Creideamh (pronounced something like kray-jiff, the Irish word for faith) was dubbed the Festival of Faith and hosted a couple hundred people from around Ireland and the world for an outreach in Galway for fifteen days this July. We came along with several other people representing YWAM Ireland to help with the facilitation of the festival and its events – our members doing everything from planning and administration, to electrical work for setting up the festival gazebo on Eyre square, to hosting the various artists who came to perform for the festival.

Renee and I primarily took over the management of festival operations at a local restaurant after its normal closing time, feeding all the festival teams each evening and helping run the festival’s public entertainment venue there, where we hosted musicians, magicians, mimes, and testimony-tellers every night.

Creideamh seemed to have largely been a success. The volunteers got on well and feedback from the community was positive. Teams met in the morning for services, followed by lunch and training, and then would spread out across Galway according to their ministry – ranging from engaging people in discussions about faith to kid’s ministry in local parishes. The artists would perform around town, sometimes on the street, and sometimes in a handful of festival venues.

Well, I could go on, but I suggest you just check out the photos I’ve uploaded to this site (which were also put on the YWAM Ireland Facebook Page, I think), as well as the YouTube video of a member of YWAM England escaping from a straight jacket during Creideamh.

Also check out some of the artists who worked the festival:

• L’Angelus – cajun roots band from Louisiana
• Flip Francis and Sammy Blaze – hip-hop artists from Dallas, TX.
• Crossing the Jordan (CTJ) – band of musicians from four continents, based with YWAM in Harpenden, England.
• Yan Nicholls (E-team) – magician, escape artist, and evangelist based with YWAM in England.
• Collin and Halie (E-team) – acoustic music duo based with YWAM in England.
• Steve Murray – mime artist.

More info at Creideamh website.

The theme of the YWAM venue was entitled “The Sacred and the Secular” and meant to address this idea that we consider some activities holier than others, though we are really meant to engage with God in any activity we pursue. So our space was set up for prayer and for fun – with a prayer tent for the nations, stations of the Cross, art gallery and space and paints for artistic expression, as well as table football (fooseball), pool tables, table tennis, video games and a lounge area.

About 5,000 visitors come each year to the festival, most of the young people, either on their own or with a group, at a variety of stages in their faith walk.

The goals of our venue, in this light, were:
• To promote YWAM and information about our organization internationally. As young people ourselves, we want to illustrate to possibilities for youth in missions.
• Along with that, to promote short-term missions opportunities to young people or church groups, specifically in regards to a trip we’re taking for two weeks to Israel and Palestine this fall, and especially a series of short-term missions trips we want to bring Northern Irish on in 2010 to South Africa when that country hosts the football World Cup. We feel short-term missions opportunities can be a key element to encouraging young people into missional futures.
• To be a safe place for young people at the festival to explore their faith. We realize that many youth come with a group or with friends and may not have much of a faith of their own. Conversely, some come alone or are not natural parts of their group, and the festive atmosphere actually serves to alienate them. We sent out prayer pairs to engage these kids and offer them a safe place for conversation and prayer and sharing amongst us.

Two nights, we also showcased a programme called “Around the World in 80 Minutes” with stories and acts from around the globe (most from YWAM staff and students, but also from other groups). The aim was to engage the above goals, as well as give a message to the youth to not be afraid to use their gifts and passions to impact the world and to serve God.

Anyways, check out our Summer Madness 2008 playlist on YouTube, or just check out the embeded player below. The video includes clips of Irish dance and drum, a staff member and his hip-hop, capoeira, hip-hop dancing, and more. Also, some Summer Madness 2008 pictures are posted in the gallery.

Related links
-Summer Madness website
-Info on the YWAM Ireland trip to Israel and Palestine