Belfast Mission Team in East Tennessee
From October 10–21, we’ll welcome a mission team from Belfast, Northern Ireland to East Tennessee for a special journey with our youth and communities. This isn’t just a calendar event—it’s a chance to sit with real stories, ask honest questions, and discover how reconciliation and hope can grow in divided places.
Why Belfast? Why Now?
Belfast is a city whose streets still remember the tensions and losses of “The Troubles.” Many on this team lived through those years. They carry hard-won wisdom—how communities heal, how neighbors rebuild trust, and how young people can become bridge-builders. Their presence here is a gift to our local youth who are navigating their own pressures and fractures in today’s world.
“When we tell the truth about our past, we give our future a fighting chance.”
What the Team Will Do
Over the course of their visit, the Belfast team will:
- Connect with youth through school visits, community gatherings, and Breakaway activities.
- Share presentations on Belfast’s history and the lived experience of The Troubles.
- Host Q&A sessions that invite open conversation and compassionate listening.
- Join in service projects that help our neighborhoods and model everyday peacemaking.
Though the topics are weighty, the tone will be personal and hopeful—stories from people who’ve learned to move toward one another, even after years of division.
What Youth Will Experience
Our heart is to give students a space to:
- Hear authentic stories from peers and mentors who’ve walked through conflict.
- Learn practical tools for listening, empathy, and respectful dialogue.
- See how reconciliation takes shape in everyday life—on teams, in classrooms, and across dinner tables.
- Discover that their voices matter in the work of healing communities.
Join the Story
If you cross paths with our Belfast friends this month—at a presentation, a community event, or a youth gathering—we hope you’ll lean in. Listen. Ask questions. Share your story. Healing often begins in conversations like these.
Dates: October 10–21, 2025
Where: East Tennessee (various youth and community settings)
Focus: Youth engagement, cultural exchange, reconciliation, and hope
Thank you for journeying with us as we learn from one another and seek the peace of our communities—one conversation at a time.