FFC's Mission Possible 2011 Team are together now in Northern Ireland relaxing after their long flights. Left to right are Jeremy Bower (Ventura County FD), Tom Ellison (Kern County FD), Steve Vucurevich (Benicia FD), Randy Strick (San Diego City FD), Tim Winfield (Benicia FD), Joe Byron (Fremont FD), Frank Silva (Fresno City FD), Brian Price (Fresno City FD), Jay Tracy (Fresno City FD), Patrick Stilson (Los Angeles City FD), and Rick Goulet (San Diego City FD). Click here to read their opening blog.
Opening Blog by Pat Stilson
On Friday morning, May 6th, eleven of us from various parts of California began our journey to Northern Ireland. Our purpose is to encourage firefighters to live their lives for Jesus Christ. If the truth were told, though, we, as team members, will be the ones who are encouraged by our Northern Ireland brothers. As always, our Lord started this mission long before we set foot in Ireland. What we experienced weeks before and yesterday and today in various airports was shared at the dinner table this evening, while we feasted on a delicious Fish and Chips dinner at Mark and Sally's restaurant in downtown Belfast. These are the team's observations:
- God always takes things further than we can ask or think. On the other side, the enemy of our souls always wants to stop us from being obedient to God’s call to take these trips.
- Almost to every man, the weeks, days and hours before we arrived in Northern Ireland were filled with problems, challenges and temptations. We agreed that this is a great confirmation that the Lord Jesus is going to do great things through this mission.
- Travel shirts, with the Firefighters For Christ logo, are a magnet for conversations wherever we “Show Up”. There were so many examples of this that there’s no way I could record them all and do them justice, but I will let Jeremy Bower's words represent what happened yesterday and today. They are shared with his permission.
"I hooked up with Pat, Jay and Frank and flew out of LAX. The security screening was pretty comprehensive. We took off and connected in Chicago. I sat next to a man name Mike, who is a doctor in Porter Ranch. He and I spoke all most the entire flight. He and his wife Sue were flying out to visit their son, who is in Indiana. They were interested in hearing about why we were flying to Northern Ireland. They were a very nice couple. We ate lunch at O'Hara Airport and spoke with an off duty pilot for a freight airline. He is a Christian and lives in Daytona, FL. He and his son are going to serve the people that have been affected by the tornados in Alabama. He was a cool guy. Then we transferred flights and hit it for Dublin. I'm writing this now on the plane over the Atlantic. People sure take notice of us because we are wearing FFC shirts. It has made it easier to bring up Christ. I'm looking forward to what God is going to do on this trip. I know that He is fully in control and in the driver seat. I am just enjoying going for the ride. It sure is awesome to be part of his plan."
Here’s a verse Jeremy thought was appropriate for our trip:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9
I’m running on a couple of hours sleep in two days so I’m off to bed!
Patrick
UPDATE #2
MP 2011 Northern Ireland
Day 2
Jay Tracy brought our devotions this morning. He said that some of us wrestle with the idea of wanting more and more in life, like bigger trucks, bigger boats or the best IPhone. Basically, Jay was saying that we need more of Jesus and that we need to show and tell others that they need Him too. Jay directed us to Genesis 3 and we read the narrative of the temptation of Adam and Eve. Eve and then Adam wanted more. Satan accommodated them with the temptation of the forbidden fruit. You know the story. Jay then changed gears and spent some time talking about religion vs. a relationship with Jesus Christ to prepare us for our stay in the Fire Stations.
After devotions, we experienced one of Northern Ireland’s favorite breakfasts – The Ulster Fry: Fried bacon, fried sausage, fried potato bread, soda bread, eggs, and beans (as in pork & beans). The food here is very delicious and filling.
When breakfast was over Robert Blair gave us an operational orientation of the week ahead at the Fire Stations.
The team then departed to three different churches. Here’s Brian Price’s Narrative: On this glorious morning in Northern Ireland, Mark and Sally Foster hosted Jay and me at their Baptist Church in Carreyduff. The Fosters have been attending this church for the past 19 years! Both Jay and I had an opportunity to speak a word of encouragement to the crowd of fifty or so. We shared the appreciation for the hospitality shown to all the firefighters on mission here in Northern Ireland and specifically for the warm welcome we received in the congregation. This Sunday also coincided with “give” Sunday (communion) during which Pastor Roy encouraged the congregation to give of ourselves. This is what the Lord seeks most. Jay and I both spoke about that very issue in reference to the serving others as Christ did in the washing of the disciples feet (Matt 13:7, 16-17). We experienced a great church, a challenging message and some wonderful hosts. Thank you Mark and Sally!
Here’s Joe Byron’s report from Ballynahinch: We went to Robert Blair’s church, Ballynahinch Baptist Church, this morning. It was a huge blessing to meet and worship with our brother and sisters in Christ on the other side of the planet. The message was out of 2 Samuel 12 - David's fall and restoration. King David had something in his background he wasn't proud of, but that doesn't mean we can't be used by God. Bathsheba catches David's eye, and he falls for her. He lusts after her and sleeps with her. She gets pregnant and David seeks to cover it. In the process of trying to cover it up, he basically sends his best friend Uriah to die by the sword on the front lines. David then marries Bathsheba and acts as if nothing is wrong. But God strikes down David's first born. Nathan rebukes David. There are always consequences for our sin. But we do not have to be defined by our past. Maybe you feel marked. Maybe you feel like a failure. God says no. The past does not have to shape our future. We all have something in our background that we are ashamed of, something we would rather hide than let others know about us. Solomon was David and Bathsheba's second born son. Nathan said his name was to be Jedidiah, which means "Beloved by God". Then Nathan said, “May your son be even better than you!" Then Solomon was trained up to live a greater life than his father David. God always makes lemonade out of lemon in the history of man.
We then did a meet and greet with the folks at the church.
Phil Scott took me (Pat) to his church in Dromore, County Down. On the way there, Phil asked me if I wanted to speak briefly about the ERT trip to Japan. His church, Dromore Elim Church, is in a beautiful remodeled building in what is one of the loveliest towns I’ve seen in NI. The name of the church, Elim, is taken from Exodus 15:27. Some of you know Phil Scott, but what you may not know is that he is an accomplished drummer in the church worship band. Their worship and sermon were great. Below is a picture of Phil, his wife Joanne, Shannon, and Alex in front of the church.
Today there was also a baby dedication at Elim Church and I thought you may like to see this precious little one.
FFC Northern Ireland topped off the day with a tasty BBQ at the Firefighters For Christ center at the Westland Fire Station. Many of the firefighter hosts were there to meet our guys. Afterwards, Steve Vucurevich and Randy Strick were taken to the homes of their NI firefighter hosts.
UPDATE #3
MP 2010 Northern Ireland
Monday, May 9, 2011
Day 3
Brian Price opened our day with a devotion from Proverbs 16. As many of you know, this is vital to our effectiveness in any ministry of Firefighters For Christ. We read the Word of God, talk about it and then pray for the day.
This is from Brian:
“I gave the devotional this morning drawing scripture out of Proverbs 16:3-4, 7, 9, highlighting the importance of leaving our plans at the door and simply showing up ready to serve and follow the plans the Lord lays out for us. I shared an example from our Haitian ERT deployment, where we consistently had our plans shattered and replaced by what the Lord had in mind, which was always exceedingly more than we could have ever hoped for. Taking hold of what Jesus said in John14:10-14: "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, believe because of the miraculous deeds themselves. I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."
Our responsibility is to simply trust the Lord and his plans, like Isaiah says in chapter 28:16: “Therefore, this is what the sovereign master, the LORD, says: ‘Look, I am laying a stone in Zion, an approved stone, set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. The one who trusts will not be dismayed.’"
Today was the first day that operational team members went to their assigned stations. Joe went to the NIFRS Training Center, Rick was off to Red Watch Whitla, Tom to Westland, Jeremy to Knock, Jay to Lisburn, Randy spent the night in Ballymena and is on watch today. Steve spent the night in Omagh to start his watch today.
Here’s a picture of Steve Vucurevich with the Variable Crewing Omagh (VCO) firefighters in Omagh:
The rest of us, not on watch, attended a breakfast at the Lisburn Fire Station (where Jay is assigned on Red Watch). After the breakfast, Paul Moore, a NIFRS firefighter, presented a talk about his recent mission trip to Burkina Faso (the third poorest country in the world), where he assisted the local missionaries in digging water wells. Paul said that after his trip was planned to this West Africa country, the Lord encourage him with Isaiah 41:17: “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.”
After the breakfast meeting everybody but Pat departed for Craig and Lynn Niell’s home for a fantastic lunch. Pat spent the day with Mark Smyth (“Chummy”) and his family in Down Patrick. Here’s a picture of the traditional grave of Saint Patrick next to the Down Patrick Cathedral.
We don’t plan any sightseeing for these trips so this was a great bonus for me.
After lunch the team visited the Westland Fire Station to encourage Tom Ellison (far left) and talk to the NIFRS Firefighters. Tom is assigned on the Red Watch in Westland with Ian Morrow (forth from left).
I know it seems like we eat a lot, but these are great opportunities to spend time with other firefighters and their family and friends. Having said this, the team ended the day at Michael and Michelle Bolton’s home for dinner and a time of fellowship.
Here’s what Joe Byron wrote about his day:
“Hey yet another full day.. A couple of highlights: primary searches at the training center, dinner at Michael Bolton's house. Prayer circle at the Bolton home, straight out of the New Testament Church kinda prayer.. Fireman, grown men crying...”
There you have it. The third day “In the Box”. Tomorrow starts another day of Red Watch, a breakfast meeting at Portadown and a visit to the Omagh Fire Station, capped off with a “Fish and Chips” dinner at Mark and Sally Foster’s restaurant in Belfast.
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