Cheryl conducted a much needed yoga class at 7:45 am.
Laura did the devotional.
The first stop was Bombay St. in the Clonard neighborhood, which was firebombed on August 15, 1969. The Memorial Garden contained the names of IRA volunteers killed in action from 1921-1998. The names of innocent Clonard victims were listed as sectarian murders. There were fresh flowers at the base. Mike then took us to the “Peace Wall” separating two neighborhoods which had much graffiti on it, but may people had written words of Peace. With an insight, one grattiti artist scrolled, “Make love not wall”.
The Team then went to Fourth Spring Intercommunity Group, which is on Springfield road. We attended many activities there. The Tea Dancers was a group of Catholic and Protestant woman dancing and they invited us to dance with them. Mike, the two Pats, Jerry, Paula, Cheryl, Denis and Rod joined the ladies in dances.
Fiona, the Art Director, gave a demonstration of her art class. The students showed their self made greeting cards and generously gave them to the VIM group. Director Chris O'Halloran then gave a history of Fourthspring and how matters have improved. Chris led a tour of an impressive community garden, followed by a delicious lunch provided by Forthspring.
Emma, head of "Moving On, Moving Up" led the VIM members in a prayer circle. After a short break the woman weeded and trimmed while the men looked at possible repairs at the Sisters house.
Then the team joined "Moving On, Moving Up" for a garden event supervised by Emma. Children, their parents, grandparents and the VIM Team painted tin pots and planted seedlings.
We returned to the Farset International for much needed showers and quickly returned to Fourthspring for a pizza dinner and bingo word games with the Youth Matters children. We joined the children in a scavenger hunt, and Mike's team won!
The Team ended the day with a weekly ecumenical bible study group known as Journey In Understanding. Ministers from the Anglican, Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches attended as well as about 50 laity. People read a section of Romans, broke into groups to discuss the passages, and then met as a group for summaries of group discussions.
After coffee, tea and biscuits, the Team returned to Farset Hotel to rest for another day.
Submitted by Denis Foley
Bombay Street Memorial
The Peace Wall
Fiona, Art Director, and Rod
Cleaniing up the Outside of Forthspring
Dancing with the Tea Dancers
Prayer Session
Working with "Moving Up, Moving On"
Working with Youth Matters
Journey In Understanding
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