Day 1 from Final Ireland by Ken
Today we left New York City with the team of pilgrims from St. Paul Episcopal Church in Connecticut to embark on a voyage of wonder in beautiful Ireland. Shortly after landing in Shannon, the 12 pilgrims set off to visit the Cliffs of Moher. Each time you come to the cliffs, you never quite know what the weather will be like, and whether or not you’ll be blessed with a picturesque view and clear skies. On this occasion, however, we were able to marvel at the beauty of the cliffs and see clearly all the way to the Aran Islands. During the few hours that we were there, we were able to explore the beauty and majesty of this natural wonder. After a time of exploration, the team gathered for an encounter time to discuss the spiritual wonder of all that we were seeing. These cliffs are both majestic and terrifyingly dangerous. Few words are sufficient to capture the splendor of the Cliffs of Moher. We talked about how many people have lost their lives over the cliffs due to the lack of respect of the height, winds and weather associated with the cliffs. We discussed how the cliffs are a picture of God; both majestic and yet dangerous. We discussed how the book of Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. As we sat together reflecting upon all we had seen, and discussing the awe of this natural beauty, we discussed how during this week of travels in Ireland, we want to learn what it means to behold God’s beauty and majesty in such a way that we are captured with reverence in the still moments that await us.
From the cliffs, we headed to the city of Galway. Galway is a bustling, busy urban city, and one of the fastest growing cities in Ireland. We were welcomed by our friends at An Tobar Nua, an outreach ministry to the people of Ireland that Wonder Voyage partners with. An Tobar Nua was started in 1996, and in 1998 they opened a bustling café to reach out to the youth of Galway, at which time they also opened a Christian book store, a counseling center, and a crisis pregnancy service. This is where we will stay for the next 3 days as we explore the city and discover what God-moments await us, and as we stare into the face of God with a sense of wonder.