Location Info
Since the time of St. Patrick, Ireland has strongly identified with the Christian faith and the Catholic Church. Recent decades, however, have seen a major shift. Ireland now has one of the highest rates of “convinced atheists” per capita of any English-speaking country. Even those who’d check “Christian” on a census form are increasingly unlikely to have any real personal connection with faith or church. While church attendance has fallen significantly in Ireland since the 1970s, other rates such as drug addiction and suicide have climbed to among the highest in Europe. Amid all the hopelessness, we see light in the small percentage of Christ-following, disciple-making believers who are active in Dublin. Will you come shine your light here, too?
Teams on the Ground
Quick Bio: Ben and Dorine have 4 children and come to Ireland from the Bay Area in California. They have a background in Social Services and a heart for Post-Christian Europe in helping people with addiction issues. They work within multiple homeless outreach and substance recovery programs in Dublin. They love hosting people and giving them opportunity for service
Focus
- Post-Christian Culture Engagement
- Homelessness
- Job Skill Acquisition
- Substance Abuse Mitigation and victim restoration
Anchor Projects/Programs
Problem: High rate of homelessness due to substance abuse
Solution: Holistic program that addresses the root cause of the addiction and provides a plan for restoration back into community
Problem: High level of jobless households, at over one in five (23.4 per cent).
Solution: Affordable childcare, reducing unemployment traps and providing job skill acquisition programs.