Wednesday
We just got back from working in a town about thirty minutes away. I think we saw 200 people, it was crazy. We set up today in a community center that is rented out for parties and weddings.
High blood pressure is so common. I think I have figured out why. For years they had little or no electricity and everything was preserved with salt. Most of the food we have eaten is very salty.
Many more ladies who had lots of abortions. Saw one guy whose feet have no circulation in them, he wanted to know if we could fix them. They will have to be cut off. He is only 42. Very sad, we don’t know why he has this.Saw a young couple, the man has hepatitis. He was 25.
We passed many fields today that were being burned off. We saw some people today whose id card were those issued by the communist thirty years ago.
Some people got upset because some gypsies got ahead of them in line. One lady told me that she wanted to see the dr because her husband makes her mad. I told her that husbands do this; she should take her shoe and hit him.
One lady said that when she gets mad her throat swells, I told her not to get mad any more.
We had a couple yesterday that had been dating for 50 years. They were so cute.
One lady had a large portion of one of toes cut off. I saw the largest goiter on someone’s neck that I have ever seen. We saw many people with abscessed teeth. We could do nothing other than give them some antibiotics and Tylenol.
There was this one beautiful little gypsy girl with the prettiest dress I have ever seen. I had someone get a pic with my camera; will see if it comes out.
I got to drive a van in Romanian traffic. It was a VW microbus. We got to see Pastor Peter's church. It was small, but very beautiful. Very simple. It had this long row of bushes and flowers on the side walk. It is a mission church from the Baptist church in Braila.
Showing posts with label red neck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label red neck. Show all posts
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
A Redneck in Europe - Romania Part 3
Tuesday
Sunni, Pepper, Debbie and Vicky and I stayed at the clinic today and did ob/gyn stuff. Debbie and I did counseling after the visit. We shared the gospel a lot. There were many Christians from the church, there were many who claimed orthodox (Romanian Eastern Orthodox) but they don’t know about Jesus. It is so sad how they are trapped in their form of religion but have no relationship with God.
They have no assurance of their faith. They believe that if they do more good than bad, then maybe it will work out.We saw many women who have had many abortions. One lady had had 6.The translator that we worked with is named Anna Maria Magdalena Tudschoo, she is 24 and in her 4rth year of medical school. She is part of a church called God’s Army; it is a renewal movement in the Orthodox Church. They are trying to change the orthodox belief from the inside.
One thing I saw today that really surprised me was a lot of 7th day Adventist. Apparently they have a big work here. The people seemed to have a genuine faith. For the most part I am ok with their theology it, is just different.
I talked to a lady today who is about 25. She was coming to see Sunni. She wants to have children, she said that she is healthy but her husband can not make babies. She was very sad.
One lady wanted to know that since she is 51 is it safe that her and her husband have a vigorous sex life. Sunni assured her that it is ok.
I talked to one lady who wanted nothing to do with the church because she said that they abandon her in her hour of need.
After clinic we all walked down to the park and looked at the Danube River. The park is really beautiful. I am still impressed by the architecture of the buildings. Some have been painted up and are very nice.I joked with someone that instead of bibles, send Sherwin Williams. Maybe Cordell (my brother in law who has a painting business) could come and to a painting outreach.
Tomorrow we all go to a new village to work.
Sunni, Pepper, Debbie and Vicky and I stayed at the clinic today and did ob/gyn stuff. Debbie and I did counseling after the visit. We shared the gospel a lot. There were many Christians from the church, there were many who claimed orthodox (Romanian Eastern Orthodox) but they don’t know about Jesus. It is so sad how they are trapped in their form of religion but have no relationship with God.
They have no assurance of their faith. They believe that if they do more good than bad, then maybe it will work out.We saw many women who have had many abortions. One lady had had 6.The translator that we worked with is named Anna Maria Magdalena Tudschoo, she is 24 and in her 4rth year of medical school. She is part of a church called God’s Army; it is a renewal movement in the Orthodox Church. They are trying to change the orthodox belief from the inside.
One thing I saw today that really surprised me was a lot of 7th day Adventist. Apparently they have a big work here. The people seemed to have a genuine faith. For the most part I am ok with their theology it, is just different.
I talked to a lady today who is about 25. She was coming to see Sunni. She wants to have children, she said that she is healthy but her husband can not make babies. She was very sad.
One lady wanted to know that since she is 51 is it safe that her and her husband have a vigorous sex life. Sunni assured her that it is ok.
I talked to one lady who wanted nothing to do with the church because she said that they abandon her in her hour of need.
After clinic we all walked down to the park and looked at the Danube River. The park is really beautiful. I am still impressed by the architecture of the buildings. Some have been painted up and are very nice.I joked with someone that instead of bibles, send Sherwin Williams. Maybe Cordell (my brother in law who has a painting business) could come and to a painting outreach.
Tomorrow we all go to a new village to work.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
A Redneck in Europe - Romania Part 2
Sunday
I preached this morning. The church is very beautiful. It has lots of natural light and great acoustics. The whole thing is round. Their choir sang and there was testimony time. It was from a lady who had been to the clinic 2 years ago, and over a year she became a Christian. They sang a couple of songs that we knew the tune too.Leslie Brotherton interpreted for me. She is our missionary in Romania. Her family goes to Rose Heights. We worked well together. I preached from the book of Mark.
After church the team was taken to different homes for lunch. I went with Johnny J, John Mark and Wayne A to the home of the pastor. It was about a 2 block walk through this beautiful park. People walking around, there was a band (brass and drum) playing in the park. I saw a little kid driving a “CARS” car. The homes are late 1800 model; some have been re done and are great. Other are need some T.L.C... The streets were cobble stone. The pastor's house reminds me of a southern American type, formal sitting and dinning room. The pastor has traveled lots. He had many books from around the world. On top of one table and shelf were books about Texas. Mamma Mia (the pastor’s wife) his daughter who is about 20 and her husband hosted us for lunch. Soup, bread, meat, potatoes, rice, noodle/bean things, water, ice cream, plums and grapes. Served on beautiful china and dishes. They would make great southerners by their hospitality.
We walked back to the clinic and I took a nap. I preached the Sunday night service again from the book of Mark. Leslie again interpreted for me. The people are so friendly. Most of the team stayed behind at the clinic to prepare the supplies and bag up medicine and get organized.
After church we had a late supper.
Monday
We got up early and had our breakfast. We loaded up in several cars and headed out into one of the rural villages about an hour away. We set up clinic in a Baptist church in a village about an hour from here. We saw maybe 50 patients, not many.
I met the wife of a martyr. Her husband had been in the Romanian Army under communism. Some how, someone shared the gospel with him and he got saved. He came home and shared the gospel with his wife. They soon helped to establish a bible study in their home. From this bible study, the church were working in was formed. Her husband and her were persecuted and tortured by the communist. The man responsible for the death of her husband was head of the local communist party. After her husband died, the man that tortured him died a painful death of cancer.
Wayne and John were threatened with a knife by the local bar owner. He apparently was not happy with us being in the village.Sunni (M.D. Ob/Gyn) treated a patient in a horse drawn wagon. This village is like a peasant village. I don’t say that to be mean. They are just very poor. They still get around with horse drawn carts like they would have 100 years ago.
Kerfoot and I made a house call to see an 88 year old lady with a broke him that has been broke for 4 years. Because of her age, they would no operate on her. They were very friendly people. There was not much we could do. I met her son, my first Romanian red neck. Learned about his wine operation and his vodka cooking. They showed us around their house and farm. They have a vegetable garden and were cutting up a tree that they had delivered from the mountains for firewood.
I saw a lady herding turkeys. No kidding. She had a stick and she was herding a flock of turkeys down the road.
When I discovered the out house I did not drink anything the rest of the day (12 hours) and held my but cheeks until I got back to the clinic. I was not squatting over a hole. No sir ree. Maybe if I had no choice, I would, but I had a choice. Yes I have been in the mountains, camped all over and have done my business in the wild out doors. But OMG!!!
I think I only took BP's on 2 people who did not have high blood pressure.
I sat on the ground at lunch and ate a sandwich with hot mustard. We were sitting in the churches vegetable garden. On the fence was a dead chicken hanging by his neck. We figured that he either committed suicide. He could have been playing with some friends on the roof of a near by barn, daring each other to jump off and he did not make it. Or someone killed the chicken as some sort of hex? Either way, it was a topic of great discussion in the garden.
I did get to see 2 gypsy girls, teenagers. You can spot them by the red and orange dresses they wear. They were beautiful as were their dresses. The gypsies are hated here. They are an ethnic minority. Apparently they were originally brought to Romania from India as slaves. They were later freed. They are treated here worse than blacks in the American south in the 60's. After we left the clinic, we stopped in a small town. I got a 2 liter of Pepsi and drank it in 40 minutes on the ride back to town. I was so dehydrated.
On the road back we saw a guy on the side of the road laying down next to a bike, we stopped to see if he was hurt. He was just drunk.
I saw corn fields harvested with combines and in the same field, a guy with a sling blade and a wagon and horse. What a contrast.Supper tonight was spaghetti with little smoky sausage, egg plant spread and hard bread (the common type here) and I drank 2 liters of water before I was able to go tinkle.
I preached this morning. The church is very beautiful. It has lots of natural light and great acoustics. The whole thing is round. Their choir sang and there was testimony time. It was from a lady who had been to the clinic 2 years ago, and over a year she became a Christian. They sang a couple of songs that we knew the tune too.Leslie Brotherton interpreted for me. She is our missionary in Romania. Her family goes to Rose Heights. We worked well together. I preached from the book of Mark.
After church the team was taken to different homes for lunch. I went with Johnny J, John Mark and Wayne A to the home of the pastor. It was about a 2 block walk through this beautiful park. People walking around, there was a band (brass and drum) playing in the park. I saw a little kid driving a “CARS” car. The homes are late 1800 model; some have been re done and are great. Other are need some T.L.C... The streets were cobble stone. The pastor's house reminds me of a southern American type, formal sitting and dinning room. The pastor has traveled lots. He had many books from around the world. On top of one table and shelf were books about Texas. Mamma Mia (the pastor’s wife) his daughter who is about 20 and her husband hosted us for lunch. Soup, bread, meat, potatoes, rice, noodle/bean things, water, ice cream, plums and grapes. Served on beautiful china and dishes. They would make great southerners by their hospitality.
We walked back to the clinic and I took a nap. I preached the Sunday night service again from the book of Mark. Leslie again interpreted for me. The people are so friendly. Most of the team stayed behind at the clinic to prepare the supplies and bag up medicine and get organized.
After church we had a late supper.
Monday
We got up early and had our breakfast. We loaded up in several cars and headed out into one of the rural villages about an hour away. We set up clinic in a Baptist church in a village about an hour from here. We saw maybe 50 patients, not many.
I met the wife of a martyr. Her husband had been in the Romanian Army under communism. Some how, someone shared the gospel with him and he got saved. He came home and shared the gospel with his wife. They soon helped to establish a bible study in their home. From this bible study, the church were working in was formed. Her husband and her were persecuted and tortured by the communist. The man responsible for the death of her husband was head of the local communist party. After her husband died, the man that tortured him died a painful death of cancer.
Wayne and John were threatened with a knife by the local bar owner. He apparently was not happy with us being in the village.Sunni (M.D. Ob/Gyn) treated a patient in a horse drawn wagon. This village is like a peasant village. I don’t say that to be mean. They are just very poor. They still get around with horse drawn carts like they would have 100 years ago.
Kerfoot and I made a house call to see an 88 year old lady with a broke him that has been broke for 4 years. Because of her age, they would no operate on her. They were very friendly people. There was not much we could do. I met her son, my first Romanian red neck. Learned about his wine operation and his vodka cooking. They showed us around their house and farm. They have a vegetable garden and were cutting up a tree that they had delivered from the mountains for firewood.
I saw a lady herding turkeys. No kidding. She had a stick and she was herding a flock of turkeys down the road.
When I discovered the out house I did not drink anything the rest of the day (12 hours) and held my but cheeks until I got back to the clinic. I was not squatting over a hole. No sir ree. Maybe if I had no choice, I would, but I had a choice. Yes I have been in the mountains, camped all over and have done my business in the wild out doors. But OMG!!!
I think I only took BP's on 2 people who did not have high blood pressure.
I sat on the ground at lunch and ate a sandwich with hot mustard. We were sitting in the churches vegetable garden. On the fence was a dead chicken hanging by his neck. We figured that he either committed suicide. He could have been playing with some friends on the roof of a near by barn, daring each other to jump off and he did not make it. Or someone killed the chicken as some sort of hex? Either way, it was a topic of great discussion in the garden.
I did get to see 2 gypsy girls, teenagers. You can spot them by the red and orange dresses they wear. They were beautiful as were their dresses. The gypsies are hated here. They are an ethnic minority. Apparently they were originally brought to Romania from India as slaves. They were later freed. They are treated here worse than blacks in the American south in the 60's. After we left the clinic, we stopped in a small town. I got a 2 liter of Pepsi and drank it in 40 minutes on the ride back to town. I was so dehydrated.
On the road back we saw a guy on the side of the road laying down next to a bike, we stopped to see if he was hurt. He was just drunk.
I saw corn fields harvested with combines and in the same field, a guy with a sling blade and a wagon and horse. What a contrast.Supper tonight was spaghetti with little smoky sausage, egg plant spread and hard bread (the common type here) and I drank 2 liters of water before I was able to go tinkle.
Monday, October 6, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Adventures of the Red Neck Life
As you know I am the Outreach Pastor of my church. I work closely with our supported agencies locally and globally. I get invited to all sorts of stuff that they do. This week is a big week for one in particular. Last night was a "philanthropy" dinner. That is a big word for BIG MONEY folks. It is fancy word for big time fund raiser. This is past a spaghetti dinner and youth car wash.
It was at a really swanky place. One of these Greek Temple places with folks in uniforms running about. You know the kind of place where they don't serve anything super sized or with toys in the bag. In the parking lot are lots of hummers, bmw's, Mercedes and all kinds of really fancy cars. I eased my old 9 year old Nissan up next to a Benzo and parked it. I figured out real quick that I am out of my element. They are using real dishes for the food, and not paper plates.
Any who, I slide in the door and check in at the table. They hand me my "wine ticket". I give it back to her and said no thank you, I am a temperance man. You see they were offering that fancy wine. The kind that does not have a screw top lid or come in a box. I went up to the bar keep and asked for a glass of tea. In a very uppity voice he told me "sir, you will have to go to the tea service." I had this overwhelming urge to choke him down. I didn't. I did find the tea service. It was self serve, no uniformed person was their to hand it out. I even had to get up and get my own refill a couple of times.
Walking around the place you see these fancy picture taking people. They were the kind where you get your picture taken so you could be "spotted" or "be seen" in magazines that I don't look at. (they don't have pictures of guns and ammo) You know they did not stop me to get my picture. Maybe they thought I was a client of the agency we were their to raise $ for. (Could it have been the fact I was wearing sweat pants and a foot ball helmet and was running around asking for jello?) Just kidding.
I was seated with some nice folks. They were LOADED. Just thought I would mention that. Nice, but RICH. They were bidding on the silent auction. I wasn't. All I had in my pocket was a hot check and some food stamps and they were not taking those. They were the kind of folks who have nick names for the ladies and that is how they are introduced. You know, names like "bunny" "muffy" that sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, they were sweet people, but they don't hang out where I hang out. It was all I could do not to use my Thurston Howell voice.
At dinner they served some real pretty food. I did not care for it, but I ate it. Cuz the Bible said to eat what is set before you. After a couple of hours of this, I decided to slip on out the door and head on to the house.
Am I making fun? No, just offering the perspective of your average redneck theologian who does not get out much. Till next time......
It was at a really swanky place. One of these Greek Temple places with folks in uniforms running about. You know the kind of place where they don't serve anything super sized or with toys in the bag. In the parking lot are lots of hummers, bmw's, Mercedes and all kinds of really fancy cars. I eased my old 9 year old Nissan up next to a Benzo and parked it. I figured out real quick that I am out of my element. They are using real dishes for the food, and not paper plates.
Any who, I slide in the door and check in at the table. They hand me my "wine ticket". I give it back to her and said no thank you, I am a temperance man. You see they were offering that fancy wine. The kind that does not have a screw top lid or come in a box. I went up to the bar keep and asked for a glass of tea. In a very uppity voice he told me "sir, you will have to go to the tea service." I had this overwhelming urge to choke him down. I didn't. I did find the tea service. It was self serve, no uniformed person was their to hand it out. I even had to get up and get my own refill a couple of times.
Walking around the place you see these fancy picture taking people. They were the kind where you get your picture taken so you could be "spotted" or "be seen" in magazines that I don't look at. (they don't have pictures of guns and ammo) You know they did not stop me to get my picture. Maybe they thought I was a client of the agency we were their to raise $ for. (Could it have been the fact I was wearing sweat pants and a foot ball helmet and was running around asking for jello?) Just kidding.
I was seated with some nice folks. They were LOADED. Just thought I would mention that. Nice, but RICH. They were bidding on the silent auction. I wasn't. All I had in my pocket was a hot check and some food stamps and they were not taking those. They were the kind of folks who have nick names for the ladies and that is how they are introduced. You know, names like "bunny" "muffy" that sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, they were sweet people, but they don't hang out where I hang out. It was all I could do not to use my Thurston Howell voice.
At dinner they served some real pretty food. I did not care for it, but I ate it. Cuz the Bible said to eat what is set before you. After a couple of hours of this, I decided to slip on out the door and head on to the house.
Am I making fun? No, just offering the perspective of your average redneck theologian who does not get out much. Till next time......
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