1. The Story of St. Patrick
St. Patrick was born in Brittania in 385 AD. At around 15 years old, he was captured and taken back to Ireland as a slave. He spent six years as a shepherd and began praying each day and night to be rescued. After those six years, he managed to escape to the west coast and eventually returned home to his family. Because of this whole experience, he was able to know the Lord and accepted Him as Savior. One night, he dreamed that an Irish man gave him a letter from which a voice said, "Holy boy, please return to us. We need you." He prayed about whether or not he should return to Ireland after he had tried so hard to escape. He decided to become a missionary to Ireland and minister to the very people who had kidnapped him. He shared the Gospel for 29 years, baptized 120,000 people, and planted 300 churches.
2. The First English Colony
Undoubtedly, you have learned about Jamestown from 1607 and maybe even The Lost Colony from 1587 in elementary or middle school history class, but neither of these were the first English colony in America. In August of 1585, a couple hundred men (there were no women with them unless they were disguised as men) traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to the untouched coast of what is now North Carolina. They stayed only for 11 months because they ran out of food, but their settlement was used by The Lost Colony two years later. You can learn about this colony at Manteo, NC's Roanoke Island Festival Park!
3. The real Lucy Pevensie(s)
During The London Blitz of World War 2, June Flewett and her two sisters were evacuated to go live C.S. Lewis. He was June's favorite author, but she didn't realize the two men were the same person! The household was very kind to her and Lewis wrote about her in a letter later on to be "without exception the most selfless person I have ever known." It is said that she served as the inspiration for Lucy in his Chronicles of Narnia book series, the youngest of the four Pevensies. Queen Lucy the Valiant is known for her hope, selflessness, courage, and faith. Lucy's name comes from Lewis' goddaughter, Lucy Barfield, to whom he dedicated The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
