Justin and I are being drawn back for our second year of outreach with church planting ministry E3 Partners to the beautiful but broken land of Ireland. This year, our son Parker and daughter Peyton will be joining us on mission—we are thrilled that God has provided this opportunity and that Parker and Peyton have enthusiastically said YES! They  will undergo training with us in gospel outreach and will be a much needed part of our team— they will have a disarming sense of presence, being a young person, and I know God will use them to draw people toward the kind of life, love, and hope that only Jesus can bring.

WHY do we go? Because Jesus asks us to. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

 Here are some important facts that may be helpful for you to know.

• Only 1.56% of Irish people identify themselves as followers of Jesus (Joshua Project)
• The Republic of Ireland is the least evangelized nation in Europe (Gospel Coalition)
• Ireland has 72 towns with populations of more than 5,000 that remain without any gospel-centered church (E3)

 We are partnering again with E3’s Irish Mission vision to plant at least one Gospel-centered church in each of the 32 provinces in Ireland by the year 2032 — 32 x ‘32 is the name of the movement. Our partnership will include sharing the gospel in neighborhoods outside of Dublin and initiating discipleship-focused small group Bible studies. Last year, God used our team to help plant a home church that continues to grow and thrive! We are praying and anticipating His Spirit to move in us and go before us to prepare the hearts of those whom we will encounter to be open to hearing and receiving His message of grace and reconciliation through Jesus.

 Will you partner with us? Our trip is scheduled for July 6-13. We are praying for mission-sending partners who will join in God’s work in Ireland. We’re going in faith that God will raise up prayer and financial support through His body of believers. We are also praying that one day YOU will join us in Ireland and step into the story that God is writing there!

Love in the bond,

The Waltons