When Frank and Bekah Burder got married in 2007, they had one major desire for their marriage — for God to put them in a place where they could bring his kingdom to earth.
As often happens with big prayers, God offered a big answer. In just four years, Frank and Bekah found themselves living in southeast Ireland — their third international location.
In July 2011, while working on staff with Adventures, Frank and Bekah led a short-term mission trip to Ireland where they partnered with The Rock Kilkenny, a drug and alcohol-free drop-in center for youth. There, they heard God’s answer to their prayer.
In Irish culture, everything closes around 6:00 p.m. leaving only the pubs and bars open for Irish youth to hang out. They’re set up early for a life of alcohol and drug abuse. The Burders had both dealt with similar issues, and they knew God was calling them to use their pasts to change someone else’s future.
Upon returning to the States, they felt drawn to Ireland long-term. They wanted more than the comfortable 9-to-5 life, and in Ireland they saw an opportunity to use their experiences with drug and alcohol abuse to reach the Irish youth where they’re at.
Frank and Bekah mentor youth workers at centers like The Rock and are working to establish new centers with the hope of seeing a shift in the culture as kids are given another outlet for developing relationships that don’t center around drugs or alcohol. The ultimate goal is to open a drop-in center like The Rock in every county in Ireland and establish an Adventures in Missions base in Ireland that mobilizes locals to go to other parts of Europe.
It’s a big dream and one that Frank and Bekah can’t do alone. They’re looking for a team to join them in shifting the culture and bringing the good news of the gospel to the people of Ireland.
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