There are some days that you just don’t feel like getting
out of bed. I hope it is okay with you if I admit to sometimes being
frustrated, discouraged and just plain tired. Tired of rain, tired of five-hour
classes, tired of not knowing what people around me are saying. Life is not
always sunny, easy and, well, fun.
Today was such a day for me – at least it started that way.
I was discouraged because of my lack of Spanish conversations. I am not a
talkative person by nature. I don’t say a lot in English. It is very
challenging for me to try to make conversation in a language that is completely
new. If I can’t come up with questions in English to start or carry on
conversations, how on earth am I going to do so in Spanish?
I’ve been talking to God about this for some time. I had no
idea what He was going to do about it. Would He give me a new personality?
Would He allow me to learn Spanish well without conversations? Would He
supernaturally give me the gift of Spanish?
Today, He stepped in. At lunch all the others at the table
finished, leaving only my host mom’s sister and me. It was one of those “awkward”
moments. I had no idea if she spoke English, and I didn’t have a clue what to
say in Spanish. She spoke first and asked some simple questions in Spanish. I
answered as best I could. From that beginning we talked for an hour, covering
topics like world poverty, facts about Antigua, Kids Alive and its work around
the world, my life and her life. When I couldn’t understand what she said, she
rephrased it or pantomimed. When I didn’t know how to answer, I just started
and she helped me finish. It was the best conversation I have had in a long
time.
Later in the afternoon, I went to the ice cream shop. It is
one of my favorite places to go. The owner creates his own ice cream flavors –
Chocolate x 5, chai, curry, white pepper, double strawberry. You never know
what to expect when you walk in there. I wanted to take his photo but didn’t
know how to ask. Encouraged by my earlier conversation, I dove in and he taught
me how to ask in Spanish.
Next it was on to the park. I have a buddy there – Steven.
He sells gum for two quetzals (about 25 cents). One day he came up and
introduced himself and we have been friends ever since. Today we talked. I
actually thought up some questions to ask, and he was more than happy to answer.
Our conversation wasn’t long because he needs to sell his gum to raise money
for his family.
As I was sitting on the bench debating whether to walk
home, I saw an older couple walking past the fountain. The man had some
difficulty walking and something about him made me think that possibly he was
suffering from dementia. The woman looked tired. As they went past, I asked God
to bless them and watch over them, to meet whatever needs they had. It was a
short prayer. Perhaps 10 minutes later, I saw the man walking by himself on the
opposite of the fountain. He was going from one bench to another and sitting a
minute on each before walking on. I looked for the woman but didn’t see her.
What should I do? I wasn’t sure he was in any kind of trouble so I started
praying again for his safety, for the woman to be able to find him. Sure
enough, in a couple minutes I saw her coming, her eyes searching the park,
looking for him. I watched to make sure she found him, then made my way home.
As I went, I realized something. I may not know the language
very well yet where I am. I will never speak Spanish like a native even after
language school and two years in the DR. But there is a language that I do
know. It is the language that God speaks to my heart. As long as I understand
that language and respond, no matter where I go or what language others speak,
God can use me to accomplish His purpose. And that’s really what matters, isn’t
it.
