New fundie friend :)

[Sunnichick31]

It seems like anytime I fly, I end up seeing loads of fundies and today was no different. I flew from Illinois to Montana cause my mother is having surgery on Friday and needs someone to help her out after (good thoughts would be appriciated!) and when I was waiting in OHare, I saw some women in long skirts and shirts, nothing special there, but then when I was at my gate waiting to board, a Mennonite couple sat down next to me. I figured they were going to Ohio, cause that was the next flight leaving from the neighboring gate but it turns out that they were headed to MT too, and they were on a layover in Ohare. Anyway, since I thought that they were from Ohio, I thought that maybe they were Amish, and I asked the woman what church they belonged to. She said that they were Mennonite, but that they were raised Amish and became Mennonite after marriage. She and I spoke for at least an hour and a half while we waited for our flight, and exchanged email addresses to keep in touch.

We had a nice little chat about theology and everything. I learned a little from her, she learned a little from me, it was really good. :) Compared religions a bit. It was nice. :)

She said that she and her husband became Mennonite because the Amish don't do a lot of missionary work and "God laid it on their hearts" to do missionary work. They've helped out here in the USA, but they also do real missionary work in Central America (ex, helping to build houses and whatnot. REAL missionary work, not just handing out bibles or whatever.) Two of her kids are still Amish and she showed me pictures of them and when I asked about posing for pictures she said that it depends on the order, but that her kids are OK with pictures. I hope that I didn't drive her insane with questions LOL.

She said that she didn't homeschool, she sent her kids to a Mennonite school, but she does know people who do homeschool.

In case anyone is intersted, she was wearing a light grey dress, a white bonnet, and black crocs. At first I was thinking "crocs? Really?" But after thinking a little, I realized that she's way smarter than me. Crocs are easy to slip on and off for security, whereas my converse were annoying LOL! :doh:

In other news, I have horrible luck with transportation. My flight was delayed by an hour and a half, which meant that instead of getting in at 10:30, I got to the airport at around 12:20 or so, so I got home around 1 am. Lovely. At least my bags were on the carosel this time, as opposed to going straight to lost and found like last time, or getting lost like the time before. And at least the airplane didn't break down like my car frequetly does, and like my husband's car is threatening to. Hm, maybe I"ll start researching horse-and-buggys. They sound less stressful.

Anyway, it's almost 3 am and I'm tired! (odds are I'll keep posting anyway, but I can at least pretend to go to bed, right?)

[Mythicwings]

That sounds like a nice conversation :)

[Closed Womb]

It seems like anytime I fly, I end up seeing loads of fundies and today was no different. I flew from Illinois to Montana cause my mother is having surgery on Friday and needs someone to help her out after (good thoughts would be appriciated!)

This newbie sends good thoughts.

[pixydust]

I hope that everything goes well for your mom.

I'm glad that you had a nice talk with the Menonite lady and are developing a friendship. I think that people can learn alot from having friends that they are different from (as I'm learning with my Catholic/super republican friends)

[Claddagh]

Best of health wishes to your mom! :)

That's good that you had a nice chat with the mennonite lady. I've talked to a few here and there and one even complimented me on a shirt that I made.

[Jana814]

What an interesting experience you had. That is really nice that she was willing to talk to you and answer your questions. Best wishes on your mother's surgery.

[Cannelle]

Many good thoughts to your mom! :)

And I haven't flown for years, but when I did, I always wore Crocs. Easy to kick off at security, easy to slip right back on. I don't care how ugly they are, they're comfy and convenient, and if all the fashionistas want to come tie my better looking shoes for me when I have my hands full of luggage and whatnot, maybe then I'd consider wearing something flashier. ;)

[bananacat]

Crocs are so uncomfortable. I don't understand how anyone can think they are comfy. I had to wear them at work in a clean room, and I had terrible tendonitis. I can wear flip-flops for months with no problem, but Crocs are somehow actually worse than flip-flops. They don't have any arch support, and they seem to actually go negative, with different parts of my feet dipping down too low. At least with flip-flops it doesn't get any worse than completely flat.

I'm also not eager to give to credit to any kind of missionary work. People shouldn't be pressured to convert just to get a decent roof over their heads. If these people truly cared about disadvantaged people, they would build houses with no ulterior motive and stop calling it missionary work.

[Jana814]

I wanted to say this. I think that the missionary work they want to do is a great thing. That is what people in other countries need, help building houses not people preaching their religous believes.

[bananacat]

I'm sure that they are preaching while they are building. If it's not outright coercive, it's at least unethical and surely there is pressure to convert. That's how missionaries work.

[Creaky Mom]

Mennonites I'm familiar with concentrate their mission work for their own people in Mexico, Central America and South America. Mennonite colonies there have many, many social problems on account of generational cultural isolation.