I started this job back in August last year - I had just finished a 4 year degree in languages at university in Belfast, and was wondering what God had in store for me next. I knew He was calling me into some sort of 'full time' Christian work and when I saw the job advertised, got very excited as it looked like it could be my 'niche'. It's funny how God sometimes brings things full-circle...I was involved as a team member on a few Crosslinks holiday clubs in the Dublin area as a 16-year old, and often thought it would be fun to do holiday clubs full time! And now (at the grand old age of 23) look where I am! Excuse to be a kid again, really.

Not a huge amount; I have always had a heart for overseas mission, and have been in South America several times on short-term programmes. I spent a year in Paraguay as a volunteer with SAMS just before I entered final year at university, working in a school for shanty town children and also with the youth of a local church. At the moment I feel God is calling me to stay on this island, for a few years anyway (much to my mum's delight!). We have a mission field on our doorstep, and right now my passion is for children's ministry in the Republic of Ireland.

My main role is to organise week-long holiday clubs in Church of Ireland parishes dotted around the country during the Easter and summer months, as well as organising and training young volunteers to be on these short-term teams. However, during the year my aim is to be an encouragement, resource and support to individual Anglican churches as they carry out children's work; for example, through family services, helping Sunday School teachers to plan Bible-based, creative teaching programmes, running children's days or weekends and taking primary school assemblies. The Lord has given me an incredible passion for children's work and my desire is to see churches take their responsibilities for this vital ministry seriously. 

It depends what your definition of 'church' is. If the church is not adapting to meet the needs of an ever-changing society, if the message of Jesus is not presented for what it is - radical and life-changing - in a way that the younger generation can understand and relate to, then
the answer is no. If they are made to feel welcomed, loved, accepted and important within a supportive, all-age church family, then the answer is yes, of course they will be interested. Jesus said 'I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full'. Are we ensuring that our children and young people are taught the Word of God effectively by committed believers who are called by God and being equipped to carry out this work? Are we giving our best to nurturing the children in our care and reaching out to those little ones in the community who don't have that abundant life? Choosing to follow Jesus is the best decision we can ever make and it is the most exhilarating adventure we can ever go on! The church is much more than a building and two structured Sunday services.

A holiday club runs from Monday to Friday for 3 hours in the morning or afternoon, when we invite children aged between 4 and 12 years old to participate in an action-packed  programme of Bible teaching, games, music, drama, puppets, craft and small group activities. We have chosen a sports theme this year, focusing on what it means to be on God's special team! Our aim is simply to communicate the gospel message as creatively as possible to the children we work with, as well as developing the leadership skills of our young team members and helping to jumpstart or develop the children's work in the churches we work alongside. We are running 12 clubs across Ireland this year; two have already taken place over the Easter period and, God willing, there will be ten during July in August. Many are in the Dublin and Wicklow areas, others as far away as Sligo and the south-eastern coast. The locations vary from church halls in the middle of housing estates, to rural villages in the heart of the countryside. Planning for the clubs is a real step of faith as we need approximately 80 committed Christian volunteers, aged 16+, to make this happen. I believe this is truly mission on the front-line, as we are now facing a second generation of young people who have little or no exposure to Christianity or the church, in a needy, hurting society which perhaps needs God's love more than ever before.