Lindsey Mead is an intern with Convoy of Hope Europe. It’s a group I’m well familiar with, as I helped them put together a fundraising video in Brussels Belgium and I was privileged to help them deliver 22 tons of canned goods to orphanages and poor people in Nitra, Slovakia.

The organization operates on a shoestring budget and they are short staffed by about ten people. The last time I stayed at their headquarters in Brussels, the furnace was out and the electric heater in my bedroom was intermittent. I had to wear a winter cap to stay warm enough to sleep. After blogging about the experience, it didn’t take long for a short-term mission team to head overseas and repair their furnace. I still hold fond memories for each person I worked and laughed with.

I now count Lindsey as one of those friends. She is originally from the states, but her parents both speak with proper Queen’s English, which has impacted Lindsey’s speech. While in Ireland, her voice helped her to fit right in with Europeans from various nearby countries. It gave her an opportunity to see and experience the hand of God touch the lives of many in Ireland.

Lindsey Mead an Intern Who Witnessed What God Did from CJ Powers on Vimeo.

Businessman, Jack Rolfe, joined the team traveling to Dublin, Ireland to help St. Mark’s Church build for its future growth. Jack funded his own way and used valuable vacation time to participate in the project.

Jack headed straight for the attic where he had worked ten years earlier on a previous mission trip. He knew the process and went right to work. He also knew the dangers, as the attic had no flooring. A single misstep on the edge of the ceiling joists might drop a person 30 feet to the sanctuary floor below.

Thanks to Jack and the rest of the team, the attic now has a complete floor that is safe for walking and storage. But, the painstaking work came with a price, as the team fought old insulation dust and slippery boards before the new flooring was built.

I stopped up to see the progress one afternoon and watched Jack’s boot slip across one of the joists. His feet went out from under him and he was headed downward. With quick thinking, he leaned back and spread himself out wide, crashing down onto nearby sheets of plywood – Avoiding a disastrous fall through the ceiling.

The good news is that there were no serious injuries on the trip and the attic team built a floor that covered the entire length and width of the building. Storage should no longer be a problem for the church. As for Jack, the minor incident was insignificant, as he was blessed beyond measure during the trip.

Jack Rolfe – Attic Construction in Dublin, Ireland from CJ Powers on Vimeo.

When talking with numerous members of the congregation at St. Mark’s Church in Dublin, Ireland, there is a sense that God is bringing about a revival. The first sign of it came with significant pain last January, as the church lost several dads at the same time. The pain of grieving was not lost in sorrow, but turned into hope with a new passion for worship.

During the middle of July, without any knowledge of what the church’s loss or the struggles its congregation endured, various groups from across the globe descended upon Ireland with a mission of being a part of God’s revival – His answer to their pain.

A ministry from Oklahoma came to encourage young children in the area. A church from California sent their college students to minister to teens in Dublin. Convoy of Hope delivered food to the poor and homeless. A 24/7 prayer team came from abroad and have been praying for Ireland since they arrived. And, Calvary Church in Naperville, Il, took on several major construction projects at St. Mark’s Church to encourage the congregation and prepare them for the coming revival.

The revival began as a small seed of hope that is sure to grow. Michael McNamee spoke about the humble beginnings that is likely to spread throughout Europe like a domino effect.

Michael McNamee on Revival in Dublin from CJ Powers on Vimeo.