Dear Friends and Family,

What a month of change and transition this has been in so many

ways. It has not been the easiest road to walk, but I am trusting in the

fact that God knows each twist and turn along the way and is walking

right beside us. Since I last wrote we now have added 4 new workers in

the café section of the ministry bringing our total up to 9 full time

workers. We are in the midst of training now but have already

experienced such a difference having the extra willing hands and hearts

to serve. I feel a sense of refreshment and excitement as we move

forward.

We are currently doing 2 retreats a week (check out page 3 to hear

more) and will soon be contacting schools to schedule visits into the

classroom along with other ideas that are in the works. It has been

amazing to see God’s provision of ideas and opportunities and now

having the right people to make them into a reality.

Please be praying for us over the next few weeks particularly as we

learn to all work together as a team and find a new rhythm that is

productive. I also ask you pray that we keep Christ as the center of each

of our lives and as a ministry. That is the heart of why this ministry came

to be but often in the busyness of doing ministry we can allow our focus

to be taken off of Christ. Pray that as we delight ourselves in the Lord,

He will show us the desire of His heart and make them our true desires

too (Psalm 37:4). I’m so excited to see what God is brining around the

bend. Thank you so much for your love and support.

Love,

Prayer Request:

Continued unity as we come together as a new team

Energy, excitement and wisdom as we balance café work and retreats

Keeping our focus on Christ and allowing him to direct our steps

Laurel’s Life in Ireland October 2011

Alcohol and Ireland

Life in Galway

If you ask any Irish person what is one addiction or problem that faces our country, the first answer typically has to do with alcohol consumption. It is a problem people recognize, but many think is inevitable. Here are a few statistics complied by Alcohol Action Ireland, a national nonprofit company.

The average age of first alcohol use for children born in 1990 was 14 – in 1980, it was 16 Over half (54%) reported being drunk at least once by the age of 16 A recent report by the Office of Tobacco Control (2006) revealed that Irish 16 to 17-year-olds spend

an average of €20·09+ per week on alcohol. This amounts to an illegal alcohol market of €145m in this country

In 2010, the average Irish person aged 15+ drank 11.9 litres of pure alcohol, according to provisional data. That’s the equivalent of about 44 bottles of vodka, 470 pints or 124 bottles of wine

Alcohol consumption in Ireland increased by 46% between 1987 (9.8 litres) and 2001 (14.3 litres) when our consumption reached a record high Alcohol-related problems cost Ireland an estimated €3.7 billion in 2007: that’s a cost of €3,318 on each person paying income tax in Ireland Over half of all Irish drinkers have a harmful pattern of drinking, that’s 4 in 10 women and 7 in 10 men who drink

Please join us in praying for an end to this cycle of addiction. Pray that God raises up young people who say, “We do not have to be pulled into this trap that has so quickly entangled those around us”.

Sunshine is a rare occasion in Ireland, but when it shines, it SHINES! The rain keeps the atmosphere clear making the sky a deep rich blue and the clouds white and fluffy. Sunshine is an extra precious commodity in the winter as the days grow shorter. This shift is significantly recognized once we hit daylight saving. Daylight savings is something both Ireland and the US do, however they do not occur on the same day. The Irish will set their clocks back an hour on October 30, while the US will wait till November 6 to start the time change. By this time the official sunset is recorded at 5:00 pm. Mid to late December the sun will start setting mid afternoon and be completely set by 4:30pm. When the sun doesn’t rise until 9:00 am it makes every moment of daylight worth savoring. The short winter days are compensated for in the summer when the sun rises at 5:00 am and doesn’t set until 10:00.pm.

It’s interesting how our environment effects our perceptions. To most Irish the rain is an annoyance and sunshine a precious gift. I contrast this with the unrelenting sunrays and high temperatures people experienced in many parts of the US this summer and it makes me realize how grateful I should be whatever the weather. So I will bask in the suns warm embrace and rejoice in the rain.

Stories from the Café

Thank you, two little words that can change everything

Recently we had a retreat that seemed incredibly difficult. At the beginning of the day, most of them

stated that they didn’t really have much interest in religion or God. This is not that unusual and our

goal of the day is not “preach at” them, but present the subject, sharing our beliefs and experiences

and encouraging the students to express their thought, beliefs and questions. The students were very

respectful and listened, but it was like pulling teeth to get them to participate in discussion. I was

trying to put them at ease, saying there weren’t right or wrong answers and I just wanted to know

what they thought. This was the first time I had led the purity discussion in months and with their lack

of response I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. We were discussing pornography and its effects on

individuals and relationships, when I realized it was time to wrap up this portion of the day. I typically

play a 5 minute You Tube clip by Jason Evert that does a really good job of explaining this topic. I

almost skipped it, but decided I might as well play it. Once it was finished I asked them what their

thoughts where on what was said. One lad stated, “That just changed my view on that whole thing.”

This wasn’t said overly dramatic but rather is kind of stunned realization of truth. Mike and I were

both blown away by this statement, especially given their reluctance to share before. I was standing

by the counter when the retreat let out and as this young lad walked passed he said a simple

heartfelt, “Thank You”. Those two words changed my whole perception of how the retreat had gone

that day. Some times I need those little reminders that I am doing this out of obedience and even if it

was just for that one student it was well worth it. God seems to keep sending little reminders that we

may never know what Christ is doing in the hearts of each student we speak with, but He is at work.

Other ways to keep in contact with me:

E-mail: LEAD03@gmail.com

Address: Laurel Dyson

c/o An Tobar Nua

25/27 Lower Dominick St.

Galway, Ireland

Want to learn

more about

An Tobar Nua?

Check out www.antobarnua.com

For more information about

Foundation in Christ Ministry,

visit their website:

www.foundationinchrist.org

If you would like to financially

contribute to FICM

a donation can be made on the

website or sent to:

Foundation In Christ Ministries

c/o Steadfast Financial Services, INC.

691 Cricklewood Terrace

Lake Mary, FL 32746

Thank you to all who have already

given so generously!

Ireland

Celebrating

Fall with

S’mores