For the first time since we have started making visits to Latin America with IPM, I arrived eager to talk in Spanish. First of all, I was back in a country where I lived about thirty years ago, and I wanted to know how things had changed. I knew I would only find out by talking to the Guatemalans.
Secondly, it was the first time when I arrived feeling as though I had a fairly good handle on what was going on around me. I could understand what people were saying around
me, and I didn’t feel as though I was constantly trying to dig the right words out of the recesses of my brain. I have been so blessed by God to be have more freedom in teaching in Spanish this time. I still have a long way to go, but I see progress, and that’s good.
Still, my Spanish is far inferior to what it once was. I know that there is work ahead of me if I want to be effective teaching in Spanish, and since IPM has a number of national missionaries working in Latino countries, we will likely continue to be travelling to Spanish-speaking countries.
During our conference, Sharon Herrera asked me if I would be willing to come to Cuernavaca, Mexico to work with their children’s workers and help them improve their program. I would love to do that!
Last night Charlie asked brother Giovanni this question, “If we were to come back to work with you again, what can we do to be more effective the next time we come?” He had a couple suggestions, but the main one was, “Learn Spanish.” Giovanni’s main concern where Charlie is concerned is that people may want to be able to get counsel from him without the help of an interpreter.
Charlie is very intelligent and could easily learn conversational Spanish given the right
conditions. Does this mean we should add a signpost to the three we already have? We can see the advantages of settling somewhere where we would have more interaction in Spanish – perhaps a church where they have a Spanish ministry. Or does this mean that we should take some time to actually live in a Spanish-speaking nation for a while until our Spanish improves? It does, however, seem to indicate that we need to take our command of the Spanish language seriously.
So maybe this is our fourth signpost: Live somewhere where our Spanish will improve through constant interaction.
Secondly, it was the first time when I arrived feeling as though I had a fairly good handle on what was going on around me. I could understand what people were saying around
me, and I didn’t feel as though I was constantly trying to dig the right words out of the recesses of my brain. I have been so blessed by God to be have more freedom in teaching in Spanish this time. I still have a long way to go, but I see progress, and that’s good.Still, my Spanish is far inferior to what it once was. I know that there is work ahead of me if I want to be effective teaching in Spanish, and since IPM has a number of national missionaries working in Latino countries, we will likely continue to be travelling to Spanish-speaking countries.
During our conference, Sharon Herrera asked me if I would be willing to come to Cuernavaca, Mexico to work with their children’s workers and help them improve their program. I would love to do that!
Last night Charlie asked brother Giovanni this question, “If we were to come back to work with you again, what can we do to be more effective the next time we come?” He had a couple suggestions, but the main one was, “Learn Spanish.” Giovanni’s main concern where Charlie is concerned is that people may want to be able to get counsel from him without the help of an interpreter.
Charlie is very intelligent and could easily learn conversational Spanish given the right
conditions. Does this mean we should add a signpost to the three we already have? We can see the advantages of settling somewhere where we would have more interaction in Spanish – perhaps a church where they have a Spanish ministry. Or does this mean that we should take some time to actually live in a Spanish-speaking nation for a while until our Spanish improves? It does, however, seem to indicate that we need to take our command of the Spanish language seriously.So maybe this is our fourth signpost: Live somewhere where our Spanish will improve through constant interaction.
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