We sit in a crowded restaurant in Panajachel, Guatemala. The menu choice was simple for a change: Tipico or Continental. We choose "Tipico y café, por favor." We sit and enjoy our breakfast of coffee, scrambled eggs, fried plantains, wonderful slices of warm bread with New Zealand butter, a watermelon wedge, and frijoles fritas ... Okay, maybe not the frijoles fritas. We haven't yet acquired a taste for the black bean purée that is often served cold.
Our "simple choice" this morning makes us think about choices we are making in this phase of our lives. We can simply choose to live in victory or in defeat. Defeat is easy to choose. We are very often weary - learning a new language is hard. Adapting to a new culture is difficult. Dealing with physiological changes brought on by a foreign diet that contains things our bodies are not used to just adds to the challenges. We have both had our days of sitting and feeling sorry for ourselves, longing for a home we no longer have.
But we chose this path because the Lord has called us to serve Him in a different place and in a different way. Our transition to the DR will most definitely include difficulties and challenges as we deal with "different" and we must choose to walk in a way that brings honor to Him.
We were challenged this morning by these words from Oswald Chambers, from May 15th: "First Peter 4:12 says, 'Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you ...' Rise to the occasion - do what the trial demands of you... May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality - a readiness to face anything He brings our way... We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others." To borrow some words from a good friend, "Easy to say, hard to do."
But we will attempt to pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and get busy with the task that is before us - Honoring the Lord as we learn Spanish, as we are constantly accosted by Mayan woman peddling their wares, as we attempt to check out of the local tienda, and as we bump into people who ask us questions we can't understand. Lord, help us to be broken before you.
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Muchas palabras nadando en mi cabeza!!
Translation ... Many words are swimming in my head
I walk down the cobblestone streets trying not to cry. I have just made my second trip from the school to the lab where I have to go to get test results for Dick. He has not been feeling well for a few days and is not getting better so we are checking to see if he has an amoeba or bacteria or some other such foreign substance swimming around in his body. I picked up the test results, having no idea what to do with them. No explanation was offered and even if there had been, I probably wouldn't have understood it. I then walked back toward the school to "La Bodegona," a large variety store where I know there is a pharmacy. I show the slip they gave me at the lab to the pharmacist and she fires a response at me. I can't even pick one word out of her response that I understand. After trying to explain to her that I only speak a little Spanish she slows down and obviously tries to simplify her response. It is finally clear to me that I do not have what I need to get medicine and that I will have to return to the lab with Dick so he can see the doctor and get a prescription. So, I walk back down the cobblestone street toward "home" empty-handed. I know Dick feels lousy and I so wanted to be able to bring something back to him to help him. And I also wanted to be able to succeed at something ... anything. But I am finding that lately, the learning curve is huge!
I am tired of feeling like an idiot and looking foolish. I stand out like a sore thumb with my gringo accent, my unstructured sentences, my American clothes and my "Earth Shoes" - they are a bit on the ugly side but so comfortable and helpful on the uneven streets (how the Guatemalan woman walk these streets in heels I will never know). Every weekday, I sit with my tutor for 4 hours and we practice what feels like the same thing over and over again. And I feel like I am making the same mistakes over and over again. My tongue trips over letter and word combinations and I just don't seem to be able to put the right endings on words. I use an "a" when it should be "o" and "as" when it should be "ar" and so forth. Most days I am able to laugh at myself. Everyone keeps telling me it will get better and I cling to that hope.
Along the lines of hope - the strangest thing is happening to me. As I think and as I speak in English, I am hearing bits and snatches of Spanish words and phrases in my head. It's a little strange. Kind of like when you start to drive out of the range of a radio station and you are hearing two songs at one time. I feel a bit crazy but I guess this is part of the process. Those of you who have learned a second language hopefully understand what I am saying (or else I really AM going crazy). It's like my translator button is stuck in the "on" position and I can't turn it off. Even as I type this, I am fighting the urge to type certain words in Español! The silver lining in this is that I think this may be proof that I am actually learning! I can honestly say that I know more today then I knew last Monday.
Just to let you know, the day did turn out okay, after lunch Dick and I walked back to the lab and he was able to see the doctor, get his prescriptions and is now resting comfortably. He should be good to go by tomorrow.
Thanks for listening to me ramble and be thankful that I didn't include the "Spanish static!" Off to study "mas Español."
I walk down the cobblestone streets trying not to cry. I have just made my second trip from the school to the lab where I have to go to get test results for Dick. He has not been feeling well for a few days and is not getting better so we are checking to see if he has an amoeba or bacteria or some other such foreign substance swimming around in his body. I picked up the test results, having no idea what to do with them. No explanation was offered and even if there had been, I probably wouldn't have understood it. I then walked back toward the school to "La Bodegona," a large variety store where I know there is a pharmacy. I show the slip they gave me at the lab to the pharmacist and she fires a response at me. I can't even pick one word out of her response that I understand. After trying to explain to her that I only speak a little Spanish she slows down and obviously tries to simplify her response. It is finally clear to me that I do not have what I need to get medicine and that I will have to return to the lab with Dick so he can see the doctor and get a prescription. So, I walk back down the cobblestone street toward "home" empty-handed. I know Dick feels lousy and I so wanted to be able to bring something back to him to help him. And I also wanted to be able to succeed at something ... anything. But I am finding that lately, the learning curve is huge!
I am tired of feeling like an idiot and looking foolish. I stand out like a sore thumb with my gringo accent, my unstructured sentences, my American clothes and my "Earth Shoes" - they are a bit on the ugly side but so comfortable and helpful on the uneven streets (how the Guatemalan woman walk these streets in heels I will never know). Every weekday, I sit with my tutor for 4 hours and we practice what feels like the same thing over and over again. And I feel like I am making the same mistakes over and over again. My tongue trips over letter and word combinations and I just don't seem to be able to put the right endings on words. I use an "a" when it should be "o" and "as" when it should be "ar" and so forth. Most days I am able to laugh at myself. Everyone keeps telling me it will get better and I cling to that hope.
Along the lines of hope - the strangest thing is happening to me. As I think and as I speak in English, I am hearing bits and snatches of Spanish words and phrases in my head. It's a little strange. Kind of like when you start to drive out of the range of a radio station and you are hearing two songs at one time. I feel a bit crazy but I guess this is part of the process. Those of you who have learned a second language hopefully understand what I am saying (or else I really AM going crazy). It's like my translator button is stuck in the "on" position and I can't turn it off. Even as I type this, I am fighting the urge to type certain words in Español! The silver lining in this is that I think this may be proof that I am actually learning! I can honestly say that I know more today then I knew last Monday.
Just to let you know, the day did turn out okay, after lunch Dick and I walked back to the lab and he was able to see the doctor, get his prescriptions and is now resting comfortably. He should be good to go by tomorrow.
Thanks for listening to me ramble and be thankful that I didn't include the "Spanish static!" Off to study "mas Español."
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The Journey Continues ... From Colorado to Guatemala
Today marks a month that we have been on the road and what a journey it has been! We had a wonderful time visiting family and friends in Texas and New Mexico as we made our way to Colorado. Cross cultural training at MTI was everything we had hoped it would be and more. It was challenging, stretching, heart-wrenching, and fun all wrapped up together. It caused us to dig deep inside to become more aware of our core beliefs and who we are in Christ so that we will be compassionate toward those we minister to and along-side of. We left MTI feeling better prepared, or at least better equipped to handle the stresses and challenges that will surely come as we cross cultures and learn to minister on foreign ground.
We are now in Antigua, Guatemala to attend language school until the 3rd of June. We arrived here on Friday night and were immediately challenged by our lack of knowledge of the Spanish language. We are looking forward to learning to do more than stare blankly at people as they ask us questions in Español, such as "Can I please see your luggage tags," or "What do you have in your bags?"
Fortunately, we were met by a driver from the language school who spoke a little bit of English and with our little bit of Spanish we were able to get loaded into the van and get to our hotel where we spent the weekend catching up on sleep and trying to acquaint ourselves with this beautiful colonial community. Our first challenge on Saturday morning was finding the language school so we could meet with the director and discuss our host family and the program itself. It's a good thing we left a little early because we made a few wrong turns along the way! Saturday ended with us feeling like we had accomplished much. We were able to: exchange money at the bank, order Burger King, buy a cell phone, pick up a few groceries, get an ice cream cone, and order dinner that was actually something edible! We were so exhausted from walking what felt like hundreds of miles! The streets in Antigua are challenging - you have to watch where you are stepping because the sidewalks are uneven and have holes in them and there are also wide cement window ledges that stick out onto the sidewalk so we have had to master the art of looking up and down at the same time! The streets are not much easier to navigate as they are cobblestone so it's easy to twist an ankle!
We attended a bilingual church this morning and appreciated being able to actually worship rather than spending the whole time trying to translate things in our head. We will have enough of that beginning tomorrow. Please keep us in your prayers as we begin language school. Pray also that we can settle in with our host family (a 75 year old woman and her maid), and that our tutors will be the best ones for us. Please let us know how to pray for you. We love you and we miss you!
We are now in Antigua, Guatemala to attend language school until the 3rd of June. We arrived here on Friday night and were immediately challenged by our lack of knowledge of the Spanish language. We are looking forward to learning to do more than stare blankly at people as they ask us questions in Español, such as "Can I please see your luggage tags," or "What do you have in your bags?"
Fortunately, we were met by a driver from the language school who spoke a little bit of English and with our little bit of Spanish we were able to get loaded into the van and get to our hotel where we spent the weekend catching up on sleep and trying to acquaint ourselves with this beautiful colonial community. Our first challenge on Saturday morning was finding the language school so we could meet with the director and discuss our host family and the program itself. It's a good thing we left a little early because we made a few wrong turns along the way! Saturday ended with us feeling like we had accomplished much. We were able to: exchange money at the bank, order Burger King, buy a cell phone, pick up a few groceries, get an ice cream cone, and order dinner that was actually something edible! We were so exhausted from walking what felt like hundreds of miles! The streets in Antigua are challenging - you have to watch where you are stepping because the sidewalks are uneven and have holes in them and there are also wide cement window ledges that stick out onto the sidewalk so we have had to master the art of looking up and down at the same time! The streets are not much easier to navigate as they are cobblestone so it's easy to twist an ankle!
We attended a bilingual church this morning and appreciated being able to actually worship rather than spending the whole time trying to translate things in our head. We will have enough of that beginning tomorrow. Please keep us in your prayers as we begin language school. Pray also that we can settle in with our host family (a 75 year old woman and her maid), and that our tutors will be the best ones for us. Please let us know how to pray for you. We love you and we miss you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)