when stories collide

I can’t believe that it’s already been over four months

Already over halfway through this internship

Feels like it all happened overnight

What an overwhelming thought

That it’ll all be over in less four months

But this month

Learning more of the people

Studying Catholicism

Experiencing Irish Mass

Seeking to understand more about this island

But I want to tell you about

How a few Sundays ago

I ended up meeting a middle-aged Irish woman

That has started something unexpected

Some friends and I decided to check out a

1,500 year old monastery and a massive graveyard

Out in the country on an incredibly cold and wet day

Clonmacnoise

We wandered around looking at the ancient stone crosses and buildings

But I ended up wandering off to check out one of the chapels

In there was this old stone piece with some crazy Celtic pattern

I thought my friend was walking towards me

So in amazement I said out loud, “Ah so cool!”

But I realized that person wasn’t who I thought it was

But a random stranger

Who still decided to check out what I was so excited about

As she looked, she began talking about the gloomy weather

(A favourite conversation starter in Ireland)

And how she couldn’t believe that so many people lived here for so long

“This bloody weather, no wonder there are so many graves”

She went on to talk about that despite the rain

She still loves coming to these places

Because it gives her a sense of peace

She expressed how she’s into mysticism and “spiritual stuff” like that

I didn’t know where this conversation was going

But I just listened to her for a while

Eventually my other friends ended up joining the conversation

She asked if we came to Ireland to see Clonmacnoise

But my friend then told her how she’s been here for almost three years

And how she always wanted to live in Ireland and share her heart for Jesus

One thing led to another

Next thing I know we’re talking about Jesus

And this stranger is not fighting back

But asking questions

As if she’s been seeking for a long time

As we kept talking

I began to see more and more of the hurt in her

That she’s struggling

Then she asked us, “What about when you have no hope?”

She brought up how her dad passed away 20 years ago

And that her mom just passed last year

Struggling to find a place to call home right now

So we tried to talk through it and explain

That through all the junk life holds,

There is hope

She didn’t seem to understand

But she said that she’d love to meet up with us again

We gave her our numbers and prayed for her

Talking for what seemed like hours

And our feet frozen from the rain

We decided that we should go

But I didn’t know if I’d see her again

So before we left I wanted to let her to know I could relate in a way

So last minute I told her that I was so sorry to hear how she lost her parents

And how I lost my dad two years ago so I know that pain

I told her that if she’s okay with it I’d love to know more of her journey with it

She just looked at me with confusion, “Like how I coped with it?”

Yeah, anything.

She paused and looked away, “Nobody has ever asked me that before…”

My heart dropped

I couldn’t believe it

20 years and nobody has asked your story?

I’m so sorry

I had to go because everyone else was already in the car

So I said let’s get together to talk

She said she’d love that

As I began to walk towards the car

She shouted at me,

“I’ve never met someone else who also lost their dad.”

Lord, I don’t understand

20 years and she’s never met someone else who lost their dad?

20 years and never talked through it with someone?

20 years and still feeling alone in that pain?

God, that breaks my heart

So later that week

She texted me asking if we can meet in Athlone on Sunday

We were able to grab some food

And ended up talking for about five hours

“I’ve never talked about this with anyone before”

Seeing more of where she comes from

My heart goes out to her

I don’t know what’s going to happen with her

But we’re making plans to meet up again

And so I’m asking for prayer

Because I’m seeing how she’s looking everywhere for guidance

For stability

For meaning

For love

Except Jesus

Don’t we all struggle with that

But still trying to explain the truth in what the Bible says

That God pursues and has already made a way

To freedom, joy, forgiveness,

Love, grace, restoration

Meaning, security, peace,

Life

That’s all found in Christ and because of Christ

“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17)

Please pray with me for her

Also please pray for wisdom

Because I know I can’t do this on my own

Through all of this I’m blown away

At how God orchestrates things

The “randomness” of it all

Of going to Clonmacnoise

Of meeting her

Of being able to relate

Of being in Ireland in the first place

I don’t know what you’re doing

But God, thank you