A book we've been enjoying is "Life-Journey - A call to Christ-centered Living".  It is filled with poetry and art focused on Christ and His love.

Here is a prayer from that book:

Healing Lord,
Open the hearts of those in
conflict, help them to receive
your healing.

Merciful Lord,
May our human hearts never
harden to the suffering caused by
the absence of peace, help us to
yearn for peace.

Almighty Lord,
Help us to see where we are
avoiding reconciliation, please
grant us opportunities and the
will to change.

Here is the house we are staying in - Bless the Coates family Jesus!

Thank you all for your Christmas notes, prayers and love!

We are leaving for Northern Ireland in 5 days - We'll be in touch!
Love in Christ,
-The Rauwolfs

Merry Christmas Eve!

Here are some photos from a day in London town.

Let it Snow!

Well, we've had quite the restful first week here in London town; partly due to a longer-than-usual spell of jet-lag - our bodies go into "wake up!" mode just when it's time to go to bed - and partly because it's been snowing a bit here, which apparently is rare and a very big deal for this nation of cottages, gardens and tea-cozy's; such a big deal, in fact, that the Department of Transportation decided that no trains should run to the station near where we live (even though it was sunny and hadn't snowed in 4 days), leaving us with no other choice than to stay put.

This said, a few of our London Christmas plans have had to go out the window... But it's really okay! We've been blessed to spend more time with our dear friends, the Coates's. It's been a wonderful season of renewed fellowship and community sharing, leaving us blessed all around.

On another note: when was the last time you walked into a McDonald's and heard your favorite Celtic Christian progressive rock band playing through the speakers? That's precisely what happened today when we took the Coates children to the "golden arches" to play at the attached play space. You'd think there would be a steady playlist on a fast-food chain approved radio station consisting of all the recent pop hits, but not at this McDonald's!

Playing back and forth between tracks from big name acts like Beyonce Knowles was the song "Matthew-The Man" from Iona's early 90's "Book of Kells" release; and it just so happens that this is 9 year-old James Coates's favorite song! Period. He loved it! Must be a God thing. :)

The Book of Kells is most likely the most ancient and elaborate version of the four gospels ever recorded, and done so by early Irish monks. It can be viewed the Trinity College library in Dublin, Ireland. Google it.

Here's the lyrics to the above-mentioned track, referring to the Gospel of Matthew:

"Matthew - The Man"

The tears that salt the earth
The wounds that bleed the land
The mark of ancient scars
These are the ways of man

The sound of restless souls
That pierce beyond the skies
The love that seeks release
The mind that tries to find
A place of peace

There is a place of peace
There is a sea of calm
Where the Spirit gently breathes
Life into the soul of man

And in another realm
Beyond the plains of Earth and time
Where angels gaze upon
The man of truth and light

Blessings of Peace and Love,
 Joey and Christy

Our Dear Friends in London...

We are staying with Richard, Rachel and their darling children James, Mary, Benjamin and David for the next 2 1/2 weeks. It is great to be hear and feels like it was only yesterday that we were all spending time together enjoying fellowship, music and great conversation.

Our flight was a couple hours delayed but everything else was lovely. It was clear enough that we got to see Ireland for the air and it was beautiful!

And now for adjusting to another time zone...
:)

London

Hey!

Our plane to London leaves at 6:50 pm tonight -

Put up a prayer for us if you like!

Blessings to all,

Joseph and Christy

Not So Sleepy In Sleepy Hollow

Our first night in NY we stayed at Joseph's cousin Jen's house and had a good visit with her and her husband Noah, Joseph's Aunt Liz (who happens to visiting from Ketchikan) and little Sadie.

We took a train from the city up to Sleepy Hollow yesterday where we have been visiting with Christy's Great Uncle Bob and his wife Denny. They are a lovely and hospitable couple; we are so blessed to get to spend this time with them!

We have asked (seemingly) hundreds of questions about the family and have learned so much from them. They have quite a treasury of genealogical records on the Chandler side of the family including many original letters written back and forth by the missionary family in India (Christy's Great-great-great/Great-great Grandparents and their families).

For some reason the 3 hour time difference really got to us and we've had jet lag which has caused us to stay up hours later than usual. This has worked out divinely as it has given us an opportunity to spend the time we would've been sleeping, uncovering countless gems of Christy's family history. It has been incredible, as we are setting out to Northern Ireland, to see how many of the family has devoted their lives to Christ, missions and serving, to hold my Great-great Grandfather's Bible and read his loving letters to his children.

More on this later...

Sending love to you all as you celebrate with family this season of Joy in Christ,

love,

Joseph and Christy

New York!

Your breath I hear as the wind, whispering worship.

Your peace I seek as I travel.

Your face I see as the sun, smiling solace.

Your peace I seek as I travel.

Your hand I feel as the water, cradling comfort.

Your peace I seek as I travel.

- Mary Fleeson "Life Journey"

Today is a travel day...8:30 am leaving on our way to Seattle. Airport waiting and arriving in New York tonight around 11. We had a good visit with family in Washington.

Psalm 121
I look up to the mountains-
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made the heavens and the earth!

He will not let you stumble and fall;
the one who watches over you will not sleep.
Indeed He who watches over Israel
never tires and never sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you
as your protective shade.
The sun will not hurt you by day,
nor the moon at night.
The Lord keeps you from all evil
and preserves your life.

The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go.
Both now and forevermore

"Your principles have been the music of my life throughout the years of my pilgrimage."
Psalm 119:54
Thankful for the faithfulness of the Lord!

We are in Washington for 2 nights, then to New York!

Blessings,
Joseph and Christy

Matthew 6

"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food, drink and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than they are!"

There are so many beautiful birds to marvel at here...watching them has got me meditating on

the journey of trust. Trusting in the Lord who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, who creates worlds with a breath, who forms us in our mothers' wombs....

Learning to not spend time on things that are so worthless when compared with knowing Christ Jesus....to spend our time, our thoughts our energy on love and service in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth....completely opposite from the rat-race of this earth life...spending and searching and trying to provide for ourselves. He truly is our all in all...

Giving Thanks this Year

Thanksgiving was a time of lots of memories...spent with the Brittsan family...Naomi and Christy have been friends since they were born and now Naomi and Eric have an amazing little baby! Naomi's folks Brian and Angie cooked up a fabulous and super creative meal.

Joseph has been enjoying surfing every day and we are so thankful for this time to spend with the Lord and with friends. We have also had time to get started on some reading for YWAM and get some last minute travel details lined up.

We are so thankful for the people God has placed in our lives! What a blessing.

A scripture that's been standing out in Isaiah 55:6 & 7

"Seek the Lord while He may be found

Call on Him now while He is near

Let the people turn from their wicked deeds.

Let them banish from their minds

the very thought of doing wrong!

Let them turn to the Lord that He may

have mercy on them.

Yes, turn to our God for He will abundanty pardon!"

He is so good. May we know His love deeper.

-Joseph and Christy

a time of rest

we arrived in San Diego last night and it is beautiful here!

On the way in we felt like this time was going to be a gift from God, of rest before we head over to Northern Ireland. It has been just great so far getting to be with old friends and spend time with the new little one Samantha. She sure is a pretty little gal!

So, Joseph is getting ready to go surfing later today with Eric - they'll have a blast...

Naomi is my oldest friend on earth and now she has her own baby! It's awesome to get to spend this time with them!

It's 70 some degrees, and Ketchikaners would be overheating a bit (like we are.)

Many blessings to all,

Joseph and Christy

Sigh...

We have our visas!!!!!
Good from Dec. 1 through Sept.14...so we'll be on our way!
Thanks be to God!
Hooray!

Nothing that is worth doing can be
achieved in our lifetime; therefore we
must be saved by hope. Nothing
which is true or beautiful or good
makes complete sense in any
immediate context of history;
therefore we must be saved by faith.
Nothing we can do, however virtuous, can
be accomplished alone; therefore we
must be saved by love.

-Reinhold Niebuhr

Washington

we've been spending lots of time with family and friends before we leave the country.

Joseph's family and Christy's uncle Bob (Bob is the one you see here devouring the jar of smoked salmon we brought to him. It was great to see someone enjoying Alaska's goodness so unreservedly.

It's great to see our nephew Liam again. He's quite the champ and has amazing parents!

We had a day in Seattle this week to get some last minute details taken care of like getting our digital fingerprints taken. Then we tried to find fed ex for something like 3 hours until we eventually found a fed ex truck and the fellow was nice enough to lead us to where we needed to go. We got to spend a few hours with our friend Taylor (wonderful bearded fellow that he is) and check out his art show at the Chai House in Seattle.

We will know by Monday if we have our visas for UK! We are starting to get excited.

love and blessings,

Christy

Thank God for His last-minute style

Today, we received our certificate of sponsorship for the UK (the day before we were hoping to send it) which is amazing after waiting for over a month...We just had to get on the road...ferry rides to and from Alaska are always a great time of reflection and transition.

We are quite blessed as of late to be the recipients of a NEW CAMERA with which we will be hopefully taking great pictures of our Journey through the years to come. After almost a year of being camera-less this is a real treat and an upgrade to say the least! These pictures are among the first we have taken with it.

Tomorrow we are sending off our applications for visas. Yay! We missed the storms on our 19 hour drive through Canada. The skies were blue almost the whole way, ...a bit of rain near the end. Quickly got through the borders, and had a good rest last night.

Here's a poem by Irish poet Joseph Plunkett, executed by British soldiers in 1916 for his part in the Easter Rising:

"I See His Blood Upon the Rose"

I see his blood upon the rose
And in the stars the glory of his eyes,
His body gleams amid eternal snows,
His tears fall from the skies.

I see his face in every flower;
The thunder and the singing of the birds
Are but his voice - and carven by his power
Rocks are his written words.

All pathways by his feet are worn,
His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea,
His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn,
His cross is every tree.

Makes us think of this one great truth: The earth is the Lords, and all that is in it.

Be blessed,
J and C

Ah...

sigh, safe and sound after about 13 hours of driving through B.C. today. God cleared the skies for us..ferry ride from Ketchikan was good too! We had a good Thanksgiving dinner send off and everything is good! We are in Washington with Joseph's family and glad to be out of the car.



We will put a few Canada photos on here tomorrow.
Time for rest.
love,
J and C

Northern Ireland

Ah.........Thanks be to God, we are headed for Northern Ireland.
We are way excited, and a bit amused.
We are going to be with ywam.
Leaving Alaska in a bit over a month...stopping in Seattle, SanDiego and New York before we head to the UK!
We will start using the blog much more often as we begin this journey.

Hooray!
J and C

Alaska!

We are in Alaska again and happy about it!
Working and fishing for the summer.