May 2011 - Irish American News

22 Irish American News “We’ve Always Been Green!” May 2011AppearancesCutsFoil HighlightsColorWaxingPermsGifts/JewelryCall Mary 847-825-7615229 N Northwest Hwy, Park RidgeHarvesting the Faith in IrelandI’m not sure if I’ll ever get to Ireland. TheSpirit is willing but the purse is weak.But just as unexpected, a vital part of Irelandcame to me just a few Sundays ago.While attending services at CrosspointChurch just outside Fox Lake, IL, I learnedour regular pastor was yielding the podiumto the chief administrator of the IrishBible Institute. It turns out our churchpartners with IBI in its mission tospread the Christian faith throughoutIreland.Seeing as St. Patrick still needs tohave his work converting Ireland completed,it makes sense that IBI is one ofthe “missionary organizations” that mychurch currently supports.If that term conjures up thoughts ofdusty huts or jungle journeys, it wasclear this guest speaker would offerup something substantially differentfrom the standard fare of adventuresdodging cannibals in the Pacific Rim, orthe infamous annual visit of a missionaryfamily to my old western suburb’sCatholic church, where they spoke ofthe handiness of tropical leaves in aculture without toilet paper.Stepping up to the podium was an Irishman who looked uncannily like the famousBritish actor Sir Anthony Hopkins and withsomething of his on-screen manner, too. Oneshould note that would be from roles playingsoft-spoken academics and theologians likeC.S. Lewis rather than say, Hannibal Lecter,speaking of cannibals.Dressed in a wool sport coat and pulloversweater, Irish Bible Institute President (orPrincipal) Jacob Reynolds is a witty andurbane man with a kind heart whose unusualjourney took him from the farm fields outsideDublin to higher education in Canada, then tothe pulpit and back to Ireland to spread a faiththat transformed his life.“I got the faith30 years agowhen I just 18,”said Reynolds.He was on hisway to a blinddate at the moviesand got stoodup. Facing thisultimate rejection,at least fora teenage boy, he realized that heading hometo a big family to lick his wounds wouldnot do. “There’d be all kinds of questions tobe answered,” he said with a wry smile asthe family-rich church audience nodded inagreement.His sanctuary was to spend the evening inReynolds congratulates an IBI grad in Dublin.a Dublin coffee shop, but there he encountereda group of Christians that led him toconsider a new type of family, and also whatthere is in life that truly gives lasting meaningoutside of surface acceptance or success. Heknew he needed a personal relationship withGod, and the growing realization of Jesus asa personal savior brought Reynolds to say asimple prayer: “I don’t believe you the way Ishould. Help me to believe!”The help came, and Reynolds moved toCanada to attend a Bible college. There he methis future wife and also began a journey backhome. “The normal way for many who leaveIreland for North America is to stay there. I feltI had to spread what I learned back home.”His vision became one of training leadersfor Ireland, where civilization may not beremote but the missionary need for encouraging,sharing and spreading a vital and personalfaith is near at hand.Students at IBI receive more than Bachelorsor Masters degrees from Reynolds, theyreceive a focus on making a practical differencein individual church communities andacross Ireland. “It is a misnomer to think thatwe don’t have much to offer God or His kingdom.If our desire is to serve the living God,then everything we bring to the work of thekingdom is of God Himself,” said Reynolds.He draws back to his boyhood farm daysin the turnip fields outside Dublin for a practicalexample of how one puts faith in action.Typically he and his bigger brothers, Paddyand Damien, would be on hands and knees inmuddy, rainy or hot weather strivingto “end up the drill,” get to the end ofa long row of turnips to be harvested.“It was a horrible job!” he said withheartfelt conviction.One day, as he was nearing the endof the row, he noticed his basket ofturnips growing as miraculously as abasket of limitless loaves and fishesgrew on the shore of a far away seatwo thousand years ago. It turns outtwo brothers who could just as soonstart a fight or lord over a little brotherhad each been silently adding a turnipor two to Jacob’s all-fours struggle upthe muddy row.His load was lightened and easierto bear, knowing he wasn’t alone. JacobReynolds, who now has his owngrown family and wife, along withhis college community family, preaches thatlesson as a challenge for individual believersto make a difference in the smallest, andlargest of ways.At a time when resources are extremely limitedin Ireland and elsewhere, Reynolds offersa perspective of encouragement that givingwhat little we have is often more than enough.After all in the Gospel, one little boy’s loavesand fishes, not unlike another little boy’s farmharvest, ultimately fed thousands.“It reminds us that Christ is sufficient andthat he can accomplish extraordinary thingsfrom meager resources,” Reynolds pointedout. “He is teaching His disciples that He iscapable of meeting their needs.”IrishRoverJim@aol.com.Beautiful OceanfrontCottage in Dingle for rentRemodeled and furnished. 4 bedroom,4 bath with a fabulous viewof the ocean at the mouth of Dingleharbor. Short walk to beach and onlytwo miles from Dingle town. Sleeps8-10. Call Colleen 312-399-8793