Burning Hearts- Luke 24:32 : Facing Challenges... Languages, Ropes, and the Future

(See below to see how Aron did!)

Language barriers. They are a real thing. But how badly do we need language school really? It has been decades since my first epic language mistake on that mission trip in college. After mixing up a couple of similar sounding words and topping it off with a false cognate for the win it can’t get much worse, right? (If you haven’t heard that story yet ask my father-in-law, he loves telling it.) We have been calling General Cepeda home now for a while, and due to a couple of new babies born in to team General Cepeda we are finally getting to spend a couple of weeks in language school. Most new missionaries hit language school right out of the gate before arriving at their post, but that wasn’t the plan the Lord had for us. We spent three weeks here in November, one month in February, and have logged another 3 and an half months here since Rebekah was born. After a grand total of easily 5 months immersed in the land of sombreros and fiestas, how badly do we really need language school?

When we first got here, I remember feeling completely lost. Without realizing it I developed a habit of using the two phrases that came the most easily, “Si” and “Muy Bien.” Too often I would use those phrases to express that I understood, not that I agreed. I have seen it in the states in the past, picture a sweet oriental man clearly not understanding a word you say but smiling and nodding as you speak, “Yes, Yes, very good”. That. Is. Me. I say it because I agree, or because I understand and I am excited about it, or because I have no idea what is being said and I just want to keep the “conversation” moving along.

There have been more than a few linguistic train wrecks here. I will just share a few of them. In February when I went to the bakery to get bread for a dinner we were having with two other missionary families. The bread wasn’t ready when I got there, and Elijah, Naomi and I hung out at the bakery for over 45 minutes waiting with another woman and her little boy. The whole time I wasn’t sure if the bread was actually still baking, or if we were just being exceptionally social and would leave without bread. The baker, Sarita, explained what was happening but I just had no idea what she said. Amazingly, we did eventually get bread. It took so long that as I left the bakery I met up with Josh along with the husbands from the other two families. The three of them were walking like they were on a serious mission. Ends up the got worried and had come to save us.

There was another time I went to the market, and while I was there I was supposed to buy new garrafones of water. I rehearsed in my head while I waited in line “Seis garrafones de agua, por favor,” and “los retornables est en el trucko”. So when I got to the register I was able to communicate I wanted 6 garrafones. But she asked a question, it could have been as simple as “do you need help carrying them to the car?” but I couldn’t understand. And she tried a few times but couldn’t communicate the question. We were both laughing, both confused, and I left the store without buying water.

Both those things happened early in our adventures here. I had someone recently say to me “You have been there a few months, you are pretty much fluent by now…right?” Mmmmhmmm….

Just a couple of weeks ago I needed to buy some screws and nails from the hardware store for a toddler sized bed I was making. I want to Javier’s on the corner and with the help of Google translate I was going to get what I needed. (Any vocabulary outside of normal ministry stuff is completely lost on me) How hard could it be…right? Here is a loose translation of our conversation….

Me: Hello Javier, how are you?

Javier: Very good, thanks be to God. [He had an amused smile on his face, he must have been remembering the time I went in trying to ask for sand bags…]

Me: Do you have some screws?

Javier: Yes, [and a question with a bunch of words I didn’t understand]

Me: I need screws, for wood.

Javier: Yes [more questions I still don’t understand, slightly louder]

Me: I have wood, I need some screws. For wood. [Also unintentionally louder, because that helps.]

Javier: Yes [insert more words, and some had motions that show he is wondering how what size]

Me: Oh, yes! This. [Motioning to the length]

Javier: Good. One moment. [he goes and gets one] This? How many?

Me: [Thrilled I understand, I throw out a number. Not really a thought out number. I didn’t actually count how many I needed ahead of time, I assumed I would just buy a package. And I am horrible at numbers in Spanish when I am on the spot. So I threw out a number. He came back with what looked like enough for the job, so feeling foolishly victorious I moved on to my next request. I consult Google translate] Can I have some nails too please?

Javier: [Repeats the word I used, looks at me confused]

Me: [Reconsult Google translate, realize I used the word for fingernail, not construction nails. I correct myself.] Nails. For hammers. For wood.

Javier: [Laughing at this point, grabs a handful of nails, throws them in the bag]

In retrospect, that conversation could have gone so much worse. So maybe language school is still a good idea, right?

Those humbling experiences aside, there have been many other times when (by the grace of God) I have actually been able to communicate. One time in particular that stands out to me was when a woman named Laticia came to the house to join us for prayer and adoration. When she was finished with her personal prayer and was getting ready to leave I stopped her to talk with her a bit and pray with her. Somehow, we were able to have a 20-minute conversation. I was able to understand her prayer intentions, and I was able to minister to her in Spanish as easily as I would have in English. I can only chalk those experiences up to the Holy Spirit.

I know that as long as we are doing our best the Lord will fill in what we are lacking in language where He needs. But outside of those instances He keeps me humble. So yes, we need language school now more than ever. I am ready to not sound like a two year old when I speak. (But I imagine the rest of General Cepeda will still get plenty of comic relief at my expense.)

On a side note, we had our family retreat over the weekend. It was such a blessed weekend. At the last minute the Lord gave us a house in San Antonio to spend the weekend in through a friend’s friend’s mom’s friend’s mother-in-law. (I am not exaggerating, that was the connection.) It was more beautiful and perfect than we could have even imagined. I had to laugh, due to well water and a septic system we still couldn’t drink the water or flush the toilet paper even though we were in the States. We felt perfectly at home! Seriously, the fact that a family that had never met us was willing to allow us to use their family’s getaway house for the weekend was such an immense blessing! The house had enough beds for all of us, and it back up to the Guadeloupe River. It was absolutely incredible. The kids loved swimming in the river and they spent hours in the kayaks. We were able to really enjoy each other as a family, and the Lord was able to speak loudly and clearly on the next steps He has planned. We will share more details on the retreat later. There is still more for us to pray through. Please continue to pray for us. Thank you all so much for your prayers!!!