It May Look Like North Carolina...

This blog is about movies...right? Well, I try but I sidetrack myself with real life on occasion. Since I have still not seen Public Enemies...sorry Johnny, I keep trying...then I shall blog about a movie, a mission trip and my fear of travel. Yes, I know you can hardly wait.

The title of this blog entry is "It May Look Like North Carolina". If you have seen the movie Cold Mountain then you know that it is the story of a place called Cold Mountain in North Carolina. The storyline revolves around a very proper girl who falls for a mountain man of sorts. The Civil War breaks out and the couple share one kiss...it is a good kiss...before he marches off to war. The girl's father dies and she is left to attempt to run the farm all alone. Fortunately for her, a woman shows up to help. This woman, Ruby, is a tough as nails country girl who shows the proper city girl the ropes and they develop a friendship. Meanwhile, the mountain man is injured in battle and then decides to go AWOL and return to Cold Mountain to be with the girl. In case you have not seen the movie, I will only tell you that they do see each other at the end of the movie but things do not end on a happily ever after note. Also, because I know more than I should about movies, I will tell you that Renee Zellweger, who plays Ruby, snagged an Oscar...she was great!

So...what does any of this have to do with anything? Well, the Cold Mountain protrayed in the film may look like North Carolina and the rural Appalachians, but is was actually filmed in Romania. Imagine that! Now, this is where I tie this all together...keep reading...

I taught that Sunday School class today and had three people. Not a huge class and they didn't talk much but it went well...I think. During our prayer request time two of the three asked for prayer because they are heading on a mission trip to, you guessed it, Romania. Neither one of these ladies have ever been on an airplane before so they are nervous. I would be too! If my first flight had been half way around the world I would need heavy meds. I really still would...we will get to that part. Anyway, these two began to share with me about what they are going to be doing and one of them in particular really lit up about it. She may be nervous about traveling, but she is excited to have the opportunity to go teach others about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! She also admited to being nervous about working with the translators. I told her it would worry me too but they know what they are doing. (I sure hope I am right about that!)

The team from my church are heading for what apparently looks a lot like North Carolina. (OK...I am not sure they are going where Cold Mountain was shot but Romania is not that big people...is it? I am not sure since I don't really know geography!) I didn't count them, but there are probably 20 to 30 going to fulfill the Great Commission on this mission trip. Based on my discussion with the ladies in the Sunday School class, they will divide into two teams. One of our ministers will lead a team into the rural part where it is mostly gypsys and they do not know English and the other minister will lead a team in the "town" where English is more common. Neither one of these guys knows Romanian but minister #1 has been there before and minister #2 hasn't...but he can probably do the accent...he sure has heard it yelled at him from me often enough that I am sure it is like "countless terrors" to him by now! (For those of you that haven't read all my posts, I am attempting to play a gypsy in a movie at church and my accent comes off kinda Romanian/German/Russian depending on the line I am delivering! To his great misfortune, minister #2 has been on the receiving end of my "acting ability".)

Anyway, these two teams will carry out Vacation Bible Schools for the children of the two areas. All of this to me is nothing short of amazing. For two weeks, these people will give themselves over to whatever the Lord's will is for their lives. What a testament of faith! If you are reading this, please join with me in praying for their safety, boldness, health and peace. Pray also for the Romanians whose lives they will touch!

Remember that part about me needing heavy meds to make a trip half way around the world? Well, it is true. I would love to journey along with these fine folks but I actually have a fear of travel...by plane, car, bus...you name it. Have I traveled? Yes. I do work for an airport. However, the thoughts of going with a group of people I don't know that well and traveling for something like 24 hours straight scares me to death. I really hate that about myself. One voice in my head says to grab my Passport and join the next team while the other voice screams at me to stop! No...I don't really hear voices in my head...often. Would God take care of me? Yes...I have absolute faith that He would. Would he remove the fear? Maybe...maybe not. So, in the event that voice number one wins out one of these days, and I feel called to go to Romania or somewhere else, I would not want to be the one sitting next to me on those flights!

I can't wait to hear about the wonderful things that God is going to do in and through the Romanian team. I also want to know if Romania looks like North Carolina...