Hello from Holland...via Ireland!

Well I'm not in the Green Green fields of Ireland anymore...but am in the beautifly tulip fields of Holland. I arrived yesterday (Tuesday)...and will be here until August 30th. I will be back in Ireland after that and will start work officially on September 2nd. I have off on Sept 1st...not because of Labor day...they don't celebrate that in Ireland..but because the team felt me and my roommate would need a day off coming from this 2 week conference. Yeah!!!!

We are settling into our new house...and can't wait until my FEDEX shipment comes along! It was supposed to arrive on Monday before I left for the conference...but did not. Please pray that all packages arrive and very soon! My roommate is lovely...she is a tiny little thing from the Middle East. She melted my heart the first night I met here...when she brought me a beautiful shirt from where she lives...all beaded and sparkly!! You know I love that!

I am experiencing a sensory overload...from hearing all these different lanquages. There are over 400 people here at the conference from all over the world. My roommate...from South Korea...speaks very little English...and of course I speak NO Korean...so we use mainly hand getsures and smiles! :O) She is going to Nepal.

I was asked to lead a discipleship group here at the conference of all the young American girls...about 16 of them. I was very honored and excited about it ...and will meet them all later. It will be great to hear another American accent...even if it is all "Like oh my gosh...like"...they are mainly 17 or 18 years old! :O) It is so encouraging to see people from all over the world worshiping God and espeically these young people...on fire for Him.

I am adjusting...and just still in awhee of how I ended up here and why God has chosen to use me! I am excited about getting to work in early September. I have also met some friends...local Irish people my age who have invited me to a Christian Bar-b-que (just like home) and concert on September 6th.

Hope each one of you is doing great...and please let me know how I might be praying for you!

Love to all

Mary

One week in Ireland!

Okay...sorry for the delay of updating my blog....but things have been super uper busy...plus we have not had Internet connection...ouch! It has been one week since I have started my new adventure in Ireland. I arrived on Tuesday...met my roomie...and off we went to look for a house. We both are the type that like things settled as soon as possible! We were blessed with a beautiful home on Thursday and moved in the next day. The weekend was spent making list of household items needed...getting our cell phones up and running...our landlines...internet...tv...meeting our neighbors and landlord...and attending a local Baptist church. We are quite tired to say the least...but it has been a very productive week!

Our landlords are a great couple. Very loving and keep bringing us little gifts everyday! The other day they brought us a TV and DVD player! He is a retired police officer from Scotland and Delores is a retired nurse from Ireland. They have welcomed us well...and we pray that we will be able to minister to them in a special way. We pray that we are able to share the love of Christ we have in our hearts!!!

My roomie is great. Her name is Leena...and she is from the Middle East. She is already like a sister. She is very nurturing and caring. We have had a lot of fun cooking together and learning how to drive on the other side of the road. It is just so awesome sit together every night in our living room...both all snuggled under our duvets with a cup of hot tea...reading and talking about what the Lord has done in our life. We both feel we were blessed with such an awesome house...so that we may use it as a place of encouragement. We hope to have many women's bible studies there and sleep overs!!!

Things are a little frustrating in that my brain is constantly working....didn't always do that in the states! :O) I am having to think..."Left side...Left side of the road" and stand in complete helplessness in the grocery store when I am trying to find a simple item like bread! Things will take time here...everything takes a lot of time I am finding. Where I am used to running out the door...here...you might get a visitor or "caller" come by...who would like to stay and chat for a while over a cup of tea. It is very sweet...and definitely a slower pace of life than I am used to. But I will adjust with the help of our Father.

My quite times have been so sweet with the Lord...I am completely relying on him for everything. I have never felt this dependent on Him before...and I tend to like it. I am not sure how He will use me here...but I do know that I am here and it just feels right!!!! I do miss my family and especially my little doggy chewy. Cool God thing...my neighbor has a palm as well!!! So its like seeing chewy everyday!

Well...I must run for now...would have uploaded pictures of the new house...but unfortunately I left my connector at home (I only have Internet connection at the office...about 30 minutes away). Me and Leean are off to our 2 week training in Holland tomorrow and then will officially start work on September 1st. I will try my best to stay in touch.

We will have a home land line when we arrive back on Aug 30th. That number is 011 090 663 0580. That is how you would dial it from the states. I sure would love to hear from you!

In Him

Mary

Travel to Ireland

Chewy wanted to go with me!  It was so sad.  But he is brining much joy to my parents and grandmother.  He loves his home!  But I miss him!
There goes my stuff...see you on Monday things!  If they can find me...in Ireland..it is very common NOT to have direction signs.  Or they are turned a different direction by local teens as  a joke. Not so funny to me! :O)
I had just said my goodbyes to my family and was very lonely.  I walked up to my gate...and what did I see but a entire section of American Soldiers.  I was like one of 10 people on the plane who were civilians. I felt very safe!
I have arrived.  Above is a view from my temporary chalet in which I am staying at on the Lacken House property.  Me and my roommate, Leena...hope to have a house together soon.  We are anxious to settle in.  
Me and Leena meet for the first time.  Leena is from Dubi...and has a wealth of knowledge of the banking world.  She worked as a corporate manager in a bank there.  

Three Countries in 2 Days!!!

Hello there everyone! Well today is the big day...I will be heading to my new home for the next two years...Ireland. My flight leaves at 6pm tonight and I should be in Dublin Ireland tomorrow around 11:00 our time. They are 5 hours ahead of us. I am a little nervous...but excited as well. The past couple of days have been bittersweet...getting to spend precious time with family and close friends. But also having to say my temporary goodbyes. But the Lord is good and He is with me...I feel Him so strongly today!

Please pray for my sweet mama, Ann...my father, William, grandmother, Vera, and my dog, Chewy....especially today. They are fully supportive of me giving the next 2 years of my life to God in Ireland...but also have emotions as I leave. Also...please pray for my safety and ease in travel...all my security check points, customs, luggage will arrive, flight connections. I will be in 3 countries in the next 2 days...USA, Germany, Ireland. My lay over is in Germany. I am going to try and take lots of pictures to document the entire journey...and will get those up to you as soon as possible.

Love you all...and the next time I talk to you...it will be from Ireland...Lord willing.

Mary :O)

Car for Sale

Lexus ES 300 1997.  116500 miles.  In excellent mechanical condition.  My friend is a Lexus mechanic and has kept it in good running.  He states it could most likely run for another 100,000 miles!  Leather interior...state of the art stereo/6 disc changer.  Sun roof!  New tires. Never has been in an accident.

Does have some of the clear coat coming off the roof part.  See picture above.  I have heard that is a simple and cheap fix.  No paint is coming off and no rusting.  
She is a beauty and I am sad to let her go!  But I am moving out of the country for at least the next two years.  I am selling her based on Kelley Blue Book's price for this particular car at a rating of fair to good.  I am listing it at $5000.  Call my father William if you are intersted...770-479-1588 or email me at mary.wallace08@yahoo.com.

More Pics from Commissioning

Me and the famous "Johnny Condrey"...who I get my saying "Well Glory" from!!!!
Me and Brian Daniels and his sweet little girl.  Brian is an artist who paints on stages during conferences/concerts. It is amazing what he does.  He has just been asked to travel and do his art with Michael W. Smith!
Me and my other great mentor and friend...Dawn Mooring.  If you are ever looking for a wonderful, energetic woman's speaker...you should check her out.  www.dawnmooring.com

Me and my niece and nephews!  Getting ready for their first day of school!
Carol and Lee Adkins...our faithful prayer captains for team Ireland!

Commissioning Service at FBCW

Pastor explaining our roles on the field
Pastor asked the entire congregation to stand up and reach their hands out to pray over us.  It was awesome!
I love my pastor...such and encourager!
Thank you reception we had for our friends and family after the service. Showing our ministry DVD.
Me and one of my three favorite mentors and friend...Kathie White!!!

My Sweet Baby Boy

So Saturday morning I headed to Waleska for Chewy's next round of shots.  He was all happy to take the ride...but not so happy when he realized where it was we were going.
Meet Chewy's sister.  Apon arriving at the breeder's home...we were greeted by this sweet little one.  She was so excited to see Chewy....

But he was NOT excited to see her.  Bad little boy!  He thinks he is human I promise you that.  In the picture above...can't you just imagine him saying "Oooooooh Mommy...this dog is trying to lick me!"
They look so alike!  Here we are ready to leave.  Chewy is posing for the camera...just like his mommy. I have trained him well.  Look at his sister...still trying to share some loving.  Chewy is saying "Okay already...let's pose for this picture and like get out of here mommy!" Got any funny dog stories? I would love to hear from you!

Commissioning and Bar-B-Que Aug 3rd...Don't miss it!

Hey everyone. Just a quick reminder that there is a lot happening tomorrow. First there will be a bar-b-que benefit for Barbara and Ludie Creech...the two missionaires going on the field the same time I am...Lord willing. This will take place in the GYM of FBCW from 1-3pm.

Then...myself and the Creech family will be commissioned by Pastor Johnny in the 6pm worship service. This will take place in the main sanctuary. Immediately following the evening service there will be a "thank you" reception in the Magnolia room. Please come by and let me hug your neck goodbye!

Quick update on my DAD...he was omitted to the hospital yesterday complaining of numbness on the right side of his face. They have found out he has had a mild stroke which possibly has been caused by a blood clot in the lungs. He is very alert and feeling okay. They are keeping him until Monday or Tuesday at Kennestone Hospital as they are giving him blood thinners in hope to break up the clots. Please continue to pray that all goes well. He has a test Monday morning for a heart cath...which there is concern about his blood being thin already and the procedure has a high probability that a patient may bleed a lot. If you remember last summer he almost past away afer a procedure he had done on blood thinners...which made him almost bleed to death. Please be in prayer for that not to happen! Thank you for your prayers!

Love to you all..and hope to see you tomorrow night!