A Redneck in Europe - Romania part 1

I will post some things over the next few days. Here is the first.

Romanian Journal

Friday / Saturday - Travel

We left Rose Heights at 10:30 am. We got to DFW Airport around1. we got checked in and through security with no problems. We are flying on KLM – Royal Dutch. Everybody gets their own TV in their seat with a large selection of movies to watch. We took off at 330 PM. 10 hours later we landed in Amsterdam. I think we ate 4 times on that flight. I lost track. I did watch 4 movies.

In Amsterdam, I was wondering around and saw a news paper stand. While looking at the English news papers and magazines for news, I discovered that I was not in Texas any more.In a Texas gas station if you are looking of for a "certain kind of reading Material" it is behind the counter, behind a paper sack.Not here, it is right out in front next to News week, national geographic and the wall street journal. And there is not paper sack over it. So you can check your stocks, world events and see what her turn on and turn offs are without ever taking a step or moving a paper sack. SHOCKER!!! Oh, just so you know, the urinal in the men’s room is like a gold fish bowl on the wall that does not flush. That was really odd. Plus the doors were open to the bathroom. While I was doing my business, a group of Ethiopians came in to brush their team.

Oh Well, time to get on the plane. I evidently set off some security thing in Holland.They pulled me aside to search me. Now I have patted a lot of people down. This was not a pat down, it was a rub down. He rubbed EVERY inch of my body. Some places more than others. He really rubbed my right side and leg up and down a lot. It was in front of everyone and people were asking “was i making a new friend, did I get his phone number, were we going to meet later….” I saw them do it to women as well, they rubbed them all over as well. I do mean all over. I really felt violated. A guy should have some privacy for that sort of thing. Dutch People, watta ya going to do???

We got to Bucharest about 1:30 pm. The clinic director and our missionary picked us up with a bus. The city we stopped in to eat was a real mix of 2 worlds. You can see the old soviet influence in the architecture, the way the street is laid out. Then you see McDonald's and satellites hanging out the window of each of the apartment windows. What a mix. We watched this really pretty wedding procession in a little church. When they came out there was a guy on an accordion playing, flowers were being thrown.

I got stopped by the police when I got off the bus. I did not leave with the group initially (at mcd's) because I was praying with someone. These 2 cops stopped me pointed at me and the bus and kept saying something. All I could muster was "I don’t speak Romanian" in the spirit of Chris Farley. They finally just waived me away. When I caught up to the group they kept asking what they wanted, like I could tell them, I am from out of town.

The place we are staying, I must say is awesome. I have stayed in hotels worse than this. Suffering for Jesus. It is the Diconia Medical Center in Bralia, Romania.

The pastor took me to the church I will preach in this morning. It is beautiful. It is round looking thing. 3 stories. It reminds me of the old drawings I have seen of Spurgeon's church.

I crashed as soon as I saw a bed.