Amazing Ministry in Ireland

We have had another fantastic trip to Ireland.   Our teams are just so amazing and I can’t say how much they make me proud as they work so hard and then play just as hard.    They all did fantastic ministry in the churches and on the streets and every where they went.   I am so thankful that they are responsive to leadership and represent Xtreme in such a way that they are constantly invited back.

We had our final meeting inside St. Marks last night which is the beginning of this ministry in Ireland for me.   As i listened to our students share their heart and what God has spoken to them and how they are stretched and to hear their excitement of what we have accomplished.   It is always inspiring to hear what God is doing inside of them as we continue to give a worldview to our students that will forever affect their lives.

Thanks to all who have helped to make this happen.

God Bless

Xtremely His

Kevin

Ps. The urban soul shirts that were XL   not so sure they were labeled right……..

 

Sunday!

Good morning.

Both of our teams will be in church this morning.     They will be a large part of the service and students will for the first time be speaking to a congregation.

I was able to travel to see our team in Navan.   I arrived as they were finishing their last work project.    Some how they were covered in just about as much paint as the project…..   just kidding of course but somehow before I left the project I had gotten paint on myself and my missions shirt…..    Oh well, memories.

I spent part of my day with Derek Switzer and his wife and kids.    We have become friends over the past  years and what a joy to see what God is doing with them and through them.     We had a great conversation.    Youth ministry is a really interesting thing.     If we ever get it figured out it will be amazing but I do know this I am committed to raising up young people to serve and to learn and to give them every opportunity to grow and to know God.

The Bray team had their ending of the week event.    At the start time no one had showed up.    At 10 minutes later only 2 had showed up so we packed up from the meeting hall that we were in and went back to the field where we have played football and ultimate frisbee.    We still did everything that we had prepared but when we went back to where we had interacted with students all week and started to do the skits and dramas that we do….it drew kids from everywhere.   There was genuine laughter and joy as a group of over 30 kids came out to see what the crazy Americans were doing.      Sometimes you have to just change the plans mid stream to still accomplish the task.    Our guys are so flexible but at the same time intense.    It was a great night.

The Navan team finished with a Brazilian BBQ last night and I am envious of that.  Jamie and his wife Lud make some amazing food.

Well off we go to service.   We are believing for a great day for you and for us.    God Bless

Xtremely His

Kevin Norwood

 

The Irish Sea at night!

Both of our teams have worked really long days.     I think Carl put us at over 62 miles of walking so far.

I know the team from Navan is excited that painting is not their future job.   I believe from this experience  all the way around,  that servanthood will forever be part of their DNA.

Both teams have been a part of firsts.    The first local town Urban Soul has gone fantastic.   Kathryn and Vito and the Navan Team has worked and ministered ,then worked some more.  I believe today they will finish a project  and then go to the City Centre to do skits on the street.     What a great finish to a fantastic week for them.

Last night the opening of the Factory Venue was a success.   Our students were the first band to ever play on the new stage and in this new venue.    What a grand opening.   We played a U2 song and Lania and Rab led that with Austin singing back up.   The band played their first gig in Ireland and for some of our team it is their first gig other than youth service.    What a great night of firsts.

After we finished we went to the Irish Sea and had chips….which with salt and vinegar are absolutely amazing.  The conversation we had was really one of significance.    Tonight was a two year dream finally coming into being.     We got to be a part of that…..    I asked each of our students to pick up something off the beach to put in their room or where they keep keepsakes and remember that it is never an option to quit!!   Some things that you dream up may take longer than you anticipate….never give up!!

“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart!”…….

Of course Carl and Philip picked up a driftwood log that was over 6 feet long …..    Kinda hard to get that back on the plane but you at least have to give then an A for effort!!

Xtremely His

Kevin Norwood

 

Ireland Navan Bray

Today is another exciting day.     The team from Navan goes to a place called Clare More  another living facility for residents of Navan.    This will be their third day of being “Jesus with skin on” .   It has been exciting but it has also been a lot of hard work.  They have worked like troopers and are ready for a great day today.   They have relationally interacted with the people they are working for and they are blown away that an American teenager would pay to come and work for them    ”FOR FREE”.      It has been an amazing day and at nights the conversations have become deeply spiritual.   Great Job     Kathryn and Vito of leading this exceptional team.

The Factory will open tonight as a concert venue for the first time

Paint Prep

and the Xtreme Worship band will be the first on stage.    Three other bands will follow.    If you had seen the place just a few days ago you wouldn’t recognize it.   We will be posting pictures but the internet that I have access to is a bit to shaky to get this posted today.     The end of our  Wired type clubs will be this afternnoon and we have gained students each day but we anticipate a huge crowd today as we have spent a lot of time in the estates playing Ultimate and “football”.   I am not gifted at their version of football so there has been plenty of laughter at my expense.     Everyone on the team is working hard.    Yesterday was a twelve hour day and we anticipate that this day will be at least that long.

Pray for us as we go into the “harvesting” days of our trips.    Thanks for your support and your prayers.
Xtremely His

Kevin

 

Ireland: day 3

The team in Bray hosted another Wired teen club today.  More students came today; we’ve been able to actively engage about 20 students. We’re anticipating tomorrow to be the biggest day yet.  Today we also finished and painted the stage in “the factory,” totally cleaned the grounds, and filled an entire skip (dumpster).  We are greatly anticipating tomorrow night, when we will host the first concert in this venue, which is what we’ve been working toward this week.

Pre-stage building

The team in Navan served all day at a mentally/physically handicapped rehab facility.  They painted 5 and a half walls, cleaned a lot, did skits for an hour and a half, and were able to interact with and love those that the world often sees as unlovable.  It was a long, full day, but the team is full of fulfillment after being Jesus with skin on to the people of Ireland.

We are gearing up for our nightly events this weekend, and we are anticipating God doing some great things.  Thanks for all of your prayers.  We will update more soon.

God Bless
Xtremely His
Kevin

 

Servanthood is the best.

I love working with teenagers.    Just the moments when they are being themselves is just awesome.    It can be intimidating to those who don’t spend time with them all the time.   They are loud and full of crazy fun.    We have had a great day.

The team in Bray has hosted a Wired club for two hours in the  Ballywaltrim Community Center.   We had 6 students show up for this event.   We handed out 600 flyers to homes all around the center.   I know you are thinking 6…but we fully engaged those students.   We had a great time.   We learned their names and five things at least about them.    Our kids are so great at engaging other students in conversation and in the games that we play.   The team then walked all the way across the town of Bray to  ” the factory”  .   It is a youth center that is run by four different organizations in town.    We cleaned and organized the whole place.    Tomorrow the stage will go in that we are playing on Friday night.    We will paint that and clean up the whole outside of the building tomorrow.    Tonight we will walk up the coast and invited students from this side of town to be there on Friday night.     It will be a full day when we actually get to bed tonight.     All of the students have done really a great job.     We have great students.

The Navan team today has spent the day at a Nursing home center.     I will blog more after I talk with our team from there tonight.

Again parents our students are just amazing.  Thanks for raising such outstanding believers.

God Bless.

Xtremely His

kevin

 

Good Morning Ireland

Both teams have reached their destination without any problems at all.   All of our flights were on time and the meeting at the airport in the morning went exactly as planned.

I have posted another post for today but not sure it posted so I am sending this one from the cafe internet that I am at this morning.

Kevin

 

Good morning Ireland

All of our plans have happened exactly as scheduled.  Praise the Lord.   Both teams are into the towns of Navan and Bray.     Navan is in the Millrace Hostel if you would like to check that out on line.     The students in Bray are being hosted at homes.  All the families are incredibly nice and warm to us being in the country.

The Bray team yesterday flyered (handed out invitation flyers) over 600 homes (estates).    The sun was as bright as I have ever seen it in Ireland.  We might even have to use cream today (sunscreen).   The team in Navan will need to do that as well as their version of Urban Soul starts today at a nursing home doing all the flower beds and landscaping and clean up for a place in town that just can’t afford to get it done themselves.   Bray hosts the three day event from noon to 2 for students to come together and play games and to hear our students talk about their “Jesus story”.     Thanks for your prayers and support.    I am writing this from Finnbees coffee shop which has  internet for an hour with purchase.   Sorry I missed yesterday but was not where I had access till this morning.     I will Blog latter tonight again.

God Bless and have a great day

Xtremely His
Kevin Norwood

 

New York City

I love taking kids on new adventures.  We went from Newark NJ to Times Square today for our lay over time on the journey to Dublin.    It was a first for a whole lot our students traveling with us and I know for sure that playing ultimate Frisbee in Central Park will be a highlight for all of us.   You know if you do something crazy and have a fun time, people will stop and watch to see what in the world you are doing.   We had quite the looks from people who were walking by.

I love watching people as well so Times Square is the ultimate place for that.    This was a great day.   We fly in just a few minutes and I am excited for the spiritual part of our journey to start now.   Isn’t it great that we can have fun at the same time that we are very serious about doing and being ministry.

God Bless
Xtremely His

Kevin

 

Leaving on a jet plane!

I know, I know this has been a long time in coming.   I can hear all the comments through the internet connection……   I know, I know…..

Have you ever had seasons in your life?    I am back to season of sharing my thoughts.   God has been working on my thoughts over the pasts months.   I have come up with a very simple but challenging thought.         

 ”If I can’t control my thoughts, how will I ever live my beliefs? “  

The minds is such a powerful resource…..it can either be positive or negative.    How do I submit my mind to the mind of Christ and live with His plan in mind instead of mine?    

This thought has kinda come out of the other phrase that I have been saying really regular of the past 8 months.      

“do the right thing and your emotions and feelings will follow!”

I believe it is time to be fully submitted to Jesus in all the areas and arenas of our life.      I want to be fully devoted to Him.   Not part…..

Part of this journey I will start blogging about as we go to Ireland but on to the Ireland trip.

We leave on Monday for an exciting new adventure in Ireland.  God has allowed me to spend a tremendous amount of time in this amazing country over the past 6 years.    I never tire of doing this.   I love the prep time with our teams and I love the excitement that builds as we prepare.  I am believing for a great harvest of souls in the communities that we are going into.    God has great plans for the teenage culture that is in Navan and Bray. 

Thanks to everyone who has helped to make this adventure possible.  Moms, dads, grandmas,  grandpas, and all the extended family and friends.    This will be a life changing week as we go and challenge ourselves with as much as we can do in a week to present Jesus to a community. 

Be in prayer for us as we go.

 

Xtremely HIs

Kevin