Day 2 - Micah

Today we got the great opportunity to go out and play songs on the streets of Galway. This town loves all kinds of music and we got to talk to and meet many new people during this time. After breaking for lunch at the An Tobar Nua cafe, we relaxed some and took a shopping break. A few stores later, Jon bought a flute and we were headed back to the cafe to set up for the worship night later that evening. We got to sit and eat dinner with the staff of the church (who also happened to work at the cafe) while we set up for the event. The workers range from interns from the states to locals of Galway which made for some great conversations. As people began to pile into the small cafe, we couldn’t help but be overcome by the presence of the Lord and what He was going to do tonight. We worshipped with the congregation as two of their music leaders led us in song. As they introduced us to the congregation, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the name “Half Peeled Orange”; which they all knew us by.  Needless to say, we were blessed with an extraordinary  night of worship with our new friends. It’s only day two and God is moving so much already. Plans for tomorrow include leading worship at the church in Galway and teaching their worship team in some small study groups.

Day 1 - Dublin to Galway - Lucy

Hey everybody! So, in case you were all anxiously wondering, we successfully arrived in Dublin, suitcases, guitars, violins, pedal boards, and bodies in tact. Hooray! We took our short flight from Lexington to Charlotte, then waited 4 hours in the airport for our flight to Dublin. Our Dublin flight was about 8 hours, and we were all hoping to get a full night’s sleep on that flight. However, I think most of us got an average of 2 hours of sleep during that entire flight. We arrive in Dublin around 7:15 AM, which would be 2:15 AM Eastern Time. Needless to say, we were a little out of it. But we made it to Ireland! And for that we were super pumped. 

We took a bus from Dublin to Galway, met up with Eric, our local correspondent with the church in Galway, and got to our hotel just in time to throw on a clean shirt and hop onto another bus that would take us to see the Cliffs of Moher. We spent the rest of the day touring the west coast of Ireland (we think). The Cliffs of Moher were absolutely breathtaking. (Hopefully, we’ll get to post some pictures for you soon.) After eating a quick lunch at the cafe there, we all went our own ways and explored the paths that took you around the cliffs. It reminded me of that moment in Pride and Prejudice when Lizzie is standing on the cliff, staring off into the ocean, wind blowing her dress around her ankles, and the beautiful piano music underscoring the scene. Sorry if you haven’t seen that movie, but that is the best way I can describe what it felt like on those cliffs. Seriously, awesome. As we toured the coast, we probably saw about 10 different old castles throughout the countryside, which is also pretty cool. 

When we got back, we went to dinner and all ordered the exact same meal — fish and chips. Nothing like a good Irish dinner. We wandered around for a while trying to find a pub that had live “trad” music playing (traditional irish folk music), but weren’t able to find any tonight. But we will find one before we leave, for sure. I will not leave here without hearing live irish folk music. 

So, now, we are back in our hotel and trying to convince ourselves that we should go to bed after about 34 hours of non-stop travel. :) We don’t need a whole lot of convincing on that one. Tomorrow, we look forward to having our first traditional irish breakfast. We will also be playing worship music in the square and talking with people (which should prove to be very interesting). Then in the evening, we will be leading a worship night at the church here in Galway. Woo! So much to do! So little time! So much Jesus! 

Thanks so much for praying for us! We really appreciate it. We’re having a great time so far, and will continue to keep you updated on what is happening, whenever we have access to WiFi! 

(For the record, Emily R and I have already begun to think in Irish accents… maybe we’ll be able to imitate them by the time we get back.)

Meet the Band: Emily

Hi everyone! My name is Emily, and I’m a vocalist for Half Peeled Orange. I’m now a junior at Asbury University, and I’m a Worship Arts major with a minor in Accounting (so I’m one of those weird people who loves music AND math). I’m super pumped for this trip for so many reasons, but I’m most excited for the opportunity to worship and serve with such an incredible team. God has made it so evident that He has handpicked each member of our team for a specific reason, and I am so blessed to be a part of it. Can’t wait to see how God uses us and works in us as we go out to serve!

Shipping Off in TWO DAYS!

Today is the day! Well... Sort of. 

The band is meeting in Wilmore today to practice music and set lists for our trip. We're going to run through and work on memorizing songs to take to Ireland. Our trip is so incredibly close! 

To our prayer partners, please pray for safe travels today as everyone comes back to Wilmore from their weekend home. Also please pray that we would be effectively preparing our hearts for this trip and all that God may have in store for us in the coming weeks. 

Thank you so much for your support! More updates to come! 

Love and blessings, 

~Kat 

The Countdown Begins...

In just two weeks we will be on a plane on our way to Dublin, Ireland! With classes wrapping up and finals coming quickly, I didn't realize the trip was so soon!

As we get closer to the trip, there is a lot of planning that goes on. Jon, Micah, and I have been working hard to get the details figured out, from bus and train tickets to meals and host homes. I never knew there were so many details to a trip like this!

Since the money for our trip is officially due today, I thought I'd let everyone know that we are FULLY FUNDED! God is so good! We have so many amazing people in our lives who helped this dream trip become a reality, and we could not be more appreciative. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and financial support that are making this trip happen!

I'll be updating the blog little by little in the next few days to give you all an idea of what we will be doing in Ireland, as well as posting daily (hopefully) while we are gone. Please keep us in your prayers as finals approach and as we finished planning this trip. Thanks again!

Love and blessings,
Kat

Meet the Band: Emily Royster

Hey!!!!
I'm Emily and I play violin for Half Peeled Orange :)
I love being outside, rock climbing, playing music with my brother, and traveling.
I am also sophomore at Asbury following my passions by studying Worship Arts and Adventure Leadership. I am so glad that we get the opportunity to go to Ireland and see what God is up to over there. Every time we rehearse as a band I get more and more excited to go.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support! We really appreciate you!
Emily

Meet the Band: Lucy

Hey everyone, I'm Lucy Allen, and I'm a vocalist on the band. I'm a senior at Asbury University majoring in Theatre and Cinema Performance. Yeah, I'm an actor. I love all forms of music, spending time with people I love, and reading classic literature. I'm so excited to be a part of this group traveling to Northern Ireland! Leading worship is one of my special passions. I love to see people freely expressing themselves to worship Jesus. It's a beautiful thing. I can't wait to see what Jesus has in store for this trip, and I sincerely thank all of you who have already shown your support by giving financially and praying for us. Please continue to do so! God bless!